Association Of Small Foundations: 10 books

Beyond dollars, small foundations hold unique assets such as deep knowledge of community needs, ability to focus over time, reputation as community institutions, and creativity of board members and staff. Learn about 20 ways ASF members use the full range of foundation assets for the benefit of their...

Find out how to create a disaster grantmaking plan for your foundation and how to work to minimize the impact of future crises.This primer is for you if:You want to respond effectively to a disaster that just occurredYou want to be ready to respond quickly and effectively if a disaster occursYou want to learn about and participate in disaster prevention

Discover how to organize, archive, and protect your important documents. Includes: The costs of recordkeeping — in money and time; What to keep and for how long; Advice on establishing a records management system and records retention policy; How recordkeeping can help you fulfill your mission and program; Audits; What records you must share with the public.

The self-dealing rules are among the easiest for foundations to violate. The rules prohibit certain transactions between private foundations and insiders, called disqualified persons. This primer includes: Definition of self-dealing; Common questions related to self-dealing; Self-dealing checklist;...

Small foundations are using PRI loans and other investments to enhance the power of their grantmaking, build capacity, and leverage the impact of their assets. PRIs can be counted toward your foundation’s distribution requirement, and repaid funds are recycled for other PRIs or for grants. This...

Policies guide your foundation in its daily operations and steer the board as it works to fulfill the foundation’s mission. This primer walks you through policies that can help you: Operate more efficiently; Align daily operations with your mission; Fulfill your legal and ethical responsibilities; Increase transparency; Orient new board members.

Strong leaders play an essential role in the success of nonprofit organizations, and as funders, your accomplishments hinge on theirs. By taking steps to support nonprofit leaders, you can bolster the organizations you trust, support the issues you care most about, and further your mission in a meaningful...

Includes: Definitions of various charitable vehicles; How to determine the type of private foundation; How to establish your foundation; Obtaining an Employer Identification Number; Applying to the IRS.

Learn about the steps in creating an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) — from making key board decisions, to developing your asset allocation policy, to putting together your IPS document. Topics include: What an IPS is and what it does; Components of an IPS; Steps in developing an asset allocation...

Find out how to accomplish one of the most central foundation tasks without getting lost in paper. Topics include: Creating your mission and guidelines; Determining a process for board decisionmaking; Pre-screening proposals and conducting in-depth review; Financial statements -- how-to review; Conducting site visits.