Over the past few years, there has been an uptick in conversations, meetings, and efforts to embrace equity in philanthropy. Sometimes we see this growing interest manifest as a new portfolio; sometimes it’s embedded in a revised mission and vision. This movement has been a long time coming, and there are many who have toiled... Read More
I work for a foundation that is modestly young in the national grantmaking sector. At about four years into its current field, we can’t quite say we’re the new kid on the block anymore, but we’ve certainly seen a rapid amount of structural change since we first launched. Transitioning from a scholarship fund to an... Read More
Funders are often described—and describe themselves—as being able to take risks that neither the private sector nor the government can or will take. However, no industry standard currently exists for defining, assessing, and managing risk in philanthropy. Few grantmakers assess risk during the application process and even fewer have processes in place to manage risks... Read More
People in rural areas are no strangers to philanthropy. In fact, Philanthropy Roundtable research shows that people in rural communities are disproportionately involved in philanthropy. Maybe it’s raising money to send the girls’ softball team to a tournament. Or getting some money together behind the scenes to open a bakery and coffee shop downtown. Or... Read More
Infrastructure is sexy. It helps an organization achieve its goals. It should be easy to get access to the resources you need to perform these functions. But over half of nonprofits—the organizations charged with solving society’s greatest challenges—report that they don’t have the resources they need to meet their clients’ needs. Taproot Foundation is committed... Read More
Ask almost anyone even vaguely familiar with philanthropy what a foundation does, and the answer will likely be “they give money away.” That’s true, but what if instead the go-to answer was: “They improve people’s lives,” or “They transform communities,” or even, “They make a difference you can see and our community wouldn’t be the... Read More