I’ve worked with many new foundation CEOs, some of whom are not only new to their role, but new to philanthropy. If you find yourself in this position, here are 5 mistakes you should avoid: 1 – Assuming you don’t need to learn about philanthropy because you were hired for being “an outsider.” There is a […]
Are You A New Foundation CEO? Don’t Make These 5 Mistakes! Read More »
I’ve spoken with dozens of philanthropy leaders in the first three weeks of 2015. Most entered the New Year running out the gate and are starting to feel overwhelmed. A few are experiencing a sluggish start. But they are equally overwhelmed because they aren’t sure where to begin. In my experience, a productive first quarter
Q1: The Key to Your Best Year Ever Read More »
Ready or not, 2015 is here! If you want to achieve dramatic results this year (and who doesn’t?) ask yourself these 5 questions: What can I learn in the next three months that will improve my grantmaking for the remainder of the year? You might need to conduct an evaluation, retain an expert advisor, or
5 Questions to Improve Your Philanthropic Giving in 2015 Read More »
A new, large family foundation is about to hire its first executive. The foundation board thinks “any manager”, a bank executive, or a business consultant would be perfectly qualified for the job – no philanthropy experience necessary. Sound familiar? Too often smart and talented people are extraordinarily successful in business, and then fail to apply
1 Mistake Family Foundations Should Avoid Read More »
I’m a highly organized person, and can spend endless hours creating strategies, with corresponding tactics, timelines and to-do lists. But in my experience, one thing trumps strategy: clarity. You can have all the strategies, logic models, and theories of change in the world, but you won’t get far if you aren’t crystal clear inside your
Clarity Trumps Strategy Read More »
I’m a stepparent and a stepchild. Apparently I am not alone. A staggering 42% of U.S. adults have a steprelationship–either a stepparent, a step or half sibling, or a stepchild. This translates to 95.5 million adults and doesn’t include all the stepkids under 18. This number is probably actually larger, when you count all the boyfriends,
4 Stepparenting Lessons for Grantmakers Read More »