This year, Exponent Philanthropy celebrates 30 years of supporting, connecting, and amplifying the impact of lean funders and transforming communities through informed giving. As philanthropy faces rapid change, growing complexity, and ever-increasing community needs, the role of lean funders — and the need for strong peer connections, practical resources, and community-connected leadership — has never... Read More
The pandemic reminded us of something we already knew; there’s no substitute for being in the same room. But the hunger to connect runs deeper than COVID. The U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness a public health epidemic in 2023, and noted that approximately half of American adults were already experiencing loneliness before the pandemic even... Read More
In philanthropy, many leadership decisions don’t come with clear solutions. Where should you focus your giving? What happens when community needs shift quickly? How do you balance the many roles funders play as grantmakers, listeners, conveners, or advocates? Questions like these rarely have a single right path. Often, the most valuable insights emerge not from... Read More
Exponent Philanthropy’s 2026 Foundation Operations and Management Report (FOMR) sheds light on ongoing pay disparities in the philanthropic sector. While the gender pay gap narrowed slightly from the previous year, it has by no means disappeared. Women in leadership roles, such as CEOs, still earn 23% less than their male counterparts, underscoring that meaningful progress... Read More
As Presidents’ Day approaches, I’m reflecting on the leadership our communities need right now: leadership grounded in courage, humility, and a willingness to engage across differences. That theme came to life at Exponent Philanthropy’s 2025 Annual Conference in Columbus, Ohio. One event in particular stands out: our second-day plenary, a staged reading of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick... Read More
Raise your hand if you’ve heard this before: Two weeks before a foundation announced its annual RFP, my organization found out we wouldn’t be invited to reapply. After five years of funding, deep collaboration, and conversations just months earlier that suggested continued support, 30% of our overall budget suddenly disappeared. I was funder ghosted. BS... Read More