Brian Leamy

“By developing a futures culture, philanthropy can stay open and flexible and expand its toolbox with new, non-linear strategies and practices to embrace complexity and uncertainty as a feature of our times” Our latest publication, “Futures Philanthropy: Anticipation for the Common Good”, explores how and why philanthropy could play a role in fostering anticipation for the common good and what anticipation looks like when it is put in the service of society and common interests. Download your copy here! #FuturesPhilanthropy https://bit.ly/4dmtNN8

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Interested in discovering how philanthropy can harness the future-thinking? 📖 In their latest publication, Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association and Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies chart a new pathway for philanthropic organisations to embrace the future as an extensive realm of possibilities ✨ The long-term nature of today's challenges requires us to rethink our way of working, moving from short-term plan to flexibility and innovation. Current practices must evolve to anticipate the common good, enabling communities to thrive towards the future 🔝 Dive into the report to discover how Mercator Foundation Switzerland, Assifero, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation have already implemented a future-thinking strategy. The 3 toolkits provided will also support organisations to start this journey, beginning with introspection and moving into action. https://t.ly/mlaeh #philanthropy #futurethinking #challenges #communities #giving

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Don't miss out on this game-changing insight from Carol Wick, President of Sharity Global, as she unveils the top five elements that drive major donor decisions. Gain invaluable strategies to elevate your fundraising efforts and secure transformative gifts! Watch now to unlock the secrets behind donor commitment and revolutionize your approach to philanthropy. #NonprofitSuccess #MajorGifts #FundraisingTips #PhilanthropyInsights #DonorRelations #ImpactfulGiving #StrategicPlanning #UnlockPotential

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Grant Strategy Tip #2 Collaborate for Success: Engage board members, staff, volunteers, and community partners in developing your grant strategy. Their insights help identify funding priorities, assess capacity, and ensure strategy buy-in. #StakeholderEngagement #GrantStrategy #CollaborativeSuccess Get a FREE copy of the Grant Mastery Roadmap: Your Guide to Securing Nonprofit Funding today! Click here: https://bit.ly/3wtZ1S3

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The Engage & Elevate Donors Blueprint Looking for a way to better engage with your donors and keep them coming back? Our new low-cost donor engagement product is exactly what you need. You'll get instant access to: A guide to engaging donors to keep them giving A templated letter to donors to increase donations A guide on ways to reach donors so you’re always top of mind! A guide to donor behaviour & understanding motivations Supportive Facebook Community to get extra support and answers to your questions about running a nonprofit! This tool covers everything you need to succeed in your Donor Strategy Plan.

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Are you ready to engage the next generation of donors? Discover innovative strategies and actionable insights in our latest article! Learn how to connect with millennial and Gen Z donors by leveraging digital platforms and understanding their unique motivations. Transform your fundraising approach and secure lasting support for your cause. 📖 Read the full guide here: https://lnkd.in/eNfJV7Xa #Nonprofits #NextGenDonors #FundraisingTips #NonprofitSuccess

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🌍 How can philanthropy innovate for greater impact? At the Mission Investors Exchange National Conference, leaders in philanthropy explored how patient, long-term capital can unlock financial resources and drive social equity, environmental sustainability, and health outcomes. Key discussions emphasized the interconnectedness of societal challenges and the need for a systems-level approach. Read the insights from the 2024 conference on our latest article by Elizabeth Gilbert Kaetzel and Juli Iacuaniello. https://lnkd.in/e_cZmiaz How can innovative partnerships reshape impact investing? Share your thoughts! 💬 . . . . #ImpactEntrepreneur #ImpactEconomy #ImpactInvesting #SocialChange #CapitalForGood #Philanthropy #Sustainability #EconomicEmpowerment #EnvironmentalJustice #CreativeFunding #Equity #FinancialInclusion #InnovativeInvesting #SocialImpact #SustainableDevelopment #GlobalImpact

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Voices of color matter. The Vermont Professionals of Color Network (VT PoC) wants to know what’s going well and what needs improvement for the BIPOC community in Vermont, especially when it comes to economic opportunities and building community. If you live in Vermont and identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color, taking this 15-minute survey will provide valuable data about yourself, your experience in Vermont, including with in-state resources, and how VT PoC can best support Vermont’s community of color. Take the survey: https://lnkd.in/e7Y-MaXF 

