For many funders, evaluation conjures up images of jargon, data, and complicated surveys. Evaluation doesn’t have to be overwhelming, though. If it builds on the following principles, evaluation can be manageable and meaningful for even the smallest funders: Evaluation is about learning, rather than judging—Evaluation can bring to mind a report card or a feeling... Read More
Impact is rarely achieved accidentally or immediately, especially when tackling some of life’s most complex challenges. Although some donors can point to single grants that achieved notable results, the people and causes around the world are especially in need of passionate philanthropists that pursue a particular impact with everything they’ve got. One donor describes the... Read More
Learning in philanthropy can happen in any number of ways, from traditional training programs to regular discussions with board members, staff members, or grantees about how things are going and how to get better results. Individuals and organizations with learning mindsets realize that learning is about more than ensuring that grantees are doing what they... Read More
Exponent Philanthropy Senior Program Manager Sara Beggs was joined by Exponent Philanthropy members Janis Reischmann of the Hau’oli Mau Loa Foundation and Sheila Leddy of The Fledgling Fund for a conversation about the power of finding a focus. The following text highlights key pieces of their conversation. Beggs: Janis, to start us off, can you... Read More
The Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation has a mission, vision, and core values. A seven-word motto, though, most succinctly expresses its goal: Leave it better than you found it. Claude W. Ahrens lived by those words, says granddaughter Julie Gosselink, president and CEO of the foundation. In 1993, after a successful career in the... Read More
What are we trying to achieve with our grants? You can answer this question in many ways, and one way to start is with how and what you fund. These components shape your philanthropic orientation, the unique way that your foundation approaches the funding process. The how of your giving hinges on how you choose... Read More