Featured Blog Post:
Category
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
Actionable Ways To Add Diversity to Your Foundation Board and Staff
“Philanthropy relies on the amassed wealth of families and institutions that have benefited from systemic racism. As a result, the institution has a power imbalance in where funds go and what organizations and initiatives receive support,” said Maya Pendleton and Juanita Gallion of The Center for the Study of Social Policy in an Exponent Philanthropy... Read More
Going Beyond the Grant To Support Nonprofits
A little over 30 years ago, Pro Football Hall of Famer and venture capitalist investor Ronnie Lott and his wife Karen founded All Stars Helping Kids. Ronnie modeled his philanthropic efforts on the lessons he learned playing football and investing in technology starts-up. Much like how venture capitalists invest in startups, All Stars invests in... Read More
What the Law Requires When Making Grants
The law requires very little when making grants to most domestic public charities. Other than knowing a grantee’s tax status—your foundation has a great deal of flexibility. However, I regularly encounter funders, foundation staff and professional advisors who do not know this. What the Law Requires When Making Grants A few years ago, Project Streamline... Read More
Lessons From a Founder Winding Down Their Foundation
In 1993, well before I left my job as CEO of Applied Materials, my wife Becky and I started our family foundation. Giving brings us joy. At the same time, we thought giving locally was important in Silicon Valley, where great need exists alongside great wealth. Becky and I wanted to identify good nonprofits and... Read More