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Breaking New Ground: Funders Partner to Advance Strategic Volunteer Engagement
Lean funders are always looking for leverage: Where and how can we invest our limited assets to get the best returns? Will our grantees survive these challenging times and growing needs? How will we all (funders and nonprofits) rebuild our communities in a post-pandemic world? Will we look for innovative ways to strengthen organizational capacity?... Read More
Funders: Considering Collaboration? Start With a Light Touch and See Where It Leads
This post originally appeared on Blackbaud’s sgENGAGE blog. When smaller, place-based foundations collaborate and align their work, they provide unique value to local communities and nonprofits. Still, many foundations shy away from working together, assuming it will require considerable time and a loss of independence. Funder collaboration need not be burdensome. Nor does it require... Read More
How Can Lean Funders Proactively Advance Racial Equity? Don’t Go It Alone
Recently, efforts to incorporate antiracism into philanthropic work have surged. What does this mean for lean funders who may not have the capacity to launch major initiatives? At Brady Education Foundation, we focus on addressing disparities in educational opportunities associated with race, ethnicity, and family income. Our mission is clearly aligned with racial equity work.... Read More
Did the Pandemic Change Lean Funders?
In recent years, we have collected data on how our community of lean funders is responding to the pandemic. In April 2020, we surveyed members on what they planned to do. We shared those findings in this report. The next year, our 2021 Foundation Operations and Management Survey (FOMS) collected more detailed information on how... Read More
Using Venture Philanthropy To Fill Gaps and Advance Medical Breakthroughs
My family and I are dedicated philanthropists. We work hard to maximize the impact of our philanthropic dollars across a wide range of social issues. My passion is children’s health. This area of medical research and care is often overlooked or underfunded, and yet the unmet needs are great. As a survivor of brain cancer... Read More
Key Insights From the 2022 Foundation Operations and Management Report
Exponent Philanthropy is proud to launch another edition of the Foundation Operations and Management Report (FOMR). The report continues to share important salary and administrative benchmarks. At the same time, it offers an overview on how our community of lean funders change and evolve. Thank you to the 400+ members who participated in the 2021... Read More