Calling all foundation leaders committed to aligning governance with mission
How can foundation trustees provide meaningful oversight, foster mutual accountability, and steward a mission-aligned organization in a time when deepened solidarity and partnership are critical for impact?
Foundation boards have tremendous potential to reimagine philanthropic governance and leadership. Good governance involves mindsets, tools, and practices that foster frank conversation, reveal power inequities, and harness the contributions of people with diverse lived experiences. Mission-aligned leadership contributes to more purposeful and effective board meetings and creates space for strategic conversation that propel bolder practice.
Informed by a roster of longtime philanthropic leaders, Upleveling Governance will help foundation trustees and executive leaders:
- Clarify the role of the board
- Interrogate who sits at the table and why
- Explore ways to align all foundation assets to support mission
- Identify questions your board should be exploring to meet this moment
Leaders will leave the program having identified the changes that they wish to commit to and will develop a plan to guide work towards those goals.
In partnership with Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and Northern California Grantmakers, Philanthropy New York invites foundation CEOs and EDs and their Trustees to join us for this 3-month cohort program. Meet peers who are committed to unlocking the power in governance to fuel more transformative philanthropic practice and lasting social change. We’ll explore case studies, engage in reflective practices, and share frameworks and tools to help you cultivate an increasingly effective and connected board while building a community of dedicated peers.
Designed For
Upleveling Governance is recommended for leadership + trustee pairs, for example, a CEO or ED and a board member. Participants should meet one of the following criteria:
- Foundation leaders managing boards who know governance can look and feel different (more purposeful, strategic, and easeful), and desire to make change
- Foundation leaders managing their boards who want some momentum and community to get started making shifts in governance
- Board members who have an appetite for effective governance that moves beyond the traditional roles associated with legal requirements and tax structures
- Board members who sense that their governance efforts could do more to advance their mission: recently joined foundation trustees, newer chairs, newer family members, and/or community members
Cohort Details
Fall 2025 Schedule:
- Wednesday, September 17, 2025 | 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET (In-person)
- Tuesday, September 30, 2025 | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM ET (Zoom)
- Thursday, October 16, 2025 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET (Zoom)
- Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM ET (Zoom)
- Monday, November 10, 2025 | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM ET (Zoom)
Curriculum:
Session One: Introduction “Reimagining Governance”
Date and Time: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 12:00-3:30 PM ET
(Welcome Lunch from 12:00-1:30 PM ET followed by session from 1:30-3:30 PM ET)
Location: Philanthropy New York (320 East 43rd Street)
How can philanthropy best meet the challenges of these times? How can philanthropic leadership – CEOs, EDs and Trustees – lead boldly and transformatively towards systems change efforts and ways of working that emphasize the good of the collective over the egos of institutions or individuals? Come hear an invitation to be part of reimagining philanthropic governance for 2025 and beyond.
Faculty:
• Dimple Abichandani, Philanthropic leader, Lawyer, Advisor, and Author of A New Era of Philanthropy, Ten Practices to Transform Wealth into a More Just and Sustainable Future
Session Two: Fiduciary/Generative/Strategic - Engaging Muscle in the Boardroom
Date and Time: Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 1:30-3:30 PM ET
Clarity is contagious! The first element of improved board practice involves clarifying the role of the board and individual board members’ roles and associated expectations. Though historically the board has been upheld primarily as the agents of fiduciary responsibility and accountability, case studies reveal that the most effective boards balance strategic, generative, and fiduciary dimensions of leadership and accountability. In this session, we’ll explore the conceptual frame of Purpose-Driven Board Leadership (PDBL) and identify practices that enliven it. We’ll get clear about ways to ensure expectations of and agreements among board members grease the gears of effective and easeful governance.
Faculty:
• Monika Kalra Varma, President + CEO, BoardSource
• Candice C. Jones, President + CEO, Public Welfare Foundation
Session Three: Beyond Tokenism
Date and Time: Thursday, October 16, 2025, 3:00-5:00 PM ET
Are you making room for leadership transition in your board? Are you wanting to recruit board members more representative of the communities affected by your grantmaking & operations? Have you had a deeper conversation about who governs and why and who truly holds and wields power within your organization? Have you thoughtfully discussed whose money we are stewarding? In this session we’ll discuss why these questions are important when you’re undertaking the project of “diversifying” your board. We’ll hear points of view and lessons learned from the longtime philanthropic leaders who have made these changes. Finally, we’ll chart a course from where you and your board might be to a vision of governance that allows for dignified leadership of people of color without compromising anyone’s contribution to strategy or accountability.
Faculty:
• Gabriela Alcalde, Executive Director, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation
• Jono Anzalone, Board Chair, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation
Session Four: Asset-Mission Alignment: Use, Flow and Lifespan
Date and Time: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 1:30-3:30 PM ET
Has your board recently had a deep conversation about asset-mission alignment? And about how both of these link to your foundation’s strategy? In this session we’ll visit key issues of power and control, affluence and influence. We’ll probe: Who controls the assets and with what pace are they deployed? We will hear from two seasoned leaders who have stewarded assets in alignment with their foundation’s values. Regardless of your foundation’s time horizon for spending, learn how to make decisions that ensure that fiduciary and programmatic goals go hand-in-hand.
Faculty:
• June Wilson, Executive Director, Compton Foundation
• Rickke Mananzala, President, New York Foundation; Trustee, Public Welfare Foundation
Session Five: Developing a Tool: The Change You Want to Make
Date and Time: Monday, November 10, 2025, 1:30-3:30 PM ET
In this working session, we’ll get down to brass tacks. We’ll talk about the Generative/Strategic role of the board and what this looks and feels like operationally. We’ll plunge in: What questions should the board be exploring together right now? How does the board address them?
Based on the learning and action possibilities explored in all previous sessions, we will gather together in this final session to ensure that participants have an opportunity to finalize their needs and plans for future board development. We will focus particularly on the specific change(s) to which you want to commit, identifying who you need to involve, and identifying necessary resources and actions needed to make progress towards goals. We’ll have time to reflect on insights, lingering questions, and to begin to develop a plan for your ongoing journey (ideally with a partner pair from this cohort!). Close the learning journey with a commitment exercise and accountability.
Faculty:
• Ellen LaPointe, Managing Director, NPAG
Registration
Participant Fees:
Your rate is determined by membership status and your organization's grantmaking range.
|
Grantmaking Range |
Member Price | Non-Member Price |
|
Up to $5M |
$750 | $1,125 |
|
$5M - $25M |
$1,000 | $1,500 |
|
More than $25M |
$1,500 | $2,250 |
How to Register:
Click on this link to complete the registration form.
Please note: registration is hosted by our partners at Northern California Grantmakers.
Registration Deadline: Monday, September 8, 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to participate, but I already know I have a conflict with some of the dates, should I still join?
The series is designed to cumulatively build skills and support participants over the course of three months. We would recommend that you register only if you can attend most of the sessions.
I missed the registration deadline. Can I still register?
To inquire if it is still possible to participate or to learn about joining a future cohort, please contact Amy Chen.
My institution is not a member of Philanthropy New York, how do I stay connected to learn more about similar programming?
For more information on membership, please contact Donita Volkwijn.
If you have additional questions, please contact Amy Chen.