The Top 11 of 2011

December 29, 2011

As the year draws to a close, we think it’s worthwhile to take a look back and highlight some of the favorite, most read pieces from the Philanthropy Potluck blog in 2011. From working with program officers to the education gap to teaching kids the value of philanthropy, here are some of our readers’ favorite posts!

  1. Pet Peeves from Program Officers – How to steer clear of some common annoyances in the grantmaker/grantee relationship.
  2. Program Evaluation or Research and Development? – We need both! Six principles for engaging in sound research & development.
  3. Grantmaking at Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies – Minnesota’s largest grantmaker gears up and starts granting.
  4. Blandin Foundation Names New CEO – We welcome Kathleen Annette to her new role.
  5. What Does It Take to Lead in Diversity and Inclusivity? – Excerpts from an interview with Headwaters Foundation for Justice program director David Nicholson.
  6. High Praise from Program Officers – The flip side of pet peeves: how to make that relationship a good one!
  7. Youthprise Launches to Champion Learning Beyond the Classroom – A new grantmaker and MCF member hits the scene.
  8. Five Critical Ways to Address the Education Gap – Recommendations from the Minnesota African American Leadership Forum.
  9. We All Lose: Impact of Deep Cuts to NEA – Thoughts on arts-related cuts passed in Congress earlier this year.
  10. Native Americans in Philanthropy Giving Research Shows Inequities – Some bad news (national funding to Native Americans is low), and some good (Minnesota-based grantees receive the largest share of grant dollars targeting Native Americans in the nation).
  11. Teaching Kids to Share, Save and Spend – Some lessons from Teach Your Kids to Share Day, presented by MCF member Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Join the conversation: What were your favorite blog posts of 2011?

2 Comments | children, diversity, ethnic philanthropy, evaluation, programs, promotion of philanthropy, research | Permalink
Posted by MCF Webmaster

Quality Youth Mentoring in Minnesota

August 9, 2011

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of sitting in on a member-initiated briefing on youth mentoring, co-sponsored by the Travelers Foundation and the Carlson Family Foundation.

Coming into the program, I already solidly believed in the importance of the subject matter, as I can recall more occasions than I can count on two hands when a teacher or tutor has made the difference between passing and failing. Even now, in my college years, I am extremely grateful to have math tutors available to help me get through my microeconomics and finance classes­. For me, the one-on-one encouragement, attention and accountability remain crucial.­

So how do we pinpoint what makes a mentorship experience effective?

The resounding reason for attending the program given by most of the grantmakers was the desire to learn more about a new online program assessment tool called the Quality Mentoring Assessment Path, or QMAP. QMAP is presented by the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota (MPM) and based on the latest policies, practices, experience and research for youth mentoring.

During the program, grantmakers were shown a video demonstration of how QMAP works, along with next steps available after an assessment is completed. One of these steps includes a follow-up visit from an MPM staff member to help design an individualized improvement program and provide additional resources.

These steps help answer the big question provoked by undergoing the QMAP assessment: “Based on results, what is the plan for improvement of your mentoring program?”

Why Assessment Is So Important

As powerfully put by Saint Paul Public School Foundation’s Karen Woodward, “Literacy is life or death.”

In today’s competitive age of information and technology, in order for kids to have the best chance at success, tutoring and mentoring have proven time and again to be key components. Involvement in these helps students socially, emotionally, psychologically, as well as academically. The research has shown it, youth can attest to it.

So, why the big push for quality now? Laura LaCroix-Dalluhn from Youth Community Connections explained: “Just bringing kids together and giving them a safe place to study is not enough.” Not all tutoring and mentoring experiences are created equal and can actually do more harm than good if they are not of quality. But different ideas of what constitutes “quality” pose a challenge, which is where the QMAP assessment system comes into play. The initiative to shift the field to more accountable quality using tools such as QMAP is meeting a serious need.

Use of the QMAP system may further inspire both volunteers and grantmakers to invest their support in programs they know are dedicated to a higher quality standard.

Graham Hartley of MIGIZI Communications elaborated on a metaphor Woodward used during the discussion to explain that high quality will have several looks: 

 “It’s a fruit salad of organizations, not a fruit smoothie. Programs participating in the QMAP process do not lose their individual flavor.”

In other words, each program that actively participates in the QMAP process will not lose its uniqueness and become a cookie cutter version of every other program, but rather enhance its way of practice, so that parents and students can depend on its quality.

 Image CC Sam Pac
-McKenzie Mackintosh, MCF Communications Intern

Comments Off | children, corporate, education, family foundations, leadership, mcf, nonprofits, programs, volunteers, youth | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by McKenzie Mackintosh

Learning About the Philanthropic Landscape Can Help You Be a More Effective Grantmaker

March 29, 2011

Up-and-coming grantmakers face steep learning curves – becoming experts in the issues their organizations support, connecting with stakeholders, learning internal grantmaking processes, and more.

