Your Team at the Council on Foundations Conference

I’m thrilled to announce the 2010 Philanthropy411 Blog Team for the Council on Foundations annual conference in Denver! This year’s  Team is organized in collaboration with the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers.

We’ll be blogging from Denver starting with the pre-conference sessions on Saturday, April 24th.

As many of you know, Sean Stannard-Stockton’s Tactical Philanthropy Blog Team covered the conference in 2009 and 2008.  This year Sean has generously passed the blog baton to Philanthropy411. The Council on Foundations will also be blogging from the conference, so definitely check out their conference posts as well. You can also follow the conference by using the hashtag #cof10.

Here is your Philanthropy411 Blog Team:

Rebecca Arno
Vice President of Communications, Denver Foundation
Board Member, Colorado Nonprofit Association
Board Member, The Communications Network;      Twitter: @tdfcommunity

Teri Behrens
Editor of The Foundation Review
Adjunct Faculty, School for Public and Nonprofit Administration, Grand Valley State University

Angela Glover Blackwell
Founder and CEO, PolicyLink
Co-author of Uncommon Common Ground: Race and America’s Future
Commissioner, RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America

Ray Colmenar
Senior Program Officer, The California Endowment
Vice Chair, Zero Divide

Paul M. Connolly
Senior Vice President and Director, TCC Group;  Twitter: @tccgroup
Author, Navigating the Organizational Lifecycle: A Capacity-Building Guide for Nonprofit Leaders; Member, National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers

Lee Draper
CEO, Draper Consulting Group
Chair, National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers

Mary Galeti
Vice Chair, Tecovas Foundation
Member, CoF Next Generation Task Force
Twitter: @tecovasfound

Jacob Harold
Program Officer, Philanthropy, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Board Member: Guidestar
Twitter: @jacobcharold

Crystal Hayling
Winner, 2010 James A Joseph Award ; Association of Black Foundation Executives
Former CEO, Blue Shield of California Foundation;
Twitter, @CHayling

Kristin Ivie
Program Manager of Social Innovation, Case Foundation
Blogger, Social Citizen
Twitter: @Kivie

Colin Lacon
President and CEO, Northern California Grantmakers
Board Member, Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers

Kris Putnam-Walkerly
President, Putnam Community Investment Consulting, Inc.
Vice-Chair, National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers
Board Member, Community Fdn. of Lorain County;       Twitter @Philanthropy411

Henry AJ Ramos
Principal, Mauer Kunst Consulting
Lead Consultant, Diversity in Philanthropy Project
Founding Member, National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers

Kathleen Reich
Program Officer, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Twitter:  @kdreich

Mike Roberts
President, First Nations Development Institute
National Advisory Committee Member, National Center for Family Philanthropy
Member of the Tlingit Tribe of Alaska

Sokunthea Sa Chhabra
Director of Interactive Communications, Case Foundation
Chair, Metro DC Chapter of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
Twitter: @Sokunthea

Mike Shaw
Program Assistant, Annie E. Casey Foundation
Board Member, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy
Twitter: @mikebaileyshaw

Sterling Speirn
President and CEO, WK Kellogg Foundation
Advisory Council Member, Global Philanthropy Forum

Sean Stannard-Stockton
CEO, Tactical Philanthropy Advisors
Member, Alliance for Effective Social Investing
Columnist, Chronicle of Philanthropy; Twitter: @tactphil

Kimberly St. John-Stevenson
Communications Officer, Saint Luke’s Foundation
2010 Communicator of the Year, International Assoc. of  Business Communicators  Greater Cleveland Chapter;  Twitter: @saintlukesfdn

Aleesha Towns -Bain
Program Associate, Rasmuson Foundation

Rosetta Thurman
President, Thurman Consulting
Adjunct Professor, Trinity University
Twitter: @rosettathurman

Cole Wilbur
Trustee, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Steering Committee Member, National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers
Board Member, Institute for Global Ethics

Richard Woo
CEO, The Russell Family Foundation
Board Member, Council on Foundations
Board Member, Philanthropy Northwest

10 Great Resources for Creating a Theory of Change

What is a Theory of Change? According to ActKnowledge, a Theory of Change defines all the building blocks required to bring about a long-term goal. ‘Like any good planning and evaluation method for social change, it requires participants to be clear on long-term goals, identify measurable indicators of success, and formulate actions to achieve goals.’

Many people use it interchangeably with the term “logic model” but it differs from logic models  because it requires stakeholders to articulate underlying assumptions which can be tested and measured, and because shows a causal pathway from here to there by specifying what is needed for goals to be achieved.

According to Jim Connell and Adema Klem you should ask yourself whether your Theory of Change is:

1. Plausible (stakeholders believe the logic of the model is correct: if we do these things, we will get the results we want and expect);
2. Doable (human, political and economic resources are seen as sufficient to implement the action strategies in the theory);
3. Testable (stakeholders believe there are credible ways to discover whether the results are as predicted);
4. Meaningful (stakeholders see the outcomes as important and the magnitude of change in these outcomes being pursued as worth the effort).

