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Synchronize Your Foundation
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
We Invest in Nonprofit Leaders: Here’s How
For most professionals who reach a nonprofit leadership position, the hard work is just beginning. As a leader’s responsibilities grow, more people depend on them for success in their own roles and the success of the organization. From managing resource challenges to the emotional demands of nonprofit work, leaders of these organizations often struggle to... Read More
Network-Weaving: A Key Factor in My Philanthropic Success
I just returned from leading the team that successfully cleaned up the world’s most plastic-polluted beach as part of the multi-disciplinary Henderson Island Plastic Pollution Expedition 2019. From the first day of my involvement with the Expedition, as founder of Howell Conservation Fund and leader of the beach cleanup team, I had two key performance... Read More
Moving From Idea to Initiative
There’s never a shortage of good ideas, but how do you move from a board table vision to a broad-based collaboration? After more than 20 years funding individual programs in its mission areas, The David and Lura Lovell Foundation began to focus on broad-based community, regional, and national initiatives to change systems, address root causes,... Read More
Outsized Impact Award Nominee: Danielle Garbe Reser
Danielle Garbe Reser’s creative thinking is bringing additional philanthropic capital to her region’s underserved rural nonprofit leaders. Sherwood Trust is the largest discretionary funder in southeast Washington State, but even its roughly $1 million each year is not enough to meet local needs in its rural region. With an estimated 19% of the U.S. population... Read More
Outsized Impact Award Nominee: Jennifer Astone
Jennifer Astone is leading her small-staffed foundation to move its assets in strategic ways and documenting the journey for peers. From 2013–2018, under Jen’s leadership as executive director, Swift Foundation moved from investing 13.5% to 36% of its portfolio in climate solutions including clean energy access, sustainable food and agriculture, sustainable forestry, and more. One-third... Read More