Resources

Happy (Western Hemisphere) New Year everyone. I would love to hear from the PUBLIC Foundation community. Do you have any high-level language you include in the Terms of Reference for Board Directors that summarises their role in grantmaking decision-making or approvals? We are in the process of updating the role our Board plays in grantmaking decision-making. In parallel, we are working with an external organization to strengthen our capacity on meaningful youth engagement. The end result being a more youth inclusive grantmaking decision-making process. In the meantime (before the meaningful youth engagement piece of work is completed – not for another 7 months or so) we need to update some of our governance documents including BoD terms of reference. Hence, I am just looking for examples of generic language so as to not commit ourselves to anything too specific on grantmaking decision-making/approvals, but it is a HUGE motivator and reason why people want to support our organization and join our Board … so I need to mention something. Thanks everyone.

Strengthening nonprofit organizations is not just a nice-to-have, but an essential part of foundations’ work to ensure that nonprofits have the resources they need to address today’s most pressing social concerns. Indeed, the vast majority of staffed foundations – 86 percent – do just that – invest in organizational strengthening in areas such as leadership, fundraising, evaluation, communications and technology.

With racial equity becoming more and more central to the work of grantmakers, this guide explores how considerations related to racial equity can apply to the full range of grantmakers’ capacity-building efforts – everything from financial management to human resources to leadership development.

We are interested in revamping our application format and were interested in collecting samples. Does anyone in the GEO community have a blank application they could share as an example?  

We are reviewing our executive grant approval thresholds and would like to benchmark with other organizations. Currently our Vice President can approve grants up to $30,000; President $30,001-$250,000 and the board approves all grants beyond $250K. What do executive approval thresholds look like at your organization? Thanks, in advance, for sharing!

Hi everyone,   We are doing a little research to see if other foundations reimburse board directors for mileage to attend board meetings and other site visits, in addition to regular board compensation.

Hello Everyone! We're trying to understand how funders view fiscally sponsored projects. In particular: Do grantmakers avoid fiscally sponsored projects? If the sponsor of the project doesn't have a really snappy Guidestar listing and/or website, does this impact the grantmaker's perception of the sponsored project? If a sponsored project has been successful and is looking to grow, is it preferrable for them (in the eyes of a funder) to become a separate nonprofit? Any general recommendations for a fiscally sponsored project? Thanks so much for any shared insights!

I hope this message finds you well! My name is Maurice L. Speaks and I am the Project and Finance Coordinator for Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise (PACE). PACE is currently conducting research on grant programs that are focused on providing nonprofit organizations with funding specifically for professional development. I am reaching out to inquire if anyone is aware of any foundations or other grantmakers that run grant programs specifically focused on providing funding for professional development?

Across the philanthropic sector, the last several years have been a clear period of transformation, marked by the recognition that business as usual is no longer feasible for the creation of a just, connected and inclusive society.

This publication builds on the principles outlined in Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity and will take a critical look at the ways in which capacity-building practices can be grounded in approaches that acknowledge and center racial equity.