Perspectives

  • Perspective

    Rapid Response Grantmaking: Responding to Concerns About Community Wellbeing

    Post-presidential election, the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund noticed the increasing amount of threats and harm facing marginalized communities. In response, they created a Responsive Grant invitation to provide immediate support to Connecticut communities facing these threats.
    • February 16, 2018
  • Perspective

    Improving Maternal and Infant Health Through Collaboration and Engagement

    bi3 provided $3.2 million to launch StartStrong, a maternal and infant health initiative. They supported partners throughout, creating and fostering collaboration. They recently published a short paper highlighting their insights from this project.
    • February 8, 2018
  • Perspective

    Rapid Response Grantmaking: Standing with Immigrant and Refugee Neighbors

    Solidarity MN is a coalition of Minnesota foundations inspired to act by the first Executive Order banning travel from several Muslim-majority countries. While the strategic priorities of our philanthropic partners are unique, our core value is shared: standing with immigrant and refugee neighbors at a time of unprecedented fear and uncertainty.
    • February 2, 2018
  • Perspective

    Looking Forward and Looking Back: 20 Years of Community

    This year, the GEO community celebrates 20 years of making meaningful progress together. It’s a moment for recognizing the fundamental power of community — a moment for remembering how much grantmakers have achieved, and can achieve, when we work together.
    • January 26, 2018
  • Perspective

    Rapid Response Grantmaking: From Day 1 to 100, We Made it 100 Days of US

    The Sprout Fund designs grassroots grantmaking programs that tap the ingenuity of community residents and enable them to contribute to larger regional goals. Immediately following the 2016 presidential election, they knew we had to act quickly and create a new funding mechanism to enable a swift civic response. Their initiative, 100 Days of US, helped Pittsburghers set their own agenda for the first 100 days of the new presidential administration.
    • January 19, 2018
  • Perspective

    Thank You for Influencing Our Future Direction

    Thank you for engaging with us throughout 2017 and sharing your wisdom and perspectives. With your help, we were able to develop a strategic direction that will make us a stronger organization and a stronger community -- one that holds true to the values that bind us together. Our next 20 years of meaningful progress start now, and there's much to celebrate!
    • January 11, 2018
  • Perspective

    Cross-post: 5 Concrete Steps Foundations Can Take to Advance Racial Equity

    In December 2017, Lori Bartczak and Starsky Wilson co-authored an op ed for the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The article, Concrete Steps Foundations Can Take to Advance Racial Equity, emphasizes that grantmakers "seek to help create resilient communities in which everyone can thrive, but that is impossible if we tolerate inequities based on race."
    • January 5, 2018
  • Perspective

    The Story of the Blue Line Coalition

    Beginning in 2012, Nexus and the Phillips Foundation partnered to fund and convene a group of organizations that would later become the Blue Line Coalition to engage communities of color in advocating for equitable outcomes in the planning of the Bottineau Blueline light rail extension through North Minneapolis. Today, Blue Line Coalition members have seen their impact on the policies and structure of the light rail plans, and in building community capacity.
    • December 14, 2017
  • Perspective

    Cross-post: What Does it Take to Build Strong Relationships?

    On November 21, 2017, the Center for Effective Philanthropy posted this blog on building strong relationships. GEO's work on strong relationships with nonprofits is closely aligned with CEP's new publication Relationships Matter: Program Officers, Grantees, and the Keys to Success. This article explores what it takes to build strong relationships.
    • December 5, 2017
  • Perspective

    Look at Social Impact Projects for What They Are: Investment

    When funding social impact projects, grantmakers have historically not provided contingency funds to address unexpected obstacles and adapt to changing environments. Social entrepreneurs need flexible funding to be nimble and responsive. This post makes the case for thinking differently about investments in nonprofits.
    • November 30, 2017