Southeastern Council of Foundations | SECF.org | Volume 28 · Issue 1
Sustainable Partnerships Two SECF members are backing an initiative that uses cross-sector collaboration to address shared concerns about the environment, the economy and equity | Page 6 Also in this issue:
Building a Community Catalyst:
The Spartanburg County Foundation has big plans for its upcoming Center for Philanthropy | Page 3
Then, Now & What’s Next:
Over the past 50 years, Southern Philanthropy has grown in size and complexity – see how SECF has kept up with changing times | Page 9
table of contents
Board of Trustees Gilbert Miller (Chair) Bradley-Turner Foundation · Columbus, GA
Executive Committee
Regan Gruber Moffitt, J.D. (Chair-Elect) Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation · Little Rock, AR
featured 3 | Creating a Community Space for Change
The Spartanburg County Foundation is marking its 75th year by beginning work on a building that will embody its mission and provide a place to identify and solve problems.
6 | Supporting a Sustainable South
A program backed by The Kendeda Fund and the Kresge Foundation is bringing the public and private sectors together to promote the environment and equity in a dozen Southern communities.
9 | Then, Now & What’s Next: SECF and Southern Philanthropy – Growing Together Our retrospective series on SECF’s history looks at how the organization has grown and adapted to changes in the size, diversity and needs of Southern foundations.
Robert Dortch (Governance Chair) Robins Foundation · Richmond, VA Mike Sweeney (Secretary-Treasurer) Healthcare Georgia Foundation · Atlanta, GA Madelyn R. Adams (At-Large) Kaiser Permanente of Georgia · Atlanta, GA Dr. Laura Gerald (At-Large) Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust · Winston-Salem, NC Janine Lee (President & CEO) Southeastern Council of Foundations · Atlanta, GA
Jane Alexander Community Foundation for Mississippi · Jackson, MS Jen Algire The Greater Clark Foundation · Winchester, KY Carol Butler Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation · Birmingham, AL Mark C. Callaway Morning Star Foundation, Inc. · LaGrange, GA Dr. Stephanie K. Cooper-Lewter Leading on Opportunity Council, Foundation for the Carolinas · Charlotte, NC Alfredo A. Cruz Foundation for Louisiana · Baton Rouge, LA
sections
Terri Lee Freeman Community Foundation of Greater Memphis · Memphis, TN Eric M. Kelly Quantum Foundation · West Palm Beach, FL Pat Lummus Sartain Lanier Family Foundation · Atlanta, GA
2 | Letters to Philanthropy 12 | Notes from the Field
Antoinette M. Malveaux Casey Family Programs · Seattle, WA
12 | New Members
Cabot Pyle Dugas/Turner Family Foundations · Nashville, TN
13 | Southeastern Soundings
Chris Steed The Fullerton Foundation · Gaffney, SC
14 | Foundation Faces
Highlighting The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations’ new President, Dr. Michael Murray
Michael Tipton Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Louisiana · Baton Rouge, LA Claire Webber May P. and Francis L. Abreu Charitable Trust · Atlanta, GA
about SECF
SECF Staff Janine Lee President & CEO
Mission: The Southeastern Council of Foundations serves, connects, strengthens & champions philanthropy and the philanthropic infrastructure in the South. Statement of Intent: The Southeastern Council of Foundations strives to support Members and grantmakers with access to education, resources and networking by serving as a convener and facilitator, offering a diverse range of voices and perspectives. We do not endorse colleague organization views, but rather aim to provide access to a broad range of information and resources to increase grantmaking impact and develop philanthropic leaders throughout the region.
Jaci Bertrand Vice President of Member Engagement Kevin Brittelle Manager of Creative Design & Multimedia Projects Dena Chadwick Executive Vice President Dawaon Edwards Senior Administrative Assistant/Office Manager
About Inspiration: Inspiration is published four times a year by the Southeastern Council of Foundations (SECF), for the benefit of its Members. The views expressed in Inspiration are not necessarily the views of all SECF Members. We welcome articles, comments and suggestions – please address all communications to SECF’s Marketing & Communications Director, David Miller, at david@secf.org.
Matthew L. Evans Director of Public Policy & Special Projects
Connect with SECF: Visit us on the web and on social media!
Marianne Gordon, CMP Director of Meeting Planning
SECF.org
twitter.com/SECFtweets
facebook.com/SECFconnect
Tiffany Friesen Vice President of Programs & Partnerships
David Miller Director of Marketing & Communications Stephen Sherman Research & Data Manager S.E. Spencer Programs & Partnerships Associate Roderica Williams Senior Associate of Programs & Partnerships
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letters to philanthropy Dear Friends, When we talk about results in philanthropy, we usually focus on effectiveness and impact – and most of the time, that’s the best thing to do. Measurable outcomes like these provide us with evidence of what works and what can be improved. But there is another dimension to our work I believe we must consider if we are to truly live up to our philanthropic ideals: the moral dimension. How can our work, directly or indirectly, provide a moral voice in our community? How can we best serve as a force for good, one that stands in support of a better society?
