Like many private foundations, ours has historically kept a relatively low profile. That all changed a decade ago when our board and staff embarked on a strategic planning process. It became clear through its community conversations, interviews, and research that our foundation had a real opportunity to extend our impact by improving our communications. We... Read More
The Buhl Regional Health Foundation is a new health conversion foundation in Western Pennsylvania, situated on the Ohio state line. We convened a daylong community health forum last fall to connect community leaders and organizations, explore our evolving region, and identify opportunities to improve the region’s well-being. Over the past 30 years or more, our... Read More
A man named Henry was once asked to chair a meeting at his local church. A seasoned military officer and engineer, he was embarrassed when conflict erupted and he lost control of the meeting. “The best of men, having wills of their own, are liable to attempt to carry out their own views without paying... Read More
For more than 60 years, Foellinger Foundation has provided resources for Allen County, Indiana, residents to increase their self-reliance through grants to nonprofit organizations that directly serve them. But, as our grantees are helping people move from dependence to independence, measuring how they do that, and do it effectively, has often been challenging. To address... Read More
How can a small foundation with a limited grantmaking budget leverage its resources to make an even greater impact? This post includes questions to ask yourself in pursuit of greater impact. Each foundation’s unique approach to impact will represent its passion, character, leadership, capacity, and history. As we dialogue with other funders, nonprofits, and thought... Read More
The self-dealing rules for private foundations can—and do—trip up even the most seasoned and well-intentioned funders. Do you make it a point to review the self-dealing rules each year and seek out expert advice? The general rule is this: Certain insiders known as “disqualified persons” are prohibited from engaging in a specific list of transactions... Read More