To paraphrase the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, it’s easy to give away money. However, it’s much more difficult to know how and where to give it. Anyone who has managed a grantmaking program understands. Read More
Across the nonprofit sector, an enormous amount of time is spent on grant applications that will never be funded. Some of that is unavoidable. A lot of it isn’t. When application processes are more complex than they need to be, the burden falls on the nonprofits least equipped to handle it, and the real value of... Read More
Like many private foundations, ours has historically kept a relatively low profile. That all changed a decade ago when our board and staff embarked on a strategic planning process. It became clear through its community conversations, interviews, and research that our foundation had a real opportunity to extend our impact by improving our communications. We... Read More
Rural philanthropy requires a different kind of thinking and creativity from urban philanthropy. It stands to reason, then, that the networks rural funders build will look different from those that traditionally attract more urban-focused foundations. In my work researching and building rural philanthropy, I’ve seen two main types of foundations that describe themselves as “rural... Read More
Is your board covering all the bases of good governance this year? A comprehensive checklist of annual board tasks ensures your foundation remains up-to-date and on track. By including legal obligations and governance best practices, this checklist serves as a valuable guide for established foundations (not start-ups). While some tasks are legally required, others are... Read More
What Is the Nonprofit Sector? The nonprofit sector encompasses institutions and organizations that are neither government nor business. A nonprofit exists to benefit the public and operates without the intent of making a profit. Any revenue generated is reinvested into the organization to support its mission or charitable purpose rather than distributed to shareholders, as... Read More