2023: A year of incremental change?

Happy New Year. Is it still ok to use the phrase at the beginning of February?

Opinion: Why nonprofit leaders should discuss past mistakes as 2023 gets underway

A new year brings opportunity for worthwhile discussions and there is tremendous relief that comes with chatting about our setbacks and being our true selves when seeking solutions.

Reflecting on a long year, and hoping you'll "Take 10"

It's been a long year. I seem to say it every year despite the fact that they're really all the same length.

BIPOC Leadership, Covid-19, Economic Mobility, Foundation, Leadership, Leadership Development, Leadership Learning, Liberatory Leadership, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Leaders, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropic Sector, Philanthropy, Post Covid, Racial Equity, Robert Sterling Clark, Social Justice, Trust-Based Philanthropy, Hybrid Work, Burnout, NYCPhilip LiDecember 14, 2022COVID-19, community, challenges, equity, expertise, Networks, Foundation, Funding, foundation, grantmaking, Grants, governance, grantee, Holidays, philanthropy, charity, impact, inside philanthropy, mission driven, time, miscommunicating, justice, social justice, racial injustice, workers, work, New York City, New York City Leadership and Professional Development Directory., hybrid, anti-leadership, quiet quitting, inflation, burnout, covid/rsv/flu, recession, relationship building, vaccination require, vaccination requirements, Take 10, year end, holidays, new yearComment

No Thank You: Why One Foundation Leader Doesn’t Want Gratitude From Grantees

Early in my career, I had a job as an administrative assistant. I kept a manila file folder on my desk called “Excellent Lisa.”

Chronicle of Philanthropy, Economic Mobility, Foundation, Leadership, Leadership Learning, Liberatory Leadership, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Leaders, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropic Sector, Philanthropy, Racial Equity, Robert Sterling Clark, Social Justice, Trust-Based PhilanthropyLisa Pilar CowanOctober 25, 2022Chronicle of Philanthropy, community, challenges, democracy, Endowments, Funding, leadership, equity, funders, funding collaboratives, grantmaking, Grants, General Operating, grantee, impact, social justice, racial injustice, nonrofit, New York City, New York City Leadership and Professional Development Directory., organizations, policy, Racism, social change, social impact, systemic racism, social and systems-level change work Comment

When All Of Our Tools Are Weapons

I don’t like conflict. I’ve never been good at it, and I’ve grown into someone who is decidedly not a fan.

Economic Mobility, Foundation, Getting to Know You, Leadership, Liberatory Leadership, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Leaders, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropic Sector, Philanthropy, Racial Equity, Robert Sterling Clark, Social Justice, Sterling Network NYC, Trust-Based Philanthropy, Leadership LearningEricka Stallings, Co-Executive Director of the Leadership Learning CommunitySeptember 21, 2022racial injustice, Liberatory Leadership Learning Series, Liberatory Leadership, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Board Service, civil rights, community, campaigns, charity, NYC, Racism, democracy, Endowments, Funding, funders, leadership, funding collaboratives, equity, Networks, expertise, Getting to know you, Genral Operating Grants, Foundation, foundation, Financials, grantmaking, Grants, governance, grantee, Grantee, organizations, justice, social justice, work, workers, New York City, New York City Leadership and Professional Development Directory., social and systems-level change work, learned behaviors, policy, money, nonprofit leadership, organizer, power, social change, Trust-Based Philanthropy, trust, human rights, trust-based philanthropy, purposeComment

Three Lessons (so far) for Funding Liberatory Leadership

I was hired by the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation in early 2020, primarily to bring my skills as a network organizer, facilitator, and racial justice practitioner to the Sterling Network NYC.

New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Leaders, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropic Sector, Philanthropy, Racial Equity, Robert Sterling Clark, Social Justice, Sterling Network NYC, Trust-Based Philanthropy, Economic Mobility, Foundation, Getting to Know You, Leadership, Liberatory LeadershipTrish Adobea TchumeAugust 10, 2022racial injustice, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, NetLab, civil rights, community, campaigns, NYC, democracy, Endowments, funders, Funding, leadership, funding collaboratives, Foundation, equity, Networks, Getting to know you, foundation, face plants, grantmaking, Grants, Genral Operating Grants, governance, grantee, Grantee, organizations, human rights, philanthropy, philanthropic sector, impact, social justice, workers, New York City, New York City Leadership and Professional Development Directory., Sterling Network NYC, social and systems-level change work, learned behaviors, policy, Racism, freedom, justice, thriving, Liberatory Leadership Learning Series, Liberatory Leadership, organizerComment

Rest Isn’t Radical

I’m taking a sabbatical. Rest shouldn’t be radical.

New York City Leadership, Foundation, Leadership, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropic Sector, Philanthropy, Racial Equity, Robert Sterling Clark, Social Justice, Trust-Based Philanthropy, Jennifer Ching, North Star FundJennifer ChingJuly 27, 2022sabbatical, work, vacation, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, community, Funding, funders, leadership, grantmaking, grantee, governance, philanthropy, time, impact, social justice, racial injustice, workers, Networks, New York City, New York City Leadership and Professional Development Directory., social and systems-level change work, Holidays, money, democracy, human rights, nonrofit, NYC, nonprofit leadership, organizations, power, equity, trust, Trust-Based Philanthropy, social change, Foundation, radical, rest, policy, purpose, learned behaviors, Gen Xer, Jennifer Ching, North Star FundComment

I’m not feeling a barbecue this Fourth of July

At the end of almost every week, I find myself reflecting on how hard this past week was.

