Right-sizing means tailoring what you require of grantseekers and grantees to apply for and report on grants so that the requirements are proportionate to the size of grant, appropriate to the type of grant, and reflective of any existing relationship with the grantee. In short, right-sizing considers the notion of net grants, that is, the... Read More
The primary purpose of financial statements is to communicate the financial health of the grantee. A non-accountant should be able to understand a well- written statement. The balance sheet, a statement of position, views a grantee on a specific date. The income statement, a statement of activity, looks at a year’s operating activity. The statement... Read More
The past 10 years have been exciting ones for the Hill-Snowdon Foundation and the Snowdon family. For 40 years prior, we acted as a typical family foundation, coming together once a year to nominally approve grants recommended by family members. We funded some wonderful organizations reflecting the varied interests of the family, but you would... Read More
How do small foundations scan? For starters, they venture into the community, listen to grantees, talk with community leaders and residents, review publications, and commission research and reports. Foundations have the privilege and opportunity to talk with almost anyone in a community. “We try to keep a pulse on the community and learn of things... Read More
For small foundations and large foundations alike, conducting site visits often is an important step in deciding whether to fund a nonprofit. Being comfortable scheduling and conducting a site visit is an important skill. The following are steps you can take to maximize the site visit experience. Step 1 Establish a purpose. A site visit... Read More
Created by members of the Andersen family—founders and owners of the Bayport, MN-based Andersen Corporation—the Andersen Foundation’s primary geographic area of focus is the St. Croix Valley, a mix of rural, suburban, and urban communities that spans the Minnesota–Wisconsin border just east of the Twin Cities. We primarily support nonprofits in Washington County in Minnesota... Read More