Until he retired, my friend Chet was a junior high school shop teacher. I remember visiting his classroom and seeing the walls lined with tools. “For every job there is a tool,” he said. Having done my share of home repair over the years, I know how true that is. As a funder, I’ve also... Read More
Dear fellow member, As grantmakers, we regularly face tough decisions about which nonprofits to support. We all want to be good stewards of our philanthropic assets, and there are always more worthy requests than we are able to act upon. To make these hard choices, we weigh how the organization’s mission aligns with our priorities.... Read More
Equity Sustaining Partner TD Charitable Foundation provides financial support to nonprofits working in affordable housing, economic development, neighborhood revitalization, human services and financial health. Platinum Sustaining Partners Foundant Technologies provides the powerful online Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) system, and leads the industry in customer service. Glenmede offers outsourced chief investment officer and advisory... Read More
Three investment options for foundations are: Investment consultants, who help trustees establish and implement a decision-making structure for investment management Outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) firms, which act as the investment office on a daily basis for the foundation and typically has discretion over hiring/terminating managers and rebalancing the portfolio Investment managers, who buy and... Read More
For many years, small-staffed foundations have been at the heart of the impact investing movement, joining with—and, at times, leading—larger philanthropies. Small-staffed foundations tend to be more agile than their larger, staffed counterparts and also may have greater knowledge of the needs in certain issue areas and geographies. They are better positioned than larger foundations... Read More
Establishing clear procedures for monitoring, evaluating, and changing your investment providers—including outside investment consultants, an outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO), and/or investment managers—are key parts of fiduciary responsibility. Your investment policy statement (IPS) should include these procedures. Matthew Wright, president and chief investment officer of Disciplina Group, recommends that any contracts regarding investment services should... Read More