LaShonda Williams, MPA, CFRE’s Post

As the season of giving approaches, many corporations and individuals will be reviewing their choices for non-profit support in the coming year. We are asking to be your choice for 2024 and beyond. Caregiving for an Alzheimer’s patient is a heroic undertaking and our non-profit is taking a stand to support that. Alzheimer’s Caregiving & The Caregivers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit provides valuable resources and emotional support to caregivers of loved ones coping with Alzheimer’s. Our only goal is to help those facing this challenge. Please visit our website to learn more and consider making us part of your giving strategy. #givingtuesdaycanada #givingtuesday #CorporateSocialResponsibility #philanthropy #nonprofit #alzheimerscaregiving

Minute-by-Minute Philanthropy introduces a fresh perspective on workplace giving. Our commitment lies in valuing and embodying the principles we advocate. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Y3Ck0n

I appreciate this quick read on relational philanthropy from the winter 2024 issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review. The article emphasizes the importance of authentic relationships between philanthropy and communities and provides three recommendations for building stronger relationships: committing to “us” relationships based on authenticity, logic and empathy; implementing shared learning and continuous improvement; and developing a standard of conduct for philanthropists to hold themselves to high standards. The authors argue that fostering meaningful relationships should be as central to foundations’ practice as dashboards and due diligence. https://lnkd.in/gSBj_r6c

As a health care organization, we often feel the need to hire planned giving professionals who have proven themselves in the field of philanthropy and have extensive experience and technical knowledge around the tax advantages of planned giving. However, these types of professionals often require a higher salary level than what we are able to offer, and finding the perfect planned giving professional can take a significant amount of time—over a year in some cases. So, do we really need to hire a planned giving professional from outside of our organization in order for us to begin, keep afloat or bolster a planned giving program? If not, what qualities and attributes should be the impetus of what really makes a planned giving professional successful so we can look for those characteristics within our organization? Check out this Asking Accordant piece to learn what James Gold has to say in response to these questions: https://ow.ly/lLli50RuHm3 #healthcare #philanthropy #plannedgiving

Embracing an ecosystem approach to philanthropy is an essential element of practicing effective family philanthropy and creating lasting impact.  To build a balanced, healthy ecosystem, families must understand the complex, interconnected systems in which they operate—this includes the family itself, staff members, sector partners, and, most importantly, the communities they seek to serve. The Bainum Family Foundation is a terrific example of a family philanthropy that uses an ecosystem approach in its work—settling clear roles for the family, playing to their strengths, and ceding power to its staff, and the communities the organization serves, whenever it can. I am grateful to Brooke Bainum for sharing her wisdom and experience. Read below to learn more about Bainum’s approach, and how to build a balanced, and healthy ecosystem. 

This guide from NCFP helps family foundations welcome the next generation of leaders.

Health foundations have a significant opportunity to harness the influence and involvement of board members as great allies in advancing the mission. Too often, however, board members begin their tenure with a significant disadvantage in that their roles and responsibilities have been poorly or shallowly defined and explained. Board members generally come to nonprofit organizations with the desire to effect positive change. They wish to leverage their unique skills, insights and influence to move the mission forward. Yet, many board members will confide they were thwarted in their intentions to contribute by not having access to the information needed to be successful. Given the competitive advantage board members can bring to the organization, it is essential to start and continue supporting a high-value relationship with each board member through access to information and tools. Read more from Accordant CEO Betsy Chapin Taylor, FAHP, on how to kickstart and maintain your board’s effective and meaningful engagement: https://ow.ly/oWbr50Q08cN Check out Accordant's Foundation Board Member Handbook: https://ow.ly/Rys350Q08hq #healthcare #philanthropy #leadership #boards

Hopping onto this platform to share a bit about what my year as a full time staff member at the Stupski Foundation has felt like to me as a first-generation Latina college graduate. Some days feel clearer than others, but the challenges we face as a spend down foundation are well worth the energy and collaboration we participate in daily. I have had the pleasure of working with BIPOC creatives such as Naomi Fierro Peña to bring That Art Party into our space during a staff retreat to remind folks that it is important to prioritize play and creativity in this work. This was one of the most exciting things to do during a retreat and get our creative juices flowing out of the normal context of our work. :-) I have also been working on internal research to write about our trials and tribulations as a spend down foundation. This Resource Book that I am slowly chipping away at has been a great way to gather internal lessons from program staff to document our timeline and findings as a spend down. Lastly, I have had the joy of participating in the Justice Funders Harmony cohort to further deepen my impact and my goals in the philanthropic sector. I look forward to using the resonance framework to inform my Harmony Change/Dream Initiative to support our work of going beyond the grant for our partners. There is no linear direction in this work, but my hopes are to continue to be a catalyst for the work that we do and further address our communities needs with more than just a check. Down below is a photo of some of our lovely Harmony 2023-2024 cohort, including myself! My favorite part of being in this sector and in this role is to connect with beautiful people who are compassionate and are giving their all to end what the traditional philanthropy sector has looked like. I know that my journey is just starting and this small snippet of work is a reminder that SMALL IS ALL. Being patient and learning is part of the work, don't forget it!

I've been working at National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) for many years now and year after year (after year) this is one of the most common requests we get... this is a terrific new guide with simple and practical suggestions for those thinking about this topic (be sure to check out the discussion questions in the appendix!).

📚 Read our latest publication: Meaningfully Engaging Next-Generation Adults in Your Family Philanthropy.   One of the most important moments in the life of a family’s philanthropy is when those who are currently managing the efforts formally welcome members of the next generation—or generations—into the work. This new guide, published in collaboration with National Philanthropic Trust, is based on a series of interviews with giving families, and provides details on how to effectively welcome next-generation adults and intentionally evolve your family’s philanthropic leadership.   From creating the positive conditions and expectations for next-gen engagement, to effective onboarding and designing an ongoing process for success, the guide maps out a path for meaningful engagement.   NCFP would like to thank the guide’s author Cara Binder-Kopchick. Read the full guide below.