My consulting firm has been helping foundations to develop theories of change for entire organizations, program areas, and initiatives. We’ve reviewed the literature about Theories of Change and wanted to share our top 10 resources with you, to help you with your social change planning:

For general information about what a Theory of Change is and some examples:

1. Theory of Change As A Tool For Strategic Planning introduces the use of the Theory of Change approach for planning community-based initiatives using examples from the The Wallace Foundation Parents and Communities for Kids (PACK) initiative.
2. Theory of Change.org is a collaborative project of the Aspen Institute and ActKnowledge, offering a wide array of resources, tools, tips, and examples of Theory of Change.
3. ActKnowledge is currently piloting Theory of Change Online (TOCO), a free, web-based application to create Theories of Change and to learn more about the methodology.
4. They’ve also provided a guided example of how one Theory of Change was developed.
5. “You Can Get There From Here: Using a Theory of Change Approach to Plan Urban Education Reform” by James Connell and Adema Klem gives an overview and an example in the field of education.

For useful manuals, facilitators’ guides, and tools to create a Theory of Change:

1. The International Network on Strategic Philanthropy has a Theory of Change Tool Manual.
2. “Theory of Change: A Practical Tool for Action, Results and Learning” was created under the guidance of Tom Kelly (@tomkaecf) at the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
3. The Aspen Institute’s Roundtable on Community Change created “The Community Builder’s Approach to Theory of Change,” which is a practical guide for facilitators, including what to do before and during meetings with stakeholders, suggested participants, and recommended materials.

And to better understand the difference between a Theory of Change and a Logic Model check out:

1. GrantCraft created “Mapping Change: Using a Theory of Change Approach to Guide Planning.” (BTW, GrantCraft has produced terrific guides on all aspects of grantmaking, so you should definitely check them out)
2. “Theories of Change and Logic Models: Telling Them Apart” is a helpful PowerPoint presentation.

If you recommend other resources, or have examples of nonprofit or foundation Theories of Change that you would like to share, please leave a comment!

If you found this blog post useful, please subscribe. On Twitter? Follow me at @Philanthropy411.

Posted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly © Kris Putnam-Walkerly and Philanthropy411, 2010.

Looking For A Philanthropy Job? 20 Resources To Help You

When I was searching for my first foundation job, the CEO of a prominent family foundation told me:

“Philanthropy is a closed world, but once you’re in, you’re in. Take any program officer job you are offered, even if it’s a different content area than what you are interested in. Once you are working at a foundation, you’re seen as an “insider” and can network with other funders.”

That was accurate advice ten years ago, and I think it continues to be true. Although I think foundations are generally more open and accessible today than they were then, it can be difficult for someone to “break into” the field.  I was lucky enough to land a position at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, which was tremendously helpful in training me to be a strategic grantmaker, and introduced me to many amazing program officers and foundation leaders.  I learned about this position the old-fashioned way – by networking – but in this economy no stone should be left unturned in a job search.

With that in mind I wanted to share some resources to help you land your next foundation job:

7 Websites With Foundation Job Listings

1. The Council on Foundation’s Career Center provides national job listings at foundations. Anyone can search for positions, and for $25 you can post your resume (free to members).
2. The Foundation Center’s Job Corner provides listings of current full-time job openings at U.S.-based foundations and nonprofit organizations. You can also search by organization type, job function, and state.
3. Grantmakers Without Borders offers job listing with a focus on global issues and social change.
4. Regional Associations of Grantmakers are great resources for local job listings.  For example, Ohio Grantmakers Forum and Philanthropy Northwest both have job listings on their websites. The Giving Forum lists jobs available at other regional associations, and you can also search for grantmaker associations near you.
5. OnPhilanthropy’s Dot.Org.Jobs site includes some foundation jobs, although primarily lists nonprofit positions
6. OpportunityKnocks lists foundation and nonprofit jobs nationally. You can post a resume and also get advice through their Nonprofit Jobs Resource Center.
7. If you are looking for a nonprofit position, the Donor’s Forum provides a list of over 30 websites posting nonprofit jobs.

Most foundations also list their job openings on their websites. Some, like the Ford and Gates foundations, allow you to apply online.

Search Firms

Larger funders often turn to executive search firms to help them identify qualified candidates. Some popular firms include The 360 Group, Martha Montag Brown & Associates, DHR International, Bridgespan, and Phillips Oppenheim.

Anthony Tansimore, Executive Vice President of the search firm DHR International, offers this advice to job seekers:

It’s not easy to get a job in a foundation and there are many paths. The first thing I do is issue a caution. I talk to quite a lot of people who want to make the jump into a foundation from a nonprofit or from the corporate sector. They think the work is easier and they will make more money.

Second, think about what you’re passionate about. Think about what kind of difference you want to make in the world, and investigate the foundations that are doing that work. Get to know the program officers and ask for an informational interview.

