Recently, we have seen organizations requesting help with incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into their grant making. We know the issue as soon as we see the request and we know those requests are missing 2 important building blocks.
Today’s Fast Build topic is about how to build an effective grant-making process. Nic shares the third and final building block you need to build an effective grant-making process for your organization.
The third building block is that you must ensure that the core and overall design of the process are equitable and inclusive. This third building block comes after consideration of the first two building blocks, which are understanding your organization’s values and understanding and defining risk.
At each building block phase, you address equity and inclusion in your approach, analysis, discussion, and struggle, and then finally ensure that the entire process has been assembled in this way. After years of building grant-making processes and infrastructure, we do not believe there is any other way to build an effective grant-making process.
How are you thinking about equity and inclusion in your grant-making process? About your values? And about risk?
Let us know in the comments!
You can follow the link to watch Episode 45.
Did you know that how you negotiate the provisions within your service agreements actually impacts the sustainability of your #nonprofit or #philanthropy?
Today’s Fast Build topic is about the key elements of a service agreement. Nic shares the top 3 considerations for nonprofits and philanthropies engaging service providers.
Paying attention to a service agreement’s payment terms, indemnification provisions, and confidentiality terms is critical. Losing sight of any one of them can ultimately impact your organization’s bottom line, flexibility, and resilience. So, it is critical to your organizational infrastructure to understand and negotiate what you are signing, particularly when it comes to these terms.
When was the last time you considered how a service agreement might impact your bottom line? Let us know in the comments!
You can follow the link to watch Episode 40.
Given what we have seen so far, #nonprofit and #philanthropy leaders might be saying this phrase at the end of 2021: “Remember when we hosted that ‘bylaws and committee charter review’ party last year that was standing-room only?”
Today’s Fast Build Friday topic is the infrastructure trends to watch in 2021. Nic highlights the second of two 2021 trends that she wants to talk about in a bit more detail. It is the second part of a two-part series.
The second infrastructure trend that Nic thinks we should watch this year is #governance. We believe any organizations within the sector will start to critically question their governance structure and pay attention to the pipeline in place to recruit members to ensure that their boards and structure are both strong.
What are you thinking about governance in 2021? What other infrastructure trends are you seeing in 2021?
Let us know in the comments!
You can follow the link to watch Episode 39.
Are you a trendspotter? Did you know that trendspotting can help you strengthen your #nonprofit infrastructure and inform your #capacitybuilding?
Today’s Fast Build Friday topic is reflecting on 2020 infrastructure trends. Nic highlights 3 of the 11 trends that we previously said the sector should be paying attention to.
Those three highlighted trends are donor collaboratives, place-based vision, and #technology. Listen to hear what we thought of each in 2020 and where we are now.
Would you be surprised to learn that all of the trends that we thought would become more visible in 2020, actually did? And COVID likely made them show up even more. And the racial justice protests, particularly in the United States, impacted these trends too.
What infrastructure trends did you predict for 2020? Let us know in the comments.
You can follow the link to watch Episode 37.
We’ve been hearing a lot recently about MacKenzie Scott’s grant making, including to some organizations that were not expecting the millions they received. Do you think your #nonprofit is “ready” to receive $5M or $50M in unrestricted grant funding tomorrow?
Today’s Fast Build Friday topic is substantial grant award considerations. Nic shares two key considerations to help an organization prepare for and effectively use a substantial grant.
Receiving a substantial grant award should not be the end of the story. You need technical assistance alongside substantial, unrestricted funding to help ensure an organization’s effective use of the grant. And you also need to consider the ecosystem in which the organization sits when determining how you will use the grant. These considerations are critical to advancing your vision of the change you want to see in the world.
What would you do with $5M? How would you prepare? Let us know in the comments!
You can follow the link to watch Episode 36.
How do you determine whether you should collaborate with another #nonprofit? Do you have clear criteria for entering into collaborations with other nonprofits or do you base your decision on fear or trust?
Today’s Fast Build Friday is about strategic nonprofit alliances. Nic highlights 3 key principles to consider when entering into a strategic nonprofit alliance.
If you are entering into collaborations simply to secure funding, or do not understand the structure of your collaborations and partnerships, or you are considering an alliance only because your organization is at its weakest, you are impacting your chance to improve your infrastructure and build sustainability.
When you step into strategic nonprofit alliances with immense clarity, you can strengthen your infrastructure, build your capacity, and expand the impact you’d like to have with vulnerable and marginalized communities.
What do your strategic nonprofit alliances look like? Let us know in the comments!
You can follow the link to watch Episode 34.
Raise your hand if you have a Conflict of Interest (COI) policy. Now, are you following that policy?
When you are not closely following your COI Policy, you may be missing out on opportunities to strengthen your work and infrastructure.
Today’s Fast Build Friday is about the importance of having and following a Conflict of Interest Policy. Nic discusses three considerations about these policies that illustrate just how critically important they are to strengthening infrastructure.
Working with #nonprofits and philanthropies around the world, Nic has seen the effect that a strong COI policy can have when implemented throughout the organization. It is an often overlooked way to help strengthen the framework from which you do your best work.
How are you handling conflicts of interest in your organization? Let us know in the comments!
You can follow the link to watch Episode 33.
This article was originally published in the PEAK Grantmaking Journal. PEAK Grantmaking is a member-led national association of more than 5,000 professionals who specialize in grants management for funding organizations.…
The Discovery Pod, hosted by former CEO Douglas Nelson, features conversations with leaders in non-profit/social sector. He talks with CEOs, Board Chairs, Founders and other senior leaders about how they got started in the sector, how they work with their boards, and what remains to be done. Doug is the current Managing Director of The Discovery Group, a philanthropy and governance consulting firm based in Vancouver, BC., where understands the complexity of leading organizations and institutions and the challenges of aligning governance and philanthropic performance.
Listen to Episode 72 where Doug interviews our very own Founder & CEO, A. Nicole Campbell. Together, they dive into how Nic found her way into the field of philanthropy, taking risks, her advice for philanthropy leaders and much more.
Have you ever referred to another #nonprofit organization doing similar work as a “competitor”? Do you think that because an organization is doing work in the same space as you, you are automatically competing for funding?
Today’s Fast Build Friday is about the connection between a unique value proposition and infrastructure. In it, Nic highlights how you can identify your unique value proposition and also explain the clear link between a unique value proposition and infrastructure.
When you do not know your unique value proposition, you tend to see nearly anyone doing similar work as competitors. It also has serious implications for your programmatic strategy and infrastructure. When you understand and share your unique value proposition, however, it strengthens both your work and your infrastructure, which ultimately makes your organization more resilient and sustainable.
Do you spend time thinking about how you uniquely problem solve alongside the communities you serve? What is your unique value proposition? Let us know in the comments!
You can follow the link to watch Episode 32.