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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
Small Foundations Embrace Advocacy to Catalyze Change
This post, based on research by Exponent Philanthropy Senior Program Director Andy Carroll, was originally featured on the Bolder Advocacy blog. An initiative of the Alliance for Justice, Bolder Advocacy equips nonprofits and foundations with the knowledge and tools to advocate effectively. People who believe in advocacy as a strategy for change wonder: “How can we encourage more foundations to... Read More
12 Ways to Help Grantees Use Volunteers
As small foundations, we are always looking for leverage. Where and how can we invest our assets in ways that will produce the best returns? Will organizations we funded in the past survive these times of shrinking resources and growing needs? We must encourage and support our grantees as they reimagine how to accomplish their... Read More