A couple months ago, PhilanthroGeek founder Nathaniel James, ioby co-founder Erin Barnes, and I set out on a small adventure to answer two questions: How do we describe the new trends in social giving to the family philanthropy world? What do family foundations make of the opportunities and challenges in these trends? I’m describing some results of our adventure in this [...]
Category: learning
Is Family Philanthropy Ready for “New Giving” Tools?
(updated from my post on the Council on Foundation's re: Philanthropy blog) "Crowdfunding. Social giving. Unsectored solutions. Hacker and maker cultures. Citizen-led social innovation. These ideas and others are shaping new pathways for giving. Will they complement your family’s philanthropy or distract from it? Join us for a fun, honest discussion of new frontiers in [...]
Transparency in Grantmaking
If you’ve written a grant proposal, you know the drill. You send it off to the funder. If you’re lucky, the funder asks you some questions after reading the proposal. If you’re really lucky, the funder comes on-site to see your great work in action. They’ll also likely drill you for details of your financial [...]
A new jargon for philanthropy? Or even a new culture?
Hacked solution. Maker culture. Artisan. DIY. Dorkbot. Citizen-powered. Decentralized. Open brand. Flamethrowers vs. Orphans Paradox*. Are these terms in the vocabulary of your giving or of the foundations you know? They weren’t for me until I attended the first Awesome Summit in Boston this month. The three-day event was the first gathering of the rapidly-expanding [...]
Tony Macklin 