Philanthrospeak

Toasting the TCF Board 2010

2010-12-16T12:40:00.014-05:00

Snow day in the Triangle- which means: schools are closed, things are being postponed/rescheduled, and I get to catch up on the dreaded emails. And other activities like posting on the blog. It's been a while since I've written.

The Foundation has been an unusually busy place these last few months and I am just now feeling like I can think about the end of the year. But of course it is December, which typically is our busiest month- and we certainly don't want to complain about that. We WANT it to be very busy this month. Gifts and grants is what it's all about. And I'm hoping that bell outside my office rings more than once..

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On Tuesday, we held our last Board meeting of the year, followed by a reception and toast made by our Chair Phail Wynn. I have said many times that we have a brilliant board, and one often hears CEOs/Exec Directors say the same thing about their boards. But I continue to be impressed by the level of commitment that our members have for the Foundation. Outstanding. We thank them for all they do.

Here are some pictures. And off to 2011 we go..

(above left) Leadership Council member Ron Strom, Marketing & Communications Chair Joel Sheer and Development Officer Jess Aylor

(above) Former Chair and Leadership Council member Peter Meehan, Leadership Council Chair Carol Bilbro, Executive Committee member Lacy Presnell

With Ron Strom

(Left) with Jack Walker, who has served as our General Counsel for many years.

(left) Investment CoChair Steve Nelson with Philanthropic Services Chair Cecile Noel

(below) Board meeting

(left) Chair Phail Wynn with Shannon St John Fellow Bradley Hicks

In Recognition of Our Illustrious Chair

2010-06-29T17:10:00.005-04:00

Today, we recognized Dr. Phail Wynn as he Chaired his last Board meeting at the Foundation. Next month he takes on the role of Immediate Past Year, and as is the tradition here- I hope will continue his involvement with us in other leadership roles. But today was his last time at the helm of the Board.

Change and Board terms are healthy for an organization- but this doesn't mean that they are easy. I have served under three different Chairs in my five years here, and they have each been unique and special. I was happy that Peter Meehan, who was Chair when I arrived here, was at the meeting today. I was able to thank him for his guidance as I tried to find a way to say "THANK YOU" to Phail.

All of us on staff have been proud to have Phail associated with the Foundation. Indeed, his relationship with TCF goes all the way back to our founding, when he worked with Dr. George Hitchings in 1981 on another Board. Phail has served on many Boards over the years- indeed you'll have a hard time finding many people who can match his record of community service- or his reputation, skills and accomplishments.

And we are a better Foundation for it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

What Matters: A Diverse and Engaged Community

2010-05-19T11:20:00.008-04:00

After months of planning and lots of work, the Foundation's largest event took place on May 5. And what a special evening it was. We are deeply thankful to Cokie and Steve Roberts, to the sponsors, the hosts and over 500 leaders from the region who were part of the evening.

I don't think we could have hoped for more...

The themes we chose were Growth, Diversity and Innovation, which we believe are important issues that will determine how we grow as a region in the future. This also served as a benefit dinner for the Foundation's ever-growing community outreach programs.

3.2 million people are expected to call the Triangle home over the next few years- people who will be coming from all parts of the country and the world. 120 languages are already spoken in our public schools. We are becoming bigger, more diverse and the need for regional engagement and cooperation has never been more critical.

These are the issues we asked our audience, and ourselves, to think about.

Cokie and Steve Roberts helped us think broadly and brought a national perspective to issues like immigration, school diversity and civil dialogue. They were the stars of the night.

Now we are discussing out how to keep the momentum going.. More to come. Stay tuned.

Immigration, Arizona, What is the Role of Philanthropy?

2010-05-02T12:09:00.004-04:00

This past Wednesday, we had the pleasure of helping to host a statewide convening for HIP, Hispanics in Philanthropy- and its NC Latino Collaborative. This effort has invested over $3.2 million in Latino-led nonprofits around the state over the past few years, supported by many philanthropic institutions, including Triangle Community Foundation.

The convening was kicked off with an address by a longtime friend, Frank Sharry, head of America's Voice and former Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum.

We are at such a critical time, that I find it necessary to include a portion of my remarks here on my blog:

"Little did we know when we planned this convening several months ago that this would be the time when we would see a state like Arizona turn its back on anyone with an accent, like me and some of you, and anyone who 'looks' Hispanic or 'illegal.'

Whatever that means.

But I could use my entire time talking about Arizona. So I will leave the policy talk to Frank.

I will say, however, that we are at a time in which we have a chance to look at our values as a state and a country and that sometimes drastic measures take place so that more people get involved. And this may be the case here.

And let's not kid ourselves. North Carolina is not immune to these national-attention grabbing measures. Many of us in this room know this too well.

-287(g) and the Sheriff activity

-In-State tuition battles

-Drivers' Licenses

-and so much more

We do have much to proud of...

But we also have major challenges.

Like it or not, we have to talk about immigration because our state is heavily affected by it. We have gained by its labor and we are now home to many immigrants. Immigration touches many in our community's lives. And our immigration system is a mess. And it is a hot, controversial, emotional issue.

And yet, there seems to only be a small group involved. We can't continue to work on these issues in isolation. We must:

- Have a broader coalition of sectors informed, engaged and active

-More understanding

-More funding

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I ask: What is the role of the nonprofit and philanthropic community when one community is targeted?

We must stop and see what is happening in Arizona.

There are no easy answers. But there are certainly courageous leaders and some institutions who have taken a stance. And it gives us a lot to think about as we get together tonight.

I believe we can each have a role in this debate, however big, however small, but a role nonetheless. And what is happening in Arizona can give us a chance to model something different here in North Carolina.

I also think we can have a reasoned conversation about this, but it must happen away from partisan politics, and among reasonable people. "

Thanks for reading.

The new NC Museum of Art- World Class!

2010-03-15T13:44:00.009-04:00

I got a special treat last week- a private tour of the NC Museum of Art and its final phases of expansion- by Executive Director Larry Wheeler.

The Collections, the architecture, the promise this transformation brings to our region is truly marvelous. I'm honored to be serving on the Committee 100 and help spread the word about the Grand-Reopening and the many festivities planned for all.

Encouraging people to go see the Museum won't be hard. I've long been a fan of the Museum and all the activities and programming- I've also watched approvingly as the campus where it sits has developed walking trails, and invested in outdoor art for all the enjoy.

But I keep learning about how much we have to proud of. I didn't know, for example, that our state was the first in the nation to create a museum with public funding. That admission is always free. Many of us have been to events at the MOA and know that it's always a great place to highlight a good effort. But over a run of 60plus years, museums can lose their freshness and interest by the public. The expansion and re-opening has received a lot of buzz.

We're lucky that Larry Wheeler has been at the helm of the MOA and has brought such enthusiasm, innovative ideas and great exhibits.

He's outdone himself with this expansion. The Rodin collection alone is worth the trip. The architecture- beautiful and simple. The modern art pieces are wonderful.

There are several activities planned, all kicking off with a gala on April 17. For more information, go to www.ncartmuseum.org

Thank you Larry, staff, and all who continue to invest in the museum, including many fundholders at TCF, for this latest gift to our state.

He walks free after 17 years

2010-02-17T14:47:00.004-05:00

Some of you may have been following the case of Gregory Taylor, a convicted murderer who has been serving time for 17 years and whose case has been in front of a panel of three judges over the past few days in Raleigh.

The panel's decision has just been announced and Mr. Taylor, by a unanimous vote, is being set free. Imagine. Serving 17 years as an innocent man. Fairness and justice should be at the core of our judicial system.

This will mark the first time that the so-called NC Inquiry Commission, the only one of its kind in the US, has considered a case. So it's a landmark decision. And one that we should all ponder.

A situation like this calls for us to examine what happened, what we can learn from, what needs to be changed. That's what pushed the creation of the Commission in the first place. That and the involvement of people from across political aisles, which is an infrequent happening these days.

The Foundation has funded several nonprofits and efforts over recent years involved in different aspects of this issue, from the NC Coalition for a Moratorium, to the many groups who worked on the Racial Justice Act, the NC Center on Actual Innocence, and many others.

The Taylor case, together with other recent high profile cases, should bring more attention to the need for support for these efforts.

The legal team and all those involved in the Taylor case are to be applauded.

Phil Serving

2010-02-03T11:44:00.005-05:00

The Philanthropic Services Committee met this morning, and as we were sitting there, deep in discussion, I thought- I better blog about this. This is one of our better board committees at TCF. I'm already going through withdrawals because our long-time Chair, Mary Mountcastle, will be retiring from the board in the next few months- but more on that at a later time.

The Committee guides the Foundation and staff on grantmaking and special projects, as well as fundholder policies. Not an easy or small task.

