By Lauren Kotkin, Exponent Philanthropy Foundation trustees gathered last month for our daylong Foundations 101 Seminar, co-hosted by Southeastern Council of Foundations and led by colleague Mary Phillips of GMA Foundations, an Exponent Philanthropy Professional level Sustaining Partner, with support from U.S. Trust philanthropic advisor Mary Stokes and attorney Marc Lane. More than a few points stood out as... Read More
It’s a lesson teachers and parents know well: No two people learn in exactly the same way or at exactly the same pace. And it’s a lesson worth bearing in mind for those seeking to create pathways for family members to engage in a shared philanthropic legacy. Arabella Advisors has worked with families for over... Read More
In the 10-plus years I’ve been a consultant to foundations—and the 20-plus years I’ve been a family foundation trustee—I’ve noticed a phenomenon I’ve come to call the “trustee pendulum.” Trustees often start out very engaged in grantmaking, reviewing all grants (often to organizations they know well) and managing the grantmaking process, which is typically quite... Read More
Is your foundation board stuck or complacent? Have you been wanting board members to consider a new strategy or project, only to find they just aren’t willing to listen? Perhaps you need a new approach—a fresh one—to create the space where board members feel willing to consider change. I found a helpful idea in a... Read More
Many young philanthropists ask themselves early on, Am I doing this right? It is understandable that emerging leaders may feel underprepared. They often are the youngest or newest member of a board or staff, sometimes just starting their professional journeys. But something more powerful than age or experience is also at work: Almost to a... Read More
Do you want to catalyze change at your foundation? Perhaps you want to improve board dynamics, refine your mission, or implement new technology. Many forces can initiate change, and here we explore how your fellow trustees and staff champion change successfully from the inside out. Every situation is different, of course, and we encourage you to use these ideas not as a... Read More