Your organization’s spending policy should be carefully selected after the thorough evaluation of several key inputs. A qualitative review of the type of organization, time horizon, beneficiaries, purpose of the endowment, sources of funding, institutional resources, applicable donor restrictions, and the investment policy statement should lead to a quantitative analysis that addresses: Annual operating expenses... Read More
Great board meetings are achievable. Following a few legal requirements plus tried-and-true strategies can create an environment and a process for efficient, enjoyable foundation board meetings. Legal requirements For incorporated foundations, different states have different legal requirements for: Notice—States regulate how much notice needs to be given of meetings, and in what format. Typically this... Read More
At The Triple EEE Foundation, we have used scrutiny of our investment managers and unique investment ideas to weather the recent economic storms and further our mission. Although our family foundation was created in 1993, I became very interested in foundation investing in 2000. That year, at an Exponent Philanthropy conference in Chicago, one of... Read More
In its report On the Money, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations describes several financial challenges faced by nonprofits: Restrictions on funding—Despite the importance of infrastructure to nonprofits’ success, grantmakers overwhelmingly prefer to support the direct delivery of programs and services. The result is an underinvestment in the infrastructure nonprofits need to sustain and grow, such as... Read More
There are many reasons why foundations set up a website. A website can be used to: Communicate your mission and guidelines to potential grantees quickly, widely, and cheaply. Outline your grantmaking process and time line. Make your grant application and reporting forms available to grantees to download or with an online grant application process. Highlight... Read More
By following a few simple steps to create an orientation that is both effective and engaging, you can give your new trustees the tools they need. Here’s how. See also the publication Bringing on the Board: Practical Steps for Orienting Foundation Board Members >> Set your goals If you define your goals before designing the... Read More