Author Archive:

Ellen Remmer

Practical advice Ellen Remmer 7 June 2020

If not us, then who?

Needless to say, the world has changed. While it is too early to assess the overall impact of the coronavirus pandemic, we see it revealing systemic inequities in all corners of society: health, education, housing, …

Opinion Ellen Remmer 31 May 2019

Invest for better: women lead the way

International philanthropy has consistently been on the leading edge of the movement to use market forces to stimulate sustainable social change. Organizations like the Grameen Bank and KIVA, for example, taught donors the power of …

Conference reports Ellen Remmer and The Philanthropic Initiative 7 November 2014

2014 Exponent Philanthropy Conference – amidst the jugglers

We just spent a few energizing days with over 1,000 ‘master jugglers’ (Exponent Philanthropy has created a one-year Master Juggler Executive Institute for senior staff). These are individuals who are turning big audacious ideas for …

Opinion 1 Ellen Remmer and The Philanthropic Initiative 8 February 2013

Moving towards strategic family philanthropy

This is the second post in a series by Ellen Remmer on strategic family philanthropy. Read her first post, Strategic family philanthropy – an oxymoron? I’m a big believer in strategic philanthropy; again, stemming from …

Opinion 1 Ellen Remmer and The Philanthropic Initiative 1 February 2013

Strategic family philanthropy – an oxymoron?

I have a confession. I’m a prosetelyzer and I’m an evangelist… for strategic family philanthropy. I caught the bug when my own family discovered the joys of working together on our family foundation, and it’s become …

Opinion Ellen Remmer and The Philanthropic Initiative 13 August 2012

Remember social capital?

It’s back. Suddenly I am seeing social capital everywhere and thinking a lot about how philanthropy can cultivate or kill it. I first noticed it at Associated Grantmakers’ Annual Meeting a few weeks ago, where …

Opinion Ellen Remmer and The Philanthropic Initiative 5 June 2012

What business do community foundations have in business?

What business does a community foundation have hawking for-profit deals to its donors and other community members? How does it improve the quality of life in their community? How does it promote the spirit and …

Opinion 1 Ellen Remmer and The Philanthropic Initiative 7 May 2012

Road blocks on the path to strategic giving

Given all the opportunities donors have to move themselves to a higher level of strategic thinking and giving, why do some donors never get there or get stuck, particularly at the ‘getting it’ stage? Why …

Opinion 1 Ellen Remmer and The Philanthropic Initiative 29 March 2012

Off the beaten path – things to consider

Every donor takes a different strategic journey and, though many pass through similar stages, there are important factors that defy categorization by stage because they can be influential at so many different points in time. …

Opinion Ellen Remmer and The Philanthropic Initiative 7 February 2012

Steps in the strategic journey

Whether you are an advisor working to help a donor achieve more or you are a donor interested in better positioning yourself to move up the philanthropic curve, understanding the stages along the journey to …