Third, ask about fellowships that encourage people to pursue careers in philanthropy or the nonprofit sector. The San Francisco Foundation, for instance, has a fellowship program to encourage more people of color to enter philanthropy, and the typical fellow is younger in age and career.

Fourth, become informed and share your knowledge. If you know a lot about an issue, write and speak about it so that you are seen as an expert and someone to whom foundations will turn to gain more knowledge on the subject.

Lastly, when you reach out to a search consultant, know that that person’s client is the organization that wishes to hire staff. Do not expect the consultant to serve as an agent to place you in a terrific position, so limit your expectations to meeting someone new and sharing your resume.

If you are under forty years of age and new to philanthropy work, you should check out Emerging Practioners in Philanthropy, which provides terrific networking and educational opportunities. And if you prefer to hang out your own shingle you should check out two of my earlier posts, “So, You Want To Be A Philanthropy Consultant,” and “Starting A Consulting Business? 15 Things To Do Right Now.“

How did you land your first foundation job? Do you recommend other resources for finding a position in philanthropy?  Leave a comment and let us know. If you found this blog post useful, please subscribe! On Twitter? Follow Philanthropy411 at @Philanthropy411.

Posted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly © Kris Putnam-Walkerly and Philanthropy411, 2010.

12 Terrific Charitable Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Apologies for the radio silence over the past few months, but I gave birth to twins at the end of December and – as you can imagine – they’ve taken top priority!

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I wanted to share some terrific ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts that give back.  CauseCast (self described as ” a platform where media, philanthropy, social networking, entertainment and education converge to serve a greater purpose”) developed a Top 10 list of chartiable Valentine’s Day gifts, including e-cards that benefit Charity: Water, fair trade chocolates from Ghana, and (for a very special Valentine’s) conflict-free diamonds.

Target is sharing $1 million in proceeds from Valentine’s Day cards to benefit 5 charities: Kids in Need Foundation, United Through Reading Military Program, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, United Way, and the Salvation Army. It’s called “Super Love Sender” and internet users can vote on Target’s Facebook page to decide how much of the $1 million each organization wins.

CharityNavigator allows you to give a charity gift card. Cards  can be redeemed as a donation to the recipient’s charity of choice. You pick an amount to load on the Good Card (between $10 and $250) and your recipient selects the charity (or charities) to receive the donation.  Cards can be sent via email, print-at-home or postal mail.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

If you found this blog post useful, please subscribe! On Twitter? Follow Philanthropy411 at @Philanthropy411.

Posted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly © Kris Putnam-Walkerly and Philanthropy411, 2010.

Updated Lists of Foundations, Staff and Board on Twitter

I’ve created new lists of:

• Grantmaking Foundations on Twitter and
• Foundation Staff and Board Members on Twitter

These lists will make it incredibly easy for you to follow the funders on Twitter, and easier for me to update. Unfortunately, the format doesn’t allow me to post additional information, like foundation locations or job titles, which are included in 130 Foundations That Tweet and 61 Foundation Staff and Board Members on Twitter.

Just like those posts, these lists are limited to philanthropic organizations that make grants, and individuals who work at grantmaking foundations or serve on foundation boards, and whose tweets include (but do not necessarily focus on) information about their foundations, nonprofits, and philanthropy.

Please let me know what you think and if you find these lists useful!

61 Foundation Staff and Board Members on Twitter

Below is a list of 61 individuals who work at grantmaking foundations or serve on foundation boards, and whose tweets include (but do not necessarily focus on) information about their foundations, nonprofits, and philanthropy.  This is an update to the 16 foundation staff who were originally listed on my “90 Foundations That Tweet” blog post (those with an asterisk * are new additions since that list). I’m excited to see that 67% hold leadership positions (managers, senior program officers, directors, vice presidents, CEOs, and board members). And its not just communications and technology staff who are tweeting:  only about one-third hold communications and technology positions (based upon my understanding of the job titles).

