Sophia Guevara, one of EPIP's Social Media Fellows, shares these social media lessons learned in a Master's Showcase for Wayne State University.

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There are so many great resources for the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors–from publications and research centers to academic and professional development opportunities. EPIP LA is happy to share this new, easy-to-use resource guide to help emerging foundation professionals be more effective in their work and more connected to the field...

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The Boys and Men of Color Twitter chat that occurred on January 29th was a partnership between the Council on Foundations, EPIP, ABFE and The Executive Alliance...

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In partnership with NTEN, EPIP members may take advantage of member rates on this NTEN webinar. Discount codes for all partner offers can be found on Member Connect under Member Resources. Ten years into the social media revolution, people are using social media to speak, but organizations aren’t listening. Allison will discuss her new book, Matterness: What Fearless Leaders Know About the Power and Promise of Social Media, which focuses on how to make people on the inside and outside matter more to your efforts. Those organizations that continue to work and talk at, rather than with, their constituents will find themselves increasingly irrelevant. Organizational leaders need all of the great energy, know-how, creativity, and networks of their people in their ecosystems to be successful. Three lucky webinar participants will also win a free signed copy of the Allison’s new book! Key Takeaways: Clear and easy steps for increasing the Matterness in your organization A demystification of common and outsized fears that organizations have about the world An understanding and need to switch the organizational lens from fear to abundance and from the inside-out to the outside-in About the presenter: Allison Fine is among the pre-eminent guides to the social media revolution. Her gift is for converting uncertainty over rapid change into excitement over remaking organizations by the least expensive and most profitable means available: connecting with others. She is the author of Matterness: What Fearless Leaders Know About the Power and Promise of Social Media. She is co-author of […] Read more

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, whose legacy we celebrate this month, was one of the greatest communicators in modern history. He understood the power of the spoken and written word to inform, inspire, and heal individuals, communities, nations, and the world. In Dr. King’s memoir of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, he argued...

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This January, EPIP is highlighting the Measuring a Leader skill of Communications. Social change leaders: Communicate ideas and concepts clearly, persuasively, and dynamically; and Express ideas clearly through both verbal and written means...

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In a recent Twitter chat, the organizer asked participants to discuss how they have worked to master interpersonal skills.  When it came time to discuss strengths and weaknesses, one person mentioned decision-making and the desire to make everyone happy.  This is an issue that would ring true with many people.  

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This post was authored by Alicia Barrett, a Trust Administrative Officer with U.S. Trust, Bank of America. Alicia is also a member of the Washington, D.C. chapter of Emerging Practitioners In Philanthropy.

Being a strong communicator is a wonderful quality that every employer, friend and significant other wants you to have, but let’s face it, communicating your ideas clearly and persuasively does not come naturally (especially for the reserved folks like me out there). To learn how to become a better communicator, I turned to my local Toastmasters International club...

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During a recent visit to the Southeastern Council of Foundations Annual Meeting EPIP Executive Director Rahsaan Harris came across friend and colleague Elizabeth (Betsey) Russell, who was launching her first book – Other People’s Money ­– a mystery set in the heart of the foundation world. While fiction isn’t something we usually read in conjunction with philanthropy, it made us wonder: can fiction about foundations make readers think about foundations differently? What about the foundations themselves? We caught up with the author to get her take. You recently wrote a book called Other People’s Money. Can you give us a brief synopsis? Sure! Other People’s Money is the story of Katie Nelson, a program officer in Atlanta’s largest foundation. She really wants the foundation to fund a Latina health clinic, but meets strong opposition from the board. She begins to work closely with one particular younger board member (yes, romantic interest) to help revamp the clinic’s proposal, but then the whole clinic burns to the ground, killing a woman who was trapped inside. Everyone thinks it was a hate crime, but Katie senses something different. The more she explores, the more she realizes that many of the people she trusts are not who they seem. Eventually, she finds her own life in danger. Where did you get the inspiration for this book? I’ve been writing for foundations for 25 years, but always in the nonfiction/professional communications vein. I got my first taste of foundation fiction when I wrote some hypothetical […] Read more

This guest post was authored by Joy Stephan. It’s understood that with money, comes power.  But funders don’t always think about how power influences our funding relationships.  As funders, we have the power to amplify the influence of money, or conscientiously diminish its influence.  It’s in our best interest to neutralize the influence money brings.  Here’s why: YOU ONLY GET SO FAR WITH A SUGAR DADDY While NGO’s may fantasize about ‘benevolent funders’, there are limitations to no-strings-attached funds.  Funding without commitment is tenuous; there isn’t a foundation for trust to develop.   Further, partners are quick to blame or resent rather than focus on learning and course correction when organizations fall short of projected outcomes. Ultimately, funders who don’t trust and don’t share a commitment to the partnership cannot have a transformative impact on society. Funding relationships are ultimately human relationships- they grow through mutual understanding, learning and appreciation.  Positive emotions like these build strong, trusting bonds.  These relationships, while more complex, are also more satisfying – to funders, service providers, and the community at large. THE BIRDS AND THE BEES OF DIALOGUE Biology plays a role – dialogue triggers neurochemical and behavioral outcomes that can expand or limit relationships.  Dopamine is released in the brain when people talk to others they trust.  This hormone stimulates the prefrontal cortex, the area of our brain that generates new ideas, empathy, creative thinking and good judgment.  In contrast, conversations between people with low trust levels release cortisol and catecholamine, chemicals that shut […] Read more