Philanthropy has the power to drive systemic change, but what does it take to move beyond traditional grantmaking? The Catalytic Philanthropy Podcast features funders who are challenging the status quo—leading with trust, taking strategic risks, and building deep community relationships. In our refreshed Foundation Guidebook, we highlight key podcast episodes that showcase how funders are making... Read More
Last week, I attended Foundations on the Hill (FOTH) in Washington, DC, with three Exponent Philanthropy colleagues to discuss how federal policy changes impact our communities and nonprofit partners. The 22nd FOTH brought together a record number of donors, foundation leaders, and nonprofit staff to be briefed on legislative actions and provided guidance advocacy in... Read More
Philanthropy is constantly evolving. Pressing issues and major political, economic, and technological shifts push funders to reassess their approach. Some lean funders—those with few or no staff—stand out by centering their giving on authentic relationships with grantees and community members. Exponent Philanthropy calls this approach Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy (CLIP), a mindset and practice that... Read More
At Exponent Philanthropy, we believe lean foundations can drive significant change through thoughtful strategies and meaningful community engagement. Malcolm MacLeod, board chair of the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, recently shared how his foundation has embraced these practices to achieve transformative outcomes. He discusses this in depth on a recent episode of The Catalytic Podcast: Supercharging Impact:... Read More
Exponent Philanthropy’s Foundation Fundamentals aim to assist you in starting your philanthropic journey with Exponent Philanthropy. Before diving into your grantmaking, there are several questions to consider. How will you operate your foundation? How will you manage your foundation’s assets and investments? What tax and legal issues should you address? Once you have answered these... Read More
Imagine a foundation with $10 million in assets. To meet the 5% distribution requirement, it must allocate $500,000 each year. While foundations take great care in managing their grant distributions, what happens to the remaining $9.5 million? This section will help you understand how foundations manage investments, including who oversees the money and key fiduciary... Read More