Listening. It’s a skill we’ve been talking about a lot here at Exponent Philanthropy. Why? First, because we believe that listening is an essential skill for effective philanthropy. When—and only when—we listen deeply and humbly to those we serve, can we learn about their true needs and how we can partner most effectively to create... 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
For foundations, making an impact requires good planning, intentional work toward a goal, and a drive to keep learning and improving. Evaluation is a critical tool along the way. This primer makes the case for evaluation as a powerful tool for your foundation. It will: Define impact and evaluation. Discuss the many reasons to incorporate... Read More
Evaluation can be a daunting topic for foundations of all sizes. So why encourage small foundations with already limited time and money to take on evaluation? That’s easy: Evaluation is a key element for foundations that want to increase the impact of their giving. This primer introduces you to the evaluation process and outlines each... Read More
Donor intent matters. A bevy of articles, consultants, and examples are available on how to craft donor intent statements and how to communicate them. Whatever the content and form, they should be dynamic, reciprocal learning tools that engage family members and beneficiaries. Extreme care needs to be applied so donor intent is not a one-way,... Read More
Exponent Philanthropy thanks the Annie E. Casey Foundation for partnering to deliver a 3-part “Improving Outcomes for Children & Families” webinar series. This post is based on one part of the series: Collective Impact: B’More for Healthy Babies Case Study. Exponent Philanthropy members may access the 90-minute webinar recording >> Collaboration is a common strategy to solve social problems,... Read More