Role for our purposes is not your position as president or committee chair; rather, it is how you choose to behave to match the needs of a situation. Everyone holds multiple roles, adopting them almost without thinking. For example, parents play an impressive list of roles in situations with their children: confidante, disciplinarian, advocate, chauffeur.... Read More
Program-related investments (PRIs) count toward a foundation’s distribution requirement as long as they meet the following criteria: They serve a charitable purpose—A PRI’s primary function must be to further the foundation’s charitable purpose. Income or appreciation of property is not a significant purpose—An investor solely interested in profit would not make an investment on the... Read More
Some foundations (along with other institutional investors, such as pension plans, sovereign wealth funds and endowments, and ultra-high-net-worth individual investors) are increasingly moving away from the traditional 60–40 asset allocation model, meaning 60% allocation to equities and 40% to fixed-income assets. Investors are moving away because, quite often in recent years, their return objectives have... Read More
General operating support is valuable for many reasons. It: Allows grantee organizations to focus on fulfilling their missions and building infrastructure, rather than on tackling peripheral projects and additional fundraising Serves as a vote of confidence for nonprofit leaders, helping to decrease burnout Lessens the inherent power imbalance between grantor and grantee, and shifts the... Read More
In growing numbers, Exponent Philanthropy members are heading online to receive and review applications, generate award letters, receive grant reports, and much more. What advantages do members report? Less paper, more time Grantmaking involves many administrative tasks—from distributing applications for review to sending grant agreements—and many of the tasks are repetitive and tedious. Rather than... Read More
The Homer A. and Mildred S. Scott Foundation was established in 1982. Mr. Scott came from a modest background in Nebraska, where he graduated from the state university with a degree in civil engineering. Mrs. Scott was a gracious woman with a passion for early childhood, education and literacy. The Scotts created their wealth through... Read More