For far too long, foundations and philanthropists have stayed out of policy debates. Consequently, many nonprofits supported by these foundations have avoided political involvement to avoid upsetting their donors. However, this silence comes at a cost. Advocacy and Lobbying by Private Foundations Funders can support and participate in advocacy and encourage their grantees to do... Read More
Leanly staffed family foundations can punch well above their weight, working with other funders and grantees to change systems. Over the past eight years, the Thornburg Foundation has experienced this firsthand. Given the depth of the challenges facing the state of New Mexico, systemic change is particularly important to our board chair and founder, Garrett... Read More
This post originally appeared on Foundant’s blog. COVID has impacted every person, community, and organization across the globe. Today, together, the world is grappling to find a new balance between the challenges and loss COVID has brought with adjusting to a new post-COVID reality. Some think (hope) the world will go back to “normal” soon.... Read More
Exponent Philanthropy is proud to launch, Mind the Gap: Exploring the Role of Diversity and Racial Equity in Leanly Staffed Foundations – 2021 Edition. This publication shares our research on leanly staffed foundation demographics, and how lean funders see racial equity relate to their work. The intentional inclusion of diverse perspectives leads to better decision... Read More
Without a doubt, giving plenty of time and thought to your foundation’s recordkeeping system will pay off in the long run. In general, you should keep most foundation files of any significance for a minimum of 3 years. However, this can add up to a lot of paper! For one thing, if space is a... Read More
Multiyear funding—support that funders commit up-front for multiple years—is a key to strengthening nonprofit effectiveness, capacity, and impact. These grants guarantee income streams, lessening the time grantees need to fundraise so they can better carry out their missions. When many foundations are cutting grant budgets and reducing their number of grantees, committing scarce funds for... Read More