Foundations typically approach most grants as a team sport, debating their merits and deciding, collectively, whether they’re likely to achieve the foundation’s goals. However, in addition to granting as a group, some foundations give their board and/or family members a portion of funds to donate as individuals. This practice, called discretionary grantmaking, is legally permitted... Read More
On a Friday in February 2015, I invited 24 organizations to apply for funding in response to letters of inquiry our foundation had solicited. The next day, our board held a retreat to evaluate the foundation’s grantmaking outcomes over its first 5 years. We knew the board wanted to talk about how to increase our... Read More
In April, Exponent Philanthropy fielded a survey to learn how our community is responding to COVID-19, and more than 900 lean funders responded. We’re still analyzing the data and further engaging respondents, but we want to share a high-level overview. Have lean funders changed their funding in response to COVID-19? In a word, yes. Nearly... Read More
This sample document is courtesy of the Sherwood Trust. Read More
Families across the country continue to struggle with the rising cost of food, gas, housing, and more. Even Halloween candy prices were up 13% this year! Even more scary: nonprofits are facing the same inflation pressures—and many of them came into 2022 already facing declines in donations, a cliff in pandemic relief support, workforce shortages,... Read More
Uncertainty is nothing new in philanthropy, but in times of rapid change—like those we’ve experienced in recent months—it can be challenging to determine the best response. Through our work in reproductive justice and democracy, the Leland Fikes Foundation has gained key insights into funding in turbulent times. When policies shift or crises arise, philanthropy must... Read More