GEOList Summary: Engaging a Family Foundation Board in Strategic Planning

During the past year, we have begun assessing our historical giving trends in our five program areas, starting with education which is the board’s highest priority area. As a next step, we would like to learn more about strategies for engaging a large family foundation board in a process that seeks to more deliberately define the specific vision, strategies, objectives, and metrics for each program area. To assist us in this effort, we are looking for any insights or feedback on the following: 1. Recommendations of consultants who have experience working with foundations, specifically in the area of grantmaking program strategy development. 2. Advice, ideas, or lessons learned on how to engage large boards in these types of discussions – retreats, surveys, committee work, etc.