Strategic Philanthropy for Beginners

Google Tech Talk July 12, 2010 ABSTRACT Presented by Christine Sherry. Anyone who has tried to give away money faces the question of how to evaluate a request for proposal for funds. How do you know that the group or the idea is one that you should support? This tech talk is designed for Googlers who want to be more effective and strategic in reviewing grant proposals for funding. It is designed for two groups of people: (1) those who want to know more about what to look for as they make choices in their personal philanthropy and (2) Googlers who want to submit a good grant proposal to the Google Corporate Giving Council for funding. Whatever your interest, this tech talk will guide you through what to look for in grant proposals. We will review the elements of a good proposal, criteria you can use to evaluate the proposal and the idea behind it, and what kinds of red flags that suggest you should not fund. We will also have some hands-on practice sessions to sharpen your skills in reviewing proposals. Whether you are entirely new to this process or more experienced in philanthropy, this practical session taught by a leading local expert will demystify the process of grant review and help you make smarter choices with philanthropic dollars. Christine Sherry leads her own philanthropic advising practice (http://www.sherryconsulting.com) and has spent the last decade teaching adults how to be more effective and strategic in philanthropy. She was the Founding Director of the Philanthropy Workshop West, a donor education program co-sponsored by the Hewlett, Rockefeller and TOSA Foundations that educated over one hundred major donors. In that capacity, she worked closely with a number of current and former Google executives. Christine now advises individuals and foundations on how to develop and refine a philanthropic strategy, guides them through the development of a giving plan that makes sense, and assists with other aspects of their philanthropy, including due diligence. Her clients include both individual philanthropists, both newer and more experienced, newer foundations, and established foundations like Skoll and Virgin Unite. Christine previously was Vice President and General Counsel of SRI International and had a thirty year career in law, policy and board leadership. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards, currently chairs the Long Range Planning Committee of the San Francisco Ballet, and will teach a course in the fall in the Stanford Continuing Studies program called " Giving Wisely." She graduated from Stanford University and the University of California School of Law ; she and her husband live in Portola Valley and have three grown children.