Your foundation can be extremely imaginative while still keeping its grantmaking straightforward. Or it can take full advantage of the tax code’s flexibility to make grants that are more complicated—and still perfectly legal. Our goal is neither to encourage you to stay simple or to get complicated with your giving, but to help you be aware... Read More
Rick Nahmias started Food Forward without any intention of becoming a nonprofit executive director. A photographer, Nahmias was moved by the mirror issues of U.S. hunger and food waste that he documented in his work. He started bringing volunteers together to pick fruit from backyard trees in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley that would otherwise go... Read More
When I started my job as a program officer at Ball Brothers Foundation a little over two years ago, I knew I had a lot to learn. There were technical aspects of working for a foundation that I knew I’d need to master (grant files, legal dos and don’ts), and it was also important for... Read More
An effective communications strategy can amplify a foundation’s impact by lifting up the successes of its grantees and other partners, elevating the causes that matter most to the organization, and connecting ideas, people, and resources around a common purpose. Every foundation, regardless of size, can reap the rewards of integrating a strategic communications approach into... Read More
I owe my passion for leadership development to my dad, a few terrific college professors, and a wonderful group of bosses and mentors. I asked each of these people for all the wisdom they could share. In return, they opened up their hearts and their minds giving me access to their knowledge and experiences. They... Read More
Before taking on the work of philanthropy and grantmaking, I was a gubernatorial appointee in charge of environmental policies for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The first Governor I worked for used to keep a sign prominently displayed on his desk. It said, “Today is opportunity day. Do something!” What a great attitude for those of... Read More