Best Of
New to the team!
Hello everyone!
My name is Lina Spaes, and I am one of the new Customer Support Interns here at Foundant Technologies. As a recent Business Management & International Business graduate, I was drawn to Foundant for the exciting combination of philanthropy and technology. A fun fact about me is that I am originally from France, but after a high school exchange program in Montana I fell in love with this beautiful state and came back for good. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and little family (we have two cats and a mini schnauzer puppy!), baking, reading, hiking when I can, and being a part of our little community here in Livingston, MT. I am passionate about being part of the solution toward making the world a better place and am grateful to join the team!
Hello from Intern Row in Bozeman, Montana!
Hello everyone! My name is Patrick Dowse, and I am a new Customer Support Intern here at Foundant Technologies. I am a final-semester senior at Montana State University, studying English Writing with a minor in English Literature. The communication aspect of the Client Support Intern role is what initially drew me to Foundant, and I’m eager to gain knowledge and experiences that align with my academic interests in rhetoric and composition. I currently live in Bozeman, MT, but I am originally from Miles City, MT, on the eastern side of the state. I enjoy going to concerts, cooking and trying new restaurants, hiking, walking, and traveling. I am ecstatic to be part of the team and look forward to this new experience!
Grant Awards for AI Tools and Training?
Hi Everyone,
Is anyone currently making grants to support organizations' efforts to purchase and/or implement AI tools to improve their operations, fundraising, etc.?
Are these grants driven by the organizations? For example, are nonprofits indicating this is a need they have and they're submitting capacity-building proposals that include AI technology or training?
Has your Foundation issued an RFP for technology planning, implementation and/or training?
Have you allocated a specific budget to AI-related funding?
I feel like I see a lot of grants related to governance, security, and accelerating benefits in issue areas like health, climate, etc. But I'm not seeing much to help under-resourced organizations - especially those without in-house IT expertise - identify and use tools that could help ease administrative or operational burdens.
If you aren't awarding grants in this area, are you having discussions about the topic with leadership?
Would love to hear what folks are doing in this area and how your organizations are thinking about it.
Thanks in advance!
Dallas Data Visualization Training
Just wrapped up an energizing in-person training on the New Data Visualization Tool with an incredible group of clients! 🎉📊
A huge thank you to everyone who joined, asked thoughtful questions, and brought such great energy to the room. It was a pleasure exploring how to turn complex data into clear, impactful visuals with you all.
@BryanGeary, @SammieHolzwarth, @MarieShores and I are looking forward to seeing how you put these tools into action — and to working together again soon!
Checkout a few of our pictures! @RachelJoachimi @andriabaker @ChristinePerez @brookeanguiano @SusieLotreck @juliedowell @MadelineBennett @MikeLuce @CyndiVara @AnthonyReimherr @ConnorPearson @henamasood @AmyStaufenberg @FredGarcia @FeliciaWilliams @LaurelShulman @IsabelWeeden
Re: Component Fund Fundraising Events
Hi Rosie -
Thank you for reaching out, these are great questions! If I'm understanding you correctly, we here at Foundant typically see this sort of arrangement referred to as 'Donor Initiated Fundraising.' Every organization usually has their own interpretation or policy regarding the practice, and they can vary significantly. We can't advise you specifically, but a google search using the term Donor Initiated Fundraising will likely yield some relevant resources and may be a good starting point. I believe the Council on Foundations also has some material addressing these types of activities.
I look forward to hearing input about how our other Community Foundation clients are handling management and oversight of these events!
Re: Best Practices for using ACHs
@DaynellMarbury Great question
With some of the newer technologies available, in general I've seen organizations take one of three approaches:
- User submits routing and account information to the foundation, then use microdeposit(s) or a solution like Plaid to verify
- User submits routing and account information to the foundation, and a representative from the foundation contacts the user over a different channel (ie phone call) and verifies over the phone
- Foundation moves towards a solution that is more self-service, for example, Bill.com or possibly through their banking app, which eliminates the need for verification because the user has entered it directly
I've worked with a lot of foundations over the past 3-4 years, so assuming BoA still requires verification, the most common solution I've seen is probably #2 since it is the easiest, cheapest, etc — just requires manual effort every time a new grantee is added or changes their bank account etc.
Hope this helps!
Justin
