An effective communications strategy can amplify a foundation’s impact by lifting up the successes of its grantees and other partners, elevating the causes that matter most to the organization, and connecting ideas, people, and resources around a common purpose. Every foundation, regardless of size, can reap the rewards of integrating a strategic communications approach into... Read More
You expect a lot of the individuals and organizations that apply for your grants, because better granting means greater impact. You trust them to come with big ideas and clear vision. You want them armed with budgets, schedules, plans, and actionable objectives. You look to them for ways to invigorate a community, further a cause,... Read More
When I started my job as a program officer at Ball Brothers Foundation a little over two years ago, I knew I had a lot to learn. There were technical aspects of working for a foundation that I knew I’d need to master (grant files, legal dos and don’ts), and it was also important for... Read More
Originally published by PEAK Grantmaking (November 17, 2017) A few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to attend a full day, in-person event with PEAK Grantmaking’s Midwest Regional Chapter. As a millennial (albeit on the older side of the generation) who started her career taking trainings online and conducting webinars, you might be surprised to... Read More
I had one of my more interesting and productive meetings with two colleagues the other day. Like me, these colleagues are both executive directors of grantmaking foundations that work in our community. One has tenure of more than 15 years, and I have known him for those years and more. The other is celebrating his... Read More
Grant applications are an important touchpoint for nonprofits and grantmakers alike. Recently, Blackbaud has been taking a hard look at the modern grantee experience for those who use our portal for grant applications. We wanted to know if the grantee portal afforded our funder clients the flexibility to get the information they needed, while also... Read More