A few weeks ago, we were happy to join several hundred of our colleagues in San Francisco for Hispanics in Philanthropy’s (HIP) 2015 Conference and HIPGiver Gala. The daylong series of events focused on Latino leadership in the philanthropic sector, as well as exploring the needs and opportunities…

This week the Council released its 2014 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Report. The most comprehensive source on national foundation staff composition and compensation, the report provides us with an opportunity for self-reflection about our individual management practices. It also serves as a…

An engaged group of seventy funders came together January 27 for a learning forum hosted in Los Angeles by the Council on Foundations and Southern California Grantmakers entitled, “Politics, Policy, and Philanthropy: How Your Funding Priorities Could be Impacted This Year.” The 2016 election cycle…

Ask the Expert! Want to learn more about Disaster Philanthropy? Join us for a live chat Q&A on the Philanthropy Exchange with Regine Webster and Anna Hurt from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. For one hour, they will be on the Open Exchange ready to answer your questions about…

What does revolutionary change look like? That question was at the heart of Confluence Philanthropy’s 2015 Practitioners’ Gathering. In the world of investment advisors and Wall Street finance, a revolution can start with two words: “Sell it.” Five years ago, my family and I decided that we would…

It comes as no surprise that the Unites States is experiencing a dramatic population increase.  What will surprise many is the Southeastern region is witnessing the bulk that population growth. The State of Georgia ranks 8th in the nation for foreign born residents. Within the 20-county…

Humble. If there were one word that ought to drive philanthropists, that’s it. I am not saying it is always a word that does drive us. I am saying it ought to be.  It can be exciting and fulfilling to work in the world of philanthropy, to collaborate and work with generous people,…

Low-income families typically have few options for emergency cash, forcing many to rely on high-cost payday loans for unexpected financial needs. But these loans, which are disproportionately marketed to low-income and minority communities, lead to repeated cash shortages that drive consumers to…

I recently had the opportunity to interview Emily Kessler, the interim director of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy. In this interview, Emily shares how she got her start in philanthropy and what she is hoping to do to help emerging professionals and increase the value of an EPIP membership…

Economic development is at the center of the Maine Community Foundation’s strategic priorities. We believe greater access to lower cost capital will allow entrepreneurs and innovators from both the nonprofit and for-profit world to grow enterprises and expand projects that build off our natural…

Last week more than 200 foundation leaders, policymakers, academics, entrepreneurs, and experts came together at George Washington University (GWU) for an invitation-only gathering to advance the development of what many call the “fourth sector”—for-benefit organizations that primarily pursue…

Americans donated an estimated $335 billion to charitable causes, and foundations an estimated $50 billion in 2013 according to Giving USA. These numbers validate President John F. Kennedy’s notion that philanthropy is “a jewel of an American tradition.” Indeed the legacy of American philanthropy…

Last week, the Milstein Commission, a national initiative co-chaired by Steve Case and Carly Fiorina, released a report, Can Startups Save the American Dream? The report  highlighted over how the past quarter-century, startups and small businesses accounted for 65% of net job creation, yet…

As my boss and Blackbaud CEO Mike Gianoni noted, “#GivingTuesday has gone from a simple idea to become a genuine global phenomenon.” The unofficial start to the end-of-year giving season once again kicked off this #GivingTuesday, December 2nd 2014, and with #UNselfies shared and charitable gifts…

An article recently published in Research & Development shared how  researchers are using social media to draw attention to their research.  Discussing their work with reporters and sharing on social media seemed to increase the likelihood that one’s research is cited, thereby…

This post is part of the #CF100 Series of blog posts. The Council on Foundations is marking the 100th anniversary of the nation’s first community foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, by highlighting the roles of community foundations with this series. See where it all began at our Fall…