The Catalytic Philanthropy Podcast

Colleen O’Keefe ─ ”We Never Would Have Made This Impact by Relying on Grant Proposals.” How Listening and Building Relationships Allowed a Small Foundation to Catalyze Transformation - Part 2

Colleen O'Keefe, Executive Director of the Sauer Family Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota, points out that all grantmaking is done in the context of large systems encompassing nonprofits as well as government agencies. Colleen realized she needed to talk with people who work in different parts of the child welfare system to understand the system as a whole and where the foundation could add real value. In this two-part Podcast, Colleen shares how listening without preconceptions, inviting people to step back and reflect, and convening staff from diverse agencies re-framed and transformed the work. By listening and convening, the foundation was able to look at underlying causes, focus on prevention, and target its support to remove barriers and scale up services that had potential to change the way children and families were served, and address racial disparities.  

 

Related Blogs

• https://www.exponentphilanthropy.org/blog/listening-in-on-a-system/
• https://www.exponentphilanthropy.org/blog/targeting-racial-disparities-in-child-welfare/

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Colleen O’Keefe is the Executive Director of The Sauer Family Foundation, whose mission is to invest in strengthening the well-being of children, so they thrive in their families and communities. In Minnesota she led a systems reform effort for the Child Welfare system and continues to work alongside colleagues on the reform efforts. Colleen has facilitated conversations for Exponent Philanthropy’s national community of lean funders on aligning philanthropic work for greatest impact, and the importance of listening.

Colleen O’Keefe ─ ”We Never Would Have Made This Impact by Relying on Grant Proposals.” How Listening and Building Relationships Allowed a Small Foundation to Catalyze Transformation - Part 1

Colleen O'Keefe, Executive Director of the Sauer Family Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota, points out that all grantmaking is done in the context of large systems encompassing nonprofits as well as government agencies. Colleen realized she needed to talk with people who work in different parts of the child welfare system to understand the system as a whole and where the foundation could add real value. In this two-part Podcast, Colleen shares how listening without preconceptions, inviting people to step back and reflect, and convening staff from diverse agencies re-framed and transformed the work. By listening and convening, the foundation was able to look at underlying causes, focus on prevention, and target its support to remove barriers and scale up services that had potential to change the way children and families were served, and address racial disparities.  

 

Related Blogs

• https://www.exponentphilanthropy.org/blog/listening-in-on-a-system/
• https://www.exponentphilanthropy.org/blog/targeting-racial-disparities-in-child-welfare/

**

Colleen O’Keefe is the Executive Director of The Sauer Family Foundation, whose mission is to invest in strengthening the well-being of children, so they thrive in their families and communities. In Minnesota she led a systems reform effort for the Child Welfare system and continues to work alongside colleagues on the reform efforts. Colleen has facilitated conversations for Exponent Philanthropy’s national community of lean funders on aligning philanthropic work for greatest impact, and the importance of listening.

Kimberly Quintero — How a Next Generation Influences Its Family to Embrace Environment, Social Justice as Integral to the Mission

Families that welcome the engagement and ideas of their next generations open up the potential for innovation and new opportunity. Kimberly Quintero, Program Associate at the Pincus Family Foundation, explains how foundation staff facilitate involvement by the 3^rd generation, their collaboration with the board, and partnership with grantees. 

Hear how the next generation of foundation leaders honors the founders' values while linking the mission to address current and emerging issues. This evolution thrives because of mutual respect among the generations, constant conversation, and the support of talented and experienced staff. .  

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Kimberly Quintero is the Program Associate of the Pincus Family Foundation located outside of Philadelphia, PA. She has been instrumental in supporting the foundation's next generations and the junior board in their development as grantmakers, and the executive team with grantmaking. Kimberly is passionate about sharing knowledge and reducing barriers to accessing resources. Before joining PFF, Kimberly co-founded and oversaw Aquinas Center Immigration Legal Services. 

https://pincusfamilyfoundation.org/

Henry Rael — How a Small, Place-Based Foundation Was Instrumental in Catalyzing Investment in Native American Communities, in Ways Determined by the Communities Themselves Part 2

What impact can result when a funder collaborative engages deeper and deeper with nonprofits, and keeps challenging how it does philanthropy? The journey of a collaborative catalyzed by the McCune Foundation, a small foundation in New Mexico, led to the design of a platform enabling a wide variety of private and public funders to build capacity and leadership in Native American communities, in ways prioritized by tribal leaders and community members. Henry Rael of the McCune Foundation shares how the platform structure also builds capacity of Native American-led groups to apply for millions of Federal dollars, and to direct these funds in ways determined by the communities themselves.  

