Letting Go
Foundations often undermine their own efforts by micromanaging how social problems are solved. Two insiders explore why foundations have developed this way and what grant makers can do to foster high impact strategies.
We would probably be better off as a society if the decision makers in the nation’s large private foundations took up surfing. Why? Because surfing is about letting go, and that’s what foundations must do to achieve higher impact. Surfing is incredibly humbling, an encounter with the enormous power, beauty, and unpredictability of the ocean. No surfer would attempt to change the shape of the waves or the schedule of the tides, because these forces are far beyond any one person’s control.
But...
Want more? Sorry, the full text of this article is only available to subscribers. Subscribe now.
Already a subscriber? Please log in by entering your email address and password into the red login box at the top-right corner of this page.
Need to register for your premium online access, which is included with your paid subscription? Register here.
A response to a recent article on high stakes donor collaborations, highlighting the New York Merger, Acquisition, and Collaboration Fund.
The president of the Rockefeller Foundation explains what social innovation means to the foundation and how it is preparing for the next 100 years.
The Liberty Hill Foundation concentrates on helping community activists create lasting change in Los Angeles.
Field scans are crucial for providing data about what has been funded and where funding gaps lie.
Growing numbers of foundations, government agencies, and corporations in Europe are adopting venture philanthropy practices. 
A look at Silicon Valley’s surprising disconnect and opportunities that all local funders should consider.
A new guide offers a framework for credible, realistic policy action that governments can take to turn social entrepreneurship into a major force for innovation.
The word from the trenches on how funders can make life easier for everyone.
