Spur Local’s Post

The Power of Philanthropy Summit was a wonderful way to start a Friday! I will be thinking about this discussion for a while, especially when it comes to Dr. Una Osili's research about American's perceptions of philanthropy and what that means for the nonprofit community. I also appreciated hearing from local community members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community. A few high-level highlights: 💡 Americans love the idea of nonprofits and philanthropy - and trust nonprofits more than government or business - but most don't know much about the sector. 💡 Next gen donors - and the recipients of the great wealth transfer - are thinking about philanthropy very differently than previous generations have. 💡 It is - and always will be - all about relationships, though what those relationships look like will continue to evolve with technology.

As a seasoned fundraiser with extensive experience in philanthropy, I would like to emphasize the critical lessons from the recent setbacks at FAMU, as discussed by Marybeth Gasman. Due diligence in philanthropy isn’t just a procedural step; it’s a cornerstone of sustainable and ethical fundraising. It’s essential to rigorously vet donors and understand their motivations to align their interests with the core values and mission of the institution. This approach safeguards the organization’s integrity and ensures that the philanthropic relationships we build are transparent and mutually beneficial. As we navigate these complex dynamics, we must remain vigilant in our commitment to due diligence to uphold the trust placed in us by our community and stakeholders. This article is a potent reminder of the vigilance required in all philanthropic engagements.

In NonProfit PRO’s “2023 Nonprofit Leadership Impact Study,” they discovered that the biggest challenge influencing board effectiveness was obtaining active fundraising participation from board members. With 70% of respondents citing that hurdle within their top three board challenges, that response polled 5 percentage points higher than the previous survey. Source: NonProfit PRO #PureMomentumConsulting #NonProfitLeaders #NonProfitManagement #Sustainability #BuildingCapacity #NonProfitLeadership #Philanthropy #NonProfitOrg

three+one's donation of shirts goes beyond a simple act of giving; it represents our commitment to nurturing the potential and leadership qualities within these students. Learn More Here: https://lnkd.in/emByD-Uk

three+one's donation of shirts goes beyond a simple act of giving; it represents our commitment to nurturing the potential and leadership qualities within these students. Learn More Here: https://lnkd.in/emByD-Uk

The future of philanthropy is dependent on how well today’s leadership transitions to the next generation. Share your insights on succession strategy by participating in this survey. #vigilantfundraiser

“Change moves at the speed of trust, and trust moves at the speed of relationship.” - J. B. Prevette ICMYI - a great article about how grassroots philanthropy can make meaningful and authentic change and connections. #nonprofit #fundraising #philanthropy #arts #artsmanagement https://ow.ly/L93O50RuRET

It's been two years since my article, Living Your Organizational Culture, was published in Advancing Philanthropy magazine - still very relevant and a foundation for Federation's continued success in these challenging times. https://lnkd.in/dpr-cU52

Building close ties with grantees and easing the pressure on nonprofits, are central to one family foundation's approach to giving, the grant maker's leader explains in a podcast from the Center for Effective Philanthropy. Vivian Long talks about how to make grants with long-term impact, ease the pressure on nonprofits, and navigate giving priorities of different generations. https://bit.ly/4gKaO10

Such a privilege to sit, learn, and share about place-based philanthropy with my long-time mentor, Garland Yates, and my co-conspirators, Fred Blackwell and Tony Iton. Thank you, Oakland Thrives for a dynamic conversation! Here are my top three points: 1) Be Relentless for Results Focus on the vision that the community deeply desires, by setting co-created goals and benchmarks, which are monitored and tracked by the collective. Community accountability is more than enough and recognize that philanthropy is just one actor. Remember that data and metrics inform you, they don't define you. And they definitely shouldn't stigmatize you. Use it to help you pivot and learn, which you have a responsibility to communicate loudly and regularly. Use it to help you reach community goals, because they deserve it. 2) Don't Wait on the Moment, Make the Moment Of course, you need to build capacity, seek the right conditions, peek around corners, account and raise resources, and line up partners, but don't get those things confused with the intent of the work. The work is to the fruit of these efforts, so you are capable to leap strategically and opportunistically. There is never a time or moment when you will be completely ready to be bold and courageous, you just have to be willing to be bold and courageous when the time arises. Make the moment. 3) Do It with Love Love and respect the people you work with and serve, in that you honor every contribution they make, including showing up and contributing despite the issues going on in their lives. Honor them by privileging their voices at the table. Show them esteem by ensuring they have a seat at the table, and it isn't a folding chair. Give them the regard that when in conflict, you will combat about ideas and behaviors. That you will fight fair like you want to stay in relationship and not divorce from it. Love them like our success depends on it. Love them radically by going after the toughest challenges before us with the biggest gains.