TWI Blog

Transforming Systems Through Leadership

By May 13, 2015

  “Be harder on the structure and softer on the people.” -John Powell, Haas Institute LeaderSpring trains their leaders to work effectively within the system, and to also work on the system–making it better and more equitable. They take a holistic approach to leadership and believe it is not enough to support leaders in doing…

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Towards Trustworthiness: A Practical Application of Trust Based Investing

By May 11, 2015

In recent conversations, including a few I had while at the Council on Foundations Annual Meeting, folks have asked how to adapt TWI’s 9 Practices of Trust Based Investment in their specific contexts. One family foundation executive asked, “How do I get my 24 person multi-generation family member board, to change the grant-making practices that…

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Reversing the Trust Equation: What If Funders Had to Prove Our Trustworthiness (Instead of Grantees Having to Prove Theirs)?

By May 7, 2015

Lately I’ve been inspired by the notion of changing the rules of the philanthropy game here in the U.S., like Professor Ray Madoff’s challenge to institutions with over six hundred billion dollar endowments be required to pay out more than 5% and stop using “charities” as tax shelters for amassing wealth.  Professor Madoff’s ideas seem…

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Common Application: Philanthropy and Increasing Accessibility

By May 5, 2015

What would it be like if foundations didn’t have to be catered to by nonprofits vying for funding for their mission-driven work? Having been a student and researcher for most of my life, in addition to working for several nonprofits, I have done–and will continue to do–many types of applications. While doing certain applications for…

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Channelling Funds Into Baltimore When They Need It Most

By May 1, 2015

As suggested by Pia in her post on supporting emergent racial justice movements, we have previously advocated for the importance of moving quickly the time is right. While this article we are reposting problematically and racially describes Baltimore are “riot-torn” (we might reframe that as another epicenter for the struggle for human rights for black and…

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