Community Philanthropy Updates

At the conclusion of Knight Foundation’s Media Learning Seminar, join the Council on Foundation for a small, closed session discussion with community foundation leaders to hear reactions, fresh perspectives, and thought-leadership following an opinion piece on more disruptions for the…

Happy 2017! I’m kicking off the new year sharing updates and resources to help you as you prepare and plan for what lies ahead. Find out about trends that will affect philanthropy, learn how best to stay up to date on important policy developments in Washington, D.C., and don’t miss out on great…

Giving days have exploded in popularity in recent years, helping the foundations that organize them reach new donors and become more digitally focused themselves. But some foundations are weighing whether to continue these online fundraising campaigns. On January 25, Knight Foundation and the…

Greetings Community Foundation Colleagues I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and are looking to the new year with abundant optimism for what you and your community foundation can achieve. Check out a quick sample of 2017 Happenings and Highlights from 2016 As the Council looks ahead…

Happy holidays! May this month be filled with year-end giving and exciting developments to propel you into 2017! As always, the Council is here for you, and I’m writing to share a few resources for you to consider as the year comes to an end. First, the most recent developments in the Oakland…

The East Bay Community Foundation has kept the Council abreast of the latest in regards to the recent tragedy in Oakland. Included in their response is a strategic move to address the safety and affordability of spaces for the artist community in Oakland. The City of Oakland and surrounding…

Members, View the Recording The webinar explores the success factors and goals for building a donor base committed to operations. A range of strategies are used dependent on your community market, donor base, and resources required, but expanding your admin support builds value beyond the immediate…

At the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, we’ve been talking about how to deal with minor successors being named on a fund. We started looking into it after reading a discussion about it on the Philanthropy Exchange. It’s a tricky situation: If your fund adviser is underage, they may not…

Rebecca Murphy is a Donor Relations Associate at the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.

Hundreds of stories are amplified by the minute during #GivingTuesday. The global and social movement captures the hearts, minds, and spirits of many who look to philanthropy on this day. On the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday puts the focus back on the giving season by…

Council Submits Letter to Treasury on Forthcoming DAF Regulations As part of our ongoing dialogue with the Department of the Treasury, the Council met with senior officials to deliver a letter outlining the potential negative implications that forthcoming regulations on DAFs could have on our…

Report from the Strengthening Community Learning Forum October 13-14, 2016 | Louisville, KY One grant almost never solves the problem. Community foundations know this, and they’re not just stewards of funds anymore. They’ve become long-term facilitators, unleashing the creativity and energy of…

On Thursday, October 27, 2016, the Chronicle of Philanthropy released this year’s Philanthropy 400, its annual ranking of American nonprofits based on the private support they raise. The special report acknowledged a record year in giving, and named Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, the charitable…

This month, the communities affected by Hurricane Matthew are top of mind. To aid in their recovery, the Council co-hosted a special webinar with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) on Tuesday, October 11 to inform funders on how to best direct resources. A recording of this webinar is now…

Back again with August updates from the Council and opportunities you might find useful. Connect with Your Peers in Upcoming Workshop and Learning Forum I am very excited to announce our upcoming workshop on community leadership, donor engagement, advocacy, and impact investing in Louisville, KY,…

In the heat of mid summer, what a great time to check out some Council resources and opportunities that I believe you might find useful (preferably in air-conditioned office, or better yet, on the beach while enjoying some r&r!). As always, please reach out to me with any questions or concerns…