Today on the agenda: The Community Grantmaking Program, our partnership with Executive Service Corps, Haiti Relief, and looking ahead at the new Strategic Plan. All in 1.5 hours.

So about CGP. TCF has been proactive in funding some great issue areas through its Community Grantmaking Program, or CGP, mainly, Civic Engagement and Youth Leadership & Development. We've been deliberating the next phase of CGP, as our funding for this program is limited and proposals are many. The program has been in existence for several years already, and it's one of our better known initiatives.

The Committee engaged in a spirited conversation today about how we move forward, given the region's many needs and interests, the track record of CGP, the fundholders' interests, the Foundation's standing in the community, etc. In the area of civic engagement, we fund direct lobbying, and some of it go to groups that are doing advocacy for some good and needed systemic change. Some of these groups don't get funding from many other places. They can be called controversial by some. Proactive by others.

At some point over the past few months, we have wondered if we should focus on just one issue area and do away with the other- would that be a better way to focus our resources? Should we try to change the parameters of CGP? We've done some evaluation of CGP grantees, but not an exhaustive assessment. Today, we took this up to the committee once again.

When you consider that we are a community foundation that holds over 750 funds, we could never reach a place where we will have consensus with everyone about what issues are funded. The CGP program is overseen by the Board, and funded by unrestricted and what are called 'field of interest' funds. And, at an average of $350,000 a year, this program is only a very small portion of our over $15 Million yearly grant portfolio.

For now, CGP will continue to fund under its current guidelines. We decided to tackle this further during our upcoming Strategic Plan (late Spring) and see how it evolves. A suggestion was made to also investigate how the Foundation can take a more proactive role on issues affecting the community at large. Someone said: we need to ensure that the foundation, its board, its fundholders, its staff, has criteria it can consider when it's asked to take a position on something.

The more we're out there, the more we're asked to do. Which is what being a community leader is all about.

Great meeting today.

More on Haiti

2010-01-28T16:22:00.005-05:00

Over $125,000 has been contributed through TCF to various organizations doing relief work in Haiti... Lenovo employees have donated more than $14,000, Golden Corral staff, over $32,000. These numbers sound good to us, but we know there's more to come.

Our internal Haiti team met today to continue to push ourselves and ensure that we're keeping up with the ongoing news coming from so many directions. Who's doing what. What the needs are.

Back in 2005, the Foundation embarked in Project Life Boat in response to the Tsunami in India. Over $209,000 was raised by local business leaders which translated into 52 fishing boats helping hundreds of families in India. I had just started at the Foundation then and remember being so very inspired by this philanthropy.

The Tsunami was devastating. And one should be careful in comparing disasters- how can one say which is one is 'better' or 'worse'? But Haiti? The numbers alone tell a completely different story. An entire nation has been affected, not a region, but a nation. I think everyone has been compelled to try to do something to respond.

And so we are hard at work here, glad to see corporate partners like Lenovo and Golden Corral who have set up Funds at TCF so that their employees can donate and we can get needed funds there quickly. Last week, we sent $54,000 plus down to Haiti and we'll do another round of grants this week.

But we also have to think long-term. Sustainability. That's what philanthropy's contribution to this can and should be. And so we are exploring a couple of options that we can embark on..

Give us your ideas if you have them. Otherwise, stay tuned.

And thank you to everyone who has donated already.

Visit our website for more: www.trianglecf.org

Disaster in Haiti

2010-01-15T16:30:00.003-05:00

Heartbreaking. As the week ends, it's hard to stop thinking about Haiti. Devastating.

I keep remembering Katrina. Hurricane Fran, Floyd. So many others. Natural disasters have a way of making us stop and face reality. It can also bring philanthropy together and respond.

We are gauging short- and long-term assistance as funds have begun to come in from generous fundholders. Over 35,000 in two days. Probably more by now.

The emails are coming fast with recommendations of nonprofits doing relief work. Project Hope. Doctors without Borders. American Red Cross. Conference Calls. Surveys. The Foundation has set up a Disaster Relief Fund for donors that want to contribute collectively, and also put links to other organizations so they can donate directly to them.

Lenovo has established a fund for their employees to give to.

More to come...

Give Back Giveway Stories Coming In: THANK YOU!

2010-01-06T12:58:00.006-05:00

At The Foundation's Annual Holiday Party a few weeks ago, we decided to challenge guests as the night ended. Credit Robyn, Kayla, some of my friends, and Jim Goodmon (who actually didn't like the idea at first, and made me rethink it) for helping us craft this challenge: the Give Back Giveway Challenge, part of our Triangle Gives Back project.

Those who took part got an envelope with $10 and had to agree to 3 rules:
1) Match the $10 with at least $10 of your own, or someone else's
2) Go out and give the money to someone you do not know or an organization doing good in the region; and
3) Tell us what you did on Triangle Gives Back's Facebook page or by emailing us

2009 had been a tough year. We thought this reflected the spirit of Triangle Gives Back perfectly.

And it has so far. I am happy to share some of the stories coming in, below. For more, check out http://www.trianglegivesback.org/

And let's keep this going! THANK YOU ALL.

Babs Wagner, Friends of the Wake Co Guardian Ad Litem Special Projects Director, Made a Difference in One Teenager's Life

"Although my story is not nearly a dramatic as most of them, I know my efforts made a huge difference to one teenager. I began by adding $20 to the $10 that I received. I then told everybody that I ran into that day about the $10.00 challenge. By the end of the day I had about $140.00. I took the $140.00 and bought holiday gifts for a teenage girl living in a life that revolves around the sadness and despair of poverty. She had not been chosen from our Angel Tree project. The child received an MP3 player, a comforter (which was on her wish list) jewelry, books, an outfit, shoes,socks, underwear, and the feeling that she was valued and cared about her.

I loved being part of the $10.00 give away and am extremely impressed with the impact that the "pay it Forward" idea achieved. Thank you for the wonderful work you do for our community."

Susan Duncan from Loaves and Fishes, Inc Turned her $10 into Over $1,000 Through a Benefit Concert

"Just prior to attending the TCF Holiday Party, I heard about a friend's young son, who I had never met, who is scheduled for a bone marrow transplant in Minnesota because he suffers from a very rare genetic disease, Fanconi anemia. The disease is so rare that there are only 300 cases in the entire United States. After I received the $10, I shared the story of Carter Pepper with the other two staff members from Loaves and Fishes who were at the party. They wanted to help Carter as well. The next day a friend, Vaughan Penn of the Christian music duo Chynna & Vaughan, saw the Give Back Giveaway envelope at my house and I told her I was going to give the money to Carter. She also knows Carter's dad, Josh, and she said, "Let's have a benefit so we can raise more money." So, on January 3, 2010 Vaughan Penn and Josh Pepper did a concert at White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Willow Spring and we raised over $1,000 for Carter's Fight Against Fanconi Anemia! Thank you Triangle Community Foundation so much for planting this seed of giving."

Laura Treat Harvey Director of Development at The Emily Krzyzewski Center Gave 32 Pounds of Food

"The evening after the TCF party at Marbles, I was agonizing about how to best use the $10 -- for example, should I get lots of other friends to match it with me and create a much larger circle of givers with a bigger impact? The plan sounded good, but I realized my regular job as a fundraiser would not allow me to put in the time to follow up with another project, so I decided to keep it simple. Since the TCF party itself was a contribution point for the Food Bank, I decided I'd put the TCF's and my $10 together and buy food for the Food Bank in Durham. I sent my best bargain shopper (that is, my partner, Regina, who truly knows how to stretch a dollar!) out to Aldi's in Raleigh where you can buy a lot of food for $20. She came back with 32 pounds of items that are on the Food Bank's "needed items" list. We delivered it on Friday 12/11.

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to give to a worthy cause. On days when I eat a bit too much in celebrating the holidays I am certainly aware of the blessings I've been given. And the times I feel hunger pangs I count my blessings that I have the resources to fulfill my needs. Your gift to us was more than just the $10 bill -- it created a powerful impetus to get out and DO something!"

Pretty amazing stuff.

A Busy End of the Year for TCF- THANKS STAFF!

2009-12-23T13:20:00.005-05:00

December is a busy time for us at TCF, which is good- it means that the pace picks up- more grants, hopefully more gifts, and all of our systems are tested. For some it may mean lots of time off, but for us, it means we have to figure out WHEN we can take time off and be with loved ones, so that we can cover all of our bases here.

It's also a time to reflect on the year that has gone by. And what a year it's been. Economic turmoil. Changes. Our 25th Anniversary. Triangle Gives Back. So much more... As President of the Foundation, I try to give credit where credit is due, and I'm lucky and grateful for the Board of Directors that guide this institution, the fundholders, our nonprofit partners and many others- but today, I'd like to publicly thank our staff. You all know them well. You work with them, interact with them, collaborate and engage them in your work. They a dedicated, focused and enthusiastic group of professionals who make this one of the best places to work in the Triangle. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR WORKING TIL THE CLOCK RUNS OUT ON 2009.