contribution to moral discourse is as critic of other institutions of society – even, on occasion, as critic of itself.” Payton’s words suggest that contributing to moral discourse is not only something philanthropy should do, but also a natural extension of the work already being done in communities across the region and nation. Speaking with a moral voice allows us to point to our own work and outcomes as a viable approach for solving a problem, creating the opportunity to scale up our impact considerably. The power of the moral voice is the reason it is the second of the five forms of philanthropic capital – along with social, intellectual, reputational and financial – outlined by Ambassador James Joseph in 2014. This framework, known as SMIRF,
That is the message we must convey as we remind our fellow citizens of our obligations to each other. We have an opportunity to change the narrative from simply a moral imperative to enlightened self-interest. I learned a long time ago that the language of morality can sometimes be a deterrent to achieving moral ends. Enlightened selfinterest sells in many instances where public interest does not.” These words provide us with a how-to guide for leveraging moral capital successfully. But how do we know where our voice can have the greatest impact? Obviously, there are some issues where there is considerable debate over what constitutes a moral stance. But there are others where the choice is beyond debate: Racism and other forms of discrimination
Speaking with a moral voice allows us to point to our own work and outcomes as a viable approach for solving a problem, creating the opportunity to scale up our impact considerably. Janine Lee, President & CEO
For much of our field’s history, the approach to these questions has to serve as a background player, supporting organizations that address issues like systemic racial inequity, while being reluctant to step into the spotlight ourselves, rally others to the cause, or openly criticize practices and institutions that perpetuate racism and other forms of inequality. Is this still the best approach – especially in such a polarized environment? Or, by not stepping forward, are we deliberately removing a valuable tool from our toolbox? In the influential book “Philanthropy: Voluntary Action for the Public Good”, Bob Payton writes that “it is within the philanthropic tradition that the moral agenda of society is put forward. Philanthropy’s
has formed the basis for some of the most impactful philanthropic initiatives in our region in recent years, including the Alabama School Readiness Project, the Spartanburg Academic Movement and the Greenville Partnership for Philanthropy. “You are custodians of values as well as resources,” Ambassador Joseph said. “This is an area in which I believe that it is time for our sector to lead again, time to de-bunk the misplaced myth that social change is off limits, especially the notion that it is hazardous to the health of the sector.” Ambassador Joseph also made clear that leveraging moral capital did not require preaching or judgment and, instead, could also be rooted in evidence-based outcomes, saying “there is now empirical evidence that inequality damages social relationships, and that measures of trust and social cohesion are higher and violence is lower in more equal societies.
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are wrong. All children deserve a quality education. No one should be forced to live a life in poverty. On these issues, where the moral stance is clear, philanthropy may have a powerful role to play. We have done the work to explore these issues and identify possible solutions. We have connections and relationships across sectors, including in the public policy arena. These are incredible assets to have at our disposal. But is now the right time to use them? If we choose to do so, what is the best way to leverage these opportunities? These questions are complicated, but worth exploring – how we answer will have a tremendous impact on philanthropy’s work in the years ahead. Peace & Light,
Change Creating a Community Space for
By Peter Panepento
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Like most community foundations, The Spartanburg County Foundation is about much more than just granting money to nonprofits. It’s a foundation that is deeply embedded in its community. It serves as a leader, a convener and a catalyst that brings together donors, government, business, and nonprofits to address Spartanburg County’s most pressing problems. This approach has cemented The Spartanburg County Foundation as one of the South’s most active and forwardthinking foundations – even as its history makes it the oldest community foundation in South Carolina. It is the driving force behind one of the nation’s first community indicators projects, it works to improve economic mobility for low-income youth and young adults, and it provides an array of resources and programs that aim to improve the effectiveness of local nonprofits. So when the foundation outgrew its headquarters building in Spartanburg – a small county near the North Carolina border – its trustees decided that its pursuit of more space should reflect its lofty mission. Rather than merely looking for new office space, the foundation instead wanted to think big – to create something that would represent, engage, and benefit its entire community. The result is the Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy – an ambitious development that will not only house some of The Spartanburg County Foundation’s
Mary Thomas (right), chief operating officer of The Spartanburg County Foundation, says one goal for the Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy will be to “inspire and encourage people to bring their best thoughts to shape Spartanburg’s future.”
staff but also will serve as home base for a series of efforts that will engage its entire community. It carries the name of one the foundation’s late board members who was the CEO of the Inman Mills textile company, and an active community leader, until his death in 2017. When it opens to the public in the fall of 2020, the $4 million center will become the bricks-and-mortar embodiment of the foundation’s mission – a place where it will lead efforts to identify and solve problems while building on Spartanburg’s already strong philanthropic culture. “We are authentic when we say that this
is not a center for philanthropy for The Spartanburg County Foundation,” says Troy Hanna, the foundation’s president and CEO. “This is a center for philanthropy for the community as a whole and we want that reflected in all of the work we’re doing.”
The Vision When Mary Thomas, The Spartanburg County Foundation’s chief operating officer, began mapping out plans for the Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy, she started by looking at similar efforts in other communities. Over the course of a year, Thomas discovered a number of innovative approaches in the South that served as inspiration for the foundation’s new project. The Greater New Orleans Foundation has developed a national model for capacity building with its 22,000-square-foot Center for Philanthropy, which provides space to local nonprofits. The Clinton Center on Community Philanthropy at the University of Arkansas, meanwhile, provides a venue for outside experts to share knowledge with local philanthropic leaders who are working to improve communities in the state.
The Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy will provide a home to many of The Spartanburg County Foundation’s signature programs, including the Grassroots Leadership Development Institute (left) and Nonprofit Connect.
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Thomas incorporated elements from both into the concept for the Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy – as well as some new twists, many of which were shaped through outreach into the community. “We really want to inspire and encourage
people to bring their best thoughts to shape Spartanburg’s future – all people, across all sociodemographic groups,” Thomas said, noting that she and the foundation have deliberately worked to make sure the center is developed in cooperation with organizations and individuals from every corner of its county. As a result of that process, the new center will serve a number of functions – all of which are aimed to engage every aspect of the community. The center will provide meeting rooms, work space and other amenities to local nonprofits – as well as an ideas incubator that will allow individuals and organizations in Spartanburg to use data and other resources to test new ideas and approaches that aim to improve life in the community.
will inform everything we do. Our board’s commitment to change, community improvement and community leadership is being manifested in this Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy.”