Most hit the ground running without an opportunity to gain a deeper context for their work – the wide-ranging insights about the field of philanthropy that will help them be more effective grantmakers.

The Minnesota Council on Foundations is offering this catch-your-breath opportunity to learn about the grantmaking landscape to all grantmakers in the region. Join us for Essential Skills and Strategies (ESS). We’ve extended the early-bird discount to April 7.

  • Gain knowledge through a comprehensive curriculum developed by two renowned national organizations – the Council on Foundations and the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers.
  • Explore proven concepts and real-life examples on such topics as: Navigating Legal and Ethical Issues; Making Sound Funding Recommendations; Maximizing Grant Impact; and others. Learn from highly regarded philanthropy experts and trainers Kerrie Blevins and Mary Pickard, who used their combined 60 years of experience to customize this program specifically for grantmakers in our region.
  • In a comfortable, beautiful retreat setting, build invaluable professional relationships with colleagues for future support and sharing.

Essential Skills and Strategies for Grantmakers will be held April 14-15, 2011, at the beautiful University of St. Thomas Gainey Conference Center in Owatonna, Minn.

For more info and to register, visit the MCF website.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

Comments Off | programs | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Chris Noonan

Convergence — The Five Trends Reshaping the Social Sector

April 1, 2010

To paraphrase the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “Nothing stays the same but change.” Those working in the social sector right now can attest to this statement. New economic, social, and technological trends are intersecting to remake the work of nonprofits, and in turn the work of the grantmaking institutions that support them.

This confluence is the theme of a recent report published by The James Irvine Foundation entitled Convergence: How Five Trends Will Reshape the Social Sector (pdf), and an upcoming MCF Philanthropy Leadership Series program happening on April 23.

Based on an extensive review of existing research and in-depth interviews with thought leaders and nonprofit leaders and activists, it explores the following five trends:

  • Demographic shifts and how they’re redefining participation in the social sector
  • The technological advances in communications that are compressing both time and space
  • Networks and how they are enabling work to be organized in new ways
  • The rising interest in civic engagement and volunteerism
  • Sector boundaries and the blurring of nonprofit and for-profit work

The report provides insights on ways nonprofits are successfully navigating these changes by highlighting organizations who have created strategies to address these trends. You can download a pdf copy of the report here (pdf) at The James Irvine Foundation website.

Members of the Minnesota Council on Foundations are invited to register for our upcoming program on the report’s findings. The full day program, entitled “Five Key Trends that are Converging to Reshape the Social Sector,” will be held on April 23 at the Children’s Home Society and Family Services main office in St. Paul. It will consist of two sessions conducted by Heather Gowdy, lead author of the report, and senior associate at La Piana Consulting, a national firm dedicated to strengthening nonprofits and foundations.

The morning session will include an overview of the trends, followed by a peer panel discussion of their implications, and finally a small group action planning session. In the afternoon Gowdy and attendees will delve more deeply into one of the outgrowths of the new economic reality, namely the need among many nonprofits to restructure. Recommendations on how successful restructuring can be transacted, and how grantmakers can properly assist in the process will be shared through an examination of a number of national case studies. Members can learn more and register for the program at mcf.org. Unsure if you’re an MCF member grantmaker? View our list of MCF members here.

This program is the inaugural event in a new Philanthropy Leadership Series, launched by MCF for members who wish to engage in a high-level dialogue about broader sector and societal trends, and how Minnesota grantmakers and philanthropists can proactively meet the future needs of the sector, the nation, and the world.

Comments Off | programs | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by MCF Webmaster

Put On Those Thinking Caps — The Minnesota Idea Open Starts Today!

March 18, 2010

Time to put your thinking caps on people, Minnesota Idea Open is officially open for business!

Today is the premiere day for a new venture launched by The Minnesota Community Foundation with the purpose to get Minnesotans involved in solving the growing problem of obesity in the state. The winning idea will receive a $15,000 grant to make idea into reality and the person submitting it will get $500.

So here’s what you do: Think of an idea that would get people in your community to move more and eat better. Be creative in your thinking. Make the idea feasible and adoptable by other communities. Go to the website and submit your idea.

You can submit your idea for Minnesota Idea Open: How do we get people to eat smart and be active? from today till April 9th. Judges will select the two or three best ideas. Beginning May 3rd you’ll be able to put in your vote for the winning idea. The winning idea will be implemented within the following 12 months by an organization which will act as a fiscal agent for the grant. If the project brings positive outcomes the plan is that it will be able to be duplicated in other communities.

