Why do some small foundations have such big impact? Is it solely the result of the vision and charisma of the individuals involved or are there common practices, approaches and philosophies which other foundations can adopt? And how can we truly understand these practices and approaches, moving beyond general statements about the importance of “partnership” and “leadership” to a deeper knowledge of the structures and methods which foster maximum impact?
These questions intrigued the three partners behind this session: Burns Memorial Fund, Mindset Social Innovation Foundation and Philanthropic Foundations Canada. The partners came together to commission a small and informal research project, exploring the topic through focused interviews with three small foundations working towards large goals. Our results are not definitive but we hope they will spark a larger conversation about impact. In this session, we will discuss what we discovered and dig deeper with the three participating foundations.
Read Elizabeth Dozois's blog post on the PFC website about this research and read the report.
Learn more about our 3 participating foundations - Graham Boeckh Foundation, Fondation Dufresne et Gauthier, and Toskan Casale Foundation/Youth and Philanthropy Initiative
