Looking for a Philanthropy Advisor?

My colleague in the field, Kris Putnam-Walkerly hit the nail on the head with ideas around hiring a Philanthropy Advisor. Click for her blog which is somewhat of a three part series. The first two blogs centered on RFPs and the many ways in which that process creates the opposite effect of its intent - finding a qualified advisor who is also a good fit with you.

Creating an RFP can be a daunting process. The positive aspect is that the process helps people and organizations define what they are looking for. The downside is that RFPs often only raise up those who can and who are willing to check boxes.

Philanthropy consultants come to this work with a vast variety of experiences, just as funders. One thing I have seen over and over in my 20+ years doing this work is that very few people come to this world directly.

Just as I do in my own work, I encourage you to move beyond the tried and true. I encourage you to reach out to a variety of philanthropy advisors, develop relationships, rely on word of mouth, and find someone who truly fits your personality and the personality of your organization.

As always, thank you @Kris Putnam-Walkerly for your insight and your work.

Image by Jamie Street @jamie452

To My Fellow Consultants...

How can it be that my last post was in February? As much as I hate to say life intervened…life intervened. Reading Vu’s Nonprofit AF post this morning gave me the nudge to get back in the game.

For my fellow consultants, Vu’s post is a good reminder that if we are interested in seeing the nonprofit world transform and not just keeping doing what they have been doing for the sake of doing, then our consulting practices need to transform as well.

Here’s the read, “Consultants, are you actually making the sector worse? Here are some questions to ask yourselves.”

Let me know what you think…

Image from Upslash by Bob van Aubel @bobvanaubel

How One Foundation Moved from Idea to Initiative

Shared from an August 16, 2021 blog on Exponent Philanthropy. The David and Lura Lovell Foundation focuses funding on changing systems by first identifying issues then identifying partners to ferret out root causes and develop plans before seeking grantees involved in the work.

The 7-step process is outlined in the blog and is something a foundation of any size or staffing can accomplish.

I have followed a similar process several times throughout my philanthropic career. This work offers fantastic opportunities for learning not only by funders but among the partners as well. There is power behind bringing people to the table and giving them a voice.

More good food for thought.

Photo by Joel Filipe@joelfilip

2021 - A Year of Change

Today, when I read this blog post on Exponent Philanthropy - Making a Little Go Far: How We Spark Economic Renewal in Our Rural Community I knew I had to share it as part of my Year of Change series. The post highlights the work of the William Stretesky Foundation which, in my opinion, is a breath of fresh air to traditional grantmaking.

The foundation is based in the northeastern corner of rural Colorado - Julesburg, Colorado which so happens to be the birthplace of my mother. It was formed almost 20 years ago from the estate of Mr. Stretesky that included over 11,000 acres of farmland. Grant dollars are generated through the ongoing leasing of this land to farmers.

So far, the foundation has awarded more than $7 million and is set to award $1 million yearly moving forward.

As in many rural communities, the area is struggling economically. As such, the foundation focuses on projects to enhance small businesses and nonprofits, historical preservation, and community improvement..

In the post, Kimberly Orth, executive director of the foundation highlights several projects she consideres their “most successful and popular.”

I encourage you to read the full post, but here is a teaser.

When was the last time you read of a foundation working with partners to develop a campaign focused on shopping local by allowing residents to buy $500 of local currency, called Bucks, at $450?

Or the Pay-It-Forward campaign where local businesses apply for utility credits in exchange for a small donation or item to be raffled through ticket sales? (Proceeds from the raffle benefit the local schools and nonprofits.)

Their COVID pivot was the 2020 Youth Corp campaign that employed 16 teenagers to paint curbs and buildings, pick up branches following storms, weed, help with story hours at the library, and more. A win-win for local teens and the community.

This post highlights creative thinking at its best. It is a reminder of the flexibility foundations have in awarding funding and of the impact of one man’s gift to his community. All of us can learn from Mr. Stretesky.

Photograph by Dan Meyers Dan Meyers @dmey503

2021 - A Year of Change

In following a theme of change, let’s take a look at a twist to anti-poverty efforts: providing regular cash payments to those in need. This concept played a prominent role in the recent third round of coronavirus relief. The American Rescue Plan contains several provisions to help parents. Among them is an expansion of the Child Tax Credit for 2021 whereby eligible parents (based on income) will receive direct payments of $3,600 for kids ages 5 and under and $3,000 for children ages 6 to 17.

These direct payments, however, are rife with controversy. There are many concerned these dollars will encourage parents to pull out of the workforce.

Enter SEED (Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration). Through a partnership with the Economic Security Project the city of Stockton, CA offered people in need what they needed most: cash. SEED launched February 2019. 125 people were randomly chosen from low-income census tracks to receive $500 monthly, to use as they please. These individuals were provided guaranteed income for two years. The only mandate was the project’s research team could collect data designed to understand the benefits and harms of direct cash payments. Participants could withdraw from SEED at any time.

Research, via a randomized control trial, sought to answer these questions: How does guaranteed income impact income volatility? How do changes in income volatility impact psychological health and physical well-being? How does guaranteed income impact future selves?

Preliminary findings for the first year (February 2019- February 2020) are in. Here is what they learned:

• Income levels month to month are steadier with the guaranteed dollars.

• The “no strings attached” cash payments enabled recipients to obtain full-time employment.

• Recipients were healthier with less depression and anxiety.

• The payments provided a “peace of mind” that allowed people the space to think about their future, new opportunities, setting goals, and taking risks.

As one recipient commented, the dollars allowed her to buy groceries which eliminated the need for multiple visits to food pantries each month to feed her family. This change gave her back time and gave her options.

Think back on your own lives as you were starting your working life and careers. Did you have someone helping with daily living expenses such as rent or groceries? And if that wasn’t an option, how would your life be different?

A bit of food for thought. This blog is inspired by the Nonprofit Quarterly’s article, Stockton Study Shows Power of Universal Basic Income Support written by Martin Levine and published March 17, 2021.

Image by Daniel Cheung @danielkcheung

2020 - A Year of Change

There is no doubt 2020 has been a year of change. As someone who typically goes kicking and screaming into something new, one of the positives of this pandemic for me has been to accept and even, at times, embrace change. So when I ran across these musings by Lisa Pillar Cowan in the December 8 of Chronicle of Philanthropy, I knew I had to share.

Take a look - it’s good food for thought for the coming year.

“When We Return to Our Foundation Offices, Let’s Make Them Spaces Where We Collaborate With Grantees” by Lisa Pillar Cowan, Vice President of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation in New York City.

Image by @Jr Korpa