How It Came to Together While the vision for the center is ambitious, it is also still evolving. The Spartanburg County Foundation unveiled its plans for the center in November to cap the celebration of its 75th anniversary. In marking its anniversary, the foundation and its board discussed the foundation’s vision for its next 75 years. It was during that process that they developed a new set of values focused on using data and knowledge to lead community change – and on empowering every segment of the
But while it has been working broadly with the community to develop the center, it also needed two big acts of philanthropy to help make it a reality. The first came in 2017, when Susu and George Dean Johnson donated a property adjacent to the foundation’s headquarters. The property is significant not only for its proximity, but because it served as the site of the first Hardee’s fast food restaurant, which launched the business fortunes of entrepreneur Jerry Richardson. Richardson, who went on to become the owner of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers from 1995 until 2017, provided the second big philanthropic move when he offered a matching challenge grant of $4 million, which will create a permanent endowment to fund operating and maintenance costs once the structure is built.
A rendering of the Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy, which was announced as part of The Spartanburg County Foundation’s 75th anniversary and is set to open in 2020.
Once it’s open, the center will also host outside thought leaders – including a partner in residence – who will spend time meeting with nonprofit, business, and government leaders to share knowledge and best practices. In addition, it will feature a Gallery of Philanthropy – an area that will serve as a living museum of giving in Spartanburg and will be designed to provide inspiration to future generations of philanthropists and will provide lessons and data that will inform current work in the community. “This is not a building as usual,” Thomas says. “This will be a community asset that
community to have a say in its future. The values helped inform the vision for the center – and for the inclusive process that Thomas has used to help ensure that the community is fully involved in shaping its development. “When we speak at the Foundation, we’re not speaking with a siloed approach,” Thomas says. “We’re always looking to work in every corner of the community – working with the public, private and nonprofit sectors – involving government, business and individuals. We’re speaking to every community leader who needs and wants to hear us.”
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That commitment means the center will have the resources needed to evolve and grow with the foundation – and the community. Like the foundation itself, the center will be grounded in the community’s history, connected with its present, and will be connected to a larger effort to shape its future. “This really is the culmination of how we can package what we’ve learned over time,” Hanna said. “While it’s ambitious, it’s not new to us. It’s launching from a solid Foundation – connecting the work we’ve been doing for years with the future.” █
SUPPORTING A SUSTAINABLE SOUTH
Working Locally for Environment, Economy & Equity By Betsey Russell
What do an overgrown lot in Savannah, a freezing cold home in Asheville, and a community development corporation headquarters in one of Charleston’s poorest neighborhoods have in common? They are all places where city and county governments and area nonprofit and for-profit partners are working together to address shared concerns about the environment, economy, and equity.
These three locations and nine others throughout the region are recipients of grant awards from the Southeast Sustainable Communities Fund (SSCF), operated by the Asheville-based Southeastern Sustainability Directors Network (SSDN) and financed in part by two SECF members, The Kendeda Fund and The Kresge Foundation.
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As concerns continue to rise about climate change and its effect on communities – particularly those that have been historically marginalized — many cities have established sustainability offices or departments to examine how government policies and practices are affecting the environment and citizenry, and to explore options for improvement. SSDN gives those working toward sustainability a place
to share information and experiences and learn together. “Sustainability comes from a community’s ability to successfully apply an environmental, economic, and equity lens to every situation,” says Meg Jamison, director of SSDN. “The roles of sustainability directors, and their levels of experience, vary across the region. Some are measuring greenhouse gas emissions and setting targets for reduction. Some are working on resilience, such as for sea level rise or flooding. Some are working on ways to reduce waste, increase recycling efforts, or build local food systems. Our goal is to grow the field so that more cities can learn and apply best practices relevant to their communities.” The SSDN’s work aligned strongly with Kendeda’s mission, says Dennis Creech, the fund’s advisor for sustainability initiatives in the Southeast. “One of Kendeda’s goals is to advance ecological design, which includes sustainability, in the South,” Creech said. “But Kendeda also has a major focus on equity. SSDN was a good partner for us because they look at sustainable design around climate and water issues, but also have an equity lens. Kendeda also looks to invest in transformative leaders and ideas, as we found those at SSDN as well.” Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, senior program officer for environment at Kresge, notes an alignment between SSDN’s work and the foundation’s Climate Resilient and Equitable Water Systems (CREWS) initiative. “The overall vision for CREWS is that urban storm water and waste water systems become more resilient to climate change and provide reliable and equitable services to communities, and that cities manage water in a way that keeps people safe, healthy and economically unburdened,” she says. “One of our strategies specifically focuses on convening urban leaders across sectors to strengthen networks and build climate resilience and equity knowledge that leads to action. Most importantly, SSDN is working to address these challenges with a racial equity lens. That’s why SSDN is a good fit.” Communities that receive SSCF grants are creating model projects focused on energy and water that can be replicated throughout the region, lessening the effects of climate change and increasing equitable access to sustainable practices. Since 2017, SSCF has awarded more than $3 million in funding to projects in 12 communities: Asheville/Buncombe County and Cary in North Carolina; Athens-
