Last week I announced many changes at Putnam. We’ve updated our name (Putnam Consulting Group) and our website (putnam-consulting.com). Best of all, we’ve created a host of new resources to help our philanthropy clients and colleagues ask deeper questions, explore new possibilities, and achieve dramatic results with their grantmaking. Tapping into all this knowledge is easy. Below are four ways to learn something new that you can put to work right away: Read a blog post. The Philanthropy 411 blog is as robust as ever, with thought provoking ideas and insights from myself, my clients and other philanthropy experts. Read the latest posts; gain quick tips with 10 Ways to Shape Your Foundation’s Newest Grantmaking Initiative and learn how to respond to challenging questioners with The Interrogation Principle. Have … Continue reading 4 Ways To Improve Your Grantmaking →
One reason we are involved in grantmaking is to be a part of making local, state, national, and global change from the ground up. Grantmakers often see real need for change in programs and services, or they see places where new programs and services will make all the difference. The key to creating real change is understanding and preparing for the complexities of a grantmaking initiative before diving in. Careful planning, focused relationship building, and a little thirst for adventure can help you take your next grantmaking initiative to new heights while respecting the boundaries of budgets, staff, and other limited resources. Here are some tips on getting started with your next initiative. Anticipate ongoing complexity. Grantmaking initiatives often spring from … Continue reading 10 Ways to Shape Your Foundation’s Newest Grantmaking Initiative →
Every once in awhile we are thrown totally off guard by what someone says to us. If we can remember what I call the “Interrogation Principle,” we can regain our composure, buy ourselves a few moments of time, and respond in a way that advances our goals. I recently sat in the office of a senior leader at a large, well-known international foundation. Foundation management was interested in hiring a consultant to help them plan a grantmaking program, and I had traveled at my own expense to learn about their objectives and determine whether I might be the right fit. This particular woman was not into niceties and jumped right into the discussion. Early in the conversation she asked me … Continue reading The Interrogation Principle →
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