Who do you turn to for advice on becoming a great trustee or an effective donor, or overcoming on-the-job challenges? As part of our Next Gen Fellows Program, a training program for emerging philanthropic leaders, we launched a mentoring program to pair fellows with seasoned practitioners. It taught us just how valuable mentoring can be... Read More
Executive Director Colleen O’Keefe of the Sauer Children’s Renew Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota, embarked on a listening tour to inform the foundation’s work on behalf of the state’s foster care children and youth. Colleen blogged about the tour, and, recently, our Senior Program Director Sara Beggs interviewed her to learn even more, including what... Read More
I spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital last fall. I wasn’t the patient, although in countless hours beside my wife’s bedside, I had considerable time to think, observe, and learn. Thankfully, with much credit to her doctors and medical team, all signs are now positive. What became evident to me... Read More
I had a hunch: If everyone in a room reflects on their practice, especially the practices they turn to when stymied somewhere between intent and outcome, something good and potentially powerful would result. By practice, I mean the tools and skills one uses to have difficult conversations, move ideas along, work across the boundaries of... Read More
The Texas Capitol is big. The tip of its dome is almost fifteen feet taller than its counterpart in Washington, DC. Decisions made there impact almost thirty million people. When you enter the building, you can feel the seriousness, history, and purpose. For anyone who believes in democracy and representative government, it is downright awe-inspiring.... Read More
This post is an excerpt from the complimentary resource Essentials of Impact Investing: A Guide for Small-Staffed Foundations, created by Exponent Philanthropy and partners Mission Investors Exchange and Arabella Advisors. Want to align your investments with your mission? Download your copy >> By Lucy Cantwell, New Belgium Family Foundation Many people are beginning to intuitively grasp the promise of impact investing but... Read More