When investors think about commodities, they often recall the 1970s, the last time commodities were in vogue in the investor’s playbook. Over the last 40 years, with falling interest rates and a focus on bonds and stocks, commodities have largely been ignored as an investment class. Decline of Commodities As prices for commodities dropped, many... Read More
Did you know that one in four American adults has a disability? Ryan Easterly, Executive Director of the WITH Foundation and co-chair of the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy, reminds us of the importance of this issue: “Whatever your mission is, you’re not doing it effectively if you’re not including a disability lens. Disability... Read More
Download the Fourth Edition Today! The Lean Funder’s Equity Journey Racial equity is crucial to effective philanthropy, and lean foundations—those with few or no staff—are uniquely positioned to make a significant impact. Our 2024 publication, “Racial Equity in Lean Foundations: The Lean Funder’s Equity Journey,” delves into how these foundations are incorporating racial equity into... Read More
Advocacy is all about promoting a cause or idea to lawmakers, the media, and the public. It can be as simple as saying, “Poverty is bad,” to get people thinking about the issue. Advocacy takes many forms—public education, media campaigns, legal actions, and even voter registration. A lot of people confuse advocacy with lobbying. However,... Read More
Laird Norton Family Foundation is in its 84th year and is a family-involved organization. Today the family is in its 8th generation and numbers more than 500 members across the globe, but by many other measures, we’re a small foundation, with approximately $40M in assets and grantmaking of about $2M per year. We do our... Read More
A seed funding grant is more than just financial support; it’s a powerful way to make an impact by getting involved early in a project’s journey. This small, initial investment allows nonprofits or entrepreneurs to test their ideas before pursuing larger grants from corporations, foundations, or government agencies. At the same time, seed grants give... Read More