Publications Archive - Exponent Philanthropy

Resources

Racial Equity in Lean Foundations

Download the Fourth Edition Today! The Lean Funder’s Equity Journey Racial equity is crucial to effective philanthropy, and lean foundations—those with few or no staff—are uniquely positioned to make a significant impact. Our 2024 publication, “Racial Equity in Lean Foundations: The Lean Funder’s Equity Journey,” delves into how these foundations are incorporating racial equity into... Read More

How Grantees Think Funders Can Improve

Funders want to be the best versions of themselves. A critical step on that journey is getting feedback from grantees. However, not every foundation has the time or capacity to collect grantee feedback. At Exponent Philanthropy, we help lean funders collect feedback from their communities through the Grantee and Applicant Perception Survey. Over the past... Read More

2023 Racial Equity in Lean Foundations

Incorporating Allyship Into Your Philanthropy Using interviews with lean funders and foundations and data from the Foundation Operations and Management Report and other surveys, this report focuses on the relevance of racial equity to our members’ missions and board and staff demographics. It shows how racial equity relates to good governance, grantmaking, and investment practices,... Read More

Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy: How to Get Started

Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy (CLIP) is a mindset and practice that empowers lean, place-based foundations to unleash their full potential to spark transformative change on issues prioritized by local communities. By embracing their unique abilities to act quickly, focus persistently, and nurture deep relationships, individuals who embrace CLIP go beyond typical grantmaking and become dynamic... Read More

Racial Equity in Lean Foundations: Reflection Questions and Implementation Ideas

Racial equity is a critical element of philanthropy. While lean funders are increasingly focused on it, foundation boards and staff remain disproportionately White. Two of the primary factors holding back philanthropy’s efforts to advance social change are both tied to race: Understanding Race’s Role in the Issues: How race shapes the problems philanthropists aim to... Read More