Resources

Hello Geo, As part of our Strategic Visioning process in 2022, the Iowa West Foundation conducted a number of community listening sessions called Imagine Hours. As a place-based foundation, Iowa West strives for communities in which families love to live and businesses thrive. The Imagine Hours helped us to understand that the community members in our area of southwest Iowa value: Belonging, Financial Stability, Opportunity, and Wellbeing as elements of a prosperous community. We have shifted our focus to align with this feedback. We are also trying to identify metrics that demonstrate whether we are accomplishing Wellbeing (defined as thriving instead of just surviving). We believe an indicator or metric that spoke to community hope would be a strong candidate, but have not found many good resources on how to do this at a city or county level. Does anyone have any great examples, communities, or resources we should consider as we develop this? Thanks! Matt

Are you a foundation trustee or a staff leader working with a foundation/grantmaker board that is intentionally exploring and/or making changes to governance practices to make your board more equitable, meaningful and valuable? If you have been thinking about and experimenting with better/alternative/equitable board governance, GEO would like to hear your story. Please reach out to Meghan Duffy (duffy@geofunders.org) to share the kinds of changes you are making, regardless of how far along you are in the process and if your work has gone well or been more challenging. GEO will host an initial conversation during the National Conference (May 20-22 in Los Angeles) and will be convening additional learning and sharing within our community throughout the next few years. We’re excited to surface more concrete examples of grantmaker boards who are trying to operate differently to meet the needs of their missions and align with their values. Thank you! Meghan

Hello Everyone, We are seeking recommendations for a GMS that incorporates relationship management into the process to allow for tracking of prospect contact, meetings, visits, etc. One system we’ve heard about that might fit the bill is Giving Data. We’re curious if any of you are using Giving Data as your GMS? If so, we’d be grateful to hear how it’s working for you. We’re also open to any other suggestions for a GMS that offers more prospect and relationship management! Or anyone have a system you just love? Many thanks as always! Georganna

Greetings from Central Texas. I am collecting data on best practices for start-up or even idea-stage organizational funding: Do any of you operate in this space or can you share best practices? Even pointing me in the right direction is greatly appreciated. Lastly, is anyone working/supporting community land trusts as it relates to affordable housing? Again, I am seeking best practices, tips - what to look out for, and be aware of. Thanks in advance. Rebecca Rodriguez

Hi all, We’re looking to create a set of sentinel indicators at the portfolio level for some of our thematic areas. We’re understanding sentinel indicators to be indicators that are closely related to the TOC critical assumptions and track whether expected changes are happening. They are intended to identify areas that could benefit from further investigation. Is anyone else using sentinel indicators or something similar and would be willing to share more about their experience and the indicators they are using? Would really appreciate it! Best, Chhavi

Hello GEO friends, I am interested to learn if you have any naming protocols or conventions that you use for grants that you provide to capital projects. Do you ask for naming after your foundation if you provide over a certain amount of funding to the project? Are there other parameters that you consider when making such a request? Thank you for your assistance! Charlotte

Posting on behalf of an anonymous GEO member: “I'm interested in learning about and/or connecting with GRANTMAKERS (specifically; not nonprofits) who have gone down the path of a non-hierarchical or shared leadership model of management structure. I would love to hear about and learn from other foundations who are structured this way without a singular President/Executive Director or experimenting with other forms. Can you direct me to anyone who can offer advice or experience? Thank you in advance.”

Dear GEO Community, Our Foundation is currently in the implementation phase of a new strategic plan, which includes re-designing our organization to match our strategy. To assist us in this important phase of our development we are in the process of identifying potential consultants. Ideally, it would be most effective to engage a consultant/consulting firm that provides expertise in a number of areas including structure, process, and culture. Any insight, recommendations, and/or referrals you may be able to provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Curtis

Hello all! We are seeking any resources or methods that people recommend for creating a streamlined grant review process for board members who have larger numbers of grants to review. Thanks for any guidance or structure you’ve found helpful! Georganna

Hello all, We are seeking resources or sample policies for foundations that offer stipends to NPOs that they invite to apply, to cover the NPO’s time in filling out the application/write the proposal. Thank you as always for your knowledge sharing! Georganna