Oscar Wilde once said, “To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.” Many philanthropists these days consider themselves at the cutting edge of innovation and problem-solving. Perhaps at a programmatic level we are, since through philanthropy we have eradicated age-old diseases, supported mass social movements, and turned around entire cities. Yet despite our modern... Read More
This post is the second in a 2-part series on the role of funders in the lively topic of sustainability in the nonprofit sector. Read part 1 >> The series is based on session presentations made by the author at two regional conferences sponsored by the Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation at Arizona State... Read More
We’ve had the great pleasure of serving as the grantmaking and foundation management partner for Kathleen deLaski and the deLaski Family Foundation for the past three years. The foundation brought us on to help it adapt its mission, vision, and goals in a way that makes the most of the current board’s knowledge, networks, and... Read More
Philanthropy, from the Greek word for “to love humanity,” is inherently a human enterprise. In this business of helping to solve complicated social problems, we’re bound by the opportunities and challenges of working with other people to do so. It can be emotional work, and it’s work that involves very diverse people who span different... 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
Who do you turn to for advice on becoming a great trustee or an effective donor, or overcoming on-the-job challenges? As part of our Next Gen Fellows Program, a training program for emerging philanthropic leaders, we launched a mentoring program to pair fellows with seasoned practitioners. It taught us just how valuable mentoring can be... Read More