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Readying Your Philanthropy for an Influx of Assets
Ramping up—or significantly increasing charitable giving or activities—can be an empowering transition point in your philanthropy. It can also leave you bewildered by the complexities that come with your new normal. What does it mean to ramp up in response to an influx of assets—perhaps the most common reason funders increase their charitable giving and/or... Read More
Measuring the Effectiveness of Capacity Building Support: A Metrics Menu
As funders increasingly seek to supply resources beyond financial support to their grantees, many are engaging third-party consultants to provide capacity building assistance. But how can funders know whether these resources are really strengthening grantees? What are some reasonable benchmarks for evaluating this assistance? We at Arbor Brothers are fervent believers in the value of capacity building—so... Read More
Are You Prepared for Philanthropy’s Common Transition Points?
Your philanthropic journey is sure to be a remarkable one: often cyclical, rarely linear, and greatly shaped by your particular circumstances. Are you prepared to navigate the twists and turns that are sure to arise over time? Our nearly two decades of experience working with, listening to, and observing philanthropists with few or no staff... Read More
Why We Focus on Learning
When I joined Hau’oli Mau Loa Foundation in 2008, the board and I realized that we could leverage our grants by promoting learning among ourselves and our grantee partners. A learning mindset makes it possible for our ears to be attuned to input Because we strive to approach everything as an opportunity for new insights,... Read More
How Your Generation Influences Your Giving
The manager, a Baby Boomer, wants to schedule a meeting where she can sit across the table from her employees and discuss the latest project. Her longtime staff member from the World War II generation is ready to go, looking to share stories about what used to work well for the company. Her Millennial employees,... Read More
Foundation Trustees Find Their Policy Voice
Three years ago in Texas, foundations confronted a profound crisis. For decades, funders working on public education have invested tens of millions and countless hours to support the public schools and the millions of students from low-income backgrounds served by those schools. These foundations have long been committed to numerous partnerships with state government. Their... Read More