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Where Does Your Cash Sleep at Night?
Local giving is a priority for the vast majority of Exponent Philanthropy members. This is probably no surprise for those of us who associate charitable giving with supporting our local nonprofits, places of worship, or community members who are in need. On average, like most private foundations, Exponent Philanthropy members give away approximately 5% of... Read More
Venture Philanthropy and the World’s Most Plastic-Polluted Beach
How to catalyze impact for the environment using venture philanthropy—three perspectives from our new member Howell Conservation Fund I’m Brett Howell, founder of Howell Conservation Fund, and a new member of Exponent Philanthropy. My mission is to catalyze teams to achieve breakthrough solutions to the systemic sustainability issues we face on our planet. As a... Read More
Planning a Meeting? Ditch the Conference Room and Hit the Hiking Trail
I had one of my more interesting and productive meetings with two colleagues the other day. Like me, these colleagues are both executive directors of grantmaking foundations that work in our community. One has tenure of more than 15 years, and I have known him for those years and more. The other is celebrating his... Read More
Is Change Calling You in Life, Love, or Philanthropy?
How do we make the biggest decisions in life? How do we decide to get married? Have a child? Begin a new career? Start a business? How do organizations such as foundations transform themselves? Sometimes change comes from deliberate planning—a weighing of pros and cons, mapping out scenarios, looking at the different considerations (financial, practical,... Read More
Introducing a New Evaluation System
For more than 60 years, Foellinger Foundation has provided resources for Allen County, Indiana, residents to increase their self-reliance through grants to nonprofit organizations that directly serve them. But, as our grantees are helping people move from dependence to independence, measuring how they do that, and do it effectively, has often been challenging. To address... Read More
Making a Big Bet: Moving From Transactional to Transformational Philanthropy
The Lerner Foundation had only been making grants for five years when the winds shifted—the board of directors decided it was time for a profound change in our priorities. Our founding purpose is simple and straightforward: “to further opportunity for the people of Maine.” Manny and Polly Lerner’s broad and hopeful intention gave us the... Read More