What's Possible: The Tides Blog- Written by and for people interested in infrastructure for social change

Posted by Ellen Friedman in Philanthropy, Tides Projects & Grantees on Mar 18, 2010 | No Comments

A Defining Moment for Health Philanthropy

Tom David is a Senior Strategist at Community Clinics Initiative, a project of Tides that was started in partnership with The California Endowment and has granted over $100 million to more than 90 percent of California's community clinics. David recently wrote a rousing commentary for last week's Grantmakers In Health annual meeting calling health foundations to act – now. Read an excerpt of the eight page article is here, or you can read the entire commentary.

Posted by Luba Palionny in Nonprofit Management & Infrastructure on Mar 10, 2010 | 2 Comments

Fiscal Sponsors = Fiscally Responsible

I know it probably sounds silly when I say that I'm passionate about fiscal sponsorship, but the truth is—I am! I care about how fiscally sponsored projects are treated and I care about how fiscal sponsors practice in the field. Mistakes made in the field affect all fiscal sponsors in very real ways, regardless if the errors are malicious or honest. As Tides' Intake Manager, I am often one of the first people an aggrieved project comes to for solace and guidance after it realizes it’s been cheated or mistreated by their fiscal sponsor.

Posted by Catherine Lerza in Environment, Philanthropy, Tides Projects & Grantees on Mar 9, 2010 | 2 Comments

Live From New York, it’s the Story of Stuff

Annie Leonard has done it again with the book version of The Story of Stuff, which arrives in stores today. It’s personal, political, and provocative, and provides information on what you can do (both to change your life and the larger systems we’re all part of) to create a new, sustainable, equitable and democratic story of stuff.

Posted by Renée Joslyn in Africa, Global, Philanthropy, Tides Projects & Grantees on Feb 26, 2010 | No Comments

Innovative Approaches to Grantmaking in Africa

There are so many exciting and innovative grantmaking approaches focusing in Africa these days. Some foundations are taking the lead in challenging traditional models of grantmaking on the continent and working hard to make sure resources go directly to people in communities who are making change and struggling for equity and justice. In addition, tremendous opportunities have evolved around collaborations between foundations that have traditionally targeted issue areas separated by politics and policies, but linked in communities and people’s lives. The recent highlight of the collaborative foundation work in Liberia in this week's Chronicle of Philanthropy is but one example. If you have a subscription, check out the article: Foundation-Financed Office in Liberia Seeks to Build and Guide Philanthropic Efforts.

Posted by China Brotsky in Nonprofit Management & Infrastructure, Shared Workspace & Nonprofit Real Estate on Feb 17, 2010 | No Comments

View from Across the Pond: Nonprofit Space and Infrastructure in the UK

I was asked by the conference organizers to talk about fiscal sponsorship in the context of other infrastructure services provided by Tides. Attendees included heads of federations of nonprofits; representatives of women- or people of color-led organizations; senior leaders of the U.K. equivalent of Independent Sector and the Council on Foundations; and groups providing services on the county and local levels. Although, in fact, fiscal sponsorship does exist in the U.K. on an informal level (as it does in the U.S.), there are no organizations providing comprehensive fiscal sponsorship programs like Tides and Third Sector New England provide in the U.S. Indeed, many attendees had never heard of the concept. So my presentation was well received and my workshops well attended. I'm looking forward to follow up from attendees with Tides and Tides Canada on the viability of this smart, efficient, cost-effective model for the U.K.

Posted by Andrea Skinner in Environment, Tides Projects & Grantees on Feb 11, 2010 | 2 Comments

Looking for Your Sol Mate?

Solar energy is one of those no-brainer issues for us at Tides, and yet -- even with the triple threats of climate change, job losses, and energy dependence -- it just doesn't get the legislative and political love it deserves.

Posted by Ellen Friedman in Nonprofit Management & Infrastructure, Philanthropy, Shared Workspace & Nonprofit Real Estate, Tides Projects & Grantees on Feb 3, 2010 | 8 Comments

Why Does Infrastructure Matter?

I am excited to announce the launch of What's Possible: the Tides Blog – written by and for people interested in creating strong infrastructure for the social change sector. In this sector, what we do (the mission work that gets us up every morning for a vision of a just and equitable world) is interwoven with how we do it (the organizations we create to implement our vision). If we don’t pay attention to the infrastructure we are putting in place to support the work necessary to implement our visions, the lack of strong organizational practices and efforts will ultimately cause us distraction from our work, at best, and at worse, result in the dissolution of the very organizations we have created to do the work.

Posted by Tod Hill in Philanthropy on Feb 1, 2010 | 2 Comments

Giving Leads to Success and Happiness, Therefore…

At the opening plenary of the Council on Foundation’s Family Philanthropy Conference, Arthur Brooks of the American Enterprise Institute presented some compelling research that proves that giving and volunteerism contribute to both individual and communal wealth creation and in turn, happiness. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the research is that it shows that the connection between giving and wealth are not merely correlative, but causal.

Posted by China Brotsky in Nonprofit Management & Infrastructure, Shared Workspace & Nonprofit Real Estate on Jan 26, 2010 | 1 Comment

Shared Services Guide: Collaborative Solutions

As doing more with less has become the new normal for nonprofits of all shapes and sizes, budget-savvy nonprofits are wisely teaming up to share resources and services through innovative “shared services” programs. Sharing workspaces, IT resources, administrative functions like accounting and human resources and other services through a shared services arrangement is a relatively easy—yet highly effective—way for nonprofits to increase their operational efficiencies, lower their operating costs and focus more energy on advancing their core mission and less on back office functions.

Posted by Ruth Bender in Global on Jan 15, 2010 | 2 Comments

Live from Jacmel, Haiti

I awake to another blue sky, and two UN vehicles in our drive. Is there news? No, nothing. No updates on aid coming in, or anyone going out. Pistare, Pistare is a phrase that keeps going through my mind. If you have trekked in Nepal, you will know what I am talking about. Slowly, Slowly. Everything happens slowly here, and it will continue to move that way. It is both a cultural norm and the current physical reality. Life works differently here. And infrastructure, or lack thereof, predicates the slow pace of building, rebuilding, responding.

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about us

The Tides mission is to partner with philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations across the country and around the globe to promote economic justice, robust democratic processes, and the opportunity to live in a healthy and sustainable environment where human rights are preserved and protected.

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Speaking Power to “Truth”