Philanthropic Strategy
We take the time to understand your needs and adapt as they do.
Philanthropic Partnership for Every Stage of Growth
The role of private funding in advancing social causes is constantly evolving. It can be challenging to adapt to sector best practices, learn from past giving, and remain an effective partner to grantees. When you work with us, your foundation gets more than a dedicated team who understand your mission, values, and goals. Our program officers are advisors, students, and collaborators adept at leveraging our firm’s collective expertise to help you realize your philanthropic vision.
Startup & Transition Support
Whether you’re ready to launch a new charitable vehicle, evolve your foundation structure, or navigate a transition in leadership, we can help facilitate the process in logical steps while offering practical advice and keeping records and procedures meticulously organized. With our support, you’ll be able to focus on the joy and excitement of the next phase of your philanthropy journey.
Strategic Planning
With years of experience working with individuals and families, we know how to guide group dynamics and translate values into measurable impact. Our collaborative process will help your foundation explore interest areas, identify values, and establish guiding principles that form the basis for future plans, procedures, and growth.
DEI Practices
As philanthropic professionals, we must address ways our sector has contributed to systemic inequities through wealth accumulation and dissemination. We take our role as advocates for diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in our work seriously. We’ll work closely with your foundation leadership and board to process what it means to shift power and build trusting relationships with grantees. We can help explore new values, priorities, and procedures aligned with a meaningful DEI+J framework.
My team and I start by developing an in-depth understanding of our clients’ philanthropic passions, challenges, and goals. I love helping translate their vision into grantmaking practices that center the expertise of our nonprofit partners. Simply put, connecting funders and grantees is the best part of the job.
At PFS, we are in a unique position to partner with clients and learn from nonprofits to flip the institution of philanthropy on its head – to revive it so there is two-way trust-building, learning and accountability. This could propel foundations and nonprofits to see the kind of equitable and just changes we all want in our communities.
Stefani J. Willis
Avani Patel
Muneerah Merchant
Multigenerational Philanthropy
Family philanthropy is a wonderful way to strengthen bonds, reinforce shared values, and utilize the power of legacy to optimize support for the nonprofits advancing the causes you care about. Our firm grew out of a family foundation, and we know reaching consensus across multiple generations is not always easy or simple. With experience and empathy, we can help your family identify shared values, honor family legacies, and shepherd long-term giving strategies that maximize the impact of the organizations and causes you support.
Communications Support
We help families and foundations of all sizes articulate their priorities and connect with the communities and causes they care about in thoughtful and effective ways. We can help make information clear and easy to find for grantseekers, create, update, and manage your website, or evolve your communications strategy to align your values and funding priorities.
Contact us to discover how we can tailor our services and handpick a team of professional experts to support the specific needs of your foundation.