When it works, collaboration in any form is a powerful tool for enhancing organizational capacity. It can keep lone organizations strong and sustainable over time. In a sector in which services often are duplicated, collaboration can streamline efforts and produce better results. In his report Real Collaboration: A Guide for Grantmakers, David La Piana lists... Read More
Writes Ken Berger, former president of Charity Navigator: A while ago, a researcher on the nonprofit landscape created a list of every “information intermediary” (including Charity Navigator, GuideStar, BBB, etc.) and calculated there were over 100 of us. . . . Whatever barriers to entry there were in starting such groups have largely dissolved, given... Read More
The Cedarmere Foundation is a small foundation that my husband, George, and I founded in 2006. We started the foundation to involve our children and grandchildren in philanthropy. We wanted to create something that would bring them together for years to come—to make decisions together, learn more about their community, and give them a focus... Read More
To kick-start your thinking about leadership at the organizations you fund: Start by building trust—To assess leadership well requires an honest dialogue between funder and nonprofit, and building the trusting relationship that facilitates such dialogue takes time. To build trust, be forthright in your communications with nonprofits and clear about your expectations. Make your grant... Read More
Bringing grantees together is an important aspect of work at the Access Strategies Fund. The fund not only provides grantees with financial support but helps them create a network of organizations in Massachusetts that are working to ensure that the electoral process is fair and open. The work that this foundation funds requires a long-term... Read More
For foundations, supporting start-ups comes with challenges, including taking risks on unproven ideas and helping to build organizations from the ground up. Your small foundation colleagues who fund start-ups, though, say that this extra commitment is anything but a negative. It can be incredibly rewarding—both personally and professionally. Take The Lynch Foundation in Boston. Founded... Read More