1. @allieb37 * (Case Foundation – Communications Director)
2. @AndresHenriquez * (Carnegie Corporation of New York – Program Officer)
3. @andystitt829 * (Project Management Institute Education Foundation – Associate)
4. @AnsonF * (Paul G. Allen Family Foundation – Senior Program Officer)
5. @BrianSasscer * (Case Foundation – Senior Vice President, Strategic Operations)
6. @broksas (Case Foundation – Senior Vice President, Innovation & Investment)
7. @cajunjen * (United Nations Foundation – Online Communications staff person)
8. @carolharmon * (The Columbus Foundation – Director of Marketing and Communication)
9. @ChangeEvnglst * (Community Foundation of South Jersey – Executive Director)
10. @cbeddia (Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina – Marketing & Communications Director)
11. @CHayling * (Blue Shield of California Foundation – CEO)
12. @danielolias (The James Irvine Foundation – Director of Communications and Corporate Secretary)
13. @dianefromm * (Project Management Institute Education Foundation – Administrator)
14. @dkrumlauf (Pierce Family Charitable Foundation – Chief Technologist)
15. @drsieg * (Grand Rapids Community Foundation – President)
16. @elzbthmllr * (The Overbrook Foundation – Senior Program Associate)
17. @ElizDickson * (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Research Assistant)
18. @elstudio * (Case Foundation – Senior Director, Technology)
19. @epbro (William and Flora Hewlett Foundation – Communications Director)
20. @gtf_wynn * (Greater Texas Foundation – Executive Director)
21. @ibarguen * (John S. and James L. Knight Foundation – President and CEO)
22. @jacobcharold (William and Flora Hewlett Foundation – Program Officer)
23. @jasonwagar (Toronto Community Foundation – Donor Services and Marketing Officer)
24. @JCVukusich* (The Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties – Senior Program Officer)
25. @jeancase * (Case Foundation – CEO)
26. @JeanetteBarr * (Project Management Institute Education Foundation – Development Manager)
27. @jessamynlau (Peery Foundation – Program Leader)
28. @KarcsiG * (Missouri Foundation for Health – Director of Evaluation)
29. @KBergeman * (Lancaster County Community Foundation – Communications Coordinator)
30. @kivie * (Case Foundation – Program Associate)
31. @Lisa_A_Harris * (The Colorado Health Foundation – Manager of Communications Technology and New Media)
32. @lewgedansky * (Project Management Institute Educational Foundation – Executive Director)
33. @marcfest * (John S. and James L. Knight Foundation – Vice President, Communications)
34. @mstohner * (Case Foundation – Director, Marketing and Partnerships)
35. @msmithDC * (Case Foundation – Vice President, Social Innovation)
36. @mvsachse * (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Program Associate)
37. @PamOmidyar * (Omidyar Network – Co-Founder)
38. @patrowan * (The Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties – Grants Manager)
39. @PaulTarini * (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Senior Program Officer & Team Leader, Pioneer Program)
40. @paultofu (The Cleveland Foundation – Program Officer)
41. @philanthropy411 * (Community Foundation of Lorain County – Board Member)
42. @razoobe * (Burroughs Wellcome Fund – Communications Officer)
43. @RocchiJulia * (United Nations Foundation – Online Communications Officer)
44. @safosterny * (The Overbrook Foundation – President and CEO)
    
45. @saraholdmixon * (The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region – Director of Workforce Initiatives)
46. @socialcitizen (Case Foundation – Vice President, Social Innovation)
47. @sokunthea * (Case Foundation – Director, Interactive Communications)
48. @stephaniemca (David and Lucile Packard Foundation – Director of Organizational Effectiveness and Directed Grantmaking)
49. @stephenjdowns * (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Assistant Vice President)
50. @SteveCase * (Case Foundation – Chairman)
51. @susanpromislo * (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Communications Officer)
52. @theshackman * (Case Foundation – Associate, Interactive Strategies)
53. @TiffanyTSmith (Annie E. Casey Foundation – Public Relations & Communications Strategiest)
54. @TinaArnoldi (Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina -Information Technology Officer)
55. @tomjd* (Ashoka – Social Media Director)
56. @tomkaecf (Annie E. Casey Foundation – Evaluation Manager)
57. @TristaHarris * (Headwaters Foundation – Executive Director)
58. @victoriavrana (Venture Philanthropy Partners – Vice President, Communications and Assessment)
59. @WendyLJack * (The Kresge Foundation – Senior Program Officer)
60. @wheresdabeefy * (United Nations Foundation)
61. @wilhan * (Skillman Foundation – Director of Communications and Technology)

If you found this blog post useful, please subscribe! On Twitter? Follow Philanthropy411 at @Philanthropy411

This list was compiled by (1) including foundation staff and board members I am following or have encountered on Twitter, (2) posting several tweets requesting names of foundation staff and board members on Twitter (each of which were extensively retweeted), and (3) adding individuals who were suggested via comments to this blog.  Some people were not included because they did not appear to tweet about their foundation or philanthropy, or because their accounts were inactive at the time this list was compiled.

Posted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly © Kris Putnam-Walkerly and Philanthropy411, 2009

130 Foundations That Tweet

As a new blogger, I was surprised by the popularity of my earlier post, “90 Foundations That Tweet.” That post was re-tweeted 58 times in 12 hours after I posted it on Twitter (after that I stopped counting), received over 5,400 blog hits the first week it posted, was analyzed for profile patterns by nonprofit social media expert Beth Kanter, helped inspire a video blog with Susan Herr (PhilanthroMedia) and Micheal Margolis (GetStoried) discussing how foundations are using new communications technologies to engage audiences, was highlighted on the Case Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Communications Network, Modern Giving, Tactical Philanthropy, and SocialBrite blogs and websites, and inspired 76 comments.

I’ve updated the list with 40 more funders on Twitter. For your convenience, all new additions have an asterisk (*) after their name.  This includes private, community, family, corporate, and international funders, as well as a few giving circles and other grantmaking organizations. I’m sure there are more out there, so if you know of a foundation that should be on the list please add a comment.  My next post will be an updated list of 50+ foundation staff and board members who Tweet!

