As a first step toward determining if your foundation will benefit from a grants management system, discuss your priorities and parameters: What does your foundation want to track? Exponent Philanthropy members tend to track some or all of the following: Contact information for grant applicants and recipients (organizational and individual) Basic application information (e.g., amount... Read More
Simple Actions Family Foundation is a young foundation inspired by decades of family values. My husband, Eric, and I, together with our two daughters in their early twenties, created our family foundation in 2008. We knew from the start that we would be creative about its setup and implementation to reflect the goals at the... Read More
Your community foundation is working hard to get your donors involved and help them understand the importance of supporting not only their own favorite causes, but also the most pressing community needs identified by your team and board of directors. You are also closely watching key trends in philanthropy: Families want to be involved in... Read More
With so much interest in giving to their communities, it makes sense that many small foundations work with local community foundations to achieve their charitable goals. This primer describes how your small foundation can work with a community foundation to fulfill your mission and goals. It highlights how community foundations can help you: Expand your... Read More
Beyond dollars, small foundations hold unique assets that benefit your mission, program focus, or community. These include: Deep knowledge of community needs Ability to focus over time Ability to act quickly Reputation as community institutions Creativity and insight of board members and staff This primer features 20 strategies that draw upon these assets to make... Read More
Ramping up giving offers your foundation a number of opportunities, including deeper stakeholder engagement, extended reach and influence, new funding strategies, and greater impact in your interest area. This primer is designed to help foundations like yours thoughtfully and responsibly plan for a significant ramp-up in giving and/or adjust to a sudden infusion of assets.... Read More