Rural philanthropy requires a different kind of thinking and creativity from urban philanthropy. It stands to reason, then, that the networks rural funders build will look different from those that traditionally attract more urban-focused foundations. In my work researching and building rural philanthropy, I’ve seen two main types of foundations that describe themselves as “rural... Read More
There is no one path to having a career in leanly staffed foundations, as they operate in almost every locale in the nation. Still, there are qualities, skills and experiences that prepare people to effectively manage small foundation operations, engage boards, and leverage resources for impact. Patterns in Hiring First, let’s look at some career... Read More
Like many private foundations, ours has historically kept a relatively low profile. That all changed a decade ago when our board and staff embarked on a strategic planning process. It became clear through its community conversations, interviews, and research that our foundation had a real opportunity to extend our impact by improving our communications. We... Read More
You expect a lot of the individuals and organizations that apply for your grants, because better granting means greater impact. You trust them to come with big ideas and clear vision. You want them armed with budgets, schedules, plans, and actionable objectives. You look to them for ways to invigorate a community, further a cause,... Read More
I had one of my more interesting and productive meetings with two colleagues the other day. Like me, these colleagues are both executive directors of grantmaking foundations that work in our community. One has tenure of more than 15 years, and I have known him for those years and more. The other is celebrating his... Read More
Without a doubt, giving plenty of time and thought to your foundation recordkeeping system will pay off in the long run. In general, you should keep most foundation files of any significance for a minimum of three years. However, this can add up to a lot of paper! For one thing, if space is a... Read More