This post originally appeared on The Philanthropic Initiative’s blog. “When philanthropy partners, communities prosper.” This was the guiding mantra that tied together Exponent Philanthropy’s 2023 conference in Baltimore, MD that we attended last fall. From the start, we were energized by philanthropic and nonprofit leaders alike echoing the importance of centering community voice for greater... Read More
I recently returned to a favorite publication of mine—Small Can Be Effective by Paul Ylvisaker, published first in 1989. I remember thinking it was thoughtful and relevant years ago, and I was particularly taken this time by the discussion of the five roles of small foundations. One of the things that struck me was the... Read More
In America, we recognize that individuals working toward common purpose can accomplish great things. We celebrate well-functioning teams, especially in the realms of sports and business enterprise. In our communities, our states, and the nation as a whole, however, we are divided. We separate ourselves by class and race, and pledge ourselves to political ideologies,... Read More
In the past, I was a nonprofit capacity building adviser, and this question came up often. The principles that applied to those charitable nonprofits can also help foundations. It’s useful to think of this question in two-parts: Should the executive director serve as a board member? Should the executive director be a voting or non-voting... Read More
It is with tremendous gratitude that I come to the end of my 26 years as Executive Director of the Butler Family Fund. It’s been my joy and privilege to work with extraordinary, courageous, innovative, and inspiring advocates and organizations. This constellation of brave people and groups has done so much to make our world... Read More
Several years ago, I was honored to give the opening plenary, From Biases to Strengths, for Exponent Philanthropy’s 2018 National Conference. I stood before you and said, “When we raise our collective voices and make courageous use of resources—that is when we stop the hate. That is when we advance our communities. And that is,... Read More