This post originally appeared on The Philanthropic Initiative’s blog. “When philanthropy partners, communities prosper.” This was the guiding mantra that tied together Exponent Philanthropy’s 2023 conference in Baltimore, MD that we attended last fall. From the start, we were energized by philanthropic and nonprofit leaders alike echoing the importance of centering community voice for greater... Read More
Exponent Philanthropy members are making a significant impact, serving diverse communities locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. Recently, I had an exciting few days meeting with over 30 members, partners, and supporters in the states of Oregon and Washington. I began my journey in Portland where participants expressed excitement and appreciation for the opportunity to connect... Read More
For far too long, foundations and philanthropists have stayed out of policy debates. Consequently, many nonprofits supported by these foundations have avoided political involvement to avoid upsetting their donors. However, this silence comes at a cost. Advocacy and Lobbying by Private Foundations Funders can support and participate in advocacy and encourage their grantees to do... Read More
In the first and second blog in this 3-part series, Fran Sykes reflected on how her board’s decision to sunset spurred the foundation to stretch and expand its vision, and try to establish a legacy in its limited time. The second blog ended with these questions: What lessons have we learned? What can we pass on... Read More
To create change, improve lives, or find a cure, philanthropists must approach their work as an investment and not simply as a gift. By definition, gift giving requires nothing in return. So when our sector talks about major gifts or big givers, we lose track of what effective philanthropy should be: a carefully constructed investment... Read More
There is no doubt that measuring impact is the hottest trend in philanthropy today. How can our organization track the outcomes our grants are having? How can we track more useful information to make better decisions? At Foundant, we hear iterations of these questions regularly. From working with almost 1,000 grantmakers, we’ve identified some steps you... Read More