And working hard we are.. Let me tell you more..

The past few weeks have been busy in terms of grants. Last week, we sent out approximately $450,000 in 124 separate grants, the week before it was $508,000 in 93 grants.

This week, we are starting to send out our grants to the Fall 2009 Community Grantmaking Program grantees, which include a great group of nonprofits.

In the Youth Leadership & Development Category, the following organizations are awarded grants for this cycle:

Girls on the Run of the Triangle
Mallarme Chamber Players
Orange County Rape Crisis Center
Read and Feed
Voices Together
Community Music School
Visual Art Exchange
Future Black and Brown Inventors and Innovators

And in the Civic Engagement Category, we are awarding grants to:
Wake UP Wake County
Covenant with NC's Children Education Fund
NC Center for Public Policy Research
NC Conservation Network
Equality NC
NARAL Pro-Choice NC Foundation

In sum, we've done approximately $1.4 million in grants since December 1st, which doesn't include this week. We expect to close out the month hitting close to $2M. That's an impressive number and we are grateful for the support of donor fundholders for helping us reach that mark.

Looking at the different organizations that these funds support, it's good to see that the Foundation is continuing to fund a variety of important causes and agencies, from basic human needs (grants to the Food Bank, Genesis Home, and Habitat Wake County, for example) to education and youth development (Durham Nativity School, SEEDS) to the arts (NC Symphony, WUNC, Kidzu).

Of course, to sustain this grantmaking, we must continue to receive gifts and funds. We've had a busy month on that front, too. But, not as good as other months. We are not immune to the recession, as Fred likes to say. We have received some estate gifts, stocks, and our own Chair, Phail Wynn has created a Fund. Thanks Mr. Chair.

No wonder we are tired, and vacation is coming.. but not quite yet...

Thanks for reading.

A $370,000 day

2009-12-17T15:36:00.005-05:00

Being strategic in philanthropy is something that we talk and think a lot about, but as a community foundation, we don't always measure up..

But this past week, as we once again partnered with our friends at GlaxoSmithKline, I certainly felt that we were making a difference- as the First Annual Impact Awardees were recognized.

Now, these are NOT grants. But awards. Awards for good work done in increasing access to health care. Certainly a big need in our region. Nine organizations received awards of $40,000 each, plus a marketing package with photos and more.

Mary Linda Andrews of GSK with Lori O'Keefe

Each of these groups are an inspiration. They are doing sometimes cutting edge, sometimes back-breaking, often tedious work in connecting people to service providers. For example, one of the nonprofits, Alliance Medical Ministries, which is headed by our friend Sean Harrison, can see a patient for a primary care visit for $98 versus what it would cost that patient to be seen at an Emergency Department for over $1300. Doesn't that make sense? Patients pay whatever they can afford. Another, the Lucy Daniels center, sees over 600 kids severe emotional challenges as well as those for regular services, with a staff of only 26. Twenty-six! It has received a number of awards for its model. These organizations have a lot to teach us, and the hope is that these awards will bring them more recognition, and MORE needed funding and attention.

Congratulations to each. And THANK YOU:

Alliance Medical Ministry

The Alliance of AIDS Services- Carolina

Diabetes Management Solutions

Family Violence & Rape Crisis Services, Inc

Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood

National Society to Prevent Blindness- NC

Threshold

Urban Ministries of Wake County

Wake Teen Medical Services

It was a good day. A special thank you to Sandra Rodriguez, who really did all the work for us at TCF on this.

An inspring afternoon at the Emily K Center

2009-11-22T14:55:00.006-05:00

From the streets of Chicago.. to Durham... It had been a while since I had visited the Emily K Center in Durham. A long overdue visit it was, since I drive by this beautiful building almost daily on my way home. It stands proud by my church (Immaculata) and on the edge of a neighborhood full of promise, conflict, changes, hope..

Lori, Justin and I from the Foundation spent several hours there late last week and came away energized. Inspired by its leader, Marleah Rogers, who has taken this organization by storm and applied an aggressive, outcome-based, strategic plan to its work and who is getting results with a small staff, and a load of volunteers. They are getting impressive results as they are turning the lives of youth around. African American and Latino youth from all over Durham. And they are wanting to replicate this model (which they should). It is rare for us to see an agency with this level of sophistication so early in its development (they have been around only since 2006). Much of this is due to its beginnings, and the influence of Duke's Coach K, who wanted to bring what he thinks gave him a leg up in life to our city of Durham. He credits the influence of his mother, Emily, and the support of a strong and ethnically diverse neighborhood and its community center in Chicago as a reason why he was able to overcome many obstacles in life.

And listen to these boys, can't you see this already happening?

NC Arts in Action performs at annual Leadership Council meeting

2009-11-08T16:09:00.006-05:00

We held our annual Foundation Leadership Council last Thursday at the Carolina Inn (also to give the Tar Heels some good luck for their Saturday football game.) What a treat it was to have some of the kids and staff from the NC Arts in Action with us. Gave us all a chance to sit back, admire the great work they are doing, and enjoy a great show.. During these times of tight budgets for arts groups- this is one that is doing a lot with not so much.. Check out the video clips for more..and I think you'll agree.

FLC Chair Carol Bilbro greeting the kids

In the clip above, you can hear Lisa Van Deman, the Executive Director, explain what the organization is all about.

And here are the kids...

BUT. It wasn't all about dancing at the meeting.. We on staff cherish the opportunity to sit and work with the members of the Foundation Leadership Council anytime. And these annual meetings are very important to us. Most of the members of the Council served on the Board for years, were founders of the Foundation, and served in many leadership roles. To have them still involved with us, giving us guidance and feedback, is truly an 'asset.'

We had some beginning discussions about the work that the TCF Futures Task Force is undertaking, our unrestricted assets, our revenue model, and the fees we charge for our services. Of course, the discussion left my head spinning with ideas and a list of follow up to-do's that is too long...

Mapping our Future

2009-09-09T17:05:00.006-04:00

As I've often discussed here, and there, and everywhere- much of our attention has been focused on our finances and investments this past year with the economic turmoil. After a spirited discussion at our last Board meeting, we set up a Futures Task Force and charged it with creating a 'sustainable' revenue and expense model that can enable us to continue to serve both our fundholders and the community as well as we have over recent years.

Not an easy task.

So, an internal team of staff has been meeting several times to crunch numbers, look at some historical data, and to pose some questions for the broader task force, which includes several leaders on our Board, to tackle. Our first meeting was held recently. I must say, it was one of those meetings that made me feel grateful to be around such intellect and committment for the Foundation.

Half of our revenue comes from administrative fees on funds, other income is from interest (21%), fundraising (10%), strategic reserve (8%) and several funds set up to support us (11%).

The question is: is this model sustainable over the next few years? Does our current fee structure provide enough support for the community work we are undertaking? Not easy questions to ask of ourselves. We are lucky that community foundations are glad to share information and we can benchmark against others- thereby learning that yes, our fees could be raised since they are rather low in comparison.

But, are there other ways for us to pay for community programs? And what about donor services?

As we have been working with nonprofits in our Economic Response Initiative, we have been talking to them about taking a hard look at their budgets and operations. We are now doing the same. The Task Force is taking this work seriously, and will be deliberating for the next several months.

Let me know what you think..

Sen Ted Kennedy

2009-08-28T19:35:00.003-04:00

So much has been already said about Sen Kennedy that it seems almost an afterthought that I would even attempt to write about him. But I must. Sen Kennedy died this week, and we are in the midst of his funeral, documentaries, and news clips about his life, accomplishments, and more..

I deeply admired Sen. Kennedy.

I have had the great privilege in my life so far to meet and work with some great leaders and admirable people- both known and not-so-known. It is part of what I do, who I am.

I have met Presidents, Senators, Corporate CEOs, admirable grassroots leaders, wise elders. But I distinctly remember my first meeting with Senator Kennedy- at an event in Washington DC. He was about to be honored, and I was merely a participant at the dinner. He was sitting quietly, going over his notes, and I went up to him, which I don't often do, and I introduced myself to him. I told him where I came from, and how he had helped my family come to the US. I also told him how much admired his standing on so many issues I cared about- civil rights, immigration, poverty.. I recall my heart beating fast as we had a wonderful conversation and I shared with him that I had been born in Boston...

So many people came across Sen Kennedy's life over his decades in the Senate. We have all seen stories of his influence over the past week. The woman from the fishing community in MA who thanks him for his support. The immigrant from Cameroon whose tuition was covered after a call from the Senator. How Senator Kennedy was able to forge strong friendships with his colleagues across the isle.

