Grant applications are an important touchpoint for nonprofits and grantmakers alike. Recently, Blackbaud has been taking a hard look at the modern grantee experience for those who use our portal for grant applications. We wanted to know if the grantee portal afforded our funder clients the flexibility to get the information they needed, while also... Read More
As foundations strive to make meaningful change in support of their missions, understanding what leads to philanthropic impact is crucial. In the 2023 Foundation Operations and Management Report, foundations named insufficient grantmaking impact as one of their top challenges. In this blog, I’ll discuss a few factors that drive impact, as well as strategies for... Read More
Catalytic Leadership in Philanthropy (CLIP) is a mindset and practice that empowers lean, place-based foundations to unleash their full potential to spark transformative change on issues prioritized by local communities. By embracing their unique abilities to act quickly, focus persistently, and nurture deep relationships, individuals who embrace CLIP go beyond typical grantmaking and become dynamic... Read More
Program related investments (PRI) are loans, loan guarantees, or other types of investments made by a foundation to support a charitable purpose. They’re also a powerful and flexible tool to add to your foundation’s toolkit. A PRI can count toward a foundation’s distribution requirement if it meets the following federal criteria: They serve a charitable... Read More
Multiyear funding—support that funders commit up-front for multiple years—is a key to strengthening nonprofit effectiveness, capacity, and impact. These grants guarantee income streams, lessening the time grantees need to fundraise so they can better carry out their missions. In a tough economy, when many foundations are cutting grant budgets and reducing their number of grantees,... Read More
Seed funding is a critical tool in a philanthropist’s impact tool belt. By putting trust and financial support behind your partners’ innovative projects, you can leverage your freedom and risk capital to make a difference. A seed funding grant is a small, initial investment in a new initiative or project. It can reinforce your relationship... Read More