This guest post comes from Gilbert Miller, a trustee of the Beloco Foundation in Columbus, Georgia. Gilbert is participating in a panel discussion of next generation trustees at the SECF Family Foundations Forum, entitled "Where You Lead, I Might Follow — Perspectives from the Next Generation.
I am not alone!
Those words keep coming to mind at every session of this year's Family Foundations Forum. It's long been the secret shame of our foundation that things weren't as 'together' as they may seem. We disagree on grant requests, we have a hard time assessing positive change and gift effectiveness, we often struggle with what our 'next steps' should be. Sometimes it feels like we're just not adequate enough to be tasked with the awesome responsibility of granting funds to the communities and efforts we love so much.
But it turns out, we're not alone.
The 'we' I now refer to includes over sixty members of the Southeastern Council of Foundations, from family foundations across the Southeast. They, too, share the same concerns and face similar struggles behind their own closed doors. Their difficulties are very much like those I have faced. The relief that brings is comforting, to say the least.
What's more, the power to reference each other's challenges and share in the solutions and outcomes has already benefited our foundation tremendously. The network of individuals here, from all backgrounds and experiences, has provide a deep well of knowledge to draw from. A simple suggestion of a pie chart in a meeting this morning solved a long-standing issue of how best to communicate current requests and their relationship to our capacity to give. That's just one 'ah-ha' moment. There were dozens of others by lunchtime.
Entering the SECF's afternoon session, my 'we' and I are emboldened and hopeful. We stand together knowing that somewhere among our shared experiences are answers to long held questions. We know that our faults can be fixed and that our futures will be bright. We can finally rest in knowing that, while the work ahead may prove difficult, our success is no longer in question. We now have friends who have been there; friends who are on the other side, showing us the way; friends who offer help whenever it is need.
We are not alone.
I am not alone!
Those words keep coming to mind at every session of this year's Family Foundations Forum. It's long been the secret shame of our foundation that things weren't as 'together' as they may seem. We disagree on grant requests, we have a hard time assessing positive change and gift effectiveness, we often struggle with what our 'next steps' should be. Sometimes it feels like we're just not adequate enough to be tasked with the awesome responsibility of granting funds to the communities and efforts we love so much.
But it turns out, we're not alone.
The 'we' I now refer to includes over sixty members of the Southeastern Council of Foundations, from family foundations across the Southeast. They, too, share the same concerns and face similar struggles behind their own closed doors. Their difficulties are very much like those I have faced. The relief that brings is comforting, to say the least.
What's more, the power to reference each other's challenges and share in the solutions and outcomes has already benefited our foundation tremendously. The network of individuals here, from all backgrounds and experiences, has provide a deep well of knowledge to draw from. A simple suggestion of a pie chart in a meeting this morning solved a long-standing issue of how best to communicate current requests and their relationship to our capacity to give. That's just one 'ah-ha' moment. There were dozens of others by lunchtime.
Entering the SECF's afternoon session, my 'we' and I are emboldened and hopeful. We stand together knowing that somewhere among our shared experiences are answers to long held questions. We know that our faults can be fixed and that our futures will be bright. We can finally rest in knowing that, while the work ahead may prove difficult, our success is no longer in question. We now have friends who have been there; friends who are on the other side, showing us the way; friends who offer help whenever it is need.
We are not alone.
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