January 15, 2016
More Videos on Collaborating with Other Philanthropists
Videos on donor-to-donor collaboration.
Originally planning a $16 million fund with four backers, Morino eventually built Venture Philanthropy Partners into an $80 million-plus fund from 29 families. One takeaway: "The lesson you always come back to is people always invest in people."
Collaborate early: Richard Atlas says don't delay in reaching out to other funders
If he could do one thing over again, Atlas would connect sooner with other foundations to pool assets for greater impact. Says Atlas, "I would start from the very beginning" asking questions about their missions, how they operate, and what they fund.
Working with other donors: How Charles Bronfman raised funds for Birthright
When Bronfman first started Birthright, he thought it would be difficult to interest other funders if they were the only ones publicly associated with the program. However, fifteen other funders made big investments in the program.
"Cooperation and synergy": Jane Siebels pushes for more collaboration with other donors
At the Templeton Foundation, Siebels was mandated to work with other foundations. As she has continued her philanthropic work, Siebels still prioritizes collaboration, believing it can make philanthropy "so much more effective and so much larger."
Collaboration challenges: Nancy Roob talks about barriers to raising funds from other donors
Roob highlights two barriers to donor collaboration: first, most are accustomed to giving program-specific grants, whereas EMCF's grants are for general operating support. Second, each donor has its own specific strategy, so it can be hard to align.
Money isn't enough: Kelvin Taketa says collaboration is essential for achieving social outcomes
"There are lots of philanthropists who like to be independent actors. I don't care how much money you have...If you care about a social outcome in the United States, no one can do it alone," says Kelvin Taketa.
Rallying the troops: Darren Walker and the National Low Income Housing Coalition
Yes, the $2 million Walker (then with Rockefeller) granted NLIHC helped increase housing for low income people. But it took several donors and nonprofits a decade's collaboration to get there.
A real look at collaboration: Mario Morino says it's a lot harder than people think
"We love to talk about collective impact," says Morino of collaboration, which he calls essential. But, he adds, "we totally underestimate it, we underfund it, we don't appreciate it and we don't set up incentives to drive it properly."
Henry McCance Draws on the VC Model for Philanthropic Collaboration
Surprised by the siloed approach Alzheimer's researchers were using, Henry McCance has encouraged collaboration to make faster progress.
Collaboration's essential role: Melinda Gates says solutions aren't possible without it
"If we didn't have collaboration, we wouldn't get anything done," says Gates. Case-in-point: the new pneumococcal vaccine was developed by the scientific community, purchased by the Global Alliance for Vaccines, and rolled out by the Kenyan government.
Valuing collaboration: Steve Case has learned that partnering is critical to achieve the results he desires
Since starting The Case Foundation 15 years ago, the Cases have shifted from funding a few large initiatives to investing in a more integrated way to create systematic change. Critical to achieving this kind of change has been partnering with others.
Collaboration is at the core: The Michael J. Fox Foundation is eager to share results, lend expertise, and bring stakeholders together
"As a neutral convener, we're not really in competition with anyone," says Brooks, which allows MJFF to convene government, regulatory agencies, foundations, researchers and more.
Cross-sector collaboration: How Mike Milken's 1994 prostate cancer summit transformed research
Newly diagnosed, Mike Milken realized he "had to do a lot more than write checks," and hosted the first for-profit and nonprofit scientific retreat on prostate cancer. "And it changed the world and the pace of research."
The Broad Institute: How Eli Broad linked Harvard and MIT to create an unprecedented partnership
The story of how Eli Broad "put together the deal" that led to the first ever Harvard-MIT collaboration comes down to knowing all the right people. "I'm proud of that," he says, noting "that they're now working together on other things."
Collaborating with teachers' unions: Melinda Gates shares why it's important and how to make it work In order to create change in public education, collaboration is essential, says Gates. Though it will have its "bumps," it is possible if both parties share a long-term goal, as one Florida County is demonstrating.
Eliminating silos among sectors: Steve and Jean Case extol the "magic" of collaboration
Case-in-point: When Jean uncovered a nonprofit talent need, she turned to corporations to fill it. Not surprisingly, at The Case Foundation, every initiative involves both public and private sector players, as well as one or more philanthropies.
Not just collaboration, but partnerships: Kelvin Taketa seeks "a new way of working together"
Kelvin Taketa's view of social problems is that "no one can get this job done alone." Moving beyond collaboration, he helped forge partnerships among 19 schools and 11 agencies to improve education and to relieve families that were "on the edge."
Cross-sector collaboration: Charles Bronfman describes the key to a successful society
Cross-sector collaboration on social problems - involving government, corporations and individuals - "is what makes a society as good as it is," says Bronfman. The organizations making a difference depend on support from all sectors - and volunteers.
For Kelvin Taketa, a lack of collaboration in the sector has been disappointing
Kelvin Taketa says that although collaboration in the sector is difficult and hard to come by, it's still, "the thing we work the hardest at now, because we feel so strongly that it's the one thing we all have to do to be successful."
Built-in collaboration: Henry McCance brings his Alzheimer's researchers together to share learnings
Alzheimer's researchers, like many others, historically "operated in silos," says Henry McCance who, instead, has his team members meet four times annually. "And out of that, for sure, will come new ideas, new thoughts, new tangents to run with."
Match maker: Kelvin Taketa's foundation funds early-stage collaboration conversations
Funding collaborative conversations amongst organizations helps to strengthen them, says Kelvin Taketa. One such dialogue helped five small Hawaiian land trusts discover opportunities for operational efficiency, which ultimately led to a merger.
Collaborating to save the planet: Why Steve McCormick and other foundation leaders are building strategies that depend on each others'
McCormick and four other foundation leaders formed the Climate Land Use Alliance to better coordinate efforts and fill gaps on a dimension of climate change. The result? Five foundations with climate change strategies that complement each other.
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