130 Foundations on Twitter

1. Alaska Community Foundation (Anchorage, AK) @AKCommunity
2. The Allstate Foundation* (Northbrook, IL) @clicktoempower
3. American Institute for Cancer Research* (Washington, DC) @aicrtweets
4. Australian Cancer Research Foundation* (Sydney, Australia) @Cancer_Research
5. Alexander Abraham Foundation* (New York, NY) @aabrahamfound
6. Annie E. Casey Foundation (Baltimore, MD) @AnnieECaseyFndn
7. Anthony Robbins Foundation (San Diego, CA) @AR_foundation
8. Armstrong County Community Foundation (Kittanning, PA) @ACCF
9. Ashoka* (Arlington, VA) @AshokaTweets
10. AshokaTech* – Ashoka’s Technology Blog (Arlington, VA)  @AshokaTech
11. Ashoka’s Changemaker program* (Washington, DC) @Changemakers
12. Ashoka’s YouthVenture program* (Arlington, VA) @AshokaGenV
13. Atlantic Philanthropies (New York, NY) @atlantic
14. Baltimore Community Foundation (Baltimore, Maryland) @baltcommfdn
15. Black Benefactors* (Washington, DC) @BlkBenefactors
16. Black Card Circle Foundation (Los Angeles, CA) @BCCF
17. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Seattle, WA) @gatesfoundation
18. The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation* (San Francisco, CA) @a_breath_away
19. Bridge Builders Community Foundations (Oil City, Pennsylvania) @BBCF
20. The Broad Foundation (Los Angeles, CA) @BroadFoundation
21. Carl B & Florence E. King Foundation (Dallas, TX) @kingfoundation
22. Carnegie Corporation of New York* (New York, NY) @CarnegieCorp
23. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Stanford, CA) @CarnegieFdn
24. Case Foundation (Washington, DC) @CaseFoundation
25. Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation (Tulsa, OK) @clsff
26. Charles Stewart Mott Foundation (Flint, MI) @mottfoundation
27. Chicago Foundation for Women (Chicago, IL) @ChiFdn4Women
28. The Cleveland Foundation (Cleveland, OH) @CleveFoundation
29. Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina (Charleston, SC) @GeorgeStevens
30. The Colorado Health Foundation* (Denver, CO) @COHealthFDN
31. Columbia Foundation* (Columbia, MD) @ColumbiaFdn
32. The Columbus Foundation (Columbus, OH) @colsfoundation
33. The Community Foundation Boulder County (Bolder, CO) @CommFound
34. Community Foundation for Calderdale (Halifax, UK) @CalderdaleFound
35. The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo (Buffalo, NY) @CFGB
36. Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan* (Detroit, MI) @cfsem
37. Community Foundation for Southern Arizona* (Tuscon, AZ) @SoAZCommunityFd
38. The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington (Vancouver, WA) @CFSWW
39. Community Foundation for The Fox Valley Region (Appleton, Wisconsin) @CFFoxValley
40. The Community Foundation in Jacksonville* (Jacksonville, FL) @CJacksonville
41. The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (Birmingham, AL) @comfoundbham
42. The Community Foundation of Sarasota County* (Sarasota, FL) @NonprofitSRQ
43. Community Foundation of Medicine Hat & Southeastern Alberta (Alberta, Canada) @CFMH
44. The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (Nashville, TN) @CFMT
45. The Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties* (West Palm Beach, FL) @cfpmbc
46. Community Foundation of South East Kansas (Pittsburg, KS) @CFSEK
47. The Community Foundation of The Lowcountry (Hilton Head Island, SC) @cflowcountry
48. Community Shares of Milwaukee* (Madison, WI) @MKEshares
49. Community Shares of Minnesota* (St. Paul, MN) @changeisbetter
50. Community Shares of Wisconsin* (Madison, WI) @CommSharesWI
51. Crossroads Community Foundation (MetroWest area of Massachusetts) @CCFDN
52. The Dale Jr. Foundation (Mooresville, NC) @tdjf
53. Dallas Social Venture Partners (Dallas, TX) @DallasSVP
54. Detroit Foundation (Detroit, MI) @dfoundation
55. EchoingGreen* (New York, NY) @echoinggreen
56. Eychaner Foundation (Des Moines, IA) @eychanerfndn
57. Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (Kansas City, MO) @KauffmanFDN
58. Flinn Foundation (Phoenix, AZ) @biozonanews
59. Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation* (Morristown, NJ) @grdodge
60. GivenGain Foundation (Switzerland) @GivenGain
61. GlobalGiving* (Washington, DC) @globalgiving
62. Grand Rapids Community Foundation (Grand Rapids,MI) @GRCommFound
63. The Greater Cincinnati Foundation (Cincinnati, OH) @GrCinciFdn
