CLIENT ADVISORY
With spring weather usually comes a flurry of invitations to galas and benefits for some of our favorite causes. Thomas F. Blaney, CPA, Partner and Co-Director of O’Connor Davies LLP reminds  foundation board members and foundation senior management of some common pitfalls associated with attending ticketed events that could potentially run them afoul of the self-dealing rules.

Follow this link to read this helpful brief: PF Watch Out for Gala or Benefit Tickets

NPO CONVERSATION

In a conversation with seven nonprofit leaders this week, we learned about how some nonprofits are working to overcome the challenges of relative obscurity to deliver messages that could transform communities and maybe the world. They are putting relationships first, and no one ever mentioned LinkedIn or Facebook (though match. com did come up once).

Nonprofits today are busy – raising funds, building awareness, forging coalitions, measuring change and delivering services too. Success often depends on skilled communication, especially when the nonprofit name is not widely known. Other people, more than technology, can help the most. Here are three basic ways these nonprofit leaders purposefully build relationships that matter:

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by Amy Segal Shorey

Most of us want to feel deeply connected to other people.  Sixty percent of Americans celebrate that major retail event, Valentine’s Day.

Philanthropists might not send one another chocolates, but they do look to share with one another in meaningful ways.  Even The Giving Pledge promises its billionaire signers the opportunity to converse with their peers and exchange ideas about how best to give their wealth away.

Foundation boards frequently debate the merits of joining affinity groups and membership organizations, weighing the value of membership against using the funds for additional grants. The Council on Foundations website alone lists 42 affinity groups representing common grantmaking interests, geographic focus, size and governance structure, and trustee identity.  These groups boast thousands of members in the philanthropic sector, but they represent a minority of private foundations.

The strongest motivation for joining is to increase the impact or efficiency of your grantmaking, but that effect is difficult to measure, and impossible to know in advance. For practical guidance, I would offer these four reasons that our foundation clients decide to become members:

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