John Parsons, a senior vice president with Mission Federal Credit Union in San Diego, needed to decide whether to advocate for an initiative from a member of the credit union's board of directors to open a student-run branch in downtown San Diego. Such a branch would be ground-breaking-the first student-run credit union branch in the country open to the general community; it would fit with Mission Federal's general philanthropic outlook; it would be an example of social entrepreneurship and strategic philanthropy; and it had other advantages. But it would be located in an area away from current members; it would take money away from other philanthropic efforts supported by long-term board members and give it to an effort proposed by a new and aggressive board member; and it had other problems. Furthermore, the branch would become financially profitable only in the long run, if ever. Parsons needed to decide just how much he believed in this project.