Clarke County and Savannah in Georgia; Chattanooga, Knoxville and Nashville in Tennessee; Charleston, South Carolina; Duck Hill, Mississippi; Huntsville, Alabama; Volusia County, Florida, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Community projects range from weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades that improve heating and cooling and control energy costs for low-income homeowners to managing issues that arise from storm water runoff and coastal flooding. Several of the projects include a workforce development component that prepares under-employed and/or at-risk youth and adults for careers in a green economy. For example, in Savannah, 16 men and women ages 18-55 are getting paid to learn about landscape design and management and earn credentials as Georgia Certified Landscape Professionals. As part of their hands-on experience, they are transforming three vacant lots owned by the city into urban tree nurseries. Those nurseries will be used to replenish Savannah’s urban tree canopy, which plays a key role in storm water management and flood prevention. In Charleston, hands on job training focuses on weatherization and energy efficiency techniques to help long-term, low-income residents of the city’s historic Eastside neighborhood remain in their homes in the face of gentrification. The city and its nonprofit partners are also investigating methods of alternative financing to add solar power and flood-proofing to homes in the neighborhood. Buncombe County is also focused on home weatherization, but the project there is innovative because the city and county governments have forged an unlikely relationship with the area power company to reduce residential energy consumption. That relationship has led the power company to prioritize the installation of “smart meters” on low-income homes to help homeowners better understand their energy use in real time and to scrap plans to build an additional power plant to meet demand during peak consumption hours. “The Buncombe County project is unique because the local utility is actually in conversation with government about how to offset the need for further electric generation,” says Creech. “Their success hopefully will raise the question of why we aren’t doing this elsewhere and prove some new economic drivers in terms of energy use.” SSDN also ensures that grantees have the technical assistance they need to succeed, based on each community’s
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situation. Some grantees have engaged the Government Alliance on Race and Equity to conduct racial equity trainings. Others have required more basic assistance for project design and technical expertise. “Our funders’ willingness to build capacity among our grantee cohorts subsequently builds the capacity of our entire network,” says Jamison. White-Newsome also likes the fact that SSCF grant recipients are chosen by a broad committee, rather than just SSDN or foundation staff. “I think it’s great to have a group of your peers and ‘outsiders’ select the projects for funding,” she says. “I also feel like this grant opportunity might afford a community or set of leaders an opportunity they might not otherwise get – reaching Southeastern communities that might be overlooked for the larger urban areas, but that possess some wonderful potential, great leadership, and a desire to be innovative in problem solving.”
Making Adjustments as Plans Change Flexibility and adaptability are a key part of this grantmaking approach. The funders don’t dictate a particular model but allows for each city to do what it thinks will be most promising. SSDN holds grantees accountable, but allows for course corrections as each grantee learns what works or finds ways around unforeseen hurdles. For example, the original plan in Savannah called for the use of FEMA-owned, flood-prone properties as urban nurseries, but after learning about FEMA’s year-long backlog for approval, the city decided to use vacant lots it already owned instead. “We realized almost immediately the need to be flexible, because we’re asking our members to do things they haven’t before: incorporating an equitable approach, forging new partnerships, dealing with political shifts,” says Jamison. “Grantees have expressed frustration with how long some of the processes can take, but our support helps them figure out how to get around hurdles, keep an eye on their goals, and succeed.” That flexibility has extended not only to how grant projects roll out, but even to where the grants are made. Because the SSCF is meant to encourage more towns and cities to consider sustainable projects, the grants aren’t limited to current SSDN members or to cities with sustainability directors already in place.
For example, SSDN allowed a contract engineer for the small town of Duck Hill, Mississippi, to fulfill the sustainability director role in order to award a grant that is helping the town address flooding issues around a former high school gymnasium that area residents hope to transform into a community center. At the time of the grant award, there was little physical or social infrastructure in the town to take on the work, but SSDN and its foundation funders recognized the potential. The grant included significant capacity-building for community organizing and engagement. “Kendeda is willing to take risks, to invest in transformative and innovative ideas and organizations that are not necessarily the most established entities,” says Creech. With the SSCF funding and technical assistance, community members have not only installed new drainage, but also engaged in environmental education for residents and developed a “Creek Rangers” program for youth development. In the process, they’re also addressing a centuries-old racial division within the town, bringing black and white residents together to work toward a common goal.
Community Resiliency and Equity Because the impacts of climate change – such as more intense storms or droughts or the increase in sea levels – will affect lowerincome communities more dramatically than higher-income communities, environmental equity work calls for increased attention to resiliency. For example, in Duck Hill, the SSCF grant supports work to address the immediate environmental need for drainage to mitigate flooding that damages the community. At the same time, it addresses issues of equity and resiliency by leveraging other resources to create community gardens in reclaimed flood zones to bolster local food resources (Duck Hill is a food desert) and by supporting a community vision for an arts center and outdoor recreation space at an abandoned high school in a low-income neighborhood. In cities like Savannah and Charleston, the green jobs training programs simultaneously address environmental, economic and equity factors by producing workers who will help those cities become more resilient in the face of climate change impacts while also becoming more economically resilient themselves. “One of the opportunities we have in the South is to help more local governments become aware of the connection between
climate change and equity, and the power they have to address both at the local level,” says Jamison. “If we can get local governments to lead with equity and get the sustainability movement on board with that process, everyone will have more opportunity to support and participate in this work. We want more sustainability directors to join that conversation in their own cities and within our network.” White-Newsome agrees. “As a foundation, Kresge works to build and strengthen pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. As we think about work touching our environment – particularly the sustainability of our cities, the people in the cities, and those who are disproportionately impacted by climate change – we will not achieve our mission if we do not address the needs of those that are most vulnerable, because they have not been served by the policies and systems in our country that were supposed to protect them.”
