Your board is responsible for ensuring adherence to legal standards and ethical norms. Trustees must ensure that the foundation follows its articles of incorporation, bylaws, and policies, complies with federal and state requirements, and holds to its purpose to serve the public good. The board also serves as the foundation’s moral compass, protecting it from... Read More
How do you move from a board table vision to a broad-based collaboration? After more than 20 years funding individual programs in its mission areas, The David and Lura Lovell Foundation began to focus on broad-based community, regional and national initiatives to change systems, address root causes, and build capacity in organizations focused on these... Read More
Discovering effective nonprofits isn’t a matter of chance; it’s a journey of cultivation. As a donor, you can support and strengthen the nonprofits most aligned with your goals. Identifying the impact you want to make can help narrow the field of potential grantees to those that fit your values. This also opens opportunities to foster... Read More
Lean funders are always looking for leverage: Where and how can we invest our limited assets to get the best returns? Will our grantees survive these challenging times and growing needs? How will we all (funders and nonprofits) rebuild our communities in a post-pandemic world? Will we look for innovative ways to strengthen organizational capacity?... Read More
To paraphrase the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, it’s easy to give away money. However, it’s much more difficult to know how and where to give it. Anyone who has managed a grantmaking program understands. Granting money is not difficult. Doing it effectively is another story. That’s why many leanly staffed foundations often enlist philanthropic advisers—organizations... Read More
During the pandemic, I dove headfirst into the great wide world of podcasts. Since then, I’ve listened to tens of thousands of hours across a variety of subjects. Here are 8 thought-provoking episodes I think would benefit anyone working in philanthropy. What are your favorite podcasts and podcast episodes? Please let us know in the... Read More