64. Greater Kansas City Community Foundation (Kansas City, MO) @gkccf
65. The Greater Saint John Community Foundation (St. John, New Brunswick) @GSJCF
66. Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice (Venice, FL) @GulfCoastCF
67. Hawaii Community Foundation (Honolulu, HI) @HCFHawaii
68. Headwaters Foundation for Justice* @HeadwatersFdn
69. HealthCare Foundation of Greater Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) @HCF4KC
70. The Hopi Foundation (Kykotsmovi, AZ) @Hopi_Foundation
71. Horizons Foundation (San Francisco, CA) @horizonsfdn
72. The James Irvine Foundation* (San Francisco, CA) @IrvineFdn
73. The Jenzabar Foundation* (Boston, MA) @StudentsCare
74. Jolkona Foundation (Seattle, WA) @jolkona
75. Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation (Topeka, KS) @KSDentalFound
76. Kerstner Foundation (El Segundo, CA) @KerstnerFDN
77. Knight Foundation (Miami, FL) @knightfdn
78. MacArthur Foundation (Chicago, IL) @MacFound
79. Make-A-Wish Foundation* (Phoenix, AZ) @WishAmerica
80. Micron Foundation (Boise, ID) @Micron_Giving
81. Milken Foundation (Santa Monica, CA) @Milken
82. The Moyer Foundation (Seattle, WA) @MoyerFoundation
83. Ms Foundation (New York, NY) @outrageousacts
84. NASCAR Foundation (Charlotte, NC) @NASCAR_Foundat
85. New Profit* (Cambridge, MA) @newprofit
86. New York State Dental Foundation (Albany, NY) @NYSDF
87. One Star Foundation (Austin, TX) @onestarfdn
88. Open Society Institute (New York, NY) @OpenSociety
89. The Orphan Foundation (Southern CA) @TOF4Orphan
90. Oshkosh Area Community Foundation (Oshkosh, WI) @OACF
91. Peery Foundation (Palo Alto, CA) @davepeery
92. Pittsburgh Foundation (Pittsburgh, PA) @PittsburghFdn
93. Pride Foundation (Seattle, WA) @PrideFdn
94. Project Management Institute Educational Foundation* (Newtown Square, PA) @pmief
95. Rally Foundation (Sandy Springs, GA) @RallyFoundation
96. Reeve Foundation (Short Hills, NJ) @ReeveFoundation
97. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Princeton, NJ) @rwjf
98. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Media Center (Princeton, NJ) @RWJF_mediacntr
99. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Pioneer Portfolio (Princeton, NJ) @pioneerrwjf
100. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Public Health Portfolio (Princeton, NJ) @RWJF_PubHealth
101. Rosa: The UK Fund for Women and Girls (London, UK) @RosaForWomen
102. The SAFE Foundation (United Kingdom) @SAFEFoundation
103. Saint Luke’s Foundation (Cleveland, OH) @saintlukesfdn
104. The Saint Paul Foundation & Minnesota Community Foundation* (Saint Paul, MN) @twofoundations
105. San Antonio Area Foundation (San Antonio, TX) @SAAFdn
106. Siemens Foundation (Iselin, NJ) @sfoundation
107. Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina (Columbia, SC) @SCFSC
108. The Skillman Foundation* (Detroit, MI) @skillmanfound
109. Skoll Foundation (Palo Alto, CA) @SkollFoundation
110. Social Venture Partners Arizona* (Flagstaff, AZ) @tkwoganSVP
111. Social Venture Partners Boulder County (Boulder, CO) @svpboulder
112. Social Venture Partners Delaware (Wilmington, DE) @SVPDE
113. Social Venture Partners Portland (Portland, OR) @SVPPortland
114. Social Venture Partners San Diego (San Diego, CA) @SVPSanDiego
115. Social Venture Partners Seattle (Seattle, WA) @paulshoeSVP
116. Social Venture Partners Toronto (Toronto, Canada) @SVP_Toronto
117. The Stafford Foundation* (Washington, DC) @Staffordfnd
118. Sunlight Foundation (Washington, DC) @SunFoundation
119. Taproot Foundation (San Francisco, CA) @taprootfound
120. United Nations Foundation (Washington, DC) @unfoundation
121. United Nations Foundation – Vodafone Foundation’s Technology Partnership* (Washington, DC) @Tech4Dev
122. The V Foundation (Cary, NC) @TheVFoundation
123. Venture Philanthropy Partners (Washington, DC) @vppartners
124. West Central Initiative* (Fergus Falls, MN) @WCIMinn
125. William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Menlo Park, CA) @Hewlett_Found
126. William J. Clinton Foundation* (New York, NY) @ClintonTweet
127. WK Kellogg Foundation (Battle Creek, MI) @WK_Kellogg_Fdn
128. Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County* @WGCHowardCounty
129. The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (Memphis, TN) @WFGM_ORG
130. The Women’s Foundation of California (San Francisco, CA) @womensfoundca

