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Throughout the philanthropic sector, there’s recently been a lot of attention paid to ideas about how increased openness and feedback channels can help foundations improve their effectiveness. More and more people are starting to look at how foundations can best work...
“Public policy” is commonly defined as the system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action and funding priorities for a given issue. Influencing public policy through education, advocacy and network activation is an ongoing process at the local, state and...
As I’m sure is the case for many of you, this first week back after the “unofficial” end of summer has been busy. While resuming my regular workflow after the long weekend, I noticed several important pieces of news to emerge from CEP staff, board members and other...
There are lots of critiques of foundations and philanthropy – some justified, some not – and lots of calls for foundations to do a better job of owning up to failure and sharing what hasn’t worked. But we could also do a better job learning from what has, in fact,...
How would you feel about going sock-less for a week when you hadn’t planned your wardrobe for that situation? In July I attended the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers’ annual conference in San Diego, representing Associated Grant Makers, an association of...
In the United States, Canada is perhaps best known for being a source of cold weather and red-coated policemen. But in the foundation field, we can paint a picture that is a little more nuanced. The foundation sector in Canada is small (certainly compared to south of...
Many years ago, a very accomplished friend who was much further along in his career was discussing with me his potential transition to a new role he was considering accepting. We were on a walk, and he said that he was leaning toward taking the new job. “I think I...
Community foundations today operate in an environment that is dramatically different from the one in which many of their current practices and structures were developed. After all, back when the Cleveland Foundation was first established in 1914, the U.S. telephone...
“Wait for that wisest of all counselors, Time.” ~ Pericles In a recent press conference, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated that the data on inflation was on the “high side.” Then, she emphasized her belief that the data is “noisy” and that inflation remains...
Foundations often turn to consultants for help in designing strategies. Given this, the work of consulting firms – and the approaches they promote through consulting engagements and “thought leadership” pieces – is of great significance to foundations, their grantees...