I grew up and spent most of my life in greater Boston. This included the 1970s when racial tension in the city was heightened by court-ordered bussing to desegregate the Boston City Schools. It was an ugly time for the region and a city so integral to the American Revolution. If I’m honest with myself,... Read More
The fraught relations between foundations and nonprofit organizations was a hot topic last year. But as I watched the “Medici: Masters of Florence” series on Netflix over the holidays, I was reminded how power for good or bad has always been a dynamic tension in philanthropy. Searching for signs of humility, empathy, and trust Our... 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
Charitable giving plays a critical role in the global response to humanitarian, development, environmental, and other challenges. U.S. grantmakers recognize the important function fulfilled by cross-border philanthropy, and have long played a leadership role in this domain. Philanthropic dollars flowing abroad from the United States have steadily increased over the past several decades and show... Read More
Last month, Amazon patented a gift card that allows the purchaser to place restrictions on how recipients spend “their” money. The new technology allows gift-givers to limit not just price, but the sorts of products a recipient can buy—and even the item’s brand. Although holiday shoppers might question the generosity of a giver who puts... Read More
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but the word “no” has a negative connotation. And that’s a shame because, if used properly, “no” might actually be the ultimate philanthropic teaching and learning tool. We live in a society where so many of us are afraid to say that magic word— “no”— and so, we become... Read More