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This list was compiled by (1) including foundations I am following or have encountered on Twitter, (2) posting many tweets requesting names of foundations on Twitter (each of which were extensively retweeted), (3) searching for “foundation” on Twitter, (4) adding foundations that were suggested via comments to the “90 Foundations That Tweet” blog, and (5) checking Twitter profiles and websites as needed to determine if they are grantmaking foundations. Many nonprofits use the word “foundation” in their name but are not grantmaking organizations so they were not included. Similarly, organizations that raise money to provide funds for a particular organization, such as a hospital or university foundation, were not included. Additionally, I have chosen not to include United Way organizations on this list, in part because there are so many of them on Twitter (109 last time I counted!) and also because they are very easy to find. Just go to the Twitter search page and type: United Way

Posted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly © Kris Putnam-Walkerly and Philanthropy411, 2009

17 More Foundation Resources on Twitter

As a follow up to 21 Community Foundations, 90 Foundations, and 20 Funder Networks That Tweet, here are more 17 foundation resources you should follow on twitter.

Foundation Center

The Foundation Center is a fabulous national organization whose mission is to strengthen the nonprofit sector by advancing knowledge about U.S. philanthropy. The Foundation Center offers a searchable directory of foundations; free or low-cost webinars, workshops and classes; resources such as Philanthropy News Digest and PubHub; useful research on the impact of the economic crisis on foundations and nonprofits; and friendly librarians who are happy to help you. They have offices in five US cities (Cleveland, San Francisco, New York City, Washington DC, and Atlanta), all of which tweet, and hundreds of cooperating collections across the country. OK, I must confess that I serve on the Advisory Board of the Foundation Center-Cleveland, but I was an avid fan even before that. I highly recommend following them on Twitter:

• Foundation Center @fdncenter
• Foundation Center-Cleveland @FCCleveland
• Foundation Center-Atlanta @FCAtlanta
• Foundation Center-San Francisco @FCSanFrancisco
• Foundation Center-Washington DC @FCWashington
• Foundation Center – New York @FCNewyork
• Foundation Center – Focus on the Economic Crisis @FC_econcrisis
• Foundation Center – Philanthropy News Digest @pndblog

Additionally, at least one cooperating collection of the Foundation Center – the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, MD – is on Twitter @Grants_Pratt

Philanthropy-related publications

To find the latest news about the philanthropic sector, check out:

• Alliance Magazine @Alliancemag
• Chronicle of Philanthropy @Philanthropy
• NonProfitTimes @NPT
• Philanthropy Journal @phijo
• Third Sector (U.K.) @ThirdSector

And don’t forget Philanthropy News Digest @pndblog, a service of the Foundation Center mentioned above.

Other funder resources:

Lastly, here are a few random resources to follow on Twitter:

• @onlyfoundations – This is a twitter feed of web content from private foundations, corporate givers, and other nonprofit funders.
• Charity Navigator @charitynav – Charity Navigator evaluates the financial health of over 5000 of the largest US charities
• Guidestar @guidestarusa – Guidestar is a searchable, online database of information about nonprofits and foundations, including 990 Forms, financial information, annual reports, reviews, etc.
• Philanthropy Archives (at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) @philanthropyArc – Collection of historical records of foundation, nonprofits, and donors

FYI, I purposefully chose not to include philanthropy consultants (like myself!) on this list, although there are some terrific ones with useful, thought provoking Twitter content. I know there are hundreds if not thousands of people on Twitter who would describe themselves as philanthropy consultants, so it would be challenging to post a list. Although not yet on Twitter, anyone looking for a foundation consultant can check out the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers’ searchable, online directory of consultants.

If you can think of other useful philanthropy resources on Twitter, please add a comment to share them. If you found this blog post useful, please subscribe! On Twitter? Follow Philanthropy411 at @Philanthropy411

Posted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly, President of Putnam Community Investment Consulting © Kris Putnam-Walkerly and Philanthropy411, 2009

20 Funder Networks That Tweet

There was so much interest in last month’s post of 90 Foundations That Tweet that I wanted to expand on it by sharing a list of funder networks on Twitter.

What is a Funder Network?

According to the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers:

Funder networks consist of grantmakers organized around a specific funding issue, geographic location, or identity-based community that come together to build their skills, capacity, and impact.  The networks:

• come in all shapes and sizes, including small and large private foundations, individual donors, community foundations, and philanthropists
• recognize the benefits of pooling resources, sharing knowledge, and benefiting from each other’s experiences
• increase resources for and focus attention on issues or underserved sectors

Below are 20 funder networks that tweet:

1. Arizona Grantmakers Forum (via CEO Marissa Theisen) @MRT5244
2. Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers @ABAGrantmakers
3. Council on Foundations @COF_
4. Council of Michigan Foundations @michfoundations
5. Donors Forum of South Florida @donorsforumSF
6. Donors Forum of Wisconsin @donorsforumofWI
7. Emerging Practioners in Philanthropy @rustystahl
8. Emerging Practioners in Philanthropy-Michigan @EPIPMichigan
9. Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers @givingforum
10. Funders Together to End Homelessness @funderstogether
11. Grantmakers Forum of New York @GrantmakersNY
12. Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania @GWPTweet
13. Iowa Council of Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Initiative @iowayouthphil
14. More For Mission Investing @more4mission
15. Regional Association of Washington Grantmakers @WGrantmakers
16. Southeastern Council of Foundations @secftweets
17. Technology Affinity Group @TAGtech09
18. The Communication Network @bsttrach
19. Transatlantic Community Foundation Network (Canada) @TCFN
20. West Virginia Grantmakers @WVGrantmakers

I’m sure I missed some, so please add a comment to share more funder networks on Twitter!

