Resources

The Rhode Island Foundation (a community foundation) is updating our website and application materials and would like to clarify the language we provide around organizations’ lobbying activities. We would be very interested in seeing any guidance you provide to your applicants around lobbying expenditures.

Dear GEO Community, The Packard Foundation’s Organizational Effectiveness Program (OE) is interested in learning about capacity building resources that provide assistance in matching organizations with 1) the trainings, tools, or consultants that are most relevant for them, or 2) with peers who have lived experience on capacity building topics. We are especially interested in resources that include: • crowdsourcing from nonprofits who have used the tools, consultants, or trainings prior • successful peer support functions where leaders are connected with other leaders with similar capacity building interests or experiences • a central navigator/guide/curator who provides support in navigating what resources could be most useful.

We are investing up to 25% of our endowment portfolio in local and regional community based impact investments and need a policy statement for that purpose. Does anyone have an Impact Investing Policy Statement that you could share with me? Our primary method of execution will be using CDFIs, but we may have a few direct placement investments as well. (I am not looking for a policy dealing with publicly traded securities).

Can anyone weigh-in on whether your private foundation tends to make grants to operating foundations? If not, why not (e.g., legal barriers, comfort level, etc.)? If you foundation does make grants to operating foundations, what additional information or requirements do you ask the applicant to provide or meet?

We at Sunlight Giving would like to hear from GEO colleagues about how and when you may choose to (or not to) support a government entity. In particular, we’d like to know: In what cases do you provide grants directly to government entities and what are the terms of those grants? We’re interested in the funding of state and especially local initiatives, rather than big government philanthropic arms like CDC Foundation; What application materials do you require from them, especially around financials? And is there any special due diligence you conduct?; What are the risks of funding the government?; Sometimes we hear from partner funders, “we don’t fund government.” For those foundations, what are the reasons why you have decided not to fund government?

ACT for Alexandria, a community foundation in Alexandria, VA, is developing a capacity building cohort focused on racial equity for nonprofit leaders in our community. We are curious about any of your experiences with similar initiatives.

For any of my peers that are managing grant programs for other entities in the community, could you share what your fee structure looks like? Do you asses fees by charging a flat percent on the amount of the asset in the fund, per grant cycle, or per application reviewed? I am working on a partnership whereas we would manage a fund, a couple of grant cycles a year, a selections committee, and the due diligence of any funds granted.

GlobalGiving is convening a small number of the corporate partners for whom we handle grantmaking later this year in Washington DC. We’re looking for someone to lead a discussion on impact reporting in grant making. This person ideally would: Have a strong understanding of the impact assessment landscape for funders; Have experience implementing and/or managing "successful" impact reporting frameworks in trust-based grantmaking environments, (preferably both domestically and internationally); Be open to lively debate and discussion about impact assessment alternatives.

Do any foundations have experience with building an in-house branded program? In order to build this brand and maximize effectiveness of the Upgrade initiative, we are in need of marketing and strategic guidance. We are interested in learning from your experiences. We’d also appreciate any recommendations of individuals or firms you have worked with who have led you through a strategic marketing process.

NoVo is doing some research on Family Forward workplaces as a way to see how/where we may want to enhance our current practices. As part of this we are exploring policies/practices related to travel with children, when travel is seen as essential part of one's job responsibilities. So, my questions are: 1. Do you have a travel policy that reimburses childcare expenses when an employee is travelling? If yes, a) is there a limitation on the child's age under which the the travel expenses are reimbursed? (if yes, what is the age?) b) do you reimburse all expenses for the child (flight, hotel, meals, etc.) and are there any caps on expenses? c) do you reimburse for a caretaker to travel with the employee and child and are there any caps on expenses? d) do you have different policies for domestic and international travel? e) Is the benefit available to everyone? When are people eligible? 2. If a nursing mother is travelling without the child, do you cover expenses related to shipping breast milk?