Ask almost anyone even vaguely familiar with philanthropy what a foundation does, and the answer will likely be “they give money away.” That’s true, but what if instead the go-to answer was: “They improve people’s lives,” or “They transform communities,” or even, “They make a difference you can see and our community wouldn’t be the... Read More
Last month, Exponent Philanthropy CEO Henry Berman spoke on storytelling at The Nonprofit Summit, a gathering sponsored by six organizations, including our members the Ausherman Family Foundation and Helen J. Serini Foundation, that provides the Frederick County, MD nonprofit sector with quality, affordable educational opportunities. If you represent a nonprofit, we hope you find this... Read More
Contributing your full self, the best that you can be, is important in any kind of enterprise. In small-staffed philanthropy, it’s essential. Small funders who’ve made significant, outsized impact often say the knowledge, relationships, “street savvy,” and reputation they leveraged played the crucial role. They will say, “Money wasn’t the most important thing. It was... Read More
Throughout the year, I write to our member donors to pass along insights I gather in my dual role as Exponent Philanthropy member and CEO, and to provide a special window onto our activities. My most recent communication sparked many positive notes in return, and I’m pleased to share it here with our broader community. I’ve... Read More
While attending Exponent Philanthropy’s 2018 National Conference last month, I had a surprise: I saw a significant number of grantmakers genuinely excited about getting involved in advocacy! At the closing luncheon, I was seated with Melinda McAliney, Director of the Brown Sisters Foundation and Vario Philanthropy, in St Louis, Missouri. She noticed it too and... Read More
The following is an excerpt from Foundant’s publication “On Philanthropy: What’s Changed in the Past Decade and What It Means for the Sector,” a product of its 2017 survey of its grantmaking and grantseeking clients. Read the full article and many others at the Foundant Philanthropy Experience site. By Sharmila Rao Thakkar Ten years ago... Read More