Succession tops the list of what keeps foundations up at night, yet many are reluctant to tackle the issue. Addressing succession early on has a number of benefits: It’s important to pass organizational strengths to future leaders while senior board members are still active. Disputes over mission, the pressure of geographic dispersal, uneven competencies and... Read More
Small-staffed funders draw on many assets besides money to advance issues in the policy arena: Human assets. Consider the creativity, passion and resourcefulness of founders, trustees, family and staff. Freedom to focus on an issue and persevere over the long term. Philanthropists have the freedom to “go deep” on an issue and commit. Most problems... Read More
Consider the following questions when hiring investment managers directly: What is the manager’s investment philosophy? Does the manager try to help you understand the philosophy, or just use terms meant to put off your questions? Does the manager pick securities from a preapproved list? If so, what is the justification or strategy for doing so?... Read More
As the board’s chief volunteer officer, the chair is responsible for leading the board and ensuring it fulfills its governance role effectively. The position requires deep commitment to the foundation, strong leadership skills, and personal integrity. To succeed, a chair must earn and maintain the respect of fellow trustees through fairness, preparation, and follow-through. An... Read More
See our Sample Document Employee Personal Planning and Goal Setting >> Read More
Your organization’s spending policy should be carefully selected after the thorough evaluation of several key inputs. A qualitative review of the type of organization, time horizon, beneficiaries, purpose of the endowment, sources of funding, institutional resources, applicable donor restrictions, and the investment policy statement should lead to a quantitative analysis that addresses: Annual operating expenses... Read More
