On a cold day in February 2015 at a board retreat on the coast of Maine, the board of directors of the Emanuel and Pauline A. Lerner Foundation made a big decision. After five years of funding nonprofits in Maine focused on civic engagement, cultural tolerance, and women and children, the board decided to take... Read More
This post originally appeared on Hauʻoli Mau Loa Foundation’s blog. There are a number of studies that explore the value of sabbaticals in the nonprofit sector. The Durfee Foundation is perhaps best known for its advocacy for this tool in the sector. Our Board was convinced it was worth it for us to try out... Read More
Next generation philanthropy. No matter how you define the next generation, many foundations struggle to engage this subset into their philanthropy. “The most important thing is to treat young people as equals at the board table,” says Susan Price from the National Center for Family Philanthropy. “They don’t know everything the older generation knows, but... Read More
Effective philanthropy is sustained and powered by prudent investment of the assets you are dedicating for philanthropic purposes. A request for proposal (RFP) is a document, often a questionnaire, that lets you compare investment service offerings, performance, fees, and other value-add services. Whether you’re looking for an investment service provider for the first time, planning... Read More
A private foundation must make annual charitable expenditures, called qualifying distributions, equal to at least 5% of the fair market value of its previous year’s endowment. Thus, a foundation with average assets of $5 million in fiscal year 2022 must make roughly $250,000 of qualifying distributions by the end of its next fiscal year, or December... Read More
“When philanthropy partners, communities prosper.” This theme resounded throughout our 2023 Annual Conference, where members from all 50 states and every type of community gathered with 500+ peers in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to learn and make meaningful connections. Here are some highlights from the event: Creating Lasting Impact In our opening plenary, Wizipan Little Elk Garriott,... Read More