Driving to my first improv class, I was so terrified that I almost threw up. The idea of creating spontaneous theater with strangers, and being vulnerable in that way, made me extremely uncomfortable. At Exponent Philanthropy’s Master Juggler Executive Institute that I attended a few years ago, the facilitator told all 19 of us foundation... Read More
Exponent Philanthropy member and foundation consultant Dawn Franks, founder/CEO of Your Philanthropy, recently published the e-book Giving Fingerprints, designed to help funders recognize where their giving is taking them and what it tells others about them. This post is adapted from the e-book, available now for complimentary download. You have a unique giving brand. Whether... Read More
At Exponent Philanthropy’s 2018 National Conference, author Tiffany Dufu introduced a simple yet novel concept that helps her thrive in her professional and personal life: dropping the ball. As Dufu’s responsibilities increased at work, her husband took on a more demanding job with greater travel, and the two became parents, there were not enough hours... Read More
Can greater cultural competency help funders better align their resources with needs? Despite notable accomplishments and donors who care a great deal about serving historically underserved populations, philanthropy continues to struggle to achieve social change for the communities and populations that need it most. Even the most thoughtful and productive philanthropists—including those who aim to... Read More
You won’t find bullies on every board, but, when you do, they can be very disruptive—creating surprisingly high levels of stress for fellow board members and damaging the integrity, effectiveness, and impact of the board’s work. Be careful not to assume the other party to any difficult conversation is a bully. Some people engage in... Read More
Philanthropy, from the Greek word for “to love humanity,” is inherently a human enterprise. In this business of helping to solve complicated social problems, we’re bound by the opportunities and challenges of working with other people to do so. It can be emotional work, and it’s work that involves very diverse people who span different... Read More