So, get your Think on and get people moving! If you want a chance to scope out the “competition”, check out this hysterical promotional video that the team at Minnesota Idea Open has put together. For ongoing updates, follow them on twitter @MNIdeaOpen!

- Annette Lennartsson, MCF administrative assistant

Comments Off | community foundations, nonprofits, programs, public policy | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Annette Lennartsson

Funding Insight Directly From Funders

February 23, 2010

Everyone is talking about the “new reality,” but what exactly is this, and what could it mean for nonprofits, funders and the relationship between the two?

How is this new reality affecting funding and grantseeking? How can nonprofits access insight directly from those who review grant applications and make funding decisions?

Drawing on its connections with grantmakers who account for nearly $900 million in grants each year in Minnesota, the Minnesota Council on Foundations has encapsulated grantmaker knowledge and insight into its Grantseeking for Beginners seminars to help nonprofits learn what makes a proposal rise to the top, get noticed and get funded in an era of intense competition for extremely tight resources.

A group of corporate grantmakers and family, private and community foundations recently shared these nuggets of advice for grantseekers:

  • “Those who are able to convey their message the best will win out in a tighter grant reality.  Poorly written applications will not get noticed, and grant funders may no longer be as accessible to work with groups to help them improve their application.”
  • “I would encourage collaboration and research to avoid duplication.  In a tighter funding reality, grantmakers will be looking closely at the amount of collaboration between organizations and seek to ensure that there is as little duplication of efforts as possible in the grants that they award.”
  • “Don’t assume ‘same as last year’ when it comes to a foundation’s contact information, focus or funding guidelines. Many foundations have made internal changes, tightened budgets and changed processes.”
  • “Prepare and educate yourselves on the funder. Visit websites first; don’t call with questions on information that can be found online.  Use that information to your benefit to show you have educated yourself. Organizations need to do homework.”

If you’d like to learn more directly from funders, attend one of MCF’s Grantseeking for Beginners one-day seminars – we’re offering four this year, including some in greater Minnesota.

First up is 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 3 in St. Paul. Sign up by February 25 to save $30 off the registration fee.

At this session, learn all the basics – from researching relevant funding sources to developing strong and effective grant applications. See the proposal review and decision-making process from grantmakers’ points of view during a grantmaker panel discussion featuring:

If you can’t make the seminar, but want to learn more about a resource that can help you do your grantseeking homework on funders, check out Minnesota Grantmakers Online, MCF’s searchable database of funders and grants.

Comments Off | economy, education, fundraising, grantseekers, mcf, nonprofits, programs | Permalink
Posted by Chris Noonan

Bringing to Life the Buzzword “Leverage”

February 15, 2010

Over the past year, as I’ve been writing for various publications of the Minnesota Council on Foundations and reading extensively on philanthropy, the word that’s rising to the top more and more is “leverage.”

Dictionary.com defines the word several ways, but the most relevant to philanthropy are:

  • The power or ability to act or to influence people, events, decisions, etc.; sway.
  • The use of a small initial investment, credit or borrowed funds to gain a very high return in relation to one’s investment, to control a much larger investment, or to reduce one’s own liability for any loss.

Kevin Walker, president and CEO of Northwest Area Foundation, has described “leverage” the most vividly. At MCF’s 2010 Outlook Program for Minnesota Grantmakers and Nonprofits on Jan. 29, as part of the panel discussion, he said leveraging is “making sure our dollar pushes other dollars in a direction in pursuit of our mission.”

As part of my research for our spring issue of Giving Forum, which will focus on innovation in philanthropy, I am reading the annual reports of several MCF members. The 2009 report of West Central Initiative (WCI) was filled with stories of how it is leveraging its funding in the nine counties and 83 communities the foundation serves in west central Minnesota.

Among the highlights:

  • WCI’s Community Organizing and Visioning Grant was joined with a variety of public and private funding to energize stewards in Bemidji, Alexandria and Fergus Falls to create “destiny statements” envisioning the future of their communities and measurable goals to achieve.
  • WCI is acting as fiscal host, grant writer and coordinator of the Early Childhood Dental Network, which has grown into a regional effort to combat a deficiency in access to oral health care.
  • Gap financing – such as that provided to local entrepreneurs, including TFC Poultry in Ashby – is supporting job creation and business establishment and expansion in rural Minnesota.
  • WCI used its expertise to help community organizers map out a fundraising effort and create the Pelican Rapids School Fund to raise and administer funds when the school levy referendum failed and the school district faced dire cutbacks.

These are energizing, motivating and inspirational ways WCI is bringing to life the concept of “leveraging” – using its resources to push other resources as WCI pursues its mission in greater Minnesota.

– Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF communications associate

1 Comment | community foundations, fundraising, general operating support, giving forum, Greater Minnesota, health, nonprofits, programs, promotion of philanthropy | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Chris Noonan

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