Brilliant Transformations: Toward Full Flourishing in BIPOC Leadership Transitions

Explore strategies for navigating leadership transitions and recommendations to make these transitions better based on the insights of BIPOC leaders.

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

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

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

How Do You Measure a Year?

"525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year in the life? In daylights? In sunsets? In midnights? In cups of coffee?

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. Whether it’s the “yellow peril” of the late 19th century that gave rise to the Chinese Exclusion act, FDR’s establishment of Japanese-American internment camps or Donald Trump’s Muslim ban, bigotry toward Asian Americans is as baked into the fabric of American life as the hatred that has claimed so many black lives in recent years.

Taking Off Blinders: How the Insurrection at the Capitol Changes My Grant-Making Perspective

I had a clever column worked out to open 2021, one that would detail my New Year’s resolutions to be a better grant maker.

Foundation, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropy, Robert Sterling Clark, Trust-Based PhilanthropyLisa Pilar CowanJanuary 19, 2021philanthropy, Trust-Based Philanthropy, Foundation, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, racial injustice, systemic racism, social and systems-level change work, equity Comment

Foundations That Are Serious About Achieving Equity Need to Rethink How They Work

Before I had kids, I never saw playgrounds. But once I was pushing a stroller around town, I noticed that they were everywhere.

Making Things Easy for Grantees Is High Priority for Foundation Officials. But Are We Doing It Right?

I was on the phone with a friend the other day, catching up after a few months on each other’s work, communities, and families.

We’re All Dealing With Anxiety and Uncertainty. Let’s Not Let That Affect How We Make Grants (Dispatches)

When I am anxious or uncertain, I like to start a new project. Taking action makes me feel better — in the short run.

Foundation, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropy, Covid-19Lisa Pilar CowanJuly 21, 2020pandemic, racial injustice, grantmaking, Grants, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, COVID-19, systemic racism, FundingComment

Who Holds Philanthropy Accountable for Racial Justice? (Dispatches)

On the Friday evening of the first week of racial-justice protests, I saw a meme on Facebook — an image of a white woman slumped in her chair with a glass of red wine.

Foundation, New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Sector, PhilanthropyLisa Pilar CowanJune 23, 2020grantmaking, grantee, leadership, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Funding, foundation, systemic racism, racial injusticeComment

Dismantling Racism Might Require Philanthropy to Dismantle Itself (Dispatches)

Who would have thought Americans would be nostalgic for a week ago? Today I woke wishing that all we were managing was a global pandemic, more than 100,000 deaths in the United States, and a deepening economic crisis.

New York City Leadership, Nonprofit Sector, Sterling Network NYC, Trust-Based Philanthropy, Foundation, PhilanthropyLisa Pilar CowanJune 10, 2020grantmaking, leadership, philanthropy, foundation, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, nonrofit, racial injustice, systemic racism, Trust-Based Philanthropy Comment

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135 East 64th StreetNew York, NY 10065

135 East 64th Street
New York, NY 10065