As the president of a family foundation that has made the transition to an all third-generation board, I am often asked by colleagues for tips on successfully engaging next gen family members. Here is one: consider offering one-year, renewable board terms to family. I haven’t done a study on this, but I would guess that... Read More
Last year, for organizations positioned to engage young leaders and for young leaders themselves, a colleague and I shared ways to create a welcoming space for the next generation to learn and build confidence. See Are You Creating Space for Young Leaders to Lead? >> Because the challenge of engaging the next generation—and getting engaged as... Read More
I had a hunch: If everyone in a room reflects on their practice, especially the practices they turn to when stymied somewhere between intent and outcome, something good and potentially powerful would result. By practice, I mean the tools and skills one uses to have difficult conversations, move ideas along, work across the boundaries of... Read More
Before I came to the PIMCO Foundation, I worked in the nonprofit sector for six years. Year one changed my career trajectory, and years two through six provided formative life experiences. I have vivid memories of my time in nonprofit, from counseling youth to meeting donors to schlepping t-shirt boxes up and down and around... Read More
I recently joined a panel of experienced colleagues in an engaging group discussion of the role site visits play in philanthropy and how best to structure them to achieve maximum benefit. Today, Exponent Philanthropy released a related video, the final in its 9-part Philanthropy Lessons series. Philanthropy Lessons: Getting Out of the Office explores site... Read More
To create change, improve lives, or find a cure, philanthropists must approach their work as an investment and not simply as a gift. By definition, gift giving requires nothing in return. So when our sector talks about major gifts or big givers, we lose track of what effective philanthropy should be: a carefully constructed investment... Read More