Individual Donors Archives - Page 9 of 13 - Exponent Philanthropy

Resources

Minding Your Ps and Qs

There is always room—and a need—to keep learning, adapting, and improving. Embrace continual learning People learn in different ways: through formal training, conversation, coaching, reading, doing, and, most often, through a combination of all these. It’s important to develop a learning agenda for yourself and your organization, including the most effective and feasible ways to... Read More

Making Global Grants

“There’s almost no strictly ‘local’ philanthropy anymore,” says Exponent Philanthropy member Betty Curtis of the Atkinson Foundation in California. “As we become aware of how totally and globally our economic, social, and political lives are intertwined, we have the opportunity to design our grantmaking accordingly.” Even modest grants can have significant reach in developing countries.... Read More

Key Elements of a Grantmaking Strategy

What are some key elements of a grantmaking strategy? A mission statement, which is informed by the donor’s intent and objectives A statement of purpose, defined by program interests, geographic focus, grantmaking style A process for accepting, reviewing, and awarding grants A set of guidelines that inform the grantseeking community about what the foundation does... Read More

International Intermediaries

Nowadays, foundations rely on intermediaries to handle much of their grantmaking abroad (in dollar terms). Reputable intermediaries make it their business to meet federal regulations, such as determining the equivalency of a foreign charity and following antiterrorist financing guidelines. Taking care of these requirements eases the administrative burden of foreign grantmaking for U.S. foundations. Through... Read More

Insights Into Innovation

“Innovation is in the eye of the beholder,” says Sandy Herz, director of global partnerships at the Skoll Foundation. “Different foundations see it in different ways.” Convening grantees may be innovative for some foundations, even though others have been doing so for years. Or, another foundation might add program related investments to its grantmaking portfolio,... Read More