Philanthropy is not often thought of as a young person's industry. But look a little closer, and it's apparent that there are young people moving and shaking in the world of foundations and grantmaking. If you're a member of this younger generation (the Next Gen), or have a Next Gen board member or staff person in your foundation, take a look at Exponent Philanthropy's Next Gen Fellows program--a 6-month training designed exclusively for Next Gen philanthropists.
What You Should -- and Shouldn't -- Do When Meeting with Our Foundation for the First Time (or Any Time)
The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently ran an Op-Ed offering fundraisers advice for first-time meetings with a potential donor. While every funder operates somewhat differently, much of the advice offered there would not apply to a meeting with the staff or board of The Helen J. Serini Foundation. Our Program Officer wrote a response adjusting these "expectations" for funders entering into first-time meetings, but we thought it could be helpful to expand upon the response to give current (or prospective) nonprofits an idea of what to expect when meeting with any of our team, be it staff or board.
What You Should -- and Shouldn't -- Do When Meeting with Prospective Grantees
This article originally ran in the Chronicle of Philanthropy in response to an op-ed on what grantseekers should (and should not) do when meeting with donors for the first time.
As grant makers, we hold enormous power in relationships with nonprofits. Foundations big and small operate in a system in which nonprofits need funders (or, more precisely, our dollars) to achieve their missions. Our grantees, however, hold the answers to the questions and problems that drive us; they give our dollars meaning and effect, and their work allows us to achieve our missions. It is shortsighted, therefore, to view nonprofits simply as grant seekers. We should see them as critical partners in achieving our own missions as funders. And that partnership must be built on a foundation of mutual respect.
Funding Opportunity: Capacity Building Grants for Frederick-County Nonprofits
The Ausherman Family Foundation’s (AFF) Trustees announced their 2018 Capacity Building Grant Cycle 1 opened on December 1, 2017. Eligible Frederick-County nonprofit organizations whose staff and board members are committed to growing the organization’s capacity to reach new levels of effectiveness may apply.
2016 Exponent Philanthropy National Conference in Chicago: Come Say Hello!
Are you heading to the 2016 Exponent Philanthropy Conference? We'll be there, and would love to connect with other small-staffed foundations who might be attending. Be sure to look for our Program Officer, Kerry McHugh, at her panels, and for board member Alex Serini at the Next Gen convening on Monday evening!
Youth Giving Case Study: Learning, Building, and Growing Together
Training the Next Generation of Philanthropists
Philanthropy is not often thought of as a young person's industry. But look a little closer, and it's apparent that there are young people moving and shaking in the world of foundations and grantmaking. If you're a member of this younger generation (the Next Gen), or have a Next Gen board member or staff person in your foundation, take a look at Exponent Philanthropy's Next Gen Fellows program--a 6-month training designed exclusively for Next Gen philanthropists.