Partnerships and Collaborations

Here’s proof you don’t need an endowment to have a significant and disruptive impact on your region’s philanthropic landscape. 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…

At the White House last week, foundation executives, including the Council’s President and CEO Vikki Spruill, met with senior Administration officials for a roundtable on the future of impact investing. A complement to charitable giving and foundation grantmaking, impact investing offers a powerful…

When Jessica David was wondering how to support her new hire, who was tasked with telling her foundation’s story online, she turned to her peers for advice. Jessica, the Vice President of Strategy and Community Investments of the Rhode Island Foundation, posted a question to the Council’s new…

With partnerships being very important in making the most of innovative ideas, how does one develop an authentic partnership? In a recent situation, I developed a partnership with several individuals to implement an idea at a large conference. Here are the lessons I learned: I. Make sure that the…

  The problem was as vast as the ocean – or in our case, the Gulf of Mexico, floor. Over time, the reef system in the Gulf waters bordering Collier County in SW Florida had been destroyed by hurricanes and shifting currents. For fish and other marine life, there was nowhere to run – or hide –…

At a recent gubernatorial candidate forum I attended in Rhode Island, a Brown University professor presented on the challenges of climate change for the Ocean State. His last slide gave three examples of “win-win solutions.” At the top of the list was the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI…

    The Council on Foundations is excited to launch Seasons of Giving, a quarterly newsletter with valuable insights to help you advance your work and increase your impact. This newsletter will provide background on some of the major events and trends in the field and highlight resources…

Today, over 30 philanthropic organizations and corporations announced pledges totaling more than $170 million over the next five years to support veterans and military families. The Philanthropy-Joining Forces Impact Pledge was announced today by Joining Forces and a coalition of leading…

  Silicon Valley Community Foundation is in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, close to the campuses of companies like Google, Facebook and Apple. Companies like these have made the region a leader in the global economy and a hub of innovation. The Bay Area is home to a diverse…

  The proudest moment of Ruben Garcia’s life was when he watched his first child graduate from Boulder High School last spring. The father of three and his wife know how much it took for their son to reach the important milestone. They will tell you that their work with him started before…

  The Community Foundation of Western Nevada embarked upon a resident engagement initiative in 2013 centering on improving the lives of runaway, homeless and aging-out foster youth, ages 12-24. Expectations for the estimated 1,300 unsupported young people who experience homelessness in Reno,…

Are you looking for ways to improve innovation at your organization?  Sometimes innovative ideas aren’t shared because people don’t know who to take them to.  Or, they think that others would judge the idea’s value based on the person contributing it.  If you are looking to spur…

Lessons Learned For organizations, seeking to engage with the communities they serve in more meaningful ways requires an openness to new ideas, perspectives, and approaches. Denver Foundation President David Miller recommends exploring the Asset Based Community Development approach that focuses…

  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. In the Quad Cities, a bi-state…

Next month, the Council on Foundations and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are kicking off a new webinar series on issues affecting philanthropy at a national level. Titled Leading Forward: Innovations in Philanthropy, the webinars will focus on three topics that are contributing to the…

Lessons Learned Julie Leeth, Executive Vice President for the Community Foundation of the Ozarks says many lessons emerged from the effort to develop and sustain the Rural Schools Partnership. Here are some of her takeaways about how to get strong alignment and support behind a major…