BE Philanthropy Partners helps individuals, families, and corporations turn philanthropic ideas and aspirations into strategic action. Our team draws on our individual and collective expertise in philanthropic and nonprofit management to customize each client’s experience. We are focused on our clients’ goals and invest in the process alongside them.
EXAMPLES OF CURRENT AND RECENTLY COMPLETED ENGAGEMENTS:
Re-engaged with a previous client to facilitate a learning journey focused on foundation governance. With the ultimate goal of onboarding additional trustees in the following year, the focus of our engagement was to “level the playing field” so that trustees could make collective decisions about if and how to update the foundation’s governance practices and policies.
This engagement led to another learning journey aimed at enabling trustees to reflect on ways the foundation’s mission, vision and values are reflected in their grantmaking and how the historic intention of the foundation can continue to inspire the present-day work.
Led a year-long engagement with a prominent and historic Atlanta foundation to prepare trustees for the retirement of a longtime Executive Director. With a goal of establishing a common understanding and appreciation for the history of the foundation, trustees worked with BE Philanthropy, to craft updated values statements, rooted in the foundation’s legacy but with an eye on the pressing needs of today’s community. With deep engagement from the trustees and using evaluative processes, longstanding grantmaking and governance practices were translated into policies that reflect today’s best practices while respectfully honoring the founders’ intentions. In addition, BE Philanthropy assisted the board in defining the qualities they were seeking in a new Executive Director and facilitated a process that helped to determine the transition timeline.
Advising a donor who wishes to remain anonymous in grant opportunities in issue area of particular interest to them in Georgia. After conducting research and identifying appropriate grantees, BE Philanthropy makes recommendations to the donor and then works with their family office to make the grants.
Re-engaged with a long-time client to serve as a thought-partner for staff and trustees as they began the process of adding younger family members to the board. Over a period of six months, BE Philanthropy worked to build rapport with younger family members to gauge readiness and receptivity to deepening their involvement with the family’s culture of philanthropic activism. Ultimately, we provided recommendations that consider the geographic disbursement and life stage of the Foundation’s future board members and will help create a path toward leadership that is flexible and “wide enough” to accommodate the next generation needs. In addition, we helped define the evolving roles of the board.
Working with the second generation to fulfill a deceased family member’s long-term, philanthropic strategy. Work has included facilitating the creation of a mission for the foundation, scope and areas of interest as well as desired outcomes for grantmaking. Having established a rapport with the donor’s children and grandchildren during the establishment of the Foundation, BE Philanthropy is now assisting with the grantmaking process which includes interacting with grant seekers, conducting due diligence, and supporting the trustees’ decision-making process.
Serving as a thought-partner for a couple who are actively working on creating a culture of giving for their multi-generational, blended family. BE Philanthropy convenes and facilitates quarterly meetings for the family, has helped give shape to a successful collective grantmaking effort, and offered counsel to various members of the family as they consider their own involvement and discretionary grantmaking priorities.
