The Catalytic Philanthropy Podcast

Jackie Edwards — Building Sustainability by Connecting Grantee Partners with Business, Government, Academia

Many foundations want their favorite grantee partners to expand their sources of support. But fewer take an active role in helping partners become more sustainable. The Pascale Sykes Foundation connects partners with many kinds of organizations working in the same field. Jackie Edwards shares how the relationships that result have led to greater coordination, synergy, and to new revenue streams.

 

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Jackie Edwards serves as Vice President of Strategic Engagement at the Pascale Sykes Foundation. With a deep understanding of the many challenges faced by disadvantaged, low-income families, Ms. Edwards has been a steadfast and outspoken advocate for more than 30 years.

Caroline Wertz — How Focusing Deeply Transformed a Foundation, Leading to Systems-Level Work

What opportunities emerge when a foundation focuses more deeply? Caroline Wertz of the Scheidel Foundation shares how she spent more time with a smaller number of grantee partners, and engaged them in conversations. Deep listening allowed Caroline to understand challenges that were common to several organizations working in the same field, and identify gaps. This opened the door to opportunities for collective impact, and systems-level change. The journey all started with focusing.

 

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Caroline Wertz is Senior Director of Programs at the Scheidel Foundation, which supports college success for underrepresented students, and advances the field of integrative cancer care. In her prior positions, she focused on providing capacity building, leadership coaching, and training to help community-based nonprofits become more effective and sustainable.

Lindsey Stammerjohn — From Supporting Programs to Building Organizations Part 2: Hosting Convenings and Funding Training

The John Gogian Foundation began its philanthropy by supporting individuals and families. As staff learned about challenges facing grantee partners and the field, it shifted its entire approach. Hear how listening deeply to nonprofit partners transformed the way a foundation worked - from supporting programs to strengthening organizations.

 

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Lindsey Stammerjohn served as executive director of the John Gogian Family Foundation, where she developed deep, long-term relationships with leaders of partner organizations. For a dozen years, Lindsey provided training and capacity building to the foundation’s key partners, convened them and built a networked community, and encouraged peer learning and mutual support. Ultimately, Lindsey and the foundation strengthened their partners’ long-term sustainability. Lindsey retired in the fall of 2021; the relationships and trust she nurtured is a legacy that will endure for many years. Exponent is deeply grateful to Lindsey for serving as a teacher, guide, and mentor to many philanthropic leaders around the country.

Lindsey Stammerjohn — From Supporting Programs to Building Organizations Part 1: Making the Case to Our Board

The John Gogian Foundation began its philanthropy by supporting individuals and families. As staff learned about challenges facing grantee partners and the field, it shifted its entire approach. Hear how listening deeply to nonprofit partners transformed the way a foundation worked - from supporting programs to strengthening organizations.

 

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Lindsey Stammerjohn served as executive director of the John Gogian Family Foundation, where she developed deep, long-term relationships with leaders of partner organizations. For a dozen years, Lindsey provided training and capacity building to the foundation’s key partners, convened them and built a networked community, and encouraged peer learning and mutual support. Ultimately, Lindsey and the foundation strengthened their partners’ long-term sustainability. Lindsey retired in the fall of 2021; the relationships and trust she nurtured is a legacy that will endure for many years. Exponent is deeply grateful to Lindsey for serving as a teacher, guide, and mentor to many philanthropic leaders around the country.

Bonnie Gonzalez — A Foundation Leader Serves as Mentor and Coach in Her Community

Working on health access and economic development on the Texas - Mexico border, Bonnie Gonzalez uses her mentoring and coaching skills to help community members fulfill their goals, and realize their full potential. Hear how a foundation leader plays a mentoring role to build capacity and leadership in her community.

