Grantmaker Risk Management

Philanthropy can be risky business.

Philanthropists have long maintained that they are willing and able to take risks that neither the private sector nor government can. But how many risks do philanthropists really take? And how do they manage those risks?

This virtual course explores those questions and introduces a trust-based risk tolerance/management framework that both honors the grantee partnership and leads to increased impact.

In this workshop, you will:

• Increase your awareness of and ability to recognize the inherently risky nature of philanthropy.
• Explore the different types of risk and their impact on programming and funding decisions.
• Discover how a growth mindset, collaborative problem-solving, and innovative strategies can be used within the context of the foundation to identify and mitigate risk.

Course Instructor

Gladys Hairston, M.A., has worked in philanthropy for nearly 20 years. Over the past decade, she worked for a foundation in North Carolina and participated in various funder and evaluation collaboratives at the state, regional, and national levels. Gladys has worked as a program officer and director of learning and evaluation to build relationships with nonprofit partners and networks, and has directly evaluated grant-funded initiatives and contracted for third-party evaluations. Most recently, she designed and implemented a regional learning and evaluation project for a regional funder collaborative to gauge grantee organizational development progress, nonprofit sector impact, and funder-nonprofit relationships. Gladys currently leads and manages several evaluations of philanthropic initiatives in North Carolina.

Who should attend this course?

This course is intended for foundation staff, donors, and others engaged in grantmaking. If you do not fit this profile but are interested in attending, please email jcp@gvsu.edu before registering.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

This course may be canceled if it does not reach the minimum number of registrants. In the event of a cancellation, you will be notified at least two weeks before the course start date and will be offered a full refund or the option to transfer your registration to another Johnson Center course. Refund requests for any other reason must be made at least two weeks prior to the start of the course.

Questions about this event or your registration?

Call 616-331-7585 or email jcp@gvsu.edu.