Posts by Allen Smart
Engaging in Successful Rural Philanthropy
It’s a critical time for Rural America, but what do we know about it? There are 60 million rural people in the United States, roughly 19 percent of the nation’s population. Yet, the level of (under)investment by philanthropy in rural communities is still staggering—at less than 7% of all grantmaking. The rewards of rural philanthropy…
Read MoreDirector’s Blog 6.0
As we head towards the homestretch of the currently funded Rural Philanthropy Analysis Project (RPA) here at Campbell University, I thought it time to review what we have done to date and what you all can expect to see through the end of 2018. When asked to describe the work of RPA, my best shorthand…
Read MoreEquity: It’s Not Just an Urban Issue
Over the past few years, there has been an uptick in conversations, meetings, and efforts to embrace equity in philanthropy. Sometimes we see this growing interest manifest as a new portfolio; sometimes it’s embedded in a revised mission and vision. This movement has been a long time coming, and there are many who have toiled…
Read MorePhilanthropic Risk: It’s Personal
Two ways that grantmakers can encourage more risk-taking among leaders and staff Philanthropy has an uncertain relationship with risk. Foundations big and small couch their strategies around innovation – often complemented by statements about their willingness to take risks in pursuit of those strategies. However, given funders’ current interest in evidence-based work and easily quantifiable…
Read MoreWhat Rural America Can Teach Us About Civil Society
In their quest to cultivate a renewed sense of civil society, Americans often look to urban areas for examples of what is and isn’t working in terms of bridging divides and bringing people together. This makes sense, since approximately 80 percent of us live in urban areas. Many also point to a perceived rift between…
Read MoreStakeholder Health
Stakeholder health is a movement to support hospitals and healthcare systems working outside the walls of their facilities. We are pleased to be asked to co-author “Philanthropy, Health Systems and Community Health Improvement”, a chapter in the report Stakeholder Health: Insights from New Systems of Health, edited by Teresa F. Cutts and James R. Cochrane.…
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