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How Small Funders Can Make a Big Impact in Higher Education
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
The Healing Power of “No”
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
Social Impact Culture: Three Strategies to Help Your Family Foundation Connect With the Next Generation
How does today’s social impact culture affect the way you engage your children and grandchildren in your family’s philanthropy? That’s a question many trustees of America’s 42,000 family foundations are asking themselves as they look more closely at strategies to fulfill community passions, conduct responsible grantmaking, and inspire a philanthropic legacy for the next generation.... Read More
Why Academic Research Should Be Part of Every Giving Portfolio
Benefunder is fueling innovation by providing a marketplace for researchers and philanthropists to come together to solve some of the biggest problems facing our world. Consider these statistics: 50% of wealth creation in the U.S. since WWII can be directly attributed to a research grant. Research impacts all cause areas: environment, life sciences, technology, education, and... Read More
Three Ways to Keep Delusional Altruism From Undermining Your Philanthropy
Every philanthropist or philanthropic organization means well—it’s the nature of the business after all. And, as philanthropies, we all try to make decisions that are in service to our missions, represent good stewardship, and result in the greatest impact. But sometimes, in making those very decisions, we unintentionally do more to damage our impact than... Read More
Foundations, Know Thyself
I’ve been on local television for nearly 30 years, and the recognition that comes with it (especially to an older demographic) drives my 9-year-old son crazy. So when a middle-aged gentleman stopped me in the parking lot of a local restaurant a couple weeks ago, and wanted to know if I was “the news man,”... Read More