As a white, wealthy person who plays an active role in AMKRF (Amy Mandel and Katina Rodis Fund)’s work, I occupy a unique position, and I am in constant reflection about who I am, how I show up, and the impacts and consequences of our work. At a personal level, I wrestle with multiple questions.... Read More
How do we make the biggest decisions in life? How do we decide to get married? Have a child? Begin a new career? Start a business? How do organizations such as foundations transform themselves? Sometimes change comes from deliberate planning—a weighing of pros and cons, mapping out scenarios, looking at the different considerations (financial, practical,... Read More
Each year, Exponent Philanthropy surveys lean foundations from across the country to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities in philanthropy. The 2025 Foundation Operations & Management Report (FOMR) provides essential benchmarking data on leadership, governance, grantmaking, and investments, helping funders make informed decisions to maximize their impact. This year’s findings highlight evolving leadership approaches, increased flexible... Read More
For more than 60 years, Foellinger Foundation has provided resources for Allen County, Indiana, residents to increase their self-reliance through grants to nonprofit organizations that directly serve them. But, as our grantees are helping people move from dependence to independence, measuring how they do that, and do it effectively, has often been challenging. To address... Read More
I had one of my more interesting and productive meetings with two colleagues the other day. Like me, these colleagues are both executive directors of grantmaking foundations that work in our community. One has tenure of more than 15 years, and I have known him for those years and more. The other is celebrating his... Read More
How to catalyze impact for the environment using venture philanthropy—three perspectives from our new member Howell Conservation Fund I’m Brett Howell, founder of Howell Conservation Fund, and a new member of Exponent Philanthropy. My mission is to catalyze teams to achieve breakthrough solutions to the systemic sustainability issues we face on our planet. As a... Read More