Embracing Better Ways of Operating

  An increasing percentage of jobs in the United States require a college degree, certification, or credential beyond high school. It hasn’t always been this way. In the past, good manufacturing jobs didn’t require more than a high school degree. These jobs provided middle class wages,…

Friends and Colleagues, Last December, I spoke of 2014 as a Year of Action, and it was! We began putting into place the programs, services, and staff we knew would provide value to our members. In 2015, we’ve begun to see these foundational investments pay off, and I hope you’ve begun to see how…

Monday, April 25, 2016 Community Foundation Day 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. – Breakfast & Registration   9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. – Opening Plenary: Benefits (and Pitfalls) of State Tax Credits for Community Foundations Community foundations in several…

According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the nation’s top 50 donors committed $1.6 billion to support a wide range of scientific research initiatives. The foundations investing in scientific research are helping to pave the way for many significant advances that are saving lives, reducing costs…

Members, Access the Recording and Slides     Immigration reform is a hot topic on the national scene as the 2016 presidential election looms. While no consensus legislation has emerged on Capitol Hill to date, our guests discussed how funders can play a role in educating federal, State…

In philanthropy we’ve long known that we play a unique role by addressing society’s most pressing challenges at their root. Our work is distinct from charity – focused less on meeting immediate needs and more on tackling the underlying causes. And we’re well positioned to take risks to figure out…

Jamie Merisotis is a globally recognized leader in philanthropy, education, human work, talent development, and public policy. He has been Lumina Foundation’s president and CEO since 2008. Merisotis is the co-founder and former president of the nonpartisan, Washington, D.C.-based Institute for…

My book Charitable Foundations: The Essential Guide to Giving and Compliance was published in May 2015. Since publication, a number of people have asked me what led me to write the book. The Council on Foundations has asked me to address that subject in a blog. According to published reports there…

Ten years ago this month I waddled – enormously pregnant – into a job interview with the founder of a billion dollar healthcare tech company. “I have this crazy idea about education,” he said. Technology, he hypothesized, could make learning more interesting for students. He saw it as a platform…

Spring Break Road Trip with my brother and sister almost 20 years ago With Spring Break behind us, making plans for the end of the school year and summer is in full effect... and we want YOU to know about YOUTH PHILANTRHOPY ON THE ROAD! This summer and fall, we are mixing the best parts of…

Where you live shouldn’t determine how far you can go in life. The Opportunity Index is the nation’s first tool to holistically measure opportunity in communities. Connecting multiple economic, educational, and civic factors, the Index is a powerful way for states and counties to track and advance…

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…