Together with private foundations, donor advised funds (DAFs) are among the most commonly used vehicles for charitable giving. DAFs are accounts held within and managed by another organization, namely, a public charity known as a sponsoring organization. Like private foundations, DAFs offer substantial flexibility to the donor. DAF holders may choose a one-time donation or... Read More
If you believe all you have is money, think again! Small foundations—including those managed completely by trustees—have at their disposal a host of nondollar resources: Human assets—The creativity, passion, energy, and resourcefulness of your founders, trustees, and staff create huge potential for impact above and beyond dollar impact. Knowledge about community need— Foundations accumulate knowledge... Read More
In the wake of the dramatic economic downturn in 2008, Exponent Philanthropy heard the following from our conversations throughout 2009 with nearly 400 foundation members: Members stayed the course—Although most members shared concerns about the economy and discussed changes at their foundations in response, they also spoke of business as usual—or, to the best of... Read More
People say that one can be overtaken by vast waves of love and despair in Africa. “This is poverty,” warns Unitus Vice President Kate Cochran. “More palpable, deeper, and somehow more stark than anyplace else on the planet.” It took me decades to get to Africa. My early years were preoccupied with the privileges that... Read More
“Innovation is in the eye of the beholder,” says Sandy Herz, director of global partnerships at the Skoll Foundation. “Different foundations see it in different ways.” Convening grantees may be innovative for some foundations, even though others have been doing so for years. Or, another foundation might add program related investments to its grantmaking portfolio,... Read More
Why does Atkinson Foundation, a small-staffed funder, engage in grantmaking abroad? Locally we can make site visits, but that’s usually impossible when the project is in the Bolivian highlands, the Moroccan desert, the Brazilian rainforest, or a rural village in Eritrea or Honduras. Yet, overseas grants justify one-fifth of our foundation’s grantmaking and at least... Read More