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
In America, we recognize that individuals working toward common purpose can accomplish great things. We celebrate well-functioning teams, especially in the realms of sports and business enterprise. In our communities, our states, and the nation as a whole, however, we are divided. We separate ourselves by class and race, and pledge ourselves to political ideologies,... Read More
Can greater cultural competency help funders better align their resources with needs? Despite notable accomplishments and donors who care a great deal about serving historically underserved populations, philanthropy continues to struggle to achieve social change for the communities and populations that need it most. Even the most thoughtful and productive philanthropists—including those who aim to... Read More
As funders increasingly seek to supply resources beyond financial support to their grantees, many are engaging third-party consultants to provide capacity building assistance. But how can funders know whether these resources are really strengthening grantees? What are some reasonable benchmarks for evaluating this assistance? We at Arbor Brothers are fervent believers in the value of capacity building—so... Read More
Three years ago in Texas, foundations confronted a profound crisis. For decades, funders working on public education have invested tens of millions and countless hours to support the public schools and the millions of students from low-income backgrounds served by those schools. These foundations have long been committed to numerous partnerships with state government. Their... Read More
Some philanthropists decide to operate in the public realm early on. But others go public at some point over time, often when they feel compelled to act. However it emerges, going public can be a pivotal transition point and a bold act of leadership. The Troy Savings Bank Charitable Foundation quietly awarded grants in the area... Read More