One of the best books about foundations I know is one that gets too little attention. It’s Effective Foundation Management: 14 Challenges of Philanthropic Leadership – And How to Outfox Them by Joel Orosz. It should be required reading for every new foundation CEO and board member, because it lays bare the pitfalls that await them.
Its author, Joel Orosz, is one of the clearest-thinking people I know, and he writes with great wisdom, wit, humor, and insight – drawing on his experience as both a foundation insider (at the WK Kellogg Foundation) and someone studying foundations. Among his most important contributions to effective philanthropy is that he identified a need for better education and training for program officers, founding The Grantmaking School at the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University.
Over the past eight years, Joel has been a huge encourager of our work at CEP and provided wise counsel in his role as a member of our Advisory Board. He cares passionately about foundation effectiveness and has done much to advance it.
I, for one, missed his presence on the philanthropic scene greatly – no one is more fun to banter with at a conference – during his recent medical leave of absence. It’s more than great that he is suited up and back in action again.
And we are thrilled that he is bringing his game to our stadium as CEP’s third guest blogger. I know you’ll enjoy reading what he has to say.
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Phil Buchanan is President of CEP
