Friday Rewind

The Friday Rewind offers a snapshot of PhilanthroNews —  that means news stories, articles, events of note, or information updates — from around our network and throughout the broad world of philanthropy. Whether you take a quick skim of the material or a deep dive through each item we hope to help inform your work and inspire your thinking.

1. If you are looking for a way to encourage your board to think deeper about the issues impacting your organization, try using generative governance principles. This resource from Board Source explains how they can transform your board and includes an outline of the three mindsets of generative governance,  tips for restructuring board meetings, and common barriers to adopting critical thinking and how to overcome them. Download the resource here
2. Did you miss Prosper Strategies’ latest webinar on developing a marketing plan with mission impact? It covers topics like whether social media followers are a useful marketing metric for nonprofits, if a marketing tactical mix should be developed with management approval, whether marketing should operate under fundraising, and more. Watch the recap here
3. A new report from Arabella Advisors, New Venture Fund, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. examines how philanthropists and investors can support entrepreneurs who have historically faced systemic biases that restricted their access to capital. An Economy For All: How Philanthropy Can Unlock Capital for Women Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs of Color through Inclusive Investing finds that “inclusive investing” practices are key to creating this accessibility.
4. Exciting news from NY Funders Alliance member Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, which recently awarded its largest, single grant to the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. The grant closed the final funding gap to complete the renovation of six of the seven buildings surrounding the historic theater. “The completion of this renovation is an incredible milestone for the Reg,” said Tory Irgang, CRCF executive director. “Our support represents an impressive milestone for the Foundation in making a single grant of this size. We are grateful to the generous giving our Fund for the Region receives that allows us to address emerging needs in our community, such as this.” The Community Foundation’s grant followed significant funding for the renovation from the following, which include several more NY Funders Alliance members: New York state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative; Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation; Gebbie Foundation; and Lenna Foundation.
5. A new report commissioned by Fund for Shared Insight, a group of funders working to build the culture and practice of feedback in philanthropy, gives us a glimpse at why, how, and where feedback might also be employed by organizations focused on policy and advocacy. Aspen Institute’s Planning and Evaluation Program conducted a landscape scan, exploring whether and how U.S. funders and nonprofits focused on advocacy and policy seek to meaningfully connect with the people and communities their work is intended to benefit.