Featured Blog Post:
Category
Ghosting Grantees Isn’t a Strategy: Conscious Uncoupling for Funders
Raise your hand if you’ve heard this before: Two weeks before a foundation announced its annual RFP, my organization found out we wouldn’t be invited to reapply. After five years of funding, deep collaboration, and conversations just months earlier that suggested continued support, 30% of our overall budget suddenly disappeared. I was funder ghosted. BS... Read More
The Promise and Pitfalls of AI in Philanthropy
Artificial intelligence—particularly large language models (LLMs), which are trained on large amounts of text to generate written responses to prompts —such as ChatGPT or Claude—is becoming an increasingly common part of nonprofit and philanthropic work. These tools offer new possibilities for research, communication, and efficiency, while also raising important questions about accuracy, bias, data privacy,... Read More
2025 Year in Review: Staying Grounded in a Year of Change
Celebrating 30 years of impact! What began as an idea in 1995 has evolved into the largest philanthropic network in the nation – more than 1,500 strong – that works together to address the hands-on challenges of lean funders. As the Exponent Philanthropy team settles into 2026 – our 30th year advancing meaningful philanthropy – we are filled with gratitude for our community and all that we accomplished together last year. During a year shaped by political,... Read More
Multiyear Funding and General Operating Support: Why They’re Stronger Together
As foundations seek to strengthen impact while streamlining processes, multiyear funding and general operating support are gaining momentum as more flexible, relationship-centered alternatives to short-term, project-restricted grants. Exponent Philanthropy’s new primer, The Hows & Whys of Multiyear General Operating Support, explores how multiyear funding and general operating support work best when combined. It highlights how... Read More
AI in Action: Practical Tools and Guardrails for Smarter, More Equitable Giving
Artificial intelligence is already part of many foundations’ daily work. From drafting emails to summarizing documents, funders are experimenting with AI tools to save time and reduce administrative burden. As adoption grows, so do essential questions: How can we use AI responsibly? What are the implications for data privacy and bias? And how can funders... Read More
What Recent Executive Orders Mean for Foundation Giving and Governance
On September 25, 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order addressing domestic terrorism and organized political violence. On December 4, 2025, the Attorney General issued a memorandum that “reshapes how domestic terrorism will be defined, investigated, charged, and resourced across the federal government.” Taken together, these developments prompted many funders to consider their possible... Read More