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Key Questions for Collaborators
About two-thirds of Exponent Philanthropy’s members tell us they collaborate with others to learn, strategize, and/or fund together. Members also rank collaboration near the top of topics about which they want to learn more. Earlier this month, I facilitated a strategy salon on collaboration. Riffing off the world café method, we explored 5 key questions... Read More
Convince Your Board to Pursue Greater Impact
If we’re not actively pursuing real impact with everything we’ve got, we’re simply processing paper and redistributing assets. Why settle for that when we can see and participate in real change? —Emily Hull-Parsons, The William McCaskey Chapman & Adaline Dinsmore Chapman Foundation I bet you’re convinced that your foundation can accomplish more with its giving,... Read More
Just Say No to the Dog and Pony Show…and Other Advice on International Site Visits
Take Oprah’s visit to a slum in Mumbai. One can assume that Oprah had positive intentions in her visit, yet, when the piece aired, a palpable tone of judgment and comparison to her reality offended many. When she asked a family about its small home—“I don’t mean to be offensive, but does it feel crowded?”—she... Read More
Convening to Build Capacity
When it comes to learning about important issues and moving the needle in the right direction, convening is a low-cost and high-impact leadership tool you can’t overlook. The Exponent Philanthropy member John Gogian Family Foundation and executive director Lindsey Stammerjohn began convening grantees in 2010 as part of a capacity building initiative. They recognized common struggles that many grantee... Read More
Why We Convene Grantees
The Hau’oli Mau Loa Foundation started convening 10 partner grantees with two goals in mind: to provide a space where they could share and learn from one another, and to help them feel excited and renewed. “It started as a way to bring partners together. We thought there would be value in them sharing experiences,... Read More
Creating Fair, Equitable Relationships in International Grantmaking
The right question is not “What can I do for you?” It is “What can I do with you?” When I worked at the Global Fund for Women (GFW), one of our mantras was, “How we do our work is as important as what we do.” This resulted in a grantmaking program that very deliberately trusted and respected grantees’... Read More