Funders with few or no staff can advance change on urgent issues. With a few dollars and a wealth of local knowledge and relationships, Exponent Philanthropy members have facilitated reform of a state’s juvenile justice system, increased access to nursing care for new and expectant mothers, and created statewide coalitions to focus dollars and attention on... Read More
Money affects power dynamics in relationships and as donors, we have the responsibility to send money carefully. When considering alternatives to a traditional funding approach, participatory grantmaking leverages knowledgeable input and democratic checks and balances. Being participatory is more than soliciting outside advice; it means inviting people at the center of the work to participate... Read More
Can we recover from the pandemic while becoming a more equitable society? Food, housing and financial security are rightly our philanthropic priorities right now. Yet, our country is calling on us to heal persistent divides and right structural wrongs. Humanities organizations could play a pivotal role. The humanities suffer benign neglect in philanthropy. Many funders... Read More
In rural communities with little philanthropic history and endemic, embedded poverty, Janell E. Ray has quickly established two foundations as leaders in health innovation and nonprofit capacity building. Janell serves as CEO of the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington and Executive Director of the Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon, two foundations in West Virginia that continue the... Read More
As Executive Director of the Hill-Snowdon Foundation, Nat Chioke Williams is leading a family foundation to strategically move its assets to support racial justice. Nat’s passion and thoughtfulness on racial justice issues has had a deep impact on the board’s understanding of anti-Black racism, and how philanthropy can create change. He led the family board... Read More
As CEO of Knapp Community Care Foundation, Yvonne “Bonnie” Gonzalez applies forward thinking to bring more funding to better the health of Rio Grande Mid Valley communities in holistic and sustainable ways. The Knapp Community Care Foundation, a health conversion foundation created in late 2012, provides grants for services within the Rio Grande Mid Valley.... Read More