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10 Foundation Activities That Call For Additional Care
Private foundation trustees and staff oversee countless activities, from setting direction and selecting grantees to reviewing policies and investing assets. Several foundation tasks—some mandatory, some voluntary—call for additional care. All are worth your careful consideration to help you be financially savvy and legally compliant, and to help you take full advantage of your foundation’s flexibility.... Read More
A Compass Only Works When You Trust It
In philanthropy, like in life, we have relatively little ability to control disruptions, internal or external, and the big changes they often portend. Although we may anticipate an influx of assets upon the sale of a business, or predict the arrival of the next generation, most of us can’t really manage the exact timing and... Read More
Donor Intent: Building a Legacy of Impact Through Partnerships
Donor intent matters. A bevy of articles, consultants, and examples are available on how to craft donor intent statements and how to communicate them. Whatever the content and form, they should be dynamic, reciprocal learning tools that engage family members and beneficiaries. Extreme care needs to be applied so donor intent is not a one-way,... Read More
Embracing Our Foundation’s Role as a Convenor
The Buhl Regional Health Foundation is a new health conversion foundation in Western Pennsylvania, situated on the Ohio state line. We convened a daylong community health forum last fall to connect community leaders and organizations, explore our evolving region, and identify opportunities to improve the region’s well-being. Over the past 30 years or more, our... Read More
Data, Trends, and the Value of Written Foundation Policies
I can’t count the number of times a member has called with a sticky situation—how to handle a conflict of interest, or a board member not pulling his or her weight—but, when I ask about what expectations or policies are written down, I learn that there’s nothing in place. That’s an awkward time for the... Read More
The Challenges Grantmakers Face in Supporting Technology
Originally published by Idealware (March 2017) Can grants managers play a role in helping nonprofits get the technology funding they need to be successful? I led a discussion on this topic yesterday at the PEAK Grantmaking (formerly Grants Managers Network) conference in Hollywood, California. The breakout session, “How To Spot the Missing Tech in Grant Proposals,”... Read More