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Are you a donor? Grantmaker?  Do you have 10 minutes? Help our colleagues at 21/64 and the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers (NNCG) gain valuable insights on how you engage philanthropy consultants or advisors to advance your giving. Click here to start the survey >> https://lnkd.in/ejBbSgt7

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Are you a donor? Grantmaker? Do you have 10 minutes? Help our colleagues at 21/64 and the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers (NNCG) gain valuable insights on how you engage #philanthropy consultants or advisors to advance your giving. Click here to start the survey >> https://lnkd.in/gu_e_PEY

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Participatory grantmaking breaks down the harmful hierarchies, top-down dynamics, and funder-vs-grantee binaries that dominate traditional philanthropy. Mama Cash’s entire grantmaking portfolio is fully participatory because self-led communities know best what works, and self-determination is radical change. Find out how and why grantmaking can and should become participatory: https://bit.ly/3TzPCQ1 participatory #ParticipatoryGrantmaking #FeministActivismWorks

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"Is your foundation any good? I don’t mean: is it big, or does it give away a lot, or does it run an efficient process, or do the grantees achieve much. Rather, I mean: are you any good at being a foundation? Are you effective? Are you good at finding work that will succeed? Do your grantees think that you help them? Is progress towards your goals faster with your foundation’s involvement than it would be without you?" - Caroline Fiennes (Newhouse) A thought-provoking new article on the Foundation Practice Rating from Caroline Fiennes (Newhouse) via Alliance magazine ⬇️ #FPR2024 #Diversity #Accountability #Transparency https://lnkd.in/eUBZBcHx

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Climate change is happening in Vermont and the trends for hotter summers, warmer winters, and more frequent storms are expected to continue. Actively responding to climate change will have a positive impact on your health now, and in the future. 💙 🌎 You can start small this #EarthDay by reading and sharing our blog: https://lnkd.in/e2ttv5nc

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Revealing article from NonProfit PRO: Donor-Advised Funds Soar in Popularity as Nonprofits Successfully Engage New Donors Included are 7 Ways DAFs Are Impacting Nonprofits INTRO In 2022, donor-advised fund holders granted more than $52 billion, a 9% increase over the previous year, according to the “2023 Donor-Advised Fund Report.” The report also noted the number of accounts has neared 2 million. With DAF-giving rising in 2023 among the largest four DAF-sponsoring organizations that release their grant figures publicly, this giving method is expected to continue to grow. https://lnkd.in/gxND4hSR #donoradvisedfunds #daf #philanthropy #nonprofits

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Building Trust and Relationships is Key for Small Nonprofits For small nonprofits, building trust and relationships is the foundation for successful fundraising and donor engagement. According to Aly Evans, Executive Director of Foodnet Meals on Wheels in Ithaca, NY, “You can’t get their heart and their mind to address you if they don’t trust you and what you’re doing.” Focusing on trust-building and personal connections should be the priority over technical skills or large-scale initiatives. Evans emphasizes doing “things that don’t scale” when starting up or rebuilding a development program. Forget what the experts tell you about email frequency or grant calendar schedules. Reach out to donors when you’re thinking about them with a personal card or email. Show donors your work in action by offering behind-the-scenes tours where they can meet clients and see your programs in action. These types of personal interactions are what build lasting trust and partnership. For small shops without a long history, explore partnerships and alliances that can help build credibility. Examples include: - fiscal sponsorships - donor-advised funds at community foundations, and - university internship programs. These partnerships allow small nonprofits to benefit from others’ expertise and infrastructure as you focus on relationship building. They signal to donors that a trusted third party has vetted and is willing to support your work. Evans recommends getting to know individuals in your community like wealth advisors, trustees, and foundation staff. While not directly soliciting them, learn what they do and share about your mission and impact. When the time is right, they may facilitate introductions to potential major donors because they know and trust the work you do. Building real trust and partnership takes work, but it yields sustaining support for an organization. By prioritizing personal outreach, community alliances, and a people-first approach overall, small shops can cultivate the loyalty they need to advance their mission for years to come. The systems and technical expertise can follow; first, get out and build those relationships.

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Have a great #keynote speaker we should know about for our statewide #nonprofit #conference? Let us know in the comments below!

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