“I believe SSDNs SSCF is a great model that could be replicated across the country, particularly in areas where there is a contingency of folks that have specific needs and could create energy and impact through innovation,” says White-Newsome. “We wouldn’t have funded a program just for standalone local governments, but SSDN brings meaningful engagement between local governments and the communities they serve,” he says. “SSDN brings them to the table, vets them, and connects them so they can all learn from one another. We’re
“The foundation community as a whole has come to realize we’ve not addressed equity appropriately, so we’ve all started talking about what that looks like and bringing in strong voices to help us create a vision for equity,” says Creech. “But this project takes it a step further, because we are in the trenches in these communities, working toward equity in a more tangible way at the community level. Our grantees are putting together processes of community engagement and trusting those processes. They’re letting Thanks to grant awards from the Southeast Sustainable Communities Fund, men and women are being paid to learn these communities really dig about landscape design and management while earning in and roll up their sleeves credentials as Georgia Certified Landscape Professionals. with local government and nonprofits. It’s ‘wonderfully messy’ work and could have failed, but it hasn’t – and these are stronger providing funds for projects, but also for projects as a result that will ultimately lead sharing the stories and best practices, to stronger outcomes.” filling gaps, workshops on equity, and energy efficiency programs. This is much more than a regranting program; it’s about A Sustainable Network building the network capacity. Networks are like muscles, if you don’t use them, they Both funders credit much of the success atrophy. This one has built strength over in this grantmaking effort to finding the time because people have invested their right partner in SSDN and investing in that time and value it.” █ partner’s strength as a program innovator and a network builder.
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THEN, NOW & WHAT’S NEXT
SECF and Southern Philanthropy: Growing Together By Betsey Russell
In 1969, the year SECF began, there were roughly 530 foundations in the region, with some $1.6 billion in assets and $81.5 million in annual grantmaking. Since that time, the field of philanthropy has grown significantly in the region, to 15,626 in 2015, representing more than $129 billion in assets and $7.3 billion in grantmaking. The most significant growth occurred between 1995 and 2005, when the numbers grew from roughly 5,000 to 12,000 in a single decade. The expansion of philanthropic capital and the evolution of philanthropic practice in the region are significant when viewed through a lens of 50 years – the fact that SECF also hits the 50-year benchmark in 2019 is no coincidence. “While the growth of philanthropy in the region cannot be attributed to any single occurrence or entity, SECF has remained a stalwart resource and ally for foundations in the South during these decades of philanthropic expansion, offering a number of programs that have supported growth in the field,” says President & CEO Janine Lee. “From providing a sense of collegiality and cohesion, to helping individual foundations find their footing and enhance their impact, SECF has been a part of philanthropy’s growth every step of the way.”
Helping Foundations Start, Flourish & Grow One of the earliest resources SECF provided to new foundations was the guide “Why Establish a Private Foundation,” published in 1980. It was written in part by consulting attorney James K. Hasson and funded by one of SECF’s earliest members, the Lyndhurst Foundation in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A decade later, SECF worked with Atlantabased attorney Benjamin White to produce “The Foundation Desk Reference: A Compendium of Private Foundation Rules”. This book demystified the laws and regulations surrounding private foundations and explained what foundations must do, and what they must never do, in order to remain in compliance with federal law. Now in its third edition, The Foundation Desk Reference remains one of SECF’s most popular resources. “When I joined the staff of the Woodruff and Whitehead Foundations in 1988, Pete McTier [then foundation president] handed me the SECF Foundation Desk Reference. It sat on my desk for the next decade and was an indispensable resource,” says current president Russ Hardin. “It answered many
of my questions without an expensive call to my old law firm. It also probably kept me out of trouble when I might not otherwise have recognized a legal or regulatory issue. My colleagues still pass around a well-worn copy of the 2008 edition and continue to rely on it.” In 2011, the heirs of Ray C. Anderson, a Georgia entrepreneur and environmentalist, were caught somewhat by surprise at learning that the late Mr. Anderson had left the majority of his estate to the family foundation he had created, now to be led by his two daughters, Mary Ann Anderson Lanier and Harriet Anderson Langford. “My mother and my aunt were pleasantly surprised, and recognized the tremendous gift he’d given to them, but it was daunting,” says John A. Lanier, grandson of Ray Anderson and now the foundation’s fulltime executive director. “Not only were they not prepared for their new role, but Ray also left zero instructions. He left it all up to them.” John had just begun a career as a federal tax attorney in Atlanta. “I knew the law, but there’s so much more to running an effective foundation than legal compliance. SECF helped my mother, my aunt and me understand what running a foundation
Connected, Engaged & Inspired for 50 Years This article is the second in a series focusing on how SECF has grown and evolved over its 50-year history, the organization’s work today and what lies ahead in the future. ·9·
really means, what best practices are out there, all the options for philanthropy, and with networking,” he says. “The Annual Meetings have been our primary way of connecting and learning. It’s been a great way to check back in with the network.” In only eight years, the foundation has gone from being new on the scene to a key leader in the SECF network – John Lanier co-chaired SECF’s 50th Anniversary Task Force and currently sits on the Annual Meeting planning committee. “One of the things that I’ve learned through SECF is how many different approaches to philanthropy foundations can take,” he says. “I don’t think we’re like any other foundation in the SECF roster, but SECF has helped us understand that it’s OK to do things differently and that there is value in bringing your own approach.”
of creating a community foundation, and providing some technical assistance to help them do so.
created new philanthropies for which Lehfeldt coined the term “health legacy foundations.”
“Bob Hull’s vision was that anyone living in the Southeast should be in easy reach – say 50 miles – of a community foundation,” says Lehfeldt. “Our effort was more about service to donors and nonprofits than about numbers and dollars, but the money came along with that.”
