The other day, my five-year-old twins were explaining a playground game to me. They were confident, they were patient with me, and they went into great detail, but there was no question that the rules of the game were far too complex for me – an outsider – to grasp. I felt that given enough […]
Head-Scratching, or Head-Nodding? 5 Tips for Communicating the Complex Read More »
We can all probably agree that grantmaking is not the most efficient process in the world – either for grantseekers or grantmakers. Thankfully, there are efforts underway like the Grants Managers Network (GMN) Project Streamline to help add simplicity and sense to the complex work of investing philanthropic dollars. More specifically, Project Streamline helps grantmakers
What Do You Know About Streamlining the Grantmaking Process? Read More »
I recently wrote about the phrase funders say that terrifies grantees: “We’re about to start a strategic planning process.” Although there are many things I listed that you can do to help mitigate grantee angst during a strategic planning process, the work doesn’t stop when the final plan is approved. It’s likely that many grantees who relied on
Bringing Your New Strategic Plan Online Without Alienating Your Community Read More »
In my experience, few words strike fear in the hearts of foundation grantees like the following, when dropped by a program officer’s lips: We’re about to start a strategic planning process. Aarrrgh! Nooooo! I can almost hear the screams of terror here in my top-secret vacation retreat spot. And who can blame them? A funder
How to Strike Fear in the Hearts of Grantees Read More »
It used to be that you could scour the country and be hard-pressed to find a foundation working in the public policy arena. Fortunately, that’s changing as more and more foundations realize that the root causes of the issues they want to address are themselves rooted within the workings of policy. But while it’s more
Unlikely Allies Unite for a Policy Win 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 »