These days, impact investing or mission-aligned investing are hot topics, but to many it’s not always clear how to get started. We suggest taking a look at mission-aligned investment opportunities in your own backyard: investing in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and supporting a local social enterprise. CDFIs are private financial institutions with a 100%... Read More
Members named the following as great resources for foundations to have an impact with grantmaking: Twenty Ways to Make a Difference: Stories from Small Foundations Beyond dollars, small foundations hold unique assets that benefit your mission, program focus, or community. These include: Deep knowledge of community needs Ability to focus over time Ability to act... Read More
Without open, honest conversations, funders can’t learn what nonprofits really need to deliver outcomes desired by funders, grantees, and, most of all, people and communities in need. One of the biggest barriers to getting the complete story is the lack of trust between funders and grantees. Another task is creating the conditions necessary to listen... Read More
Strong leaders are essential to strong nonprofits, and your foundation’s impact depends on their success. Our Investing in Nonprofit Leaders primer explores practical ways funders can identify and support emerging leaders in the sector. Inside, you’ll: Learn about the challenges nonprofits face in recruiting and retaining leaders. Discover how to create space for grantees to... Read More
Suki O’Kane of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund said: Our foundation is in the middle of a participatory grantmaking pilot for our education grants: staff + 10 public school youth + 10 adults from the classroom, school leadership, and education-serving CBOs. Candid just came out with an insightful blog post: Participatory grantmaking in a... Read More
Our Great Funder–Nonprofit Relationships Toolkit is designed to help funders recognize the aspects of great relationships with nonprofit partners, assess competencies, and consider ways to improve how to work with one another. It walks through: The hallmarks of great relationships. A self-diagnostic that can help you identify opportunities for improvement. Two key skills that can... Read More