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Henry Rael, Director of Strategy and Initiatives at the McCune Foundation in New Mexico, has 20 years of experience with innovative enterprise design and development across for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Notable projects include a start-up Bluetooth semiconductor company, a cooperative of small farms, a communications firm serving nonprofits, and several collaborative funding structures. 

https://nmmccune.org/

Henry Rael — How a Small, Place-Based Foundation Was Instrumental in Catalyzing Investment in Native American Communities, in Ways Determined by the Communities Themselves Part 1

What impact can result when a funder collaborative engages deeper and deeper with nonprofits, and keeps challenging how it does philanthropy? The journey of a collaborative catalyzed by the McCune Foundation, a small foundation in New Mexico, led to the design of a platform enabling a wide variety of private and public funders to build capacity and leadership in Native American communities, in ways prioritized by tribal leaders and community members. Henry Rael of the McCune Foundation shares how the platform structure also builds capacity of Native American-led groups to apply for millions of Federal dollars, and to direct these funds in ways determined by the communities themselves.  

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Henry Rael, Director of Strategy and Initiatives at the McCune Foundation in New Mexico, has 20 years of experience with innovative enterprise design and development across for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Notable projects include a start-up Bluetooth semiconductor company, a cooperative of small farms, a communications firm serving nonprofits, and several collaborative funding structures. 

https://nmmccune.org/

Sandy Cook — A Womens’ Collective Giving Group Asks Nonprofits, ”How Can We Support Transformation at Your Organization?” Part 2

Creative, high-impact philanthropy is practiced by donors of all types - foundations, donor advised funds, social venture funders, and collective giving organizations. We visit with Sandy Cook, a leader at Impact100 Metro Denver, one of several hundred womens collective giving organizations around the country. Find out why Impact 100 Metro Denver invites nonprofits to step back and consider what they need to make significant shifts in how they work. Sandy shares examples how investing in nonprofits' unglamourous infrastructure needs, such as redesigning space, and buying trucks and equipment, helps organizations achieve exponentially more impact.  

https://impact100metrodenver.org/

https://philanos.org/

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Sandy is a board member of Philanos, an international network of collective giving organizations with a mission to strengthen collective giving and promote informed impactful grantmaking. Following a career in academia and a role as partner with Hewitt Associates (now AON Hewitt), Sandy’s “second career“ has been philanthropy - particularly collective giving. She is a founding member of the Women’s Giving Alliance in Jacksonville, Florida. At Impact100 Metro Denver, Sandy is a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the DEI task force..

Sandy Cook — A Womens’ Collective Giving Group Asks Nonprofits, ”How Can We Support Transformation at Your Organization?” Part 1

Creative, high-impact philanthropy is practiced by donors of all types - foundations, donor advised funds, social venture funders, and collective giving organizations. We visit with Sandy Cook, a leader at Impact100 Metro Denver, one of several hundred womens collective giving organizations around the country. Find out why Impact 100 Metro Denver invites nonprofits to step back and consider what they need to make significant shifts in how they work. Sandy shares examples how investing in nonprofits' unglamourous infrastructure needs, such as redesigning space, and buying trucks and equipment, helps organizations achieve exponentially more impact.  

https://impact100metrodenver.org/

https://philanos.org/

**

Sandy is a board member of Philanos, an international network of collective giving organizations with a mission to strengthen collective giving and promote informed impactful grantmaking. Following a career in academia and a role as partner with Hewitt Associates (now AON Hewitt), Sandy’s “second career“ has been philanthropy - particularly collective giving. She is a founding member of the Women’s Giving Alliance in Jacksonville, Florida. At Impact100 Metro Denver, Sandy is a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the DEI task force..

Don Carpenter — A Foundation Makes a Big Bet, and Transforms Its Philanthropy Part 2

Galvanized by a statewide landscape scan revealing deep concern for the future of Maine's young people, the board of the Emanuel and Pauline A. Lerner Foundation shifted from a portfolio of annual grants, to a laser-focused, multi-year commitment to a cohort of groups to raise youth aspirations. The Lerner board and staff also focused their own time in building relationships with grantee partners. Executive Director Don Carpenter shares how this big bet inspired the Lerner Foundation board to transform its philanthropy.

 

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Don Carpenter, executive director of the Lerner Foundation based in Portland, Maine, has more than 30 years of senior management experience dedicated to relationship-centered leadership. Don has dedicated his life to the business of relationship building through the creation of innovative student-centered youth development organizations that empower young people to thrive. He believes that relationships – not programs - change people's lives.

Don Carpenter — A Foundation Makes a Big Bet, and Transforms Its Philanthropy Part 1

Galvanized by a statewide landscape scan revealing deep concern for the future of Maine's young people, the board of the Emanuel and Pauline A. Lerner Foundation shifted from a portfolio of annual grants, to a laser-focused, multi-year commitment to a cohort of groups to raise youth aspirations. The Lerner board and staff also focused their own time in building relationships with grantee partners. Executive Director Don Carpenter shares how this big bet inspired the Lerner Foundation board to transform its philanthropy.

 

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Don Carpenter, executive director of the Lerner Foundation based in Portland, Maine, has more than 30 years of senior management experience dedicated to relationship-centered leadership. Don has dedicated his life to the business of relationship building through the creation of innovative student-centered youth development organizations that empower young people to thrive. He believes that relationships – not programs - change people's lives.

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.