If you’re like many of our foundation clients, you’ll find our help in establishing the necessary policies and controls to be invaluable. Some of the areas addressed in our review of the policies and procedures of a grantmaking organization include the following:

• Foundation policies, procedures, and strategy
• Organizational structure
• Appropriate business conduct and practices
• General ledger and chart of accounts
• Security
• Technology and electronic communications
• Grant management
• Grant decision-making
• Communication with grantees
• Grant assessment
• Tax and financial compliance and reporting
• Cash management and planning
• Budgeting
• Comprehensive policies and procedures manual, including but not limited to:
  • Investment policies
  • Expenses and cash disbursements policies
  • Grant and other cash disbursements
  • Record retention

Our experience serving on the boards of not-for-profit organizations makes us especially well-suited to provide a variety of foundation services related to grant administration policies and procedures. These services include:

• Organizational and financial operations assessment and review
• Strategic and business planning
• Transition management
• Board development and consulting
• Internal control review and recommendations
• Process improvement review
• Organizational gap analysis
• Operational and financial systems consulting
• Preparation and filing of federal and state regulatory documents

Working together with our strategic partners, we can customize each of our consulting engagements to meet the varying needs and priorities of each private foundation. So, whether your foundation is just beginning or is well-established, our services are designed to make your grantmaking easier and more effective:

• Developing, reviewing, and assessing grantmaking strategy, guidelines, and procedures
• Developing, implementing, and facilitating grant application and screening processes, including substantive review, due diligence, site visits, and follow-up
• Researching issues, programs, unmet needs, and not-for-profit agencies in your interest areas
• Providing connectivity to community resources and potential collaborative partners
• Shaping grantmaking opportunities in your interest areas
• Facilitating meetings, including preparation, staffing, and hosting

Staying current with ever-evolving IRS regulations, state filing requirements, and private foundation reporting obligations can be complex and time-consuming. Our team manages the regulatory and reporting responsibilities of your charitable foundation, including Form 990-PF preparation, compliance monitoring, and required filings, so you can remain confident your foundation operates efficiently and in full compliance. Learn more about our regulatory requirements & reporting services.

Working together with our strategic partners, we can provide an array of foundation services designed to clarify your philanthropic goals, measure the impact of your grants, and ensure your mission is accomplished. These services include:

• Facilitating strategic planning sessions with the foundation board
• Developing a family, personal, or corporate philanthropic mission statement
• Creating a giving strategy consistent with your values, goals, and resources
• Analyzing effectiveness of current operations and providing recommendations, tools, and resources to ensure accomplishment of your charitable mission and intentions
• Facilitating family engagement training, including activities and discussions to engage multiple generations, siblings, and other family members to align shared values and goals for more meaningful giving
• Facilitating leadership training and transition planning
• Providing next-generation programming and facilitation, including education, training, and board engagement
• Evaluating return on charitable investment
• Defining measurable goals and developing performance metrics to assess effectiveness
• Monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on grant recipients’ utilization of grant awards
• Offering site visits, workshops, research, and other tools to help you make the best charitable decisions to meet your goals