When disaster strikes, it can be overwhelming to know how best to help. As a funder, you want to ensure that your contributions make a real difference in both the short and long term. Experts and experience have shown that the most effective grantmaking in disaster situations follows four key principles—Connect, Collaborate, Consider, and Communicate.... Read More
As foundations strive to make meaningful change in support of their missions, understanding what leads to philanthropic impact is crucial. In the 2023 Foundation Operations and Management Report, foundations named insufficient grantmaking impact as one of their top challenges. In this blog, I’ll discuss a few factors that drive impact, as well as strategies for... Read More
I recently returned to a favorite publication of mine—Small Can Be Effective by Paul Ylvisaker, published first in 1989. I remember thinking it was thoughtful and relevant years ago, and I was particularly taken this time by the discussion of the five roles of small foundations. One of the things that struck me was the... Read More
Ever thought about doing an in-house “quick and dirty” strategic plan for your giving? To be honest, I hadn’t either. But after receiving 400 requests for funding in the first year after establishing an additional focus of sustainable agriculture and food systems work, we knew we had to do something. The requests covered a wide... Read More
As president of the foundation and son of the founders, I feel that our strategy leverages our assets exponentially. Here is how we do it. Established in 1984, the Zeigler Foundation is a small family foundation composed of seven board members with an endowment of just over $2.7 million. In 20 years we have distributed... Read More
I recently joined a panel of experienced colleagues in an engaging group discussion of the role site visits play in philanthropy and how best to structure them to achieve maximum benefit. Today, Exponent Philanthropy released a related video, the final in its 9-part Philanthropy Lessons series. Philanthropy Lessons: Getting Out of the Office explores site... Read More