For more than 60 years, Foellinger Foundation has provided resources for Allen County, Indiana, residents to increase their self-reliance through grants to nonprofit organizations that directly serve them. But, as our grantees are helping people move from dependence to independence, measuring how they do that, and do it effectively, has often been challenging. To address... Read More
Our highly rated quarterly publication for members provides a wealth of information and inspiration in one easy read. In this issue: How to Motivate a Board? Start With One-on-One Questions Can Shorter Board Terms Actually Increase Engagement? Get Out and Kick the Tires, Together Disrupt Bullying Board Members Ramp Up for High-Impact Philanthropy Make Space... Read More
Getting clear on your foundation’s lifespan is one of the most fundamental decisions your board will make. It affects virtually everything else you do. Think for a moment of the difference in, say, a 25-year lifespan or one of perpetuity when it comes to setting grantmaking priorities, managing investments, engaging the next generation, or running... Read More
There are big benefits when a family foundation invites one or more nonfamily members to its board. Nonfamily members can help the family make more objective grantmaking decisions. Similarly, family members tend to behave differently in the presence of nonfamily members. This can help shift family dynamics that may be getting in the way of... Read More
There was a time not so long ago that nearly all philanthropists, as well as many others, carried a mechanical watch. Prior to cell phones, digital watches, and electrical quartz watches, the mechanical watch was a true marvel—a complex assembly of springs, gears, jewels, pins, and other components. Winding a watch transmits energy into a... Read More
As we enter the new year and decade, I want to call your attention to an important piece of legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by the President in the closing days of 2019 that has significant implications for those of us in the world of private foundations. The “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act,... Read More