Author Archive
Will What Was Said in Detroit Stay in Detroit?
May 30th, 2013
Thanks to those of you who recently spent time with us in Detroit during our national conference, Pursuing Results: Effective Foundation Practice. Whether it was an idea from a breakout session, an insight from a plenary, or a promise to keep talking with a colleague, I hope the conference made your trip to the Motor City worthwhile. ...
Countdown to the CEP Conference
May 14th, 2013
The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s 2013 national conference, Pursuing Results: Effective Foundation Practice, kicks off in less than a week! We look forward to hosting nearly 300 leaders from the field of philanthropy in Detroit for two days of hard-hitting programming, May 21-22. ...
The Hidden Power of Measurement
February 14th, 2013
In case you haven’t read it yet, the 2013 Annual Letter from Bill Gates “makes the case for using a tool of business to improve the health and welfare of the world’s people.” That tool is measurement, embodied in the letter by the “Lord Chancellor,” a micrometer that allowed inventors to fine tune the performance of steam engines during the early 1800s. ...
Pursuing Results: What We Hope to Learn in Detroit
January 17th, 2013
Practicing effective philanthropy can sound deceptively simple—simply set clear goals, develop coherent strategies to achieve them, be disciplined about implementing those strategies, and use relevant performance indicators to assess your progress. But no matter how clear, coherent, and disciplined you are, achieving the results your intended beneficiaries need is a long-term effort. ...
Who Wants to Go to Detroit?
January 10th, 2013
I was surprised the first time I heard doubts about why we’re holding our 2013 National Conference in Detroit. When I pressed the person, who works in philanthropy, the skepticism seemed to miss the point. ...
Learning From Failure: The Genius of Little Bets
September 7th, 2012
Let’s say your new job is to help give away money in order to solve complex problems such as climate change or poverty. To protect biodiversity in the Rockies. ...
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Will What Was Said in Detroit Stay in Detroit?
While I unable to attend the conference, I was interested in this edition of your blog. As someone who has moved in and out of...
While I unable to attend the conference, I was interested in this edition of your blog. As someone who has moved in and out of...
Lessons from a Risk Taken
I really appreciate your willingness to share this and your assessment of what didn't work out as planned or anticipated. Thanks.
I really appreciate your willingness to share this and your assessment of what didn't work out as planned or anticipated. Thanks.
Lessons from a Risk Taken
Jon, thanks for the comment. If there’s one thing we learned, it’s that the cost in time and effort and dollars were all higher than...
Jon, thanks for the comment. If there’s one thing we learned, it’s that the cost in time and effort and dollars were all higher than...
Lessons from a Risk Taken
Thanks for sharing the lessons learned, and what I sense are second thoughts about the cost/benefit of the whole enterprise. I appreciate the thirst for...
Thanks for sharing the lessons learned, and what I sense are second thoughts about the cost/benefit of the whole enterprise. I appreciate the thirst for...
Foundations and Impact Investing: What Is Really Going On?
Great insight. Sometimes it's great to invest in multiple countries as security as the economy in one country might decrease and increase in another.
Great insight. Sometimes it's great to invest in multiple countries as security as the economy in one country might decrease and increase in another.