 

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Bonnie was named founding chief executive officer for Knapp Community Care Foundation in late 2013. KCCF invests in prevention/wellness, direct health services, health related education and behavioral health. Bonnie has been involved in public and higher education, health care, and public nonprofit work throughout her career. She is currently on the board for Philanthropy Southwest, advisory board for Western Governor’s University-Texas, and Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

Diane Brown — How Community Participation Amplifies a Foundation‘s Work

A small foundation with four staff amplifies its work by engaging dozens of community members from all walks of life - government, business, civic, and nonprofit. Diane Brown explains how she and colleagues structure the work of volunteers, and make participation meaningful and fulfilling. As an example, the foundation collaborated with nonprofits and city leaders to establish a social purpose grocery store in a neighborhood without access to fresh food.

 

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Bio: A life-long resident of the Binghamton NY area, Diane Brown has been involved in nonprofit and community service for over 40 years. Currently she is chair of the board of New York State Habitat and has led the Community Foundation for South Central New York since 2006.

Michael Weinberg — Advocating for State-Level Systems Change Part 3: Tips for Getting Started

Michael Weinberg reflects on what he learned working in a successful advocacy coalition over several years, and shares tips for how foundations of any size can lay the ground to catalyze significant policy-level change on issues they care about. 

 

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Bio: Michael Weinberg is a Policy Officer at the Thornburg Foundation. His previous roles include program evaluation manager for New Mexico’s Legislative Finance Committee, public school teacher, and principal. Michael earned his doctorate in education from the University of New Mexico and lives in Albuquerque with his wife and two teenage daughters.

Michael's blogs:

• Advocating For State-Level Systems Changes: Policy Work By a Small Foundation

Michael Weinberg — Advocating for State-Level Systems Change Part 2: The Power of Joining a Coalition

A coalition is a powerful way for a group of foundations to learn together and build skills to do advocacy. Each member brings a different and valuable perspective. Michael Weinberg shares how a group of funders he brought together in New Mexico on early childhood got involved in advocacy, built relationships and trust with the state's legislature, and helped catalyze long-term public investments in the state's children and families.

 

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Bio: Michael Weinberg is a Policy Officer at the Thornburg Foundation. His previous roles include program evaluation manager for New Mexico’s Legislative Finance Committee, public school teacher, and principal. Michael earned his doctorate in education from the University of New Mexico and lives in Albuquerque with his wife and two teenage daughters.

Michael's blogs:

• Advocating For State-Level Systems Changes: Policy Work By a Small Foundation

Janis Reischmann — Convening Nurtures Community and Powerful Ideas

Over the course of 12 years, the Hau‘oli Mau Loa Foundation in Hawai'i convened a group of organizations working in a new approach to education focused on the environment. Over time, the foundation and its partners nurtured and developed this emerging field through peer learning, developing different models of program delivery, and demonstrating impact. Organizations around the state are taking notice, creating the potential for larger numbers of children and youth to benefit. Learn how convening, a strategy available to the smallest foundations, can help catalyze large-scale change.

 

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Bio: Janis has served as the Executive Director of Hau‘oli Mau Loa Foundation in Honolulu, Hawai‘i since April, 2008, and joined its board in 2011. Before coming to the foundation, she served as Vice President of Hawai`i Community Foundation and was the principal of a consulting practice focused on organizational development. She has masters degrees in social work and in business administration. Her home is on O‘ahu in Nu‘uanu with her husband and two dogs.

Doug Bauer — See the Big Picture, Become a Player in Your State

Catalytic funders work to understand the ecosystem of their issue or community. They find out what grantees need to perform well and be strong and sustainable. Doug Bauer talks about how listening also allows him to understand the relationship between the nonprofit and public sectors in New York State, and how engaging with diverse organizations connects him to this big ecosystem. By engaging constantly with other funders and networks, Doug becomes an active participant in the policy landscape, and empowers his foundation to play a role in making sure billions of dollars in state and federal money is spent in ways that are accountable to people in the community.

 

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Bio: Doug is the Executive Director The Clark, Scriven and Fernleigh Foundations in New York. Doug has more than 20 years of experience in the field of philanthropy and currently serves three foundations. The Clark Foundation focuses on helping individuals to lead independent and productive lives and supports nonprofits and programs in New York City and Cooperstown, NY. Doug is also executive director of The Scriven and Fernleigh Foundations.