Message from the President

Steve Gunderson, President & CEO, Council on Foundations

A month ago we gathered in Atlanta and learned together that philanthropy’s moment is now.

We are at a place in time unlike any in our recent memory.

We are at a place in history with lessons that define both our vision and our strategy.

We are at a place of opportunity that could literally transform philanthropy’s role in society.

The economic crisis will continue challenging all of us and the communities we serve. But philanthropy’s greatest challenge may not be in how we’ve managed the past 18 months. Rather our greatest challenge may rest in how we prepare for and engage the future. This is philanthropy’s moment to come together to embrace the future and realize new potential in our work and passion.

As the plenary speakers at our conference made clear, government officials from every level are looking to philanthropy for help and expertise. Our ability to innovate and foster new ideas is unparalleled. We operate with a freedom government cannot and so they have reached out to us. They are looking to us as partners in a new public-private-philanthropic partnership that will change the way all of us serve our communities.

With the passage of legislation such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Kennedy Serve America Act, the government has opened new avenues for partnership. In the coming months, legislation affecting health care, the green economy, and broadband will present more opportunities for partnership. The question for each of us, including the Council, is how can we best respond?

In this issue of TAI, you will hear from voices both within and outside of the sector reflecting on ways in which philanthropy can engage with the public and private sectors to best serve the common good. We hope these reflections will prompt you to offer your own thoughts of where we go from here—and who we must engage along the way. Your input is vital as we together enter a new era of philanthropy and define our role in new ways. We encourage you to comment on the articles you read and look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.