Leadership Development

It's a Wrap! Leading Together 2019 was a gathering of leaders in philanthropy and other influencers in business, government, and academia. For three days, the field came together to connect, learn, and share with one another.  We also used Leading Together 2019 as an opportunity to…

On December 20, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced the first recipient of our 100&Change competition’s $100 million grant: an early childhood intervention for children in the Syrian refugee region co-developed by Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee.…

Today, the Council on Foundations released the following statement from Javier Alberto Soto, President of the Miami Foundation and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Council on Foundations: “On behalf of the Board and staff of the Council on Foundations, we congratulate Vikki Spruill on her…

I hope your New Year is off to a great start! This year, my resolution was simply to not make any resolutions. That way I don't feel bad about breaking them later. But, I am not here to shame you on your resolutions. No judgement here. I simply want to invite you to join me on Wednesday, January…

The Council on Foundations is proud to announce the 24 members of its 2018 Career Pathways cohort, representing the fifth class of the program. Career Pathways equips mid-career professionals at grantmaking organizations and other non-profit institutions to lead high-performing organizations and…

As the NFL season has officially kicked off, I am reminded of the positive ways that so many athletes are effecting change off the field. Indeed, the area of sports philanthropy is becoming increasingly common. At the Council on Foundations’ recent Leading Together conference, the growing trend…

Editorial Note: David Daniels is one of 24 members of the 2017 cohort of Career Pathways. He and other Pathways participants have been sharing their experiences on the Council on Foundations blog. Applications for the Career Pathways program are currently being accepted until October 20. For five…

During the ceremony for the Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking, a panel of former Scrivner winners shared their thoughts on identifying grant projects that are innovative and make a difference.  The panel included Geri Mannion (2009 recipient, Carnegie Corporation of New York…

Editorial Note: Pooja Joshi O’Hanlon is one of 24 members of the 2017 cohort of Career Pathways. Over the next week, she and other Pathways participants are sharing their experiences in the Council on Foundations blog. Applications for the Career Pathways program are currently being accepted until…

This spring I traveled to Japan, where I had the opportunity to visit the Hosoo textile company in Kyoto. The company was founded in 1688 and has been passed down through 12 generations of the same family, still sitting on the same site. Formerly focused on textiles for traditional garments used in…

At the Citi Foundation, we believe that success is a combination of the impact we can generate directly through our grant making and the influence we can have on others by amplifying what works (or what isn’t working)—and most importantly why success matters. Earlier this year, on behalf of Citi…

By Meghan Irvine It is truly mind boggling to think that my time at the Council is wrapping up. It seemed like just yesterday, or six short weeks ago to be exact, that I was nervously entering a new internship in an unfamiliar city, with little knowledge about foundations and having no idea what…

Award Nominations The Council is currently accepting nominations for the 2017 Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking. Nominate a courageous leader and innovative grantmaker today. Learn More The Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking honors grantmakers who, with a…

Three years ago, I met Charles Story at the Grants Managers Network annual conference in San Diego. He was a featured panelist on a session about Extreme Management — successfully leading teams in constantly changing organizational environments. I was so impressed with his insights that we would…

The Council on Foundations opened its Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, this week with a special address from President George W. Bush. He talked about the current work of the George W. Bush Institute and its Military Service Initiative, which ensures post-9/11 veterans and their families…

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Council on Foundations (COF) today announced the winners of the 2017 HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships. The awards were presented at the Council on Foundations Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, earlier…