A Productive-and Painless-Trip to the Nation's Capitol
by Linda Reed
My trip last week to Washington, D.C., was easy and productive thanks to the Council's great government relations team. I wanted to meet with members and staff of Montana's congressional delegation to brief them on our transfer of wealth study and some new information we have about…
We Gather Together
by Mary Galeti
American families have many traditions that cross religious, social, economic, and cultural boundaries. Taking time in the latter part of the year to give thanks for all we have is one of the most prevalent. Thanksgiving is a time for food, of course, but also for family (no matter…
The Weekly Fanfare of Philanthropy
by Carl Little
Last week was a quiet one at the Maine Community Foundation — not! Between debriefing about the annual Inspiring Philanthropy evening and preparing for the upcoming Feed a Family campaign, we barely had time to celebrate Community Foundation Week.
The Maine Community Foundation…
Knowledge Tools for Global Philanthropy
by Lisa Philip
Four years ago, when I was a philanthropic adviser at a private bank, I spoke to The New York Times for an article on global giving. In my work with wealthy families in the United States and around the world, I was seeing a growing trend of cross-border giving. Part of this was…
Three Big Ideas from the World's Only Secretariat for Philanthropy
By: Dan Hymowitz and Heather Lord
In America, the debate lumbers on about the best way to coordinate the philanthropic sector and the U.S. government. Meanwhile, one post-conflict West African country has jumped right in — the Liberia Philanthropy Secretariat is the fruit of collaboration between…
Seeding the Next Generation of Global Philanthropy
by Dan Siegel and Jenny Yancey
While the Gates Foundation has raised the bar for global philanthropy, today's youth will revolutionize global giving in the coming decades.
Youth under 21, so-called digital natives, were born into the era of globalization in which communication technologies have…
A Philanthropic Awakening in Africa
by Matt Robertson
In 2008, at the age of 17, I traveled with a group of other teens to Zambia and South Africa on a philanthropy-oriented trip organized by YouthGive. We went to look at how microfinance, a method of lending small amounts of money to people so they can start a livelihood for…
Giving Globally
by Victoria Dunning
You might already suspect from your Facebook or LinkedIn profiles that the world is getting smaller. It's true. The folks on the far sides of the Earth are practically down the block in terms of human connections. A recent study showed that there are only 4.74 degrees of…
Grantmaking and Emergency Recovery: Ensuring the Show Goes On
by Sandra Macías del Villar
Emergencies are bound to happen. While there have been dramatic improvements in disaster preparedness and increased attention to mitigation, the outcomes of natural or man-made disasters are mostly unpredictable. In recent years we have seen a slew of catastrophes take…
Learning How to Give Away Money
by Amanda Hsiung
As a relative newcomer to global grantmaking, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend the Global Grantmaking Institute this week to strengthen my understanding of the field. Attending the institute has not only provided me with useful background knowledge, however. It's…
Building Systemic Change From the Ground Up
by Stephanie De Wolfe
At this week's Global Grantmaking Institute, much of our discussion has focused on the role of communities in fostering lasting systemic change. Engaging community actors who work closely with vulnerable populations is a key factor. Focusing on community-based organizations (…
Addressing the Environmental Challenges of the 21st Century
by Jorgen Thomsen
The conservation of ecosystems is one of the most compelling environmental challenges of the 21st century.
Vital to human well-being, ecosystems and their biodiversity provide food and water; regulate floods, drought, and disease; and support soil formation and pollination. They…
Dollars that Respond--for Today and Tomorrow
by Carina Wendel and Rebecca Graves
A recent New York Times op-ed by Ray Madoff, entitled "Tax Write-Off Now, Charity Later" poses several theoretical challenges to Donor Advised Funds. The article suggests that donors' charitable dollars can sit in "holding pens" for decades. Moreover, it…
Wading Through a Sea of Bad News
by Carol Thompson Cole
In this day of 24-7 media, information flows nonstop and infinite reams of data can be crunched in seconds. Yet I am sometimes shocked by how very little we know, even about what’s going on in our own neighborhoods. Information is power, and while research and data might not…
Communicating Corporate Responsibility
At ING, we have developed a strong corporate responsibility (CR) program that is enhanced through engagement in all levels of our company. What have we learned? Buy-in and communications are important on a variety of levels. Tying CR directly to the CEO is critical. A CR program with strong…
What Really Counts: Measuring RoI
Corporate philanthropy functions are increasingly emphasizing return on investment (RoI) in their grantmaking. Understandably, corporate foundations want to use their funding, energy, and time as effectively as possible. But for the Pfizer Foundation, evaluation is a tool to help refine our…