His rousing words and strong standing on issues helped influence the lives of so many Americans. I had a chance to work with him many times after our initial meeting. And as I hear and watch many of our country's leaders talk about their deep affection for him, I know his legacy will remain strong.

Public Service, Being a champion for the underprivileged, Speaking out for others.

Being good stewards of our funds

2009-08-20T15:01:00.008-04:00

I learned a new word today, from our Duke-educated, MBA-degreed, smart CFO, Ken: cataclysmic. He was talking about the economy over the past year and we were in the middle of our Finance Committee meeting. Now, this is not the kind of word you want to hear from your CFO during such a meeting, but, in our case, it was OK. We're lucky and blessed. For many reasons. One reason is that we have such an engaged and qualified group of folks who make up our Finance Committee. And once again, after our gathering today, I came away feeling very grateful to have them serve at the Foundation in this role.

See for yourself, below. Blas, Frank and Phail- pouring over our numbers.

Our results are encouraging. As we ended this fiscal year, the foundation has fared well. We made more grants this year than any other in our 25-year history- $15 million, $1 million more than the previous fiscal year. That's something we are proud of, and something that is especially important during these times.

Our assets, which took a hit earlier this year, are finally coming back up. We were, at the end of FY '09 (June 30) at $119.1 (an 8.7% increase from March 31). And our new investment strategy seems to be gaining ground for us.

This takes a lot of oversight, a solid strategy, lots of volunteer time from board and committee members, and long hours at the office. But it's what we do, and it's our everyday work. So thank you to our Finance, Investment, Executive and Board members, for keeping us solid and strong.

It's always uplifting to thank and be thanked for good work done. Today, we ended our Finance meeting thanking Chuck Leedy, a long time member of our Finance committee, who now CoChairs Investments, and is one of our newer Board members. See the video, below. Thanks, Chuck! You're one of the reasons why, when I hear a word like cataclysmic, I don't have to jump out of my seat...

La Raza meets in Chicago!

2009-07-24T19:00:00.003-04:00

I am off to Chicago today for the annual NCLR- National Council of La Raza conference. NCLR is the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights organization (www.nclr.org) and I've been involved with them for several years, initially as a nonprofit that needed their guidance when we started that nonprofit (El Pueblo: www.elpueblo.org), then as an affilated nonprofit when El Pueblo officially became part of NCLR's network of several hundred nonprofits around the US, and then as a board member. I still remember the day Raul Yzaguirre, who served as President of NCLR for many years, called me to serve as a board member. I was humbled, honored, amazed... I have learned so much as a board member, and taken this role seriously. I eventually became Chair of the Board- and are now stepping down from that role. This conference, which is taking place in Chicago- will be critical. Thousands attend the annual meeting that NCLR organizes, and it's a great chance for me/for us, as Latinos and those who are involved with the Latino community, to learn, share, discuss, network, and do so much more. It is one of those gathering where every minute counts- there are no breaks!

As an NCLR leader, I have certainly, personally, taken my hits. There are some who feel the organization is on the wrong track- or who feel threatened by the advocacy agenda that NCLR pushes to advance opportunities for HIspanic Americans. Conference is always an opportunities for the corporate, philanthropic, nonprofit, sector to come together- and go beyond this- but also tackle the criticism head-on.

Stay tuned about what happens in the next few days.

Si se Puede..

Retooling

2009-06-23T10:44:00.007-04:00

We are rolling up our sleeves today, and together with a large crowd of nonprofit leaders, 'retooling' the way we do business in this challenging economy. John Replogle, CEO of Burts' Bees, and our new neighbor here at American Tobacco, started us off this morning with a rousing speech. "This economy sucks," he said. But it creates opportunity and gives us a gift - it's good to be needed. He pushed us to look for positives in this downturn. And said what a privilege it was to be in a room with this crowd (how true). John is an active, smart, thought-provoking business leader, and one that is becoming more and more engaged in our community.

How refreshing that is. And his message could not come at a better time for all those gathered in Bay 7 today.

Of course, everyone loves and got a Burts' Bees lip balm- but this crowd is not one to just accept a corporate message. Nonprofits in the Triangle are savvy, are involved, and run strong organizations. But they've taken a beating, and revenue streams are drying up. So the purpose of today- and this Economic Response Initiative we have (for a lack of more imaginative term) is to figure out how we all stay strong: do more, with less.

Our Board Chair Phail is providing much guidance as our Master of Ceremonies (here, wearing some Burt's Bees freebies) and a needed positive outlook. As someone who served for many years at the head of Durham Technical Community College and is now in a top leadership position at Duke, among many other organizations, he's got much to share.

17 Top-Notch (some of our region's best) consultants are giving their time to work hand-in-hand with nonprofits on topics such as: "Building a Better Board," "Build Adaptive Capacity for Turbulent Times," "Making it with Le$$." Above, here, Matt West, President & CEO of Intangibles works with folks by the river on "New Lines of Revenue:" How can I get out of the down-on-my-knewws, donation/contribution model, and become a marketing, promotional, and revenue-generating machine for my 'clients'? (don't we all need that??)

It's quite impressive to see over 250 (or more than that, I hear) of our region's most creative folks, all in one room, ready to tackle this. We also released the results of our nonprofit survey, which tells us how nonprofits are struggling in this economy.

Here, Bert Armstrong, of Armstrong MgGuire & Associates talks about What to do NOW to reach your End-of-Year Goals and where can you find new monies this year. (he had a large and attentive crowd)

Stay tuned for what's next with this...

Budgetting in Today's World

2009-06-16T16:04:00.007-04:00

So what does it take to put together an Operational Budget these days? Not what it used to... I can't count how many Board meetings I have been part of as President or Executive Director of a nonprofit- but as we all know, these are challenging times. So it's different now. The economy is not predictable. And as a community foundation- we depend on investment returns, which have dwindled.

We had our Quarterly Board Meeting today, which was also the last meeting for the fiscal year. This means we presented our budget for next FY. We are proposing to continue our growth, and keep up our pace, do more, with less. As our wise Chair, Dr Phail Wynn, stated we are facing 'economic dislocations.' (I like this better than the term he used last time: "carnage")

Here is our Chair, encouraging the board to "ask deep and penetrating questions" about the budget. The board complied and asked away. And we all answered. And I got a headache.. But the budget passed.

Luckily, Ken was able to produce some positive (8 plus) returns from our new investment strategy. You can see his confidence here.

Papers. Numbers. Trends. We are keeping a close eye on things.

I have said it and will say it again, we're lucky at TCF to have board members like RIck and Frank who are chairing our Finance and Investment Committees- we could not be in as strong a position as we are without their sweat equity and guidance. We know they work hard: "This is the board that takes the most time" (Rick) and we know they are committed for the good of the community.

We have a strong year ahead in terms of programs and services. Our region demands that we continue with our high level of grantmaking. We can't decrease that, as some other foundations have had to do. So this means more scrutiny, more due diligence, more questions.

In the end, we formed a Task Force to answer longer term questions. Should we do some additional fundraising for operations? Should we consider raising fees? What do the next 2 - 3 years look like for TCF?

Stay tuned..

Learning about the Big 5

2009-06-10T09:06:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was time for another one of our monthly Lunches with the President (that would be lunch with me, aided by Libby). This one focused on social media, in our forever-quest to embrace it and continue to spread the word to nonprofits about using it.

But, we are no experts at this (YET), so we invited Tony Poilucci of VisionPoint Marketing of Raleigh as our guest speaker. He did just about one of the best presentations on this that I've seen- straightforward, with relevant examples (who knew you could do a search on twitter and see what people are twitting about you?) and with great hints for nonprofit use.

So what is the case for social media for nonprofits? A strong one in my opinion.

First, social media is being used by everyone around us. It's fun, free, can help spread the word about your good work, and connect good people to your cause.

But it appears daunting. It has struck me a couple of times over the past few weeks as I've sat in rooms of people trying to 'learn' this that nonprofits who haven't yet dipped their toes into using any of "the Big 5" (as Tony called them) may be taking too long to do so, so we should just jump in and try. Experiment. Many of us with children know that this is how they are communicating as well as this is how many of us are connecting with old and new friends and colleagues around the world.

The Big 5 (Below), however, must be part of thoughtful strategy if we use them as part of our organizational work. Have a planning process, create a strategy and then evaluate it.

Facebook / LinkdIn
Twitter
YouTube
Flickr
Blogs

Thanks, Tony, and everyone who came yesterday. And send us your blogs, YouTube videos, and more so we can post!

