I was reading through some old conference notes and I saw a quote that re-inspired me. One of the speakers was talking about change in the field of philanthropy said "when you see a wave coming, stand up on your board and ride it, instead of sitting still and waiting to get crushed. You'll look like a genius because you rode what was already happening instead of fighting it." I think there are a lot of waves coming that foundations are comfortable ignoring including:
- generational trends that are changing the field,
- increased regulation of foundations,
- the rise of donor advised funds,
- increased scrutiny of investments, and
- calls for accountability regarding diversity of foundation boards and staff.
How can we, as next generation leaders, ride these waves?