Peer learning is one of the best ways funders share ideas, improve their practice, and build strong professional connections. The Peer Circles Planning Guide is a practical toolkit that helps foundations and philanthropic professionals plan and host engaging Peer Circles—interactive discussions that support shared learning and collaboration. The guide walks you through each step of... Read More
The 2026 Foundation Operations and Management Report is available now! This is the only resource of its kind for foundations operating with few or no staff. The full Foundation Operations and Management Report offers key philanthropy benchmarks and long-term data on the evolution of lean foundations. Based on our annual survey of members, this report... Read More
A Practical Guide To Flexible, Long-Term Funding Multiyear general operating support is one of the most effective ways foundations can support nonprofit sustainability and one of the funding approaches nonprofits request most often. By offering unrestricted funding over multiple years, multiyear GOS gives organizations the flexibility and stability to plan ahead, invest in people and... Read More
How can small, early-stage grants spark outsized impact? This new case study explores how the Howell Conservation Fund (HCF) used seed funding to accelerate environmental projects and test new ideas, while deepening relationships and learning as a lean funder. Through its 2023–2024 Catalytic Grant Program, HCF awarded nine $5,000 seed grants to organizations worldwide. The... Read More
Download the Fifth Edition Today! Staying the Course Toward Inclusive Philanthropy Philanthropy has always excelled when it listens, learns, and evolves to meet the needs of the communities it serves. In recent years, lean funders have increasingly recognized that racial equity is not an optional add-on to their work; it is central to their mission... Read More
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