Our Foundation's Standing

2009-05-27T18:55:00.002-04:00

We had a great Executive Committee Meeting today. We have certainly been through a lot over the past few months as staff, as board members and fund holders- the market has tanked, the communities are needing more to meet basic needs- and we are trying to figure out- what is our role? But I am so ever proud of our response. It's as if the past two-three years have been a rehearsal for this time. We have been tested for this. We have not 'suffered' as much as others. Sure, we are down, we have lost assets. We need more money! (Contribute , folks!: www.trianglecf.org- or call Fred Stang: 010-474-8370). But our staff is thriving, the nonprofits with whom we collaborate are keeping up with their creative works, and they need our resources. So I keep at it. And yes, I'm exhausssssted (so everyone tells me" Andrea" you look tired!) but I'm glad we are relevant and that we are where we are..

I want to thank our Board Chair, Dr Phail Wynn. Who Could Ask for anyone better. And all of our Executive Committee Members. They have guided us and continue to ask the right questions. THANK YOU ALL.

Common Causing

2009-05-26T13:56:00.007-04:00

Bob Edgar at Hodding Carter's home

Gene Nichol, master moderator, led a discussion panel made up of Hodding Carter, Frank Daniels and Bob Edgar. What a treat it was to hear from these folks about Watergate, Election Reform and Investigative Reporting...

Bob Phillips- head of Common Cause here in NC.

with President William Friday- what a wonderful man.

Every once in a while, I find myself in a place or event and get a chance to stop, think, feel grateful. Take in the event and listen to the wisdom of those around me. Such was the case last week when I attended a couple of gatherings to welcome Bob Edgar, head of Common Cause national as he visited Chapel Hill.

Bob is a dynamo- he served as the Congressman from Pennsylvania - was actually part of the congressional class nicknamed "the Watergate babies," those elected in the wake of the Watergate scandal and who led sweeping reforms of Congress.

We have had a chance to work and fund some of Common Cause's good efforts here in NC- including their outreach in HBCU's campus. From their work on the NC Coalition on Government and Lobbying Reform, to Public Financing- this is critical focus for our state. Keep it up everybody and thanks for a great historic gathering. Food for the intellectual soul!

$1,000 and a Whole Lotta Inspiration

2009-04-27T22:53:00.009-04:00

Thursday night, 75 plus people, a coaches dream, a former Tar Heel Footbal Player's philanthropy, a little dose of Durham Mayor Bill Bell's words for political importance, and a framed certificate.. with a promise, a guarantee, for a bright future, and a thousand dollars.

A Thousand Dollars. For College Tuition. Not Now. Not Next Year. Perhaps not even the year after that. Some of the Kids who were the recipients of this award may not see the funding come to fruition for years. They are only tweens. But what they got on Thursday is priceless.

The Durham Eagles. http://www.durhameagles.com/

A focused and intense football team like no other. Parents, coaches, mentors- all there to make sure the kids succeed.

Scott Stankavage, a believer of this effort and a donor who has a family fund with us at the Foundation, gave over 25, $ 1,000 scholarships to Durham Eagles players- to be cashed when they get into college: " I'm Fired Up," he said, " You're going to College. Your Coaches Believe In You."

I don't know about you, but next time you're needing some inspiration, just take a look at the first picture on this posting- Young Romelle and his certificate. I think Scott is making the right investment.

Celebrating Earth Day, Promoting Triangle Gives Back

2009-04-20T09:39:00.005-04:00

The Moore Power team hawked Triangle Gives Back marketing materials at the Earth Day Celebration at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh this past Saturday, sponsored by Burts' Bees, our great partner. Even with their great ability, they couldn't compete with the 80% off sale at the Burts Bees tent!

We decided that Kadie, the Bazan rescue dog, will become the TGB mascot. Did she get more attention than the philanthropy message ??

But seriously, what a great day it was.

Weather: perfect score.

People: no complainers.

Interest in the Triangle Gives Back message: Top Notch.

We feel good to see so many intrigued by what we are trying to build here with this effort. It's not an easy one to explain- as Robyn puts it: "getting involved in causes that you care about."

As some of you know who read this blog, I am big on not speaking philanthrospeak- but people GOT what she said. Not sure if it was the crowd that attended this event (a large crowd, I must say), but there was genuine interest from folks to learn about the TGB initiative, how to get engaged, involved in the community.

It's also apparent that we need more funding for Triangle Gives Back. And that's where the frustration sometimes comes. We only have limited $$. Very generous funding allocated by the Board of the Foundation, but it's still limited. The potential of the TriangleGivesBack.org message is limited because we can only spread the message so far with events...

But as we ended the day, we realized: cute kids and dogs can only help (also a plus: cheap Burts' Bees products). We also felt energized by the positive reception of this first public festival as a TGB community.

Thank you Dan for your creativity and ideas...

John Replogle- did I give you enough of a plug?

Thank you to my girls for their time and talent..(?)

And to all who stopped by the learn, please sign up!

www.trianglegivesback.org

Addressing Poverty Head on..

2009-04-11T12:58:00.004-04:00

Gene Nichol is one a shining star at Carolina. We’re lucky to have him back after his tenure at William & Mary. I’ve always admired his passion, tenacity, laser-sharp focus on policy issues that matter…

So I was happy to be part of a conference that he and his colleague Heather Hunt organized on Friday- as part of their roles at the UNC Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity. Great speakers. Good thinking. I got to visit with Congressman Brad Miller, who represents NC’s 13th district. I’ve known Brad for many years- and his remarks on Friday were one of the best I’ve heard him deliver. He was, for many years, a state legislative leader and won a seat in Congress after the 2000 Census created a new district for our state. He and I have at times said it was because the Latino population made our community numbers swell (the Mormons in Utah had a different story..). In any case, during his speech, Rep. Miller focused on the housing crisis and talked about some of the work he’s trying to lead and be part up in DC.
“A family’s home must be its most, not its least, protected asset. The middle class is still trapped in debt.”
I haven’t seen Brad as passionate about an issue and as fired up about something so important in a while- and with good reason. It’s good to see a NC congressman who is now serving on some important committees, quote the Dixie Chicks and say

“I’m not ready to make nice”

when it comes to this.. much more needs to happen if we are going to help the families who are being affected.

I appreciate the hard work he’s doing- not an easy job these days, especially for someone who is representing a district where a lot of these jobs have been lost and a lot of families are the ones who he’s fighting for. We ended the conference trying to come up with SOLUTIONS- that was my panel, though not sure we fully succeeded. Gene took the charge, saying the center will follow up. I think this is just the beginning.

I do believe the recession is giving us all a unique opportunity to pull together and do things differently. But it must be more than talk. It must be in the form of specific, direct legislation affecting people- much like what Congressman Miller is trying to do.

Send a Kid to Camp gets a Boost

2009-04-08T09:34:00.002-04:00

Send a Kid to Camp- one of our favorite programs- has been around since the start of the Foundation. Supported by all kinds of loyal partners and donors from all over, 6,000 kids have been able to go to camp over that time.

Last summer, we were able to send about 230 kids to camp- it's one of those programs that we gotta keep promoting and letting people know about. Who can argue with the fact that every child needs a chance to spend at least one week at a summer camp activity? Instead of in front of a TV? Or on the couch. But, support has dwindled some over the last couple of years- and the way the program works, we can only support as many kids as we raise money for-

We rely on free media to advertise the program. This year, The News&Observer- a long time partner, has had to decline its support. Thankfully, the Herald Sun will continue to run free ads highlighting the kids. These ads bring in great donations from Triangle residents. You should see some of the notes that come with the checks. Touching. "I couldn't go to camp and wish I had, so here, I hope this helps." or "I remember my counselor, he/she made a big difference in my life."

We are working hard at TCF to grow Send a Kid to Camp. Our coordinator Libby Long could not be better! and we are getting some fans of the program. How could we not??

So, as we begin our 2009 SKC Fan list, we are including the Carolina Hurricanes.

Here we are receiving a nice grant from the Carolina Hurricanes Kids 'N Community Foundation, last night at the Playoff game. An exciting night. We are looking forward to a good partnership with the Canes. Together with the grant, they invited us to bring 125 kids/nonprofits to join us at the game. Must have been good karma. They beat the Islanders 9-0.

www.kidsToCamp.net

Go Canes!

Staff holiday party.. in April???

2009-04-06T18:06:00.005-04:00

Yes, we finally had our Holiday Staff party- today, Monday MORNING, April 6th. It's pretty bad when: 1) you can't find a date in November, December or even January to get all the staff together to celebrate and 2) the only date you do find is on a Monday morning! So we planned a hike. Outdoors. Eno Park. Of course major thunderstorms took place. In true TCF spirit- we were not deterred (that, or the planning committee said- 'we are not gonna try to plan this thing again!'). So we made do with games and a great lunch at Niko's.

Can you guess what our dignified lawyer, Robin, is doing here? What rhymes with arugula??