These foundations represented sudden, significant amounts of philanthropic wealth in communities that previously had none. SECF began hosting special trainings and retreats for health legacy foundation staff and boards, many of whom were new to philanthropy and eager to learn from experts and their peers.
“It was a rare community into which I went that didn’t get the genius of community foundations,” Lehfeldt adds. “They got started in many different ways.” In one case, a community foundation was created with funds leftover from a nonprofit county fair. Another
“SECF has helped us understand that it’s OK to do things differently.” John Lanier, Ray C. Anderson Foundation Boosting Community-Driven Philanthropy SECF’s focus on growing philanthropy was codified as part of its first-ever strategic plan, adopted in 1991. While SECF has always provided support to all kinds of foundation philanthropy, two special initiatives helped advance the impact of the field. One contributed to significant growth among community foundations during the 1990s. In 1994, it appeared that the days of very wealthy people establishing large private foundations were coming to an end – the current billionaire boom was far off the horizon. In response, SECF began to explore ways to increase community foundation philanthropy. Although there were community foundations in the region that were very strong, the SECF Board realized that was great opportunity for expansion by creating new ones in areas still unserved. The Community Foundation Initiative began, led by then-consultant Martin Lehfeldt, who would later become SECF’s president and CEO. For three years, Lehfeldt traveled the region, exploring strategies to promote community foundation expansion, educating communities about the benefits
formed because a group of estate planners decided it was needed. In yet another case, a donor issued a $1 million challenge grant as a testamentary gift to create a new community foundation. “The initiative really started us moving toward Bob’s vision and began to make SECF a significant player in the region,” says Lehfeldt. “Unlike other organizations, we had more interest, sympathy and appreciation for the need here, and knew we needed more charitable funds to deal with all kinds of challenges that the South had.”
Tina Markanda, executive director of The Foundation for a Healthy High Point, says the CEO Forum reflects SECF growing to reflect the increased sophistication of grantmaking leadership in the field.
By 1996, there were nearly 100 community foundations in the region, many newly formed.
Support for Health Legacy Foundations In the early 2000s, with Lehfeldt now at the helm, SECF turned its focus to the growing number of foundations created from the sale of nonprofit hospitals and health systems to private entities. These
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Today, health legacy foundations account for the single largest constituency, in terms of people, at the Annual Meeting, and more than $5.3 billion in philanthropic assets in the region as of 2015. “The work that SECF has done to support health legacy foundations has been very important, because a lot of those foundation CEOs don’t come out of philanthropy, but from the hospital foundations or the hospitals themselves,” says Karl Stauber, CEO of the Danville Regional Foundation,
classmates. The Hull Fellows Program provides a welcoming and safe space to focus on how you show up as a professional in the field.” In addition to the Hull Fellows program, SECF supports veteran leaders through its annual CEO Forum, which began in 2010. “Through the CEO Forum and other SECF offerings, we’re growing collectively,” says Tina Markanda, a former Hull Fellow who is now executive director of The Foundation for a Healthy High Point and a frequent CEO Forum attendee. “There is an art and science to grantmaking, and it feels like it used to be more art, but as we’re becoming more strategic and laser focused, leadership in the field continually grows more sophisticated, and incorporates more science.” Russ Hardin (right), president of the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, says SECF’s Foundation Desk Reference continues to be a resource decades after its initial publication.
a health legacy serving three counties in Virginia and North Carolina. “The educational opportunities SECF provides – in health legacy gatherings, at the Annual Meeting, and beyond – help health legacy foundation move along the developmental curve from charity to philanthropy, and from seeing themselves of outgrowth of hospital to seeing themselves as an independent philanthropy that can be a force for change in the community.”
Elevating Field Leaders In 2000, to honor freshly retired President Bob Hull, SECF created what has become one of the leading professional
development programs for philanthropy in the country: the Hull Fellowship. Since then, 16 classes of Hull Fellows, including more than 300 rising leaders, have learned deeply together about the region and the field. Many of the Fellows have gone on to leadership positions at foundations in the Southeast and beyond. “The Hull Fellowship gave me exposure to others in philanthropy when I was new to the field, and exposure to some of the basic tenets and elements of philanthropy in the South,” says Lisa Medellin, Director of Programs at Healthcare Georgia Foundation and a Hull Fellows alum. “It also gave me connections to other leaders. I still keep in touch with several of my
The Growth Continues The value of SECF’s efforts to support philanthropy are reflected in the growth of its membership, which has increased five percent over the last decade. In addition, SECF now enjoys the highest retention rates that the organization has ever seen, regularly topping 90 percent and rising as high as 96 percent in recent years. “SECF has always been a place where foundation board members and staff can gather to support one another and improve and expand their practice,” says Janine Lee. “In fact, that sense of connectedness is consistently what members have said they most value about SECF over the past five decades.” Lee also notes that as the world – and the field – becomes more fast-paced and complex, SECF’s role will continue to expand and adapt. “SECF has always been a resource for those working in the field, and will continue to serve in that role, adapting as the world and the practice of philanthropy changes to ensure our field moves forward in the most effective way possible,” Lee says. “But as the set of problems philanthropy seeks to solve continues to grow, SECF also has grown to become a source of leadership in its own right, as well as a provider of research and data that foundations increasingly rely upon.
John Lanier (left), executive director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, says SECF helped his family understand how to get a foundation off the ground.
