Connected Philanthropy

Federal funding cuts, new executive orders, and other policy shifts impact each of our clients differently. Some funders are making commitments to fill funding gaps or offer grants to assist nonprofits. Others are waiting to learn more about how these changes will affect their grantees.The common theme: when funders respond to a changing environment, they do so quickly. Listen to this Coffee Talk recording to learn how your peers are adapting and what they’re experiencing.Links:Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.comSocial: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and InstagramWebsite: Foundant.com

Discover how authentic storytelling can build trust, loyalty, and a genuine connection with audiences, forging a path towards meaningful engagement in today's busy world.Johnna Lacey | CEO, J.M. Lacey CommunicationsJohnna is the CEO, head writer and consultant of J.M. Lacey Communications, LLC, which focuses on writing and brand storytelling, training and coaching. J.M. Lacey Communications empowers business owners to effectively communicate their purpose by teaching them how to find and tell their unique story to impact the world through a systematic process. Built on empathy and the desire to eliminate frustration for business owners, leaders and nonprofits, J.M. Lacey Communications seeks ways to simplify what has been unnecessarily complicated using proven systems to achieve results.Links:Home | J.M. Lacey Communications (jmlacey.com) (18) Johnna Lacey | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/j-m-lacey-communications-llc/ Newsletter Signup | J.M. Lacey Communications (jmlacey.com) (free download: “10 Questions to Ask Yourself to Find Your Story”)Feeding AmericaHabitat For HumanityCompass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.comWebinars: register hereSocial: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and InstagramWebsite: Foundant.com

In this episode, our speakers discuss how funders can maximize their impact and improve their processes, all from the perspective of grant professionals. Laura Cochran, GPC | Senior Development Associate, Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP) Laura is the Grants Manager for the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP) in Indianapolis, Indiana. She has been a grant professional for nearly 20 years, a member of the Grants Professional Association (GPA) for 13 years, and a Grant Professional Certified (GPC) for 12 years. For the last 13 years, while working at INHP, Laura’s work in grants has focused on raising programs and lending dollars to support affordable housing access. She lives in a suburb of Indianapolis with her husband, son, daughter, and dog. Brendan McCormick | Associate Director, Exponent Philanthropy Brendan is the Associate Director, Research and Publications for Exponent Philanthropy. In this role, Brendan works with staff, members, and partners to develop resources grounded in research. He leads our efforts to learn more about our community of lean funders. Brendan focuses his research on how foundations approach impact and evaluation, investments, operations, demographics, and equity practices. Brendan has worked in philanthropy and grantmaking with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation. He earned his master’s degree in public policy at the University of Maryland, where he focused on nonprofit management and social policy. In his free time, he enjoys cooking new recipes and finding a quiet place to read a good book. Links:Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.comWebinars: register hereSocial: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and InstagramWebsite: Foundant.com

While AI brings many risks and uncertainties, it also presents opportunities for the philanthropic sector. In this episode, we discuss AI tools, the importance of being open to new technologies, and AI's potential implications on human interactions and responsibilities.Cory Brester | Director of CRM and Information Systems, Foundant TechnologiesCory supports a fast-growing team focused on maximizing the philanthropic community. As a software solution provider for grantmakers, grantseekers, scholarship providers, and community foundations Foundant is tasked with supporting the infrastructure of philanthropic programs everywhere; in order to be successful at this, Foundant needs a reliable infrastructure of its own.Cory manages Foundant’s internal corporate IT infrastructure and systems as well as leads the company initiatives on cybersecurity. Since starting at Foundant in 2011, Cory has spent much of his efforts planning and developing efficiencies and systems to support Foundant’s growth. His 8-year history with Foundant has allowed him to participate in sales and support – providing the internal experience necessary to provide a framework and continuity to information system processes and data integrity. Outside of his daily management work, Cory also enjoys sharing his cybersecurity knowledge through Foundant education resources, such as blogs and hosted webinars. Cory came to Bozeman from the agricultural community of Laurel, MT to pursue degrees in Finance and Accounting at Montana State University.Tools Mentioned:ChatGPTMidjourneyZoom AI CompanionSynthesiaDescriptLinks:Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.comWebinars: register hereSocial: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and InstagramWebsite: Foundant.com

Move from skepticism to success by harnessing the power of A.I. in fundraising. This episode highlights A.I.'s ability to optimize processes, reduce time constraints, and magnify impact, encouraging fundraising professionals to welcome this advancing technology as a crucial ally in their philanthropic pursuits.Maria Newhouse, Director, Corporate & Foundation Relations | Kalamazoo College Maria brings her extensive expertise to foster partnerships that drive educational advancement. Hailing from Portage, Michigan, she attended Western Michigan University locally, graduating in 2006 with her Bachelor’s Degree (Spanish, Philosophy and Gender and Women’s Studies) before pursuing a Master’s Degree in Social Work (2010) and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (2013). Prior to joining the team at Kalamazoo College, she served for more than five-years as the grant writer and donor relations specialist at the Smithsonian-affiliated Air Zoo. Beyond her professional accomplishments in the fundraising realm, she is the creative force behind Maria Newhouse Photography, intertwining her artistic passion with family experiences, as she navigates life with her husband and four young children. Links:Khan, Imad. “Chat GPT Glossary: 41 AI Terms that Everyone Should Know” https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/ai-glossary-basic-terms-all-chatgpt-users-should-know Le, Vu. “The Ethics and Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence in the Nonprofit Sector.”  https://nonprofitaf.com/2023/03/the-ethics-and-opportunities-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-nonprofit-sector/ Mollick, Ethan. “Embracing weirdness: What it means to use AI as a (writing) tool” https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/embracing-weirdness-what-it-means Mollick, Ethan. “The Shape of the Shadow of the Thing.”  https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/the-shape-of-the-shadow-of-the-thing?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Wolfram, Stephen. “What is ChatGPT Doing and Why Does It Work?” https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/02/what-is-chatgpt-doing-and-why-does-it-work/ AI @ WMU: A Deep Dive into the Resources https://docs.google.com/document/d/1snSfb_weI1oITJm8Lh5IpOqc7qRqfyzn/edit LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-newhouse-73607589/