Listening. It’s a skill we’ve been talking about a lot here at Exponent Philanthropy. Why? First, because we believe that listening is an essential skill for effective philanthropy. When—and only when—we listen deeply and humbly to those we serve, can we learn about their true needs and how we can partner most effectively to create... Read More
How often do we make decisions out of our own implicit biases? On September 26, the ballroom in the Chicago Marriott hotel buzzed with an energy not typical of most Monday mornings. Exponent Philanthropy CEO Henry Berman’s opening remarks at the plenary brunch set the tone for the rest of the National Conference. With raw... Read More
At some point in our life and work, we ask ourselves, Is there more to know? Is there more to experience? Is there more impact or change we can make? It’s not that we’re ungrateful for what we have. It’s that we get restless, frustrated, fatigued. We heard somewhere that philanthropy was about taking risks,... Read More
Eager to pilot our new Grantee and Applicant Perception Survey with her grantees, Meg Ramsey (The Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation, Lincoln, MA) was especially interested to learn what her grantees were thinking about the foundation’s grant process, reporting, and site visits. Anonymity was key, so her grantees did not feel that providing constructive criticism or... Read More
“With capable coaches at their side, nonprofit leaders can learn more about themselves, about their organizations, and about how to manage people and conflicts, how to delegate responsibility for day-to-day tasks, and more. No other intervention can teach these things better than effective coaching, and we hope that grantmakers, both individually and as a field,... Read More
We have all heard the warning: In philanthropy, following the heart will lead you astray. Hunger, homelessness, children who lack opportunity, disasters, pollution, forsaken animals—these touch us deeply. And we give to organizations that have served us—our schools and colleges; hospitals that cared for us; arts groups that enriched our lives. But before long, our dollars... Read More