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“Fifty years ago, grantmaking was largely thought of in terms of charity,” Lee continues. “Few people had explored the impact that foundations could have as policy advocates, social investors, thought leaders, communicators, or paradigm shifters. But our members today do all of these things and more.” █
notes from the field
Do you have news about your foundation that you’d like to share? Send your stories to David Miller, Director of Marketing & Communications, at david@secf.org.
2017 Tax Bill’s Impact on Giving Remains Unclear, Studies Show A pair of studies indicates the impact of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on charitable giving is still unclear, though signs indicate a drop in giving by those who do not itemize their return. A United Way Worldwide study released in March, using data from the IRS and the University of Michigan, found the percentage of Americans who give to charity has been falling steadily, particularly among taxpayers who do not itemize their deductions. United Way notes that taxpayers who itemize their deductions are twice as likely to give to charity as those who don’t. That fact has caused concerns in the charitable sector due to changes introduced by the 2017 tax bill. That legislation doubled the standard deduction, which will significantly reduce the number of filers who itemize their return – in turn, reducing the size of a group seen as most likely to give to charity. SECF is among many organizations that has supported increased incentives for charitable giving, including a universal charitable deduction that would be available to all filers, including those who do not itemize their return. Another study, from Marts & Lundy, found many wealthy donors were uncertain of how the legislation would affect their giving. Based on interviews and online surveys of wealthy donors, 37 percent were unsure of the impact changes to the tax code would have on their giving. However, the survey did find some good news: 10 percent of wealthy donors said they would give more, and none said they would give less – 53 percent said their giving would not change.
Foundation Center, GuideStar Merge to Form Candid Two of the field’s leading sources of research, data and information on foundations and nonprofits have merged. In February, Foundation Center and GuideStar announced they had joined forces under a new name, Candid. “Building on more than eighty-five years of combined experience, Candid will enable new kinds of transparency about who is working where in the world and on what issues, promote data standards and tools designed to accelerate knowledge sharing, and enhance collaboration in the social sector,” the announcement read. “By integrating data and findings from nonprofits, foundations, institutional funders, governments, and tech companies, Candid will provide the sector with insights and analysis across a broad range of activity.” The leaders of the two separate organizations remain with Candid. Brad Smith, previously president of Foundation Center, is Candid’s president; Jacob Harold, previously president and CEO of GuideStar, is executive vice president.
new members of the SECF family
The following organizations have joined or reconnected with SECF since our previous issue. Look forward to seeing them at our events and programs – and give them a warm welcome! The Cobb Community Foundation, based in Marietta, Georgia, has reconnected with SECF. Shari B. Martin is the foundation’s executive director. The D. Gaines Lanier Family Foundation is based in Rome, Georgia. Its grantmaking is focused on community development, education, health and Christian organizations in Georgia and Alabama. Ashley Jennings is the foundation’s president. The Jolley Foundation is a family foundation based out of Greenville, South Carolina. Its giving is directed toward arts and culture, community development, education, health, human services, public affairs and social sciences in and around Greenville. Tish Young McCutchen is the foundation’s program officer. The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation has reconnected with SECF. Based in Warrenton, Virginia, the foundation serves Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper and Madison counties in the state’s Piedmont region. Jane Bowling-Wilson is the executive director. The Polk County Community Foundation, based in Tryon, North Carolina, has reconnected with SECF. It serves Polk County and the surrounding area, including Landrum, South Carolina. Elizabeth Nager is the foundation’s president and CEO. The Sandy Springs Arts Foundation, in Sandy Springs, Georgia, is a grantmaking public charity focused on the arts in its home city. Ken Byers is the foundation’s chair.
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southeastern soundings
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The Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama recently announced the appointment of two new trustees: Anna Berry and Nanda Patel. Berry is the deputy executive director of the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust. Patel is the owner and manager of two local hotels.
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Tamela Spann has been promoted to vice president of strategic initiatives at Hollingsworth Funds. Previously manager of strategic initiatives, Spann has been with the Greenville, South Carolina, organization since 2015. The organization also announced the appointment of Brenda J. Thames to its Board of Directors. She serves as executive vice president and provost of Prisma Health-Upstate Health Sciences Center.
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The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation has added two new members to its board: Stephanie Tyree, executive director of the West Virginia Community Development Hub, and Holt Mountcastle, a consultant at RE Tech Advisors, a sustainability consulting firm. The foundation also announced the promotion of Elena Conley to senior network officer.
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The Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation has tapped David M. Beach as president and chief executive officer following the retirement of Daniel Bevan. He previously was with Hancock Whitney Bank as a vice president in the trust department. The foundation has also promoted Jan Ross, previously vice president for grants administration, to executive vice president for philanthropy.
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Megan Martin has been named vice president of marketing and development at the North Georgia Community Foundation. Previously the foundation’s director of marketing and development, she joined the staff in May 2016.
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Marianne Smith Edge has been selected to serve on the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky board of directors. Edge is a registered dietitian who founded The AgriNutrition Edge, a communications consulting firm that helps food and agriculture companies navigate the complex consumer food environment.
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The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina recently promoted Donna Waites to vice president of programs. She previously served as senior program director.
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Ashley Whitt has been named senior program officer at The Spartanburg County Foundation. She was previously a program specialist.
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The Duke Endowment has promoted Lily Zhang to the new position of associate director of data and analytics. She previously served as controller. The Endowment has also hired Kristi Walters as a program officer focused on higher education. She previously was a program officer and senior advisor at The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.
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The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has announced the appointment of Christopher F. Kerrigan as its next president and CEO. Kerrigan will succeed Denise Spencer, who is retiring. For the past 20 years, Kerrigan has served as president and CEO of Trident United Way
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foundation faces
Dr. Michael Murray President, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
Earlier this year, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (AVDF) in Northeast Florida announced the appointment of its sixth president, Dr. Michael Murray. As he prepared to assume his new role on April 1, Dr. Murray talked with SECF about what drew him to the position and his immediate goals.