Setting up your nonprofit the way you play with LEGOs

I’ve had a Harry Potter LEGO castle in the corner of my living room for about a decade.

Pandemic Reflections, Two Years On

COVID-19. It feels like it became COVID-20, then COVID-21, and now COVID-22.

Covid-19, Economic Mobility, Foundation, Leadership, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Leaders, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropic Sector, Philanthropy, Post Covid, Racial Equity, Robert Sterling Clark, Social Justice, Trust-Based PhilanthropyPhilip LiMarch 21, 2022COVID-19, community, Covid-19, racial injustice, social and systems-level change work, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Trust-Based Philanthropy, democracy, leadership, pandemic, Foundation, foundation, Funding, grantmaking, grantee, Grants, governance, Genral Operating Grants, human rights, philanthropy, charity, philanthropic sector, social justice, New York City, New York City Leadership and Professional Development Directory., money, impact, Endowments, New Year, NYC, nonprofit leadership, organizations, power, social impact, nonrofit, social change, board members, expertise, equity, trust, systemic racism, time, trust-based philanthropyComment

Opinion: Nonprofit leaders, like everyone else, are scared and tired during these difficult times

I have had the word ‘grace’ rattling around my brain a lot these days.

A Leadership Lesson from Ukraine

In 1990, I traveled to the USSR including Ukraine, which was still a republic of the Soviet Union (and St Petersburg was known as Leningrad).

Getting to Know You Series: Meet Marissa Martin of The Advocacy Institute

Elisabeth Rapport (ER): Tell me a bit about your professional background and what led you to The Advocacy Institute.

Chronicle of Philanthropy, Covid-19, Economic Mobility, Face Plant, FFIS, Foundation, Getting to Know You, Leadership, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropic Sector, Philanthropy, Post Covid, Racial Equity, Robert Sterling Clark, Social Justice, Trust-Based PhilanthropyElisabeth RapportFebruary 15, 2022Foundation, pandemic, racial injustice, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, COVID-19, community, charity, democracy, Endowments, Funding, leadership, funding collaboratives, foundation, Covid-19, equity, Networks, Getting to know you, General Operating, Genral Operating Grants, expertise, New Year, New York City, human rights, philanthropy, philanthropic sector, impact, time, social justice, grantmaking, New York City Leadership and Professional Development Directory., Sterling Network NYC, Social Network Analysis, social and systems-level change work, money, Racism, systemic racism, Asian Americans for Equality, anti-Asian Racism, nonrofit, NYC, Grants, grantee, organizations, power, post covid, board members, social impact, governance, social change, Trust-Based Philanthropy, trustComment

The genetic code linking violence toward Asian Americans and the murder of George Floyd

Prejudice against Asian-Americans is nothing new. Sadly it is as American as apple pie and Jim Crow.

Covid-19, Economic Mobility, Foundation, Leadership, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropic Sector, Philanthropy, Post Covid, Racial Equity, Robert Sterling Clark, Social Justice, Sterling Network NYC, Trust-Based PhilanthropyRev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson, President of Auburn Seminary and Cathy Kim, Board Member, Asian Americans for EqualityFebruary 7, 2022anti-Asian Racism, Asian Americans for Equality, pandemic, racial injustice, Racism, grantmaking, grantee, power, peace building, philanthropic sector, philanthropy, impact, post covid, Prejudice, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Networks, New Year, NYC, New York City, New York City Leadership and Professional Development Directory., nonrofit, COVID-19, community, democracy, equity, Foundation, governance, social justice, Sterling Network NYC, leadership, human rights, organizations, social impact, trustComment

A nonprofit thought leader’s resolutions for a new year: To follow and to fail

Although the New Year came in without much fanfare, amidst the pandemic and uncertainty, I did make a few resolutions that will guide how I do my work and live my life this year.

We Won’t Forget, But We Will Move Forward

Subways are creeping back to pre-pandemic ridership levels, sports arenas have fans cheering on their teams, airplanes are full of travelers, malls have shoppers carrying bags filled with purchases, restaurants are bustling with energy, laughter, and happy tummies, and increasing numbers of people are back in their offices.

Funders: It’s Time to Talk to Our Legal Teams About Power, Compliance, and Trust-Based Philanthropy

For philanthropy to have more equitable practices, we must examine and reimagine the way we do our work.

April: All The Fellows Are Weavers, And Some Of Us Are Guardians

Several weeks ago during a network committee checkin, I introduced myself to a consultant who had joined us in this way, “I’m Trish and I serve as the Sterling Network Organizer.

Getting Back to Normal-ish? So Many Feelings.

Here in New York City we’re enjoying a verdant and vibrant Spring season – leaves in all tints of green, magnolias, cherry blossoms, forsythias, daffodils, tulips, bluebells and hostas are all poking out of the soil.