Membership - Exponent Philanthropy

Membership

Meaningful philanthropic impact doesn’t require a big staff. It requires the right resources, relationships, and expertise.

Exponent Philanthropy is the national network built specifically for foundations, philanthropic families, and individual donors who operate lean and think big.

Lean funders are nimble, responsive, and closely connected to their communities, but operating with few or no staff means you can’t build every resource, relationship, or area of expertise in-house.

That’s where Exponent comes in. Membership connects you with peers who understand your work, practical resources you can put to use right away, relevant learning, and trusted expertise to help you strengthen your practice and amplify your impact.

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A national community built around lean philanthropy

When you join Exponent, you become part of a national community of lean funders across different structures, issue areas, geographies, and approaches to philanthropy.

1,500
member organizations
50 states
and beyond
75%
of member organizations have belonged to Exponent for more than a decade

What connects our members is a commitment to achieving meaningful impact while operating with lean teams.


Meet Exponent members →

What can membership help you do?

Exponent helps lean funders connect, find answers, strengthen their practice, access trusted expertise, and make the most of limited time and resources.

Connect with people who understand your work

Meet peers, exchange ideas, and build your network through Member Chats,
the Member Directory, peer communities, Regional Gatherings, and the Annual Conference.


Explore connections →

Find practical answers and resources

Access practical guidance, sample documents, publications, benchmarking data, tools, and resources created for lean funders.


Find answers & resources →

Learn and strengthen your practice

Build your skills through Foundations 101, webinars, programs, on-demand learning, and the Annual Conference.


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Access trusted expertise

Turn to Member Concierge, research, policy information, trusted experts, and Q&A services.


Explore expertise →

Save time and money

Access member pricing, insurance savings, technology discounts, publications, and services selected with lean funders in mind.


Explore member savings →

Get trusted legal guidance

Add Legal Services to your membership for$1,000 per year and receive up to
10 hours of consultation with attorneys at Arnold & Porter.


Explore Legal Services →

Ready to join?

Exponent membership dues are based on your organization’s average assets, making membership accessible to lean funders of different sizes.

Annual dues start at $870 for foundations under $5M in assets.

Members may also add Legal Services for $1,000 per year, providing up to 10 hours of consultation with attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

View Dues & Eligibility
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What happens next?

1. Join Exponent
Complete your membership application and select any optional services.

2. Get connected
Set up your member profile and access Exponent’s community and resources.

3. Find your starting point
Explore your benefits or connect with Member Concierge for guidance.

4. Put the network to work
Find a peer, ask a question, access a resource, or join an upcoming program.