As the new year gets off to a rousing start, I know many of us are thinking that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. I know that’s true for me, as I wonder how on earth it is already February! But at the same time, I’ve also begun looking […]
Want to Save Time? Get Laser-Focused Read More »
Site visits are a very valuable tool for funders, because they give you first-hand insight into the places and personalities that will put your charitable investments to work. In-person visits are always best, because they allow you to tour facilities, see programs in action, and observe grantees at work. However, sometimes a grantee can be
Short on Time and Money? Consider a Virtual Site Visit Read More »
Over the past few years, I’ve been working with more and more foundations that choose to actively engage in public policy discussions as part of their missions. That’s encouraging, because when you get right down to it, nothing really changes unless public policy supports a change. But working in public policy can be messy, intimidating
Three Rules to Guide Foundation Policy Efforts Read More »
When meeting with potential new clients, I am occasionally struck by their “what can you do for me?” or “how much do you charge for an evaluation?” approach to hiring consultants. There is a fundamental flaw in this line of questioning that can doom a foundation-consultant relationship from the start. The approach is backwards, because
Beware the Off-The-Shelf Consultant Read More »
It’s back-to-school time across most of the country, and my colleagues and I have all been trading stories of the build up to that first big day. Whether it’s pre-K or high school, there’s always something special about starting out on a new year. New clothes, fresh supplies, seeing old friends and making new ones
5 Back-to-School Lessons for Philanthropists Read More »
The church shootings that took place in Charleston, SC were horrific, especially for those directly touched by the violence and hatred that spawned the attack. The same is true for Baltimore, Ferguson, and every other place where the emotions of residents overflow into protests or violence. Perhaps the most frightening thing of all is that
Stop, Look and Listen: 3 Steps for Responding to a Community Crisis Read More »