Ahem. After working nonstop for what seemed like weeks and months, this was a nice break. We are lucky to have great staff to work with -- we haven't been named "Best Place to work in the Triangle" for nothin'!

And, the word philanthropy was not mentioned.. or maybe just once or twice..

25th Anniversary Benefit Gala: A Smashing Success

2009-04-03T17:04:00.006-04:00

We did it! And Here's the Proof...Thank you Everyone

On the Eve of the BIG Celebration...

2009-04-01T18:17:00.003-04:00

Well. Here we are. Just a few hours away from the Foundation's 25th anniversary benefit Gala. And what an event this promises to be. Happy to be working with Billy Warden and Greg Behr again. What fun, creative guys! I may not have been writing about this here, but let me tell you, it's consumed a lot of my time.. And Tracy's. And Kelly's. Notice their (beautiful) necklaces on the picture above. They got that as a small bribe today so they could make it just a few more hours... There have been some snags...Scripts, chapstick questions, the dramatic dessert!, the entertainment!, agh.

But that what it takes to mark 25 years, 130 million in grants, and so much history..

More to come...

We're in good hands with these young leaders..

2009-03-27T20:17:00.006-04:00

What a great way to end a busy week.. This afternoon I got to speak and facilitate a discussion at a class for Leadership Triangle's College Edition. The topic: Civic Engagement. This is the first go-round of this program for Leadership Triangle and WOW. Impressive students. From all area schools: NC State, Duke, UNC CH, Peace, Meredith, St Aug, Central, Wake Tech, Durham Tech... 3 student body presidents. different majors, ages.. My small group discussed philanthropy and then, we were given a challenge- to address an issue faced by the NC Food Bank. My group decided on how to involve more corporations as donors to the Food Bank. The 'winner' of the challenge will be announced at the program's graduation April 17- and, well, i'm biased, but I think my group was the best!! Look at these great people! I've such a busy week preparing for our gala next week and dealing with a million other things, that to see some innovative thinking and fresh ideas, enthusiasm and leadership in action, and to be a small part of it, was a privilege. Thanks everyone!

And I must also here recognize Winkie..
That's her in the other picture. If you haven't yet met Winkie LaForce, the Executive Director of LT, then her name says it all. She's a force to be reckoned with.. Winkie and I first met when we worked on the Pan Am games together many many years ago and I've worked with her ever since... She's the reason why we are growing and connecting so many leaders in our Triangle region.

NOw, off to watch the heels.. it is march madness after all..

Fans of Joel

2009-03-19T13:45:00.005-04:00

You've heard of FOBs, or FOHs-- Friends of Bill, Friends of Hillary. Well, today I'm writing about Fans of Joel. FOJs.

I'm fortunate and priviliged enough to be part of a group that gets to spend time with Joel Fleishman. That's him smiling in the picture. I am told it was taken in Germany. I am sure there is a story about his trip there. Joel: master philanthropist, world traveler, tea lover, Fayetteville-tied but Chapel Hill based, Duke fan but secretely loves the Heels, wine conossieur...

I started going to Joel's philanthropy seminars at Duke when I first started my job and role in Philanthropy- 4 years ago. This is my 'philanthropy school.' Heads of major foundations, leading philanthropic thinkers, and others come from around the nation to speak to a small group of us about different topics. It gives me a chance to slow down, THINK (sometimes I go a whole day without doing this), and learn.

And then, I am lucky enough to end the afternoon with a dinner with Joel- and most often Tom Lambeth (a post on him should come at a future date). And watch them pick on each other.. usually about the Heels.

Last night at one of these, I said, he's got a major fan club. Joel has done a lot to spread philanthropy, to keep it in check, to get us engaged. THANK YOU.

Quarterly Board meeting

2009-03-17T20:11:00.002-04:00

I think I like this thing about taking pictures w my Iphone and posting them here on my blog. It certainly captures what I want to write about. Today, it's about our Foundation Board meetings- really, it's about our board in general. Of course, writing about our board would take more than one posting- and these blogs are supposed to be short, so I'll just briefly report/react to today's quarterly meeting.

First, the picture. Yes, that's our ILLUSTRIOUS CHAIR, Dr. Phail Wynn. We absolutely love Phail and feel very lucky to have him at the helm of the Foundation. He has a long history with us and has helped me, personally and professionally, quite a lot. He is a gifted facilitator. You can probably google him and learn about all his accomplishments. Frank Phoenix and Joel Sheer are also on the picture.

At this meeting, we approved our investment policies. Frank is our Investment Committee co chair. I can't say enough about the good work this committee has done, or the good timing of this- we certainly would not be in the good position we are in now if it wasn't for this committee's guidance. Frank did an outstanding job today laying out our new investment philosophy, new asset classes, new managers. How proud I was of all the work so many people have done.

We had some vital, some tough, but some needed discussions at our meeting today, but most importantly, we are so lucky to have such talent on our board.

It really does take a village....(Fred, I'm quoting you here, you see...)

Management meetings

2009-03-12T15:56:00.003-04:00

Management team meetings here at the Foundation don't happen as often as we'd like= we seem to get too busy and Tuesday afternoons for some reason, get swamped! but when they do happen, they are golden opportunities to talk, debate, get feedback, do updates. Here we are- i captured this with my Iphone and I liked the picture because:
-it shows Fred's typical pose (he's thinking about his next question)
-you can see Ken's thinking (where have I landed??)

and then one can just imagine what the women on the management team are doing (Kelly, Lori and me)- Kelly: taking notes, Lori:Keeping up with the conversation, and me: who knows.

We have a great management team, and for that, I'm lucky. We're lucky. We don't always all agree on things, but I think it's helped us move the Foundation forward. I couldn't imagine working in a silo or in a place where it's only one person who makes all the decisions.

In PHilanthropy, we don't question things ENOUGH. I think here, sometimes we question things TOO MUCH, but it's healthy. It helps keep ourselves in action, and interacting.

Capital Awards

2009-03-06T16:01:00.004-05:00

Capital Awards took place on Tuesday in Washington- our annual opportunity at NCLR (www.nclr.org) to honor leaders in Congress for their work on behalf of the Latino community. Sen Ted Kennedy and Sen Mel Martinez were awardees this year, as was the Miami Workers Center, for their efforts in registering new voters during the election. This bipartisan night is one of my favorite- it's at the core of NCLR's influence and this year, as I sat back and got a chance to take it all in (for not very long-- it was a busy night) I realize how far we've come in only the few years I've been involved on the Board (7). Looking at cabinet appointees, new administration staff, congressmen and women, nonprofit leaders, corporate CEOs- it truly is heartening.

There's so much more I can say about the night and its significance, but I'll end by including a link to Janet's Keynote address.

http://www.nclr.org/content/viewpoints/detail/56124

She delivered it with her usual powerful enthusiasm. Que bien! I hope you enjoy. Let me know if you don't (!)

This picture is one of my favorites- here, with Janet, Artie Rodriguez of United Farmworkers of America and Cid Wilson, both of whom are/were on the NCLR Board.

Si Se Puede.

Conferences, meetings- how important are they?

2009-03-02T16:19:00.003-05:00

Hello from a snowed in Monday afternoon. Not a welcome change in weather. Too many meetings, travel plans, etc to figure out! And this is turning everything upside down..

Got a chance to attend a reception for the NC Governor's Tourism and Travel conference last night. Organized by the Dept of Commerce. Even in times like these, the state is trying to promote itself- which is good to see. The event was entirely paid for by private sponsors, and my old friend Lynn Minges (now assistant Secretary of the Dept) made a point of saying that, just in case anyone would make an issue of a state agency putting on a conference.

I suppose that's one of the casualties of this economic situations. Most groups are cancelling meetings. We cut back on such budget items at the Foundation, too. And are advising nonprofits to do the same if needed. But it makes me wonder- at what cost? Networking, sharing ideas, meeting others- is important. In the case of this gathering last night- tourism is one of our vital economic engines in North Carolina and we must continue to 'fuel it' if we are going to have a diverse revenue stream.

One of my concerns as we cut back to the basics is that we are eroding some infrastructure efforts that, one by one, may not seem that vital, but altogether make up the formula for advancement and continued progress.

We shall see..

Civic leadership at work

2009-02-27T16:00:00.002-05:00

Reality Check- This week was the culmination of lots of planning and work by several leaders, who eventually brought together hundreds of representatives from the triangle economic development region to envision and plan how we will 'grow' in the Triangle.

The fact that we are facing growth is not news. Yes, we have sprawl, traffic, congestion, not enough public transportation, (if any, in some parts), issues with open space, water quality-- these were all the things we tried to tackle.

