Most philanthropies seek to be strategic and have an impact. Yet few build their own internal capacity to be strategic grantmakers. In particular, most funders forget to intentionally learn from their initial piloting and testing of strategies so that they can make early modifications and course corrections. Learning isn’t hard to do, but it must […]
Learning How to Learn Read More »
School’s out and summer is here! Time to pursue that great American pastime – the lazy summer vacation. Be it at the beach, in the mountains, or somewhere in between, there’s actually a great value in taking time off and letting your mind daydream for a bit. In fact, summer dreaming time is the perfect way
Summer Daydreaming is the Perfect Time to Re-Imagine Philanthropy Read More »
When most people think about philanthropy, it’s all about the money. But cold, hard cash is just one of many tools in a grantmaker’s tool belt. And some of those non-cash tools are far more effective when it comes to addressing grantee needs and community challenges. Here are eight tools grantmakers can – and should
8 Tools Grantmakers Frequently Forget to Use Read More »
This week, I’m taking a quick time-out from my regular blog posts to share some exciting news. I am honored to have been named one of America’s Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers by Philanthropy Media! I was chosen from a survey of more than 25,000 philanthropy experts who submitted more than 1,000 names. To say I
Kris Putnam-Walkerly Named “Top 25 Philanthropy Speaker” Read More »
More years ago than I care to count, I received a Masters in Social Work from San Francisco State University. Although I never practiced as a clinical social worker, I consider myself to be doing “macro” social work every day. The lessons I learned in that program have contributed a great deal to my work
3 Unexpected Lessons That Stuck Read More »
Last week, we looked at five mistakes that new foundation boards often make, and how to avoid them. Below are five more practices that may get new boards off to a rocky start. Fortunately, they’re all avoidable with a little foresight, planning and honest introspection. Failing to learn The opportunity to expand your knowledge doesn’t
10 Mistakes New Foundation Boards Make, and How to Avoid Them (Part 2) Read More »