Hey Tactical Philanthropy Community! It is hard to believe it has been almost four years since my final farewell post. I’ve been busy working on building Ensemble Capital, my wealth management firm where we specialize in serving philanthropic families. As long time readers know well, writing Tactical Philanthropy was an incredibly stimulating and joyful experience […]
Category Archives: Philanthropy
The Tactical Philanthropy Blog
From 2006 through 2012, Sean Stannard-Stockton authored the Tactical Philanthropy blog. At its peak, Tactical Philanthropy played host to a rollicking debate about effective philanthropy and chronicled what Sean termed The Second Great Wave of Philanthropy. Far from being just a platform for Sean’s writing, the Tactical Philanthropy blog published guest posts from some of the most prominent […]
Strategic & Tactical Philanthropy: A Truce
Paul Brest, the outgoing president of the Hewlett Foundation, has written an elegant article for the Stanford Social Innovation Review titled A Decade of Outcome-Oriented Philanthropy. Paul helped push my thinking over the years by willingly engaging me in public debates about my ideas on Tactical Philanthropy and his views on Strategic Philanthropy. I’m honored […]
Tactical Philanthropy Goes On Sabbatical
Almost exactly five years ago I sat down at my computer and typed out eight simple words. “Welcome to the Second Great Wave of Philanthropy.” They were the first words I ever wrote on this blog. At the time I never would have guessed that those little words would launch me on a journey of […]
Giving 2.0
My friend Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen is a pretty remarkable person. She is the founder of SV2, a silicon valley based donor partnership focused on venture philanthropy. After launching and teaching Stanford’s first philanthropy course, she started the school’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. And now she’s published a philanthropy book called Giving 2.0 that focuses […]
An Idea That Spreads: Intercontinental Ballistic Microfinance
I’ve written a number of times about the tension between logic and empathy. I think it is critical that the effective philanthropy movement recognize that while data is an important input to good decision making, it can also dampen the very emotions that drive giving. That’s why I think it is critical that high performing […]
Extended Registration for GuideStar Webinar
Last week, I posted a note about the GuideStar webinar I’m doing tomorrow, October 5. The registration response has been overwhelming and GuideStar hit their 1,300 person registration limit on the same day that I let readers know about the event. Since a number of Tactical Philanthropy readers have asked if there is a way […]
Sean Stannard-Stockton’s GuideStar Webinar
On October 5th at 2pm eastern, I’ll be leading a free webinar for GuideStar. The Second Great Wave of Philanthropy Yesterday: Andrew Carnegie. John D. Rockefeller. Andrew W. Mellon. Today: Bill Gates. Oprah Winfrey. You? Your neighbor? Today’s major donors don’t look like yesterday’s major donors. And today’s major donors don’t look at nonprofits the […]
The Ultimate Question for the Nonprofit Sector
This is my newest column for the Chronicle of Philanthropy. You’ll find an archive of my past columns here. Foundations and nonprofits are constantly looking for the right tools to measure success. One of the most effective sources of information might come from the people who rely on an organization, suggests a new the book, […]
Reader Suggestions for Next Hewlett President
Paul Brest, president of the Hewlett Foundation, comments on my post yesterday: “I am not taking any part in the search for my successor as president of the Hewlett Foundation, but if I were on the Foundation’s search committee I would welcome ideas from readers of Sean’s blog.” Below is the list of people suggested […]