The results of a lego-based exercise were presented to a larger public today, and will be implemented and guided by Triangle Tomorrow over the next several months (www.triangletomorrow.org). This morning, as I heard the presentation of results, voted for priorities, and thought about our region and its future- I couldn't help but admire the work of a handful of leaders who continue to press for our region's quality of life- individuals who could easily just sit back and enjoy retirement, or simply not get involved. We are lucky that we have such folks- and we need more of them. No one 'elects' these people, they just take the lead because someone has to. There's certainly a lot of work to be done and not enough people who raise their hand and volunteer.

This is a form of philanthropy- giving of your time and talent- and it's admirable.

Applause to Smedes York, Jack Clayton, Phail Wynn, Rick Weddle, Pam Wall- and everyone else for this reality check. and for their leadership.

Slow moving

2009-02-23T17:00:00.004-05:00

You can never get away from it, can you? Money. We're grateful that we are faring pretty well considering the economy here at the Foundation. Down only 13.5% since the last FY. Total assets are now $ 119 Mill. We're grateful that we are able to count on new gifts. We have great guidance from some amazing volunteers in our investment committee. And, we've committed to go on with our grantmaking for this year, hopefully surpassing last year's totals.

I must admit that I've been surprised at how some other foundations have reacted, and how much their investments have dropped. My initial question is: if your role is to be stewarts of financial resources for the good of the public, should you not keep a close eye on the market and shift investments if the markets tumble as they did in the fall?

We may not have had the best approach, and we did lose money, but we also convened pretty quickly and made some decisions that helped preserve some assets. Of course, as a community foundation, we are able to continue to receive assets, thereby increasing our base. But nevertheless, we acted swiftly. A quick pace is not always an attribute in philanthropy - we are guilty of this as well.

Everything happens for a reason, and perhaps this will be one of the lessons of this recession. We must become leaner, quicker in our decision-making, and more agile in our asset management. All for the benefit of our grantmaking. It's the community, at the end, that will receive less needed funding if we don't adapt to this change.

Community Foundations as leaders

2009-02-20T17:20:00.002-05:00

In the three plus years I have been in this community foundation world, I have seen a significant shift in the way community foundations see themselves. It's been heartening. I glad about this. And, it goes along well with the work we are doing here at TCF.
This was very evident this week while we were in Miami at the gathering by Knight. It was, perhaps, due to the types of community foundations that were gathered there- those who are doing some cutting edge things locally-- but serving as a community leader is not a 'new' topic now for our groups, but it's a role that has become something we must play.
Alberto Ibarguen, President of Knight, Steve Gunderson, of COF, all stressed it.
The idea took center stage a few years back with a publication by Lucy Bernholz and others: "On the Brink of New Promise: The FUture of COmmunity Foundations." It really challenged us to get more involved, to not just be 'banks,' and become concerned wtih challenges around us. We really took this to heart at TCF, and the timing could not have been better. Our mission, vision and values reflect our desire to be active participants in the community around us, and our staff embrace this activity.

As a CF, I believe we cannot be satisfied by making grants alone. The grants are connected to the community, and to the people and organizations. There is a bigger role for us to play. Sometimes this is at the front, sometimes in the back of the room. But we must continue to find opportunities to become civically engaged.

It's good to see the field moving in that direction. And the timing could not be better...

2009-02-19T14:49:00.002-05:00

http://vimeo.com/3253958?pg=embed&sec=

2009-02-17T12:08:00.002-05:00

From Miami--here attending the Knight Foundation seminar on Information needs in communities and new media. We came to this last year, this is second time it's being done.

Fascinating stuff. Great presenters. Gives us lots to think about: especially as it relates to Triangle Gives Back.

More later.

Savvy Women

2009-02-14T00:25:00.003-05:00

I think we must have a full moon, and something must be going on around here- this week has been too busy- and everyone around seems to be stressed, stretched, tired. Agh! Such was the case with me this morning when I really wished I could have spent the morning at the office catching up, but instead had to go to be part of a panel organized by the Raleigh CHamber- Savvy Women's Conference.
"Why do I always agree to do these things?" I said to myself (I could practically see Jill's face telling me to 'just say no!')
But boy, was I wrong about needing to be in place other than at the McKimmon Center this morning. The panel was lots of fun- and being around hundreds of women, talking about careers, mothering, community, balance (?!), mentors, politics, life in general was EXACTLY what I needed to end my Friday on a calmer note. Thank you Lynn Garrison of BCBS for inviting me and moderating- you did a fantastic job.

Everything happens for a reason...

Jill Extraordinaire

2009-02-09T21:33:00.004-05:00

I thought I'd embarass Jill today by writing about her. What would I do without Jill??? I've worked alongside many people over the years but I think she is probably one of those people who knows me best- she knows that I can't say NO- (so she doesn't let me answer the phone), lets me vent when I need to, knows when I need to close the door, when I need to go down the street for a break, knows what phone calls I have to answer. I can't imagine accomplishing anything at the Foundation without Jill's guidance and support. She has been there for me personally and professionally- and I thank my lucky stars for her every day. GRACIAS JILL.

My world comes to a temporary halt!

2009-02-07T11:28:00.003-05:00

On my way to the airport for an NCLR meeting, after a very busy week, and I get rear-ended by a car. Ambulance, emergency room, whiplash, concussion. Otherwise, OK. Interesting how things happen sometimes- the plans go out the window and I am temporarily rendered helpless! and home-bound.

NCLR is one of my main priorities- National Council of La Raza. More about them at another time. A very committed group of Latino leaders serves on that Board.

Today, my friend Monica, and former Chair of the NCLR board, gets named to the Economic Recovery Advisory Board - see below. Go Monica! Seems like President Obama is getting bright talent to advise him.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release February 6, 2009

Obama Announces Economic Advisory Board

Washington (February 6, 2009) – President Barack Obama today signed an executive order establishing the new Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Modeled on the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower the Board will provide an independent voice on economic issues and will be charged with offering independent advice to the President as he formulates and implements his plans for economic recovery.

The Economic Recovery Advisory Board will provide regular briefings to the President, Vice President and their economic team. The Board will be established initially for a two-year term, after which the President will make a determination on whether to extend the work of the Board.

Members of the Board are distinguished citizens outside the government who are qualified on the basis of achievement, experience, independence, and integrity. The Board will bring a diverse set of perspectives and voices from different parts of the country and different sectors of the economy to bear in the formulation and evaluation of economic policy.

The Board will meet regularly and provide advice directly to the President on the programs to jump-start economic growth and facilitate economic stability. The Board will also focus on how the response to the short-run economic crisis is laying the groundwork for the reforms necessary for longer-run prosperity.

Paul Volcker will serve as Chairman and Austan Goolsbee as Staff Director and Chief Economist.

Members of the Board include:

William H. Donaldson, Chairman, SEC (2003-2005)
Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., President & CEO, TIAA-CREF
Robert Wolf, Chairman & CEO, UBS Group Americas
David F. Swensen, CIO, Yale University
Mark T. Gallogly, Founder & Managing Partner, Centerbridge Partners L.P.
Penny Pritzker, Chairman & Founder, Pritzker Realty Group
Jeffrey R. Immelt, CEO, GE
John Doerr, Partner, Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Jim Owens, Chairman and CEO, Caterpillar Inc.
Monica C. Lozano, Publisher & Chief Executive Officer, La Opinion
Charles E. Phillips, Jr., President, Oracle Corporation
Anna Burger, Chair, Change to Win
Richard L. Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO
Laura D'Andrea Tyson, Dean, Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley
Martin Feldstein, George F. Baker Professor of Economics, Harvard University

Seeing Latinos, a woman, a mother, and a friend, in such positions certainly is heartening- and I forget all about my whiplash...

Media Day!

2009-02-05T13:21:00.005-05:00

We held our press conference today to publicly launch the TriangleGivesBack.org website and the Call To Action. Working with Billy Warden and Greg Behr has been great- the guys are awesome! (billywarden.com) Lots of people came out and the setting was approp- Central Park School for Children.

Lots more to say about it, but as always, I'm pressed for time, so I will mention how impressed I was, once again, with Kevin Trapani- one of our newer board members at the Foundation, CEO of Redwoods group, and on the steering committee of TGB. His words were right on- and he mentioned my favorite quote as one that influences him.

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected

Isn't that what this is all about??

THanks, Kevin, for that reminder. You're the best!

Where is my head.. and the Scrap Exchange

2009-02-04T15:36:00.004-05:00

My sister called from New York-- are you feeling the economic stress down there? What a question. It seems that it dominates most of what I am doing lately, or at least these past few weeks.

That may be why this morning I drove my kids to the office instead of dropping them off at school! AND later, parked on the wrong side of the parking deck (yes, I've parked there for a couple of years already).. Too much going on in my brain...

