Whether joining together to voice your support for a cause or to make grants as a pooled fund, funding partnerships have many benefits: They allow you to work on a larger scale—either in dollars, visibility, or other resources—to risk-share, and to leverage your dollars. Funding partnerships also make for deepened relationships with other funders, which,... Read More
A leadership succession plan is a written document—approved by the board and easily available to board members—that identifies the process by which leadership will be assumed when key organizational leaders depart, whether the departure is planned or unplanned, permanent or temporary. A succession plan is an essential and critical source of guidance, and an expression... Read More
Investing your foundation assets effectively can increase investment returns and thereby provide additional assets to help fulfill your charitable goals. Over the longer term, good investment decisions lead to the potential for more grants and greater impact. Poor investment decisions typically lead to fewer grants and lessen a foundation’s impact. In addition, state law requires... Read More
Should you choose to hire paid staff, compensation must be reasonable, and the services provided must be reasonable and necessary to carry out the private foundation’s tax-exempt purpose. Compensation even may be provided to a disqualified person (i.e., staff or board member) as long as these standards are met. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says... Read More
The most effective boards engage in a continual process of self-assessment, that is, an evaluation of their performance. The assessment focuses on how you function as a board, not how you operate as a foundation. For some, this may be familiar thinking; for others, a board assessment provides a framework to think about how the... Read More
A well-run board retreat energizes people and propels your foundation forward. Unfortunately, many board members approach retreats with about as much enthusiasm as a trip to the dentist. This dread often is justified: Lack of preparation, hidden agendas, or unproductive communication can make a retreat seem like a big step backward for the foundation. The... Read More