For more information about funder networks, check out the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and the Council of Foundation’s list of affinity groups.  Grantmakers for Effective Organizations also published a series of reports about the benefits and accomplishments of funder networks.

This list was compiled by (1) including funder networks I am following on Twitter, (2) posting three tweets over one month requesting names of funder networks that tweet (each of which were retweeted), and (3) taking Liz Wilder, Executive Director of Grantmakers Forum of New York, up on her offer to post the query “Who’s tweeting?” on the CEO listserve of the Forum of the Regional Association of Grantmakers (thanks Liz!).

If you found this blog post useful, please subscribe!  On Twitter? Follow Philanthropy411 at @Philanthropy411

Posted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly  © Kris Putnam-Walkerly and Philanthropy411, 2009

So, You Want To Be A Philanthropy Consultant?

About once a week someone emails me to learn more about philanthropy consulting: foundation staff looking for their next career move (or more recently, anticipating a layoff), business executives tired of an emotionally unfulfilling career who seek to make a difference in the world, and recent college graduates who stumble upon my website and think what I do sounds really cool (it is!).

Each asks for 30-60 minutes of my time – preferably that week – to help them think through their options. It would be great to have time to talk with them all. But alas, I don’t.  Instead, I’m writing this blog to pass along some insight that I have developed in 10 years of consulting to foundations and nonprofits.

To consult or not to consult

In many ways, consulting is one of the easiest and least expensive businesses to start.  Assuming you have the expertise and contacts, all you really need is a desk, computer, phone, high-speed internet, and a printer – and you probably have all that at home already.  But being an entrepreneur and consultant isn’t for everyone.

5 questions to ask yourself before you take the plunge

1. Are you organized and disciplined about your time? As a solo practioner, you wear all the hats: CEO, consultant, marketer, business developer, proposal writer, bookkeeper, administrative assistant, and office manager to name a few. You will also be managing multiple projects, clients, deliverables, and deadlines.
2. Are you comfortable working alone, or do you need to be around lots of people? People often ask if I’m lonely working in my home office. The reality is I’m around people all the time:  in person and phone meetings with our clients and subcontractors, networking, and conducting interviews and focus groups for our clients. I enjoy the balance of working alone and with others on projects. But there are options if you really need the support and buzz of people around you:  start your consulting business with a partner or find office space with other small business owners.
3. Can you support yourself for the next six months if your business is slow to take off? This is a tough economy in which to start a consulting practice.  Most foundations are reducing administrative expenditures and grantmaking. You will be much better off if you have savings to live on, or a partner who can support you. Another option is to work part time and keep your benefits while you grow your consulting practice.
4. Do you know the type of consulting work you really want to do (and equally important, what you don’t want to do)? Foundations and nonprofits hire consultants to help them with all kinds of things, such as strategic planning, program development, environmental scans, fundraising, communications, needs assessments, foundation management, facilitation, next generation planning, and executive coaching.  Determine what you are most excited about (and qualified to do). Get clear on what you really don’t enjoy and don’t want to do, and learn how to say “no” (even when money is tight).
5. Do you have the experience and contacts to advise foundations, donors or nonprofits? No matter how much experience you have in your industry, if you don’t have experience working in philanthropy or with nonprofits, you need to get that experience – through employment or volunteering – so that you understand the industry you hope to help.  If you just graduated from college, you really need more “real-world” experience of any kind before you start consulting.  And just because you were a fabulous program officer or nonprofit executive, doesn’t mean you will be a great consultant. One way to gain experience as a consultant without taking the plunge and starting your own business is to subcontract to another consultant. That’s how I got started, and it helped confirm that I love both philanthropy and consulting.

7 resources to learn more about consulting
Check out these resources about consulting and working in the nonprofit sector:

Million Dollar Consulting, by Alan Weiss and the many resources available on his website.

National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers – A great way to connect with and learn from other consultants. You can join as an associate member if you are new to consulting.

Nonprofit Consulting Review (Charity Channel)

How To Start a Consulting Business (Entrepreneur)

What to Expect When Switching To The Nonprofit Sector (NYT article)

Starting and Building a Career in the Nonprofit World (Chronicle of Philanthropy)

The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for Sector-Switchers

I’m passionate about the consulting and evaluation services we provide our foundation and nonprofit clients. Philanthropy and nonprofit consulting can be a fabulous career if it’s right for you. Good luck and keep me posted!

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Posted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly  © Kris Putnam-Walkerly and Philanthropy411, 2009