1. Don’t innovate for innovation’s sake. All efforts at innovation should be in pursuit of a compelling reason. Further, that compelling reason should align with a foundation’s mission and vision. While funding a new app may sound fun, if the new app doesn’t directly impact an audience or issue you’ve targeted, leave it to someone […]
Innovation and Philanthropy: It Doesn’t Have to be Complicated! Read More »
I am surprised by how often grantmakers see their role as funder, but not as a provider of services for which there are customers. True, the philanthropic customer is different than a business customer. As a foundation, you’re not selling a consumer good, but you are selling ideas, change, and a belief that communities can
Take the Customer Service Challenge Read More »
The word “innovation” is ubiquitous in philanthropy. It’s a concept that few foundations have defined, yet many are eager to fund. No surprise, then, that foundations often request “innovative ideas” from their grantees but fail to accomplish the same thing internally. When a funder doesn’t create a clear definition of innovation or understanding of how
What Does Innovation Mean? Read More »
3 things you can do to calm yourself down and meet your goals There are about 75 working days left until the end of the year, depending on how many holidays you celebrate. Even fewer if, like me, you take the last half of December off. The great news is that there is still plenty
Are You In End-of-Year Panic? Read More »
There is nothing like reports and photos of devastation after a natural disaster to spark one’s desire to lend aid and support. Hurricane Harvey in Texas and southwest Louisiana most certainly has captured our attention, and now Hurricane Irma has entered the picture as a potential threat to the Leeward Islands and the US coast.
4 Ways to Respond to Hurricane Harvey (or Any Disaster) Read More »
Everyone relies on standard ways of doing things. From getting kids out the door to school or making the next big grant, we all need processes and systems that help us remember what’s next, what’s to be expected, and how to move forward. But sometimes things change, and we need to be able to change
How Adaptable Are You? Read More »