InSights

Raising Philadelphia’s Philanthropy

By Don Kligerman |

The Opportunity? An Additional $323 Million to Share

Philadelphia has done a good job of organizing people in response to the immediate challenges to federal policies. People from all walks of life have joined together to say “no” to measures that reduce opportunities for people and communities. But resistance is not enough; it is equally critical to succeed in creating better futures for people and places in order to demonstrate that equitable public policies and practices generate results. What if we provide avenues for concerned people to be able to say “yes” to positive change by also organizing money? Continue reading →

Cultivating Young Members & Donors

By Katie Muller |

Earlier this month, Katie Muller represented Fairmount Ventures at the Women’s Collective Giving Grantmakers Network National Leadership Forum. Below, she shares her insights from the conference.

From March 12-14, 250 women from across the country gathered in Jacksonville, Florida to celebrate and discuss the power of collective giving grantmaking. In this model, individuals pool their money into a fund and, together, oversee a professional grantmaking process that awards funding to outstanding nonprofit organizations. Locally, the organization known for this model is Impact100 Philadelphia (of which I am a member and Fellow), but there are dozens of other organizations like it across the country. Continue reading →

The Proof is in the Planting

By Don Kligerman |
PHS show

PHS celebrates Holland at the 2017 Flower Show. (Photo courtesy of PHS)

This week, an estimated 255,000 attendees will explore the 10 acres of exhibition space at the 2017 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show.

The oldest and most renowned horticultural event in the United States, landscape and floral designers from around the globe create brilliant displays to the delight of Flower Show guests. The proceeds from the annual convention go directly to support additional PHS programming and other initiatives. And while the Philadelphia Flower Show is undeniably the most visible demonstration of the society’s work and impact, there is more to PHS (Pennsylvania Horticultural Society) than just sensational spring flora.

Continue reading →

If all the world is a stage, what is the play?

By Don Kligerman |

Twenty five years ago this month–Groundhog Day to be exact–we launched Fairmount Ventures. Our goal was to play a role in advancing a vision of society in which community and connection are valued, where everyone has equal access to the resources and support needed to live healthy, joyful, resilient lives. The founding idea was to assemble a multi-disciplinary, diverse team capable of providing unparalleled insights and access to funding to nonprofit and public-sector organizations in order to strengthen and accelerate their transformational impact on communities. Continue reading →

Abe Lincoln on the Apollo 13

By Don Kligerman |

As we consider what the next four years have in store for nonprofits, we imagine Abe Lincoln strapped into the Apollo 13 spacecraft hurtling toward disaster and repeating his famous saying, “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” Continue reading →