Blurred Boundaries: A New World for Some Foundation/Grantee Partnerships
by Robert J. Reid, Ph.D, CEO, JF Maddox Foundation, Hobbs, New Mexico
via Nonprofit Quarterly

The literature often observes that private foundations are difficult for nonprofits to access and that distribution of power between foundations and nonprofits is markedly uneven. It has been said that “whoever has the gold makes the rules.” The resource-intense nature of endowed foundations and the resource-dependence of grant seekers, taken together, combine to create a setting in which an imbalance of power is likely to exist. This can too often result in awkward foundation-nonprofit relations—also restricting foundation access. Yet, sometimes deep relationship development with foundations can reverse challenges to access and mitigate the effects of unequal power.

In a study conducted on foundation-nonprofit relations in 33 U.S. private foundations, observations uncovered a set of philanthropic practices affording select nonprofits much of what is thought to be highly associated with best practices in grantmaking — namely, meaningful partnerships with more equal power sharing, organizational interdependence, mutual transparency, shared respect/value, enhanced flexibility in funding and reporting requirements, capacity to take risks, and multi-year/multi-project funding commitments.
But this does not come without expectations of grantees. Read more. 

The Treasury Department has issued proposed regulations regarding state and local tax credits. This is largely in response to the State and Local Tax (SALT) workarounds that were generated following the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The deadline for submitting comments on these proposed regulations is October 11, ahead of the November 5 public hearing. Please refer to this list to see how these regulations will impact specific state and local tax credits, not just the new workarounds.

The 2018 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Report, a complimentary PSW member benefit, is now available! The Report provides comprehensive data on staff composition and compensation in the U.S. for grantmakers to use in planning budgets, benchmarking personnel policies, determining salary levels for new and existing staff, and more. PSW Members may download the report here. 

The Boettcher Foundation (Denver, CO) announced that Michelle Lucero, chief administrative officer and general counsel for Children’s Hospital Colorado, has joined its board of trustees. More.

Oklahoma City Community Foundation (Oklahoma City, OK) announced it will distribute more than $8 million to 360 charitable organizations serving central Oklahoma this month. The annual funding comes from the Community Foundation’s charitable organization endowment program, which is the largest permanent endowment program for nonprofits in the nation. More. 

Episcopal Health Foundation (Houston, TX) invested $4 million with coalitions, nonprofits, and other organizations that are driving low-income and at-risk communities to take charge of their own health. The investment is part of EHF's new five-year effort that includes a sharpened belief that successful, long-lasting solutions to complex health challenges in Texas require the input of those most affected by the issues. More.

The Telluride Foundation (Telluride, CO) was awarded a $844,941 grant by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to boost business development efforts in western Colorado. More. 

Casey Family Programs (Seattle, WA) announced three new members to its board of trustees: Lance G. Morgan, president and CEO of Ho-Chunk, Inc.; Richard J. Olin, J.D., MSW, retired senior vice president at Costco Wholesale Corporation; and Walter Howard Smith, Jr., Ph.D., retired deputy director at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. More. 

Houston Endowment (Houston, TX) has named Sheel Patel vice president for finance. More. The Endowment has also named Alexandra Chung Rouse program officer for education. More.

Walton Family Foundation (Bentonville, AR) and The Walmart Foundation (Bentonville, AR) announced joint support of TRUE Northwest Arkansas (TRUE), a new three-year community-based initiative to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in Benton and Washington counties. More.
 

Have news you want to share with our network of funders? Email Lauren Haskins.