The past 10 years have been exciting ones for the Hill-Snowdon Foundation and the Snowdon family. For 40 years prior, we acted as a typical family foundation, coming together once a year to nominally approve grants recommended by family members. We funded some wonderful organizations reflecting the varied interests of the family, but you would... Read More
This discussion guide offers a simple framework for moving your foundation from having a focus to defining a vision of success and, ultimately, implementing a thoughtful strategy to realize that vision. In this guide, you’ll find information, case studies, and discussion questions that will help your foundation: Develop your strategy. Outline your path to impact.... Read More
Impact is rarely achieved accidentally or immediately, especially when tackling some of life’s most complex challenges. Although some donors can point to single grants that achieved notable results, the people and causes around the world are especially in need of passionate philanthropists that pursue a particular impact with everything they’ve got. One donor describes the... Read More
Exponent Philanthropy Senior Program Manager Sara Beggs was joined by Exponent Philanthropy members Janis Reischmann of the Hau’oli Mau Loa Foundation and Sheila Leddy of The Fledgling Fund for a conversation about the power of finding a focus. The following text highlights key pieces of their conversation. Beggs: Janis, to start us off, can you... Read More
Not long ago, Exponent Philanthropy convened eight funders interested in focusing their giving. Over the course of our 7 months together, we named several rationalizations for not focusing. Have you used or heard any yourself? We share the following five and include ways to move past them. Misconception: Good deeds and good intentions will lead... Read More
What do you want to achieve with your foundation? Many foundations focus on a particular field of interest, population, or geography. Others focus by strategy (e.g., building technology capacity, developing nonprofit leaders) and bolster a range of grantees by applying those strategies. Settling on a focus is not necessarily an easy step—especially if your foundation... Read More