ProvenTutoring’s Post

Revisiting my Ma Philanthropic Studies dissertation on reform in grant making trusts and foundations. Reminded that it really reflects the current challenges being explored in the trust funding landscape right now, in particular finding the balance between needing to take time and space to explore what meaningful, deep and effective change in practice might look like against the urgency of the challenges our communities are facing and current trust fundraising models. Wondering how we make space for both - being able to respond to the immediate and urgent needs our communities face yet acknowledge that time might be needed to think, develop and build more effective and equitable practices in grant making.

I appreciate @HilaryPennington's post on CEP’s report, “Unlocking the Transformative Potential of Intermediary Funds,” and specifically noting that “the single most important finding is that the grantee experience depends more on funder practices than on the form of the funding vehicle.”  As someone who has spent decades working in philanthropy, and specifically with intermediaries, I cannot underscore this point enough. At our core, philanthropic intermediaries are grantees of our funders and as such, we inherit their limitations, which are then passed on to our grantees. If funders could rethink the flexibility, length and structure of their grants to us, it would be a game changer for our grantees.  The CEP report compared intermediaries to funders, which is not an apples-to-apples comparison. I am grateful for the renewed and strong interest in philanthropy of partnering with intermediaries.  Each funder has a different reason for using intermediaries to do something it cannot do on its own.  I welcome further research on how best to maximize this relationship and welcome the opportunity to keep this conversation going.  

If you can foresee a “tax problem”, it’s time to make a plan, now! Get with your financial advisor. Determine if it is better to give from your family or from your business or both. Consider those who have worked hard in the community or honor your own family by giving a major gift and getting a naming opportunity. When you lend your name along with your gift, you are giving more than just your money. You are showing others that they should give and it is a reminder for generations to come and to add on to the legacy. Consider a DAF, understand the mission, and if it is not in line with your beliefs, let them know. They will change it if they find something is not working properly. Go to a nonprofit, not the other way around. It is easier to give a gift without having being asked. It saves the effort of the organization and you can avoid the uncomfortable levels of giving. This guy is really great. Show your business is part of the community and find something that you connected with. -Ge.

📢 Funders, give general operating support grants to nonprofits! These are unrestricted grants. The nonprofit can use it for anything they want - programs, staff development, strategic planning, evaluation, or even keeping the lights on. 💡 There are so many reasons to do this, but here are just 5: 1️⃣ The nonprofit leader knows best what they need. They are the ones doing the work. Trust them. 2️⃣ It’s easier for nonprofits to apply for general operating support grants. This means they spend less time fundraising and more time delivering on their mission. 3️⃣ It’s easier for you, the funder. You don’t need to develop complex funding guidelines. You find a nonprofit you know is doing great work, and you give them a grant. 4️⃣ It supports flexibility. We live in a rapidly changing world. Unrestricted grants allow nonprofits to be agile, seize opportunities as they arise, and adjust quickly when problems emerge. 5️⃣ The notion that “overhead is bad” is a myth. Every nonprofit, corporation, and family needs funds for electricity, rent, salaries, and technology. It’s hard to support a tutoring program if you aren’t willing to pay the salaries of the tutors! Be sure to like and share this post if you agree! If you have questions or would like advice on this particular type of grant, learn more about scheduling a call with me through this link: https://ow.ly/1iC050RAYYB #Nonprofits #Grantmaking #PhilanthropyConsultant

Asks More Important Than THE ASK The asks below, when done well, make “the ask” a mere formality on the way to not just a closed gift but a budding philanthropic partnership. Fail to make these asks and “the ask,” no matter how brilliantly presented, will prove far less successful – resulting in either a quick “no” and the loss of that prospect, a smaller gift than the prospect is capable of, or a perfunctory, one-time commitment.

Planned giving is my expertise, and due to health conditions I can only now volunteer my time.  I can explain how giving will not only affect your impact, it also increases your presence and I know many of you have a “tax problem”, and I know I can best explain it! I’m not in the season for making any money however I am here to help you learn how to save when your planning your entire year. It’s time to find the right foundation which I can help you with, and be prepared to make a gift that is lasting There are wonderful benefits to having a lasting relationship with the foundation of your choosing and it guards you from being approached. As the year progresses, so have your finances. Every quarter make it part of your plan to look over what you would like to give. It will change over the course of a year. And if you’re up for it, I am happy to spread your wealth to worthy foundations so that you may find yourself surrounded by potential. Never stop giving!  But as Minnie has taught me so well, gifting your time and energy should start in your own backyard!   I’m a big believer and advocate for focusing on local nonprofits, but for global callings.   I can update you on how to give for purposes like what is happening in Gaza. 🤔😉✨! -Ge.

You have a plan, you know exactly how to meet your mobility needs, but finding the right funding is the challenge. Community grants could be the solution to bringing your plan to life! In this video, we’ll walk you through proven strategies for writing successful grant applications and explain why community grants might be your best funding option. Let’s make your plan a reality—watch now to learn how! ➡️ https://hubs.ly/Q02RpXsb0 #Funding #CommunityGrants #AccessibleVehicles #GrantWriting

Top to bottom- your work is NOT about you. Not a popular opinion, but keep reading. You have the passion, the vibrancy, and the approach to make the work happen but when it comes to fundraising and grant writing it’s not about you or the one organization you work in. It’s about the people you serve and the way your service ripples into their family and the community and their lives. My most successful fundraising season happened when I framed it in this lense. The cases for support I craft help fund organizations because I write this way. And focus on the people, NOT the numbers. Think about this in your development endeavors.

Do any of these situations sound familiar to you? ▪️ A private foundation collects endless data to learn about a social problem and then is so overwhelmed by the data they don’t know what to do with the information. ▪️ A family office embarks on a year-long strategic planning process that convenes family members a dozen times before their philanthropic strategy is finalized. ▪️ A community foundation can’t make funding decisions until after the grants committee meets in person, and that only happens twice a year. There are 3 key ways funders slow down the giving process including tossing junk in their way, making the simple complex, and becoming bloated with bureaucracy. Interested in discussing how to speed up the process and avoid these costly mistakes? Learn how to schedule a free call with me. https://ow.ly/iBXa50SQAjq #TransformationalGiving #PhilanthropyConsultant #CharitableGiving

The second round of breakout sessions are beginning! These interactive sessions breakdown concepts, frameworks and tools for immediate and practial application of philanthropic work. #GEO2024