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Lysa Ratliff Wants You to Trust Her

In a time defined by uncertainty, CEO of KABOOM! Lysa Ratliff makes the case for honesty over comfort in an unusually candid conversation about what it takes to lead right now with host Phil Buchanan on the latest episode of Giving Done Right.

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CEP seeks to influence foundations and major donors to be more effective. We offer assessments that gather essential feedback from key stakeholders, data-driven research, customized advisory services, thought-provoking events, and incisive commentary on the CEP Blog.

Phil Buchanan, Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Ph.D., and panelists at the CEP conference in 2025.

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A Sector in Crisis: How U.S. Nonprofits and Foundations Are Responding to Threats

As nonprofits face historic challenges, new data from the Center for Effective Philanthropy reveals how nonprofits are faring and how foundations are responding.

Board Book Insert – State of Nonprofits 2026: What Funders Need to Know
Foundation Governance Today: How Boards and CEOs Are Navigating Risk, Accountability, and a Shifting Landscape
Breaking the Mold: The Transformative Effect of MacKenzie Scott's Big Gifts
AI With Purpose: How Foundations and Nonprofits Are Thinking About and Using Artificial Intelligence

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From the Blog

The Full Current of Capital: When Every Resource Flows Toward MissionCarmen Rojas, Ph.D. President and CEO, Marguerite Casey FoundationRickke Mananzala President, New York FoundationDaniel Gould Vice President of Investments and Operations, Marguerite Casey FoundationLenore Champagne Beirne Investment Committee Chair, New York Foundation
The Full Current of Capital: When Every Resource Flows Toward Mission

In the first two pieces in this series, we introduced the tidal foundation and explored when mission may require higher payout. But how much a foundation spends is only one part of stewardship — the other is how the endowment itself is invested.  But payout and...

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How One Collaborative’s Movement-Led Participatory Model Makes a Difference for GranteesKevin Bolduc Vice President, Assessment and Advisory Services, CEPEsperanza Pallana Executive Director, Wildseeds Fund
How One Collaborative’s Movement-Led Participatory Model Makes a Difference for Grantees

In the second half of 2025, CEP’s Assessment and Advisory Services Team worked with the teams at Philanthropy Together, Redstone, and Vital Impact to survey recent grant recipients of 21 “bright spot” donor collaboratives. In “The Collaborative Effect: Grantee...

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When the Tide Should Rise: Deciding When Mission Requires MoreCarmen Rojas, Ph.D. President and CEO, Marguerite Casey FoundationRickke Mananzala President, New York FoundationIan Fuller Chair, Marguerite Casey Foundation Board of DirectorsTrish Adobea Tchume Chair, New York Foundation Board of Directors
When the Tide Should Rise: Deciding When Mission Requires More

In the first piece of this series, we introduced the tidal foundation as an alternative to the fixed choice between perpetuity or spend down. In this piece, we will get a bit more practical: How do board members and leaders decide when the tide should rise? The...

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