In America, we recognize that individuals working toward common purpose can accomplish great things. We celebrate well-functioning teams, especially in the realms of sports and business enterprise. In our communities, our states, and the nation as a whole, however, we are divided. We separate ourselves by class and race, and pledge ourselves to political ideologies,... Read More
Today Exponent Philanthropy releases “Philanthropy Lessons: The Power Dynamic,” the latest video in its 9-part Philanthropy Lessons series: It explores the dynamics of grantor/grantee relationships, and I encourage you to weigh in with your thoughts and practical ideas about managing these dynamics. You can share your comments and ideas below, at www.philanthropylessons.org, or via... Read More
Before I came to the PIMCO Foundation, I worked in the nonprofit sector for six years. Year one changed my career trajectory, and years two through six provided formative life experiences. I have vivid memories of my time in nonprofit, from counseling youth to meeting donors to schlepping t-shirt boxes up and down and around... Read More
Funders create charts and graphs—visualize their data—for different audiences and different purposes. Sometimes funders serve as unbiased disseminators of data as-is; other times they seek to tell a story—and fast. It’s not that one method of data visualization—as is vs. storytelling—is better or worse. But it is up to you to figure out when your viewers expect each style and... Read More
The law requires very little when making grants to most domestic public charities. Other than knowing a grantee’s tax status—your foundation has a great deal of flexibility. However, I regularly encounter funders, foundation staff and professional advisors who do not know this. What the Law Requires When Making Grants A few years ago, Project Streamline... Read More
On a cold day in February 2015 at a board retreat on the coast of Maine, the board of directors of the Emanuel and Pauline A. Lerner Foundation made a big decision. After five years of funding nonprofits in Maine focused on civic engagement, cultural tolerance, and women and children, the board decided to take... Read More