One Step Back, 2 Steps Forward?

Wednesday, October 21, 8:30 am – 10:00 am

Organized by Ben Cameron, program director for the arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Presented by Ben Cameron; Kristin Giantris, vice president for the northeast region, Nonprofit Finance Fund; Ann McQueen, senior program officer, Boston Foundation; Diane Ragsdale, associate program officer, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Russell Willis Taylor, president and CEO, National Arts Strategies.

In the current economy, many grantmakers are constrained by diminished resources and/or multi-year commitments, challenging their ability to respond to changing needs in a significant way. This session will look at pragmatic solutions adopted by funders in the absence of new funds, including amending current grants for new uses, converting past endowment grants into accessible capital, and program related investments. Panelists will discuss the challenges these new strategies have created (including logistica challenges, legal issues, and administrative burdens); responses of boards, the arts community and the larger public; and how these strategies might affect future grantmaking at their respective foundations.