Brian Hughes makes the case for why talent professionals are vital contributors to getting the most from your staff.
Blog
The CEP blog aims to offer a range of perspectives, experiences, and opinions related to effective philanthropic practice. We welcome submissions that address crucial issues facing individual and institutional donors and are not self-promotional in nature. The views expressed in these posts are not necessarily CEP’s own.

Philanthropy End of Summer Beach Reading: Part 3
In the finale to his summer reading mini-series, Phil Buchanan highlights two articles that call attention to the importance of relationships.

Philanthropy End of Summer Beach Reading: Part 2
In the second of three posts on what’s he’s been reading this summer, Phil Buchanan raises questions about the call for nonprofits to work on bold, upstream goals rather than simply symptoms of our big challenges.

Philanthropy End of Summer Beach Reading: Part 1
In the first of three posts on what’s he’s been reading this summer, Phil Buchanan offers his take on the strategic philanthropy discussion prompted by recent articles by Bill Schambra, Paul Brest, and Larry Kramer.

Avoiding the Perils of Surface Persuasiveness
Stephen Sullivan makes the case for taking provocative sound bites not as confrontational bait, but opportunities for thoughtful reflection and meaningful debate.

Data Point: Nonprofits Want More Discussion about Assessment with Funders
Ellie Buteau presents a data point on how discussions about performance assessment can be a valuable source of non-monetary support for grantees.
Secure Your Own Oxygen Mask First
Guest author Susan McConnell advocates for funders to focus on developing the skills of program officers as a way to lead to more effective working relationships with grantees.

On Peter Buffett’s Op-Ed
Phil Buchanan reacts to Peter Buffett’s take on the philanthropic sector, offering both criticisms of some of Buffett’s arguments and thoughtful relections on areas where he may not be totally off-base.

Data Point: More Transparency Needed About What Foundations Are Learning
Andrea Brock shares a data point from our “Foundation Transparency” report about nonprofits’ desire for funders to be more open about their experiences with what hasn’t worked in their grantmaking.

Six Tips for Improving Staff Performance Reviews
Brian Hughes offers foundations advice on how to make the most of the performance review process.

D5 at the Midpoint
Guest author Kelly Brown of the D5 Coalition discusses the progress to date of philanthropy’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, while highlighting how much remains to be done for the field to reach its full potential.

Set Your Relationship Up for Success
Guest author Caroline Altman Smith of The Kresge Foundation offers advice for setting expectations to get funder/grantee relationships off on the right foot.

Studying Philanthropy for Its Own Sake
Phil Buchanan makes a case for philanthropy as an independent academic pursuit and lauds Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen for aiding that cause.

Announcing the Chinese Version of CEP’s “Essentials of Foundation Strategy” Report
Grace Nicolette announces the translation of CEP’s “Essentials of Foundation Strategy” report into simplified and complex Chinese.

Share the Power
Guest author Carol Ting advises funders to recognize that relationships with their grantees are symbiotic and suggests making an effort to rebalance the inherent power dynamics to make those partnerships more effective.

We Listen, Too: Collecting Feedback from our Donor Perception Report Subscribers
Manager Grace Nicolette reports out on the lessons learned from a recent survey of our Donor Perecption Report subscribers.

Working Well with Grantees: A Guide for Foundation Program Staff
Ellie Buteau and Phil Buchanan introduce CEP’s newest research report that lays out practical advice for foundation program staff to strengthen relationships with their grantees.

Getting Clear About Overhead, Part 2: Questionable Fundraising Costs
Phil Buchanan continues his exposition on the nonprofit overhead debate, warning that a failure to acknowledge our worst offenders blurs our ability to make a cogent argument.

Getting Clear About Overhead, Part 1
Phil Buchanan weighs in on the issue of overemphasis on overhead as a measure of nonprofit effectiveness.

Is It Time for RISKY Goals, Not Just SMART Ones?
Guest author Caitlin Stanton voices concern about how progress toward complex goals is measured and proposes a new model for setting strategic goals.