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In December both the Environment and Global Economic Opportunity Circles featured insightful speakers from the world of grantmaking. Greg Miller former Managing Director at Google.org conducted an informal Q&A with the Global Economic Opportunity Circle highlighting Google’s grantmaking approach which allowed for risk-taking in alignment with Silicon Valley entrepreneurship culture. In the Environment Circle, a panel of experts discussed “Best Practices in Grant Making and Grant Project Management”. The panel included Tom Steinbach, Environmental Programs Director, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; Meaghan Calcari, Marine Conservation Initiative Program Officer, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; and Full Circle Fund member Radha Blackman, Executive Director, the Hand Foundation.

All of the featured speakers highlighted Full Circle Fund’s unique position as a small, agile grantmaker and encouraged members to take advantage of this position by identifying and supporting nonprofits that may not be ready for funding from larger foundations like Gordon and Betty Moore or William and Flora Hewlett Foundations. They also encouraged the group to continue its practice of constant and honest communication between the grantee and funder and to “develop a real-time feedback loop” so that grantees always see Full Circle Fund as an additional resource to help them achieve their mission rather than just a funder.

Video from Grantmaking Best Practices Panel with Meaghan Calcari, Tom Steinbach, and Radha Blackman

Want to learn how about grantmaking and how to effectively leverage your professional skills to the benefit of local nonprofits? Read about Full Circle Fund membership here.

Posted in Global Economic Opportunity, environment