In an effort to help EPIP members gain value from the experience of professionals in the field, EPIP has started a new interview series. Blog readers will be able to learn valuable lessons from leaders in the field. The fourth interview in this series is with Mari Kuraishi, Co-Founder and President of the Global Giving Foundation.

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The folks at NTEN are offering EPIP members free access to a couple of their recent webinars: Leaders Leveraging Wireless: 10 Ways to Lead by Leaving Your Desk and How to Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly. During Leaders Leveraging Wireless, Mobile Citizen’s Michelle Warner and Kecia Carroll demonstrated how nonprofits can use wireless technology or Internet access to enable programs, stay connected to key stakeholders, or to work more efficiently–from anywhere. In How to Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly, MSDS’s Niki Hammond and Ross Berenson give the lowdown on the pros and cons of mobile apps vs. mobile websites vs. responsive design, and walk you through the process of ensuring that your website is mobile-device friendly. We invite you to use codes “WEB-LLW” and “WEB-MWMF” to access these recordings free of charge. Let NTEN know what you learn. Share your comments below. Read more

Download the application today!   EPIP is seeking leaders of leaders to serve on our national advisory board! Do you have what it takes to guide and grow EPIP to our next stage of development? Are you passionate about social justice issues? Do you have strong and innovative ideas on leadership and talent development in the sector? Are you committed to making significant change in our world? Then, we invite you to download and submit the application to join the EPIP Advisory Board. The deadline is Wednesday, June 18, 2014 by 5PM EDT. Please email the application with resumé to Emily Kessler at [email protected]. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Emily, or contact one of the members of the board development committee: Dana Linnane ([email protected]) or Christine Reeves ([email protected]). We are seeking multiple board member positions. Please help us find our next advisory board members by circulating this announcement to your network as well. Many thanks, The EPIP National Board of Advisors & Staff Read more

The EPIP Los Angeles mentorship program recently kicked off its pilot year. Since being selected to participate in the cohort, we’ve each identified, reached out to, and had initial conversations with our mentors.   One of the first steps in mentorship is realizing how you can benefit from the process. Prior to our involvement, each of us asked ourselves the question of whether or not we needed a mentor. Mentorship is a unique opportunity to deepen relationships, learn more about the sector, and define career goals. If you’re trying to determine whether or not mentorship is right for you, here are four questions to ask yourself before beginning. 1. Have I articulated what my career goals are? If you’re still trying to determine what you want most out of your career, a mentor can help guide you. It’s often beneficial for someone to talk you through developing goals that are aligned with your skills and interests. 2. Am I currently in a position to fulfill my career goals? Once you’ve determined your short- and long-term goals, you need to ask yourself if your current role is helping you achieve them. Where are your shortcomings? Do you need more training in certain areas, or could you benefit from a masters or certificate program? A mentor can help identify where you might want to focus your energy moving forward. 3. Have I opened myself up to new experiences? Working with a mentor can help expose you to new experiences, like following along […] Read more

April 23, 2014

EPIP Webinar: Serve on a Board, Save the World AND Advance Your Career 

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By Tamir Novotny (@tamirnovotny), Regional Coordinator, EPIP and Senior Associate for Public Sector Innovation, Living Cities ** ** ** “We were put here to be in community” – Nicole Rose Nieman This is what I want my network to look like…but maybe with more pants   Practically from the moment we leave the womb these days, we’re being told to network.  “It’s not about what you know, but who you know.”  That makes sense and all, but I think we’re missing the point. In a time increasingly characterized by economic free agency, networking has become more important than ever.  The vast majority of jobs or gigs (70 plus percent, by most estimates) come not from open postings but from personal connections.  Networks also form the basis for collaboration, which is in turn becoming the basis both for profit and for social change.  In this respect, networking could be said to be the lifeblood of a successful career. The problem with networking as it is commonly practiced, however, is that it treats people as instruments.  I have from time to time found myself not seeking to understand and enjoy the person in front of me, but rather asking myself, “What could this person do for me?” That’s too empty, especially for those of us who are committing our lives to building a more just and humane world. So, let’s stop networking and start building relationships.  Or maybe, to put it a little differently, let’s network with purpose. Next week, EPIP-NY and YNPN-NY will […] Read more

May 29, 2014 | 6-7:30 pm | Sign up now!

The U.S. philanthropic sector pays out about $47 billion per year in grants (Foundation Center Data, 2011). Most foundations are only granting 5% of their total assets. What about the remaining 95%? Foundations invest 19 times more dollars in investments than in grants. This begs the question: how are foundations investing? Do foundation investments reflect their mission and values?

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This post was originally published on Philanthropy411 and was authored by Kris Putnam-Walkerly.   The Foundation Review has issued a Call for Papers for an issue focused on philanthropy consulting. The March 2015 themed issue, co-edited by the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers,  will explore quality, trends and impact in a significant component of philanthropic practice. Abstracts of up to 250 words are due by May 15, 2014. If a full paper is invited, it will be due by August 15, 2014 for consideration for publication. Papers are invited on topics including, but not limited to: Scope and scale. To what extent do grantmakers and funder networks retain consultants, and for what purposes? Role. Why do foundations hire philanthropy consultants? What are the roles of philanthropy consultants? How do roles vary by grantmaker type, size, lifecycle? Value and impact. What value have grantmakers recognized from engaging philanthropy consultants? What impact have consultants had on the work of funders and the philanthropic sector as a whole? Quality and effectiveness. What constitutes quality in philanthropy consulting? What are the characteristics of effective consultants and consulting engagements? Capacity. How does the field of philanthropy support or invest in philanthropy consulting? What efforts exist to ensure diversity within the consulting field and to support career pipelines for future consultants? Trends. What trends do we anticipate in the field of philanthropy in the U.S. and globally, and how can consultants add value?, will explore quality, trends and impact in a significant component of philanthropic practice. I am the […] Read more

Join us for EPIP Unites at the JAG Unity Summit on Friday, June 6th from 8:30am to 5pm when we will be hosting our annual national conference in conjunction with the Summit. We’re pleased to announce the following confirmed workshop sessions for Friday, June 6th: Friday, June 6th, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Dataviz for Philanthropists! Tips, Tools, and How-tos for Communicating Better with Charts with Johanna Morariu and Ann Emery of Innovation Network Hear how data visualization – or dataviz – can get your colleagues to pay attention to your organization’s most important data and improve your communication power with audiences you’re hoping to inform or sway. #FundSouth—Grantmakers for Southern Progress with William Cordery of the Marguerite Casey Foundation and Lavastian Glenn of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Hear about grassroots movements taking place in the South in response to recent attacks on social justice, such as the Zimmerman verdict and the erosion of voting rights for underrepresented communities. Taking Charge of Your Professional Growth with Samantha Alarie-Leca of The West Foundation This session will discuss tangible steps for cultivating self-awareness, soliciting mentors, and intentionally becoming the driving force behind your own professional growth. Workplace ‘-isms’ and Expressing Your Authentic Self with Surabhi Pandit of Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and Eboni Wells of The Skillman Foundation This session will discuss how to balance breaking down barriers of workplace ‘isms’ (based on race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, and other identities) while asserting our authentic selves. Friday, June 6th, 3:30 […] Read more

In an effort to help EPIP members gain value from the experience of professionals in the field, EPIP has started a new interview series. Blog readers will be able to learn valuable lessons from leaders in the field. The third interview in this series is with Carol Larson, President and CEO of the David & Lucile Packard Foundation. 

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