“Whatever may be said about human beings, they are, as a whole, a family.” Our co-founder, Helene Foellinger, stated this publicly in 1954 and cast the vision for the foundation she and her mother would create four years later. They believed that, as individuals and a community, we have a duty to uplift each other... Read More
Many Americans don’t believe we matter in a system where powerful interests seem to make the rules. Almost half of eligible voters don’t even turn out for elections. Feeling powerless may be our most common self-deception, and our biggest danger. As leaders like Eric Liu remind us, we have tremendous power, if we recognize it... Read More
At Exponent Philanthropy, we believe that listening is an essential skill for effective philanthropy. Deep listening helps our members truly understand the needs of their community and cultivate connected and impactful relationships with others. At the same time, listening is a skill that very few of us are ever trained to do well. Once you’re... Read More
I’ve been on local television for nearly 30 years, and the recognition that comes with it (especially to an older demographic) drives my 9-year-old son crazy. So when a middle-aged gentleman stopped me in the parking lot of a local restaurant a couple weeks ago, and wanted to know if I was “the news man,”... Read More
Originally distributed as part of Glenmede’s Top 5 series While grantmaking remains one of the most powerful ways for philanthropists to create an impact, new ways of thinking have inspired philanthropists to leverage additional strategies. Become a Strategic Partner, Not Just a Funding Source Grantmakers have the ability to impact grantees in a number of... Read More
Small funders have a limited amount of grantmaking capacity and, to be impactful, must think about how to use those funds strategically to help their key nonprofit partners become more stable and proficient. This requires the funder to develop a more familiar relationship with the grantee—understanding its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats—and be prepared to... Read More