| Tasks |
Will I need to do this? |
Will I do this myself? |
What are my values and beliefs?
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| Think through your values and beliefs. |
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| Write down these values and beliefs, likely in the form of a mission statement of statement or donor intent. |
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| Establish areas of strategic interest. |
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| Decide, in broad brushstrokes, what portion of your philanthropy will focus explicitly on results. |
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| Think about the changes you envision resulting from your philanthropy. |
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| Decide whether to spend all your resources while living or give beyond your lifetime. |
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What is success and how can it be achieved? What am I accountable for?
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| Define what "success" is for your philanthropy. |
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| Identify what needs to happen so your goal(s) can be met. |
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| Clarify the assumptions on which your strategy rests, including scouring other work in your field of interest. |
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| Identify barriers to achieving your desired success. |
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| Develop an investment model that directs your resources to achieving your desired success. |
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| Look into the work other funders are doing that may complement your own. |
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| Pilot your investments in small ways. |
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| Set target milestones for these pilot investments. |
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| Assess what actually happened vs. what you thought would occur. |
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| Explore the risks and opportunities for your strategy, now that you've tested it. |
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| "Swing for the fences" and consider how your results changes your approach. |
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| Consider communicating changes in your strategy to others. |
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What will it take to get the job done?
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| Develop and regularly revisit bylaws and policies. |
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| Define desired role of the board. |
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| Decide on a leadership structure—including committee roles—for your board. |
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| Recruit members for the board of directors. |
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| Get the right people, in the right roles, to help you pursue your strategy. (This may be through unpaid advisors, paid consultants, contractors, or staff members.) |
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| Ensure that staff, trustees, and volunteers understand their roles and decision-making responsibilities. |
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| Comply with tax and legal regulations. |
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| Understand tax implications. |
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| Access regulatory and legal support. |
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| Conduct ongoing compliance reporting. |
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| Coordinate the board of directors. |
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| Determine your asset management strategy. |
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| Set up IT and HR systems. |
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| Deliver funding to your chosen grantees. |
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| Perform financial management and reporting. |
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| Outline your public philanthropic message. |
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| Decide on stakeholders with whom to communicate. |
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| Define key elements of your philanthropic brand. |
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| Conduct public relations. |
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How do I work with grantees?
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| Source organizations to find a set that you might want to support. |
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| Screen organizations—through research and due diligence—to determine fit with your strategy. |
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| Structure investments; determine amount, time, and mechanism. |
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| Select organizations for funding. |
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| Support grantees by providing access to strategic or technical support. |
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| Sustain grantee relationships, evaluating continued fit with your goals. |
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| When necessary, end relationships with grantees as thoughtfully as you began them. |
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Am I getting better?
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| Determine how you can most effectively track your progress (including, for example, gathering anonymous feedback from grantees). |
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| Establish the baseline (how you are doing today) and appropriate goals. |
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| Collect data. |
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| Use data to assess progress toward goals and identify improvements to your approach. |
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| Implement improvements. |
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| As appropriate, communicate results and improvements to grantees and others who supplied data. |
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| Work with grantees to understand what they will hold themselves accountable for achieving and how. |
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| Understand how grantees measure their progress, what metrics they use, and what they will report to you. |
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| Consider ways to support grantees in data collection. |
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| As grantees collect data, ask them to share implications: Which changes will they make as a result? |
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| As grantees’ programs evolve, discuss when external evaluations would be of most value to them. |
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