What drew you to pursue this position with The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations? I had been familiar with the work of The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations for quite some time in part because of the areas of overlapping interest with the John Templeton Foundation, where I had served as senior vice president of programs. The most significant areas of overlap concern private higher education and interfaith work, two arenas that are confronting major challenges in contemporary American society. Private higher educational institutions have become the focus of great deal of attention as they struggle to create environments that foster student learning and leadership, while also exemplifying inclusiveness and diversity along its many dimensions. Because these institutions are the funnels through which most future leaders will pass, they are often caught in a cultural tug-of-war between forces that stand in ideological opposition. Private philanthropy can provide resources that allow these institutions to wrestle with these challenges in ways that improve learning outcomes while also fostering humility and mutual respect. AVDF has also sought to strengthen historically black colleges and universities and Native American-focused institutions that are serving their constituencies with excellence but are often under-resourced. I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve at an organization that provides philanthropic support to these institutions – that was very important to me. Working on interfaith issues is something fairly new to the Foundations, but it’s important because faith communities continue to play a critical role in American
society. Some observing the contemporary global landscape conclude that religious communities are more destructive than constructive – that they are part of the problem. AVDF believes that religious communities can and indeed typically do serve the common good, and that these communities are at their best when they’re working together in harmony. We hope that our funding will allow members of these communities to work together to advance the public good. What other aspects of the Foundations’ work are you excited about? At the conclusion of their most recent strategic planning process, the board established two additional funding areas: environmental engagement and palliative care. Both are limited to a designated set of partners at the moment. While funding in the area of the environment is new, previous AVDF funding played a seminal role in the movement to bring hospice care to the United States. So the work in palliative care is in important ways a continuation of prior efforts. The foundations also aspire to fund projects that capitalize on multiple funding areas exploring, for example, connections between palliative care and interfaith work. For example, we hope to support health professionals and clergy as they walk individuals in various religious communities through difficult medical decisions. Many health professionals aren’t trained to do this and can be quite surprised at the role that religious belief plays in the decisions patients make about care. In the Muslim community, for example, there are special concerns that arise concerning end-of-life care. Many Muslims see struggle as an
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opportunity to grow closer to Allah. When confronting treatments aimed at mitigating pain and suffering, some see this as at odds with God’s provisions and opportunities for spiritual growth. So how can clergy, chaplains, and health professionals work together to honor patient wishes while also serving their health needs most effectively? That’s just one area the foundations are interested in exploring. Environmental engagement, stewardship, and solutions is a test portfolio for us, with a few active grants that are only recently underway. We’re eager to see how we can make a difference in this large, complicated funding space. Are there any aspects of your work at the John Templeton Foundation that you’ll bring into your new role? At Templeton, one of the departments I helped develop and lead was aimed at developing strategic philanthropic alliances. Our goal was to build relationships with other funders in areas of shared interest. It’s one of the most forward-thinking things we’ve done in recent years. What I’ve seen is the catalytic power of these partnerships in terms of moving the needle. Foundations, when they hit a certain size, aren’t always good at collaborating. They have their own resources and their own ideas. But when you have areas of common interest and bring people together with different expertise and insights, catalytic things can happen. One thing I hope to do early on is convene like-minded funders, not to sell them on what we’re doing, but to learn from what they’re doing, the successes they’ve had and to see if we can join them in accomplishing our shared goals.
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calendar of events
Passing Gear Philanthropy in Virginia | June 18 in Richmond, VA
David Dodson of MDC will lead a discussion focused on the principles of Passing Gear philanthropy and state-specific data on its use in Virginia. Funders will have the opportunity to discuss how the Passing Gear approach can help address challenges in the state. Registration opens this Spring!
Community Foundation Workshop | June 26–27 in Charleston, SC
The two-day Community Foundation Workshop offers a comprehensive overview of the structure and operations of community foundations. It provides an in-depth introduction to community philanthropy for new staff and board members, as well as experienced practitioners looking for a good refresher. Registration opens this Spring!
Corporate Grantmaker Workshop | July 25 in Atlanta, GA
The Corporate Grantmaker Workshop is devoted to the unique issues, questions and opportunities facing staff of corporate foundations and giving programs. The workshop will focus on a particular aspect of corporate grantmaking while touching on a number of other relevant issues. Registration opens this Spring!
Essential Skills & Strategies | August 21–22 in Durham, NC
Essential Skills & Strategies for New Grantmakers connects those new to philanthropy with an experienced faculty comprised of SECF members. The two-day training delivers a curriculum designed to give attendees a greater understanding of the ins-and-outs of grantmaking. Registration opens in May.
SECF’s 50th Annual Meeting | November 13–15 in Atlanta, GA
The Annual Meeting returns to where the SECF story began to honor the past, celebrate the present and write the opening chapters of a bright future for our organization, our field and our region. Join us as we mark a half-century dedicated to improving countless lives and communities in the American South, all while looking at the opportunities, changes and challenges that lie ahead. Registration opens in May!
Member Webinars
Interactive webinars, often delivered in partnership with member foundations and national organizations, are your chance to connect with the SECF community while learning about the latest trends in philanthropy, all without leaving your office! Several 2019 webinars, tackling subjects like investment best practices and digital equity, have already been announced, and many more are on the way – visit SECF.org for our full webinar calendar!
Please visit SECF.org for additonal in-person and virtual programs