Author Archive:
Kris Putnam-Walkerly
Seven lessons donors can learn from MacKenzie Scott’s surprise $1.7 billion gift
On July 28, MacKenzie Scott surprised the world by announcing she had made $1.7 billion in donations to 116 nonprofit organisations. They were selected for the transformative work they were doing and to support leaders driving …
Rapid strategy development in times of crisis
Strategies guide philanthropists during tumultuous times Philanthropists are most effective when they have a strategy. And, formulating that strategy is easier than you think. With a strategy ready to guide decisions, givers save time and …
COVID-19 doesn’t need to slow you down
In the past week, I’ve heard a dozen examples of philanthropists who dramatically slowed or halted their work because of cancelled trips or the need to work remotely. Assuming loved ones and colleagues are not …
Three signs of a scarcity mindset in your philanthropy
As a donor, you want to change the world. You seek transformational change. You don’t want a band-aid. You want solutions. But something stands in your way. That thing between well-intentioned donors and transformational giving …
Small Donors, big thinking
How small investors can change the world ‘Small but mighty’ is a phrase we’ve seen applied time and again to describe something that seems too little to notice but that packs a wallop when it …
Three conditions for dramatic impact in philanthropy
Have the most impact possible in your charitable giving. If you want to achieve dramatic impact in philanthropy you need to know where you’re going, you need to get there, and you need to know …
What’s your ‘secret weapon’ in philanthropy?
Free yourself from the daily grind and support your best work. Keeping up with board meetings, grant applications, new partnerships, changes in technology and more can make the day-to-day work of managing a foundation very …
Bringing the joy back to your philanthropy
Here are five steps you can take to rekindle your love of philanthropy. Renew the spark that set you on this path. When you first entered the world of philanthropy, did you begin each new …
How to make your funder collaboration a success
Four best practices for effectively partnering with other funders Philanthropists often expect nonprofits to collaborate, but they less frequently turn that expectation on themselves. Yet there is tremendous opportunity to exponentially expand the impact of …
Philanthropy – The forgotten investment asset
Why philanthropic giving is a smart investment tool for business. Socially conscious investors are after more than just financial returns. In addition to making money in the markets, we also want to make a difference. …
