“If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.” (Lord Kelvin) As part of their day-to-day operations, many nonprofits automatically collect data, like clients served and services provided. Whether they realize it or not, these represent a wealth of valuable data that could be leveraged to solve today’s pressing societal issues. This information could be... Read More
Private foundation trustees and staff oversee countless activities, from setting direction and selecting grantees to reviewing policies and investing assets. Several foundation tasks—some mandatory, some voluntary—call for additional care. All are worth your careful consideration to help you be financially savvy and legally compliant, and to help you take full advantage of your foundation’s flexibility.... Read More
Ask almost anyone even vaguely familiar with philanthropy what a foundation does, and the answer will likely be “they give money away.” That’s true, but what if instead the go-to answer was: “They improve people’s lives,” or “They transform communities,” or even, “They make a difference you can see and our community wouldn’t be the... Read More
Until he retired, my friend Chet was a junior high school shop teacher. I remember visiting his classroom and seeing the walls lined with tools. “For every job there is a tool,” he said. Having done my share of home repair over the years, I know how true that is. As a funder, I’ve also... Read More
For more than two decades, Foellinger Foundation has provided capacity building grants to nonprofits in Allen County, Indiana. We are proud to support the external work those organizations do in our community, and we are equally proud to support the important work they do internally to improve their effectiveness. In 2018, we reflected on the... Read More
Before becoming executive director of a small foundation in Binghamton, NY, Catherine Schwoeffermann worked in a museum as a cultural anthropologist and curator of folk arts. While at the museum, she also served on grants panels at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Washington, DC, and at the New York State Council on... Read More