The closing plenary session at the conference, “What’s the Big Idea? Vignettes About Philanthropy,” rocked! I was very impressed with each of the presenters, as well as with the refreshing approach the Council and the session developers took in designing the session. Absent were the drawn…

I am one of the fortunate recipients of a Stay in LA scholarship, a partnership between Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) and the Council on Foundations to allow Next Gens and emerging leaders (the new affectionate term for young people) to attend the two organizations’ annual…

During “Supporting Our Military Families: Partnerships, Innovation, and Entry Points,” a session at the Annual Conference, Bess Bendet of the Blue Shield of California Foundation shared that the she has tried to convene funders who support programs for military families and veterans, but turnout…

One of the best panels at the Council on Foundations Annual Conference, “Supporting Our Military Families: Partnerships, Innovation, and Entry Points,” addressed how philanthropy can most effectively address the needs of military families. Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have this challenge, if U.…

I’m writing this on May Day and, like every other day, too many working families in south Los Angeles are spending up to 50 percent of their earnings on housing. This amount compares poorly to a recommended maximum expenditure of 30 percent of income on housing. Stable, affordable housing requires…

If you haven’t already, you should start thinking about how transparent you want your organization to be. The Philanthropy Roundtable began looking at this topic and is about to publish a short book, by John Tyler of the Kauffman Foundation, about all of the intricacies involved. So why are we…

Feeling stagnant? Overwhelmed with today’s societal problems? Concerned we’re not making progress and reaching our full potential? Well, please find solace in knowing that global philanthropy is growing by leaps and bounds. In fact, we’re giving birth to a new and improved philanthropy that will be…

At the end of the morning discussion about the power of celebrities in support of causes they care about on day two of the conference, we got a beautiful surprise:  the high, sweet, and brilliant tones of Robert Vijay Gupta’s violin reverberating throughout the ballroom. When he concluded his…

“Many people who are being left behind are from communities being left behind. If we don’t come to terms with the racial divide, we will cause a generational divide,” said Angela Glover Blackwell. Wow. What a great way to get the blood pumping at the morning plenary. Well spoken, politely heard,…

At this morning’s plenary on the closing day of the 2012 Annual Conference, moderator Kai Ryssdal (host and senior editor, NPR’s Marketplace) facilitated an insightful panel discussion about America’s “vanishing” middle class and how philanthropy can help. Presenters Angela Glover Blackwell,…

As someone who studies philanthropy, I listen with a particular set of ears to accounts of innovative work by grantmakers, including the many fascinating stories at the Council’s Annual Conference this week. Listening with these ears can be helpful at times, really annoying at others. For one thing…

For early risers yesterday, the Council’s corporate members hosted a discussion and brainstorming around a just-released report “Increasing Impact, Enhancing Value: A Practitioner’s Guide to Leading Corporate Philanthropy” (available at www.cof.org/corporateguide).   The conclusion…

I am one of the fortunate practitioners new to philanthropy who was able to attend both the EPIP and Council conferences this year in L.A. At EPIP, I was also lucky to see Dr. Bob Ross speak about the state of philanthropy. Dr. Ross is the CEO of The California Endowment, and among the many…

Here are some interesting facts: Obesity is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Sixty-nine percent of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Thirty-two percent of children in the United States are overweight or obese. Twenty-four million people in the United…

Foundations in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Detroit have faced conditions before and after crises that are all but unimaginable. For example, Detroit has enough vacant and unused land to fit inside San Francisco, more vacant land than any city in the U.S. except for post-Katrina New Orleans, a…

What an amazing first day of the conference! From the compelling opening plenary on the role of philanthropy in rebuilding communities to the terrific dance party with Ozomatli during the evening reception, there is a palpable feeling of excitement for what still remains to come at the conference.…