Many private foundations survive in perpetuity because they give away 5% of their endowment each year. They can do good work in communities for generations because they are conservative stewards of their financial resources.  Foundations’ investment teams and operations staff stick with what they know: what worked in the past. The grants these foundations make are important but… could they do more to fulfill their mission? Imagine if the foundations’ investment portfolios reflected their institutions’ program values. Mission-driven investment strategies and operations practices help ensure that 100% of a foundation’s resources is working toward the mission. Instead, most foundations compartmentalize the different aspects of their work. I think this is analogous to how many people view their lives. Many compartmentalize their daily work from their passion. Work pays the bills. Their passion is left for their free time… or not engaged at all. Read more

On Tuesday, December 18, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM please join colleagues in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector for a networking holiday reception.  Mix and mingle, join us for cocktails and nibbles at Cause DC PhilanthroPub!  The annual reception will be sponsored by the Joint Affinity Groups of Washington DC, a partnership of philanthropic affinity groups: Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) Black Philanthropic Alliance (BPA) Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy  (EPIP) Register for the event here: http://jagholiday2012.eventbrite.com/ Read more

Greetings Chapter Leaders, Things are always coming up that, as a team, we want to bring to your attention. With Member Connect, I can now do that easily without clogging your inboxes with a lot of text. Each of the topics below will lead you to a post within the Chapter Leaders Group within Member Connect. If you have any trouble accessing Member Connect, just let me know. Remember, to make it easy to access Member Connect, once you sign in, you don’t have to sign out, and you can keep the page as a bookmark so that you can easily find it. This is the first edition of Chapter Leader News, so it’s chock full of info for you all. Take some time to read through it. There’s a lot here. You’ll hear about the 2013 budget policy, our support of chapter recruitment of institutional members locally, the 2013 annual conference in Chicago, and several other announcements. Just click on the links below and they’ll take you to Member Connect to learn more about each topic. 2013 Chapter Budget Policy This link will take you to the complete 2013 Chapter Budget Policy. Read more

Registration for the 2013 Conference is now live, and affordable early bird rates are available thru Dec 31, 2012.  Our theme this year: Lead. EPIP is both a teaching and learning organization. We strive to improve the practice of philanthropy within our community and in the field at large. To that end, we exist to make sure that every emerging foundation professional reaches his or her true potential as an independent leader, and as a steward of philanthropic resources. We see EPIP members as change agents who are learning from preceding generations; who value the principles of professional accord and effectiveness; and who hope to make the world more just and equitable. Our members make the most of their opportunities and step into leadership moments all along their career paths. We are all leaders, even if we don’t know it. And we all have the potential to do good in the world. Become a part of what we’re doing, and let us help you unlock your true leadership potential. Join us in Chicago and hone your leadership at the 2013 EPIP National Conference. Read more

EPIP and our affinity-group partners are providing a number of services and offerings that may be of interest to you.  Feel free to sign up yourself or spread the word. Be engaged! Lead! Contents 1) Available Immediately: Online Launch of EPIP’s Member Connect & The Effective Leadership Careers Program (for EPIP members only) http://bit.ly/UBCkfD 2) 12/10 – 12/11 (in NYC)  Socially Conscious Foundation Investments: Know-How and Networks for Investing with Minority- and Women-Owned Firms (by our partner ABFE) http://bit.ly/PwCNxJ 3) 1/30/13 – 2/1/13 (in SFO)  EPIP’s Knowledge Network for Emerging Grantmakers of Color  4) 3/19/13 – 3/20/13  Foundations on the Hill (FOTH): Scholarships Available! (EPIP is the NextGen advisor for this COF event) http://bitly.com/idx302 5) What is EPIP? (An excerpt from Rahsaan’s message sent in October 2012…Are you on our distribution list?) http://bit.ly/T9GrPP 6) Propose a Session for the EPIP Annual Conference in Chicago http://bit.ly/RHQCeQ Read more

We’re a national network of foundation professionals. We promote excellence in our members’ practice of philanthropy in communities and in the field at large. We are a learning, teaching, and networking organization. EPIP exists to ensure that all emerging foundation professionals reach their potential as leaders and stewards of philanthropic resources. We also want to support others emerging as community leaders through personal philanthropy. We’re often asked what we mean by “emerging.” Traditionally, our membership has consisted of young people under 40 navigating careers in philanthropy, so most people associate our use of this term with age. But for us, it’s a bigger idea than that. We have grown our organization into one of the most diverse in the field. We reflect America’s changing ethnic and social demographics and attract members from diverse professional backgrounds. After being around for a decade, we now recognize that you don’t have to be young to be new to the field of philanthropy. We also recognize that everyone should be encouraged to practice philanthropy in their own lives, in small and large ways. We support emerging leaders and individuals that want to engage philanthropically. Our organization supports emerging thought nurtured in places outside traditional, old-guard philanthropy. We promote diverse perspectives and value innovation for meeting societal challenges. We recognize institutional and community-based forms of philanthropy. EPIP creates change agents who learn from prior generations and build upon their accomplishments. We are looking toward future innovations in the field. Read more

Joint Affinity Group (JAG) of Southern California is hosting its Annual Leadership Recognition and Holiday Reception, honoring new foundation trustees, CEOs, VPs and emerging leaders...

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Happy National Philanthropy Day! We at EPIP hope you take today to reflect on philanthropy, both professional and personal. The devastation left in the wake of Super Storm Sandy gives us a particular opportunity to be philanthropic. We want to hear your stories about how you are providing support to those affected by the storm. Tweet us at @EPIPnational or post on our Facebook wall http://on.fb.me/UCLQEN about stories of your philanthropy that helps those in need. Those looking to ideas to get involved can check out the following resources: Read more

We’re delighted to announce that you can now sign up for Effective Leadership Career Program coaching sessions through our website, inside Member Connect. In these 50-minute coaching sessions, you can gain insight into your career, work out your short-term and long-term career goals, and hone your leadership skills. If your employer has professional development goal set for you, you can work with an EPIP career coach to meet the mark! Our career coaches come from a diverse set of backgrounds but have one thing in common: they’re here to help you. To sign up for a coaching session, go to our new members-only Effective Leadership Career Program (ELCP) page. Note that you have to be signed into Member Connect to see this page. To enter Member Connect, go to epip.org and click “Sign In” on the top right corner of the homepage. Read more

Greetings! I’ve been at the Independent Sector conference in my hometown of San Francisco the past two days. It’s my first time at IS, and I am officially an IS convert. Seeing colleagues from all over the sector–both in the hallways and on the couches, and observing the sessions and speaking in the sessions. It’s especially cool to see colleagues our age littering the podiums, the stools, and the stages of the sessions. Leadership development for the future? Heck no! Leaders NOW. Read more