At Exponent Philanthropy, we believe that listening is an essential skill for effective philanthropy. Deep listening helps our members truly understand the needs of their community and cultivate connected and impactful relationships with others. At the same time, listening is a skill that very few of us are ever trained to do well. Once you’re... Read More
Charitable giving plays a critical role in the global response to humanitarian, development, environmental, and other challenges. U.S. grantmakers recognize the important function fulfilled by cross-border philanthropy, and have long played a leadership role in this domain. Philanthropic dollars flowing abroad from the United States have steadily increased over the past several decades and show... Read More
Last month, Amazon patented a gift card that allows the purchaser to place restrictions on how recipients spend “their” money. The new technology allows gift-givers to limit not just price, but the sorts of products a recipient can buy—and even the item’s brand. Although holiday shoppers might question the generosity of a giver who puts... Read More
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but the word “no” has a negative connotation. And that’s a shame because, if used properly, “no” might actually be the ultimate philanthropic teaching and learning tool. We live in a society where so many of us are afraid to say that magic word— “no”— and so, we become... Read More
How does today’s social impact culture affect the way you engage your children and grandchildren in your family’s philanthropy? That’s a question many trustees of America’s 42,000 family foundations are asking themselves as they look more closely at strategies to fulfill community passions, conduct responsible grantmaking, and inspire a philanthropic legacy for the next generation.... Read More
Benefunder is fueling innovation by providing a marketplace for researchers and philanthropists to come together to solve some of the biggest problems facing our world. Consider these statistics: 50% of wealth creation in the U.S. since WWII can be directly attributed to a research grant. Research impacts all cause areas: environment, life sciences, technology, education, and... Read More