I hosted a group today for a Nonprofit Facility Tour, as part of series organized by Scrap Exchange (great group- check it out). They are learning different approaches to negotiating spaces by nonprofits. A lot of groups are looking for space- and favorable terms. We had a good discussion. Once again, they asked if we can play a role in facilitating some connections between the nonprofits and potential business leaders who may have space to lease/donate/discount. We'll continue working on this. We seem to be playing that role more and more.

Not just grantmaking. It's not just about writing a check...

Lunch with the Prez: Budgeting and Investing

2009-02-03T14:29:00.003-05:00

Had another lunch with nonprofits today. Ken, our CFO, spoke about budgeting and investing- why would anyone be worried about that now??

Gosh, there was a moment there, when everyone was introducing themselves and their group, that it felt kind of overwhelming.

This economic crisis has really hit the nonprofits and agencies are grappling with how to best approach things. It's difficult to keep a positive outlook as the facilitator of this lunch when demand is so high for some of these organizations, and money is drying up. What can I possibly say?

Still, as we talked about investing and long term sustainability- it became evident to me that although we don't know how this will fare in the end, nonprofit staff and board members are certainly rolling up their sleeves and showing their tenacity.

Let's see if Triangle Gives Back can do something here...

Triangle Gives Back

2009-02-02T17:46:00.004-05:00

WOW!!!!!!

here's our commercial for Triangle Gives Back. Thank YOU TIME WARNER, Judie Gaines and Russell Doggett. We love it.

Emerging Tar Heels Leaders

2009-01-31T11:06:00.002-05:00

What a week it's been... meetings, more meetings, getting ready for a big event next week, lots of administrative stuff- there are times when I feel like I'm running nonstop but then my schedule gives me an opportunity to do something that makes me stop and reflect. Such was the case today when I had lunch with one of my favorite nonprofits, the Emerging Tar Heel Leaders Group. They are organizing Friday lunches and inviting people to come speak about different topics. The group's mission is to cultivate the leaders of tomorrow (www.ethl.org) although I must say many of them are leaders in great positions already. It's refreshing to be around such a diverse group of folks- people who work in for profits, health care, nonprofits, technology, academia- all brought together out of a desire to get involved.
I often say that I get frustrated that there's a group of people who always do everything, and we need more people to do more-- Well, today was great indication that the future, and present, is in great hands.

Philanthrospeak??

2009-01-24T23:26:00.003-05:00

Why did I call my blog this? There was a time when I had to think about pronouncing philanthropy right, so a term like 'philanthrospeak' is not a simple one..But it's a very fitting word and one that I've used more than a few times.. just ask a few of my staff.

A few years ago when I came over to this side of philanthropy I found that we used terms that only those in philanthropy understood. Who goes around everyday saying things like "I'm going to integrate the learnings from that grant and leverage more resources...."??

Here at TCF we have our own strange language- DOPS, GWEES, FIMS. We also talk like "we're gonna plan a TDF at BWF in RTP, maybe we should do it on TGB." A few months ago we created a new one- STANGISM (Fred). Perhaps we are trying to expand our brains..

I suppose every field has its own lingo, but for us, who try to be transparent and a connector of sorts, this can alienate us from the world instead of connecting us to it. So I have found myself saying more and more 'no philanthrospeak!"

But then ---this word also can be a good one- philanthropy can be about speaking out. And I certainly stand for that. We are doing more and more of that at TCF, and so is the world of philanthropy, ever so slowly...

It struck a chord. So there you have it.

Obama Week

2009-01-23T14:22:00.004-05:00

What a week. Coming back to work on Wednesday almost felt like starting a new year. It's as if the nation as a whole was waiting for Tuesday, January 20th as some kind of beginning (or end?). The hope, inspiration and unity of that day was palpable- all around..Not only did we inaugurate Barack Obama as President on Tuesday but the Triangle was also hit with a few inches of snow. This meant no school, lots of excitement for my girls at home, and a day full of inauguration watching (with plenty of snow breaks in between). It gave me a chance to watch hours of it and also for much reflection.. more about that in a moment.

I'm including Obama's speech here- I'd like to have it handy. I don't think it was his best speech, but I very much liked his tone- commanding, solid and sober, which I believe was appropriate. I connected with a lot of what he said. Appreciated his reference to this nation as one made up of people from around the world...

Tuesday was also the day my 98 year old abuelo Nicolas passed away- far away in Argentina. It wasn't unexpected, but it hit me hard. I had a special relationship with my grandfather. He served as a senator many years ago for the Province of Salta, when Peron was President- and loved to discuss politics with me. I saw him last in April- in the midst of the democratic primaries- and we had some great debates!

So a week of endings, and beginnings...

Let Freedom Ring

2009-01-18T16:03:00.003-05:00

Live from Washington DC, on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial

Bono: "Oh You Look So Beautiful!"

President (Elect) Obama: "Hello, America. Thank you for reminding us through song and performance what it is that we love about America. Welcome to the celebration of American renewal. Only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as great as we have. I won't pretend that meeting any of these challenges will be easy. Along the way there will be setbacks and false starts, but despite all of this, I stand here today as hopefull as ever that the US of America will endure- that the dreams of our founders will live on in our time. What gives me hope is what I see when I look out at this moment. A faith that anything is possible in America. And yet as I stand here today is not the stone and marble that surround us but it is you, Americans of every race and regions who came here because you believe that America can be anything it wants to be and you want to help us get there. A belief that if we can just recognize ourselves in one another, then not only will we stir hope and opportunity but maybe just maybe we may perfect our union. You prove once more that people that love his country can change it. The voices of man and women who have different stories but hold common hope. See our children climb higher than we have. Because there is no obstacle that can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change. That is how we will overcome what ails us now. Never forget hat the true character of our nation is by the right we do when the time is of need. Together we can carry forward as one people the legacy of our forefathers."

Bruce Stringsteen, Pete Seegher. "This land was made for you and me"

More to come in the days ahead..

Money, Money, Money

2009-01-17T12:53:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I spent several hours in meetings focusing on our investments at the Foundation. There's so much going on regarding this right now, with the markets tumbling, unstable, and unpredictable.
First, I feel very grateful that at TCF we have a fantastic investment committee of volunteers who have been guiding us through the 'mess'- these guys (yes, they are all guys) have given countless hours to set up policies, develop new asset allocations, and select a new investment consultant. Little did we know that the timing for this work would be so, well, timely- on that fateful Monday, when everything seem to go haywire, I remember assembling my management team and immediately getting Chuck Leedy, one of our Investment CoChairs, on the phone, for some help (and also to get him to calm us down). We were able to move fairly quickly and react with some thought. Contributions have continued to come to the Foundation through the end of the year, and our assets, although decreasing, have not dropped as much as some other foundations.
Grantmaking has held steady, too.

The world of philanthropy out there is no fun now. My email box is full of 'war stories' shared by CEOs of foundations, articles being routed, etc. Foundations having closed due to the Madoff scandal, others who have interrupted grantmaking until further notice- a lot of anxiety and instability. It's almost as if everyone is still trying to make sense of what's happened in their own house before getting out in the world and trying to continue to meet their mission of grantmaking.

I think this period of time will test philanthropy and its values, and may make foundations really think about priorities and sustainability- some of them may have to think about cutting back some overhead expenses to continue to meet some growing, immediate demand in communities, others may want to consider collaborating with other foundations to cut costs. These are the things we are telling 'nonprofits' to consider. Why not do some of these ourselves?

Stay tuned for our latests numbers. I'll post them here when I get them from Ken..

Eating with nonprofits

2009-01-15T15:34:00.002-05:00

Ok. Here we go, here we go, here we go (in the words of Ozomatli..)

On Tuesday we hosted one of our monthly Lunches with the President. These are great. As busy as I get, the chance to sit down for 2 hours with great organizations and some of the staff here at the Foundation is very valuable- and always inspirational..

This month the lunch was for nonprofit directors who have been in their positions for 2 years or less. A dynamo group. We talked about boards (a frequent topic), fundraising, marketing.. and of course the economy.. the economic situation has everyone worried, but I must say, this group seemed to be facing things openly, and many of these groups will thrive under their leadership.

Welcome / Bienvenidos

2009-01-13T16:40:00.000-05:00

This is my first blog.

I've been asked by many of my younger, more hip colleagues and friends over the last few months or perhaps couple of years to do a blog.. so I have finally caved in.

I hope to set aside time to write often.

I want to talk about the work we are involved in at the community foundation- the things that get me excited, and the things that get me, well, kind of mad. I have the privilege to live in one of the best areas of the country- and get to work and know some great people, both well-known leaders and unsung heroes. I want to write about them, too.

I've often been told that I'm very open and transparent about what I do, what I think..so, let's see how this blog experiment goes! I realize that writing out in the open means talking to a different audience.

Let me know what you think. And thanks for reading.