I went on “sabbatical”! I was still working every day, but my wonderful board gave me “mission time.” Yes, you heard correctly. I was given 3 months to think about our foundation’s mission, its work, and our processes. What exactly does this mean? Well, to start, we temporarily closed our online portal and skipped a... Read More
For a number of years, it has been our privilege to offer programming and resources geared to the unique needs of foundation executive directors. Most come to this work from outside philanthropy, through a mix of skill and serendipity, and work up, down, and across their organizations, often as sole-staffers or in very small offices.... Read More
Are your foundation’s finances well-managed? As a lean funder, you know the importance of keeping things efficient and organized. Taking care of the finance function is no exception. Follow these four fundamentals to ensure your foundation’s finances are in great shape. 1. Keep a Finance Calendar At lean foundations, it’s common for one or two... Read More
Professional staff have the undeniable potential to further your philanthropy’s impact. Whether you’re currently staffed, anticipating a new hire, or simply weighing your options, here are tips to help your paid professionals flourish. Before a hire: Put your affairs—and your mindset—in order It goes without saying that bring staff on board requires time behind the scenes to... Read More
2020 was an unexpectedly challenging year. The pandemic changed the nature of work, and how we interact with our boards, staff and the nonprofits in our communities. We asked members of the Exponent Philanthropy community to reflect on COVID-19, how it affected their work in 2020, and what they foresee for 2021. Lean funders stepped... Read More
When foundations require detailed and specialized grant applications and reporting, it creates a lot of extra work for nonprofits. If a nonprofit secures funding from 20 to 30 foundations, it must manage applications to 40, 50, or 60 different foundations, each with unique requirements. Additionally, it must prepare grant reports for 20 to 30 foundations,... Read More