Whether you need to raise dollars, awareness or advocates, all organizations are looking for other to help them achieve their mission. Some organizations aren’t aware they need help; others don’t know how to ask for it. Last month, I attended a session at Minnesota Council on Nonprofit’s Northern Minnesota Nonprofit Summit where Minnesota Historical Society …
Problems do not exist in isolation. They are entwined in complex ecosystems. Changemakers must be mindful of the ecosystem, and whenever possible, put the ecosystem to work for them. Herein lies the roots of effective philanthropy. Bush Foundation President Jen Ford Reedy hit these key points in her recent TEDx talk on ecosystem philanthropy. Her …
Ducks migrate for a reason. The Earth spins and triggers their “biological clock,” alerting them that it’s time to go. Global forces shape their movement. Though human and duck migration patterns look very different and are driven by very different forces, according to geographer Jim Russell, one conclusion can be drawn – migration is a …
Invest in people. That was the pervasive message at yesterday’s Economic Competitiveness Summit held by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. As the number of retirement-ready folks climbs, Minnesota’s workforce will struggle to replenish itself if we’re not investing in the skills and knowledge of our young people. At the Summit, Blandin Foundation …
“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.” – Sitting Bull, Sioux warrior Blandin Foundation president Kathy Annette shared this message with over 200 women leaders at the Women in Public Service Conference on November 15. Joining fellow panel members Becky Roloff, President of YWCA of Minneapolis, and Mayor Elizabeth Kautz of Burnsville, Kathy …
Today we welcome Bernadine Joselyn, Blandin Foundation’s Director of Public Policy. Bernadine recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to testify at a Senate subcommittee hearing on broadband adoption. Here, she reflects on her experience. “How are we doing?” Everyone in the change business asks themselves that question. We’re always on the lookout for evidence that …