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Involving Non-Family Members in the Foundation
There are big benefits when a family foundation invites one or more nonfamily members to its board. Nonfamily members can help the family make more objective grantmaking decisions. Similarly, family members tend to behave differently in the presence of nonfamily members. This can help shift family dynamics that may be getting in the way of... Read More
Planting Seeds for Organizational Financial Health and Independence
Over the past few years throughout the social sector, we’ve witnessed an unprecedented number of what many have termed, transformational gifts. These contributions span widely. Depending on the size of the recipient organization, they range from tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars across a broad range of institutions and issues. However, their... Read More
Advocating For State-Level Systems Change: Policy Work By a Small Foundation
Leanly staffed family foundations can punch well above their weight, working with other funders and grantees to change systems. Over the past eight years, the Thornburg Foundation has experienced this firsthand. Given the depth of the challenges facing the state of New Mexico, systemic change is particularly important to our board chair and founder, Garrett... Read More
How Deep Relationships With Community Informs Our Grantmaking
The coronavirus pandemic opened our eyes to how sectors and systems do or do not address the ever-growing health and income inequities in this country. We can approach this in two ways: Admit the inadequacies of our systems. Especially those focused on health, housing, food insecurity and education, or Go a step further to recognize that the... Read More
2022 Outsized Impact Award Finalists
The Outsized Impact Award honors an individual at an Exponent Philanthropy member organization whose style of philanthropy is achieving outsized (or greater than expected) impact. Read the wonderful stories of the 2022 finalists. Danyelle O’HaraMortenson Family Foundation (Minneapolis, Minnesota) As the community relationship officer at the Mortenson Family Foundation, Danyelle O’Hara is centering community in the foundation’s decision-making. Danyelle... Read More
Help Your Foundation Board Conquer Fear and Anxiety About Engaging in Advocacy
Advocacy is a long game, and it can be messy at times. However, when combined with grantmaking, advocacy is a powerful tool to advance system change, strengthen relationships with your grantee partners, and enhance learning and understanding around the issues your foundation supports. Helping your board understand the broader concept of advocacy will help shift... Read More