Joe Wilson, founder of the Xerox Corporation, and his wife, Peggy, formed the Wilson Foundation in 1963. A few years ago, we engaged in strategic planning to revisit our giving priorities. At the time, our board had 24 members that spanned three generations, and were spread across the country. In order to achieve our impact... Read More
How can a small foundation with a limited grantmaking budget leverage its resources to make an even greater impact? This post shares questions to ask other funders in the pursuit of impact. If one thing is certain about philanthropic impact, it is that the path there isn’t as direct as one might think. Rather, it’s windy... Read More
It’s a lesson teachers and parents know well: No two people learn in exactly the same way or at exactly the same pace. And it’s a lesson worth bearing in mind for those seeking to create pathways for family members to engage in a shared philanthropic legacy. Arabella Advisors has worked with families for over... Read More
We created the Fund for Shared Insight—a funder collaborative with diverse support from 30 different funders—to increase foundation openness. We believe that if foundations are more open—which we define as how they share about their goals and strategies; make decisions and measure progress; listen and engage in dialogue with others; act on what they hear;... Read More
I went on “sabbatical”! I was still working every day, but my wonderful board gave me “mission time.” Yes, you heard correctly. I was given 3 months to think about our foundation’s mission, its work, and our processes. What exactly does this mean? Well, to start, we temporarily closed our online portal and skipped a... Read More
With so many worthy options, how do foundations choose? The key is to find grantees that are right for your foundation—a match for your goals, your strategies, and your tolerance for risk. Start by taking stock For starters, look in the mirror. Is your foundation clear about its goals? Can you articulate your approach to... Read More