Community News
VOLUNTEER LEARNING
Our members are poised to lead change within their organizations and for the field. Consequently, we make a point of providing development opportunities to our volunteers to help them to grow as leaders so that they can expand the skills they already bring in coalescing PEAK communities across the US and to equip them to drive change at their organizations.
Peer Network Leaders Retreat
To empower and support our chapter and peer group leaders in the pivotal roles they play in nurturing our community and activating members as change agents for good, PEAK invited them to an in-person retreat at PEAK2024. In addition to opportunities to connect and share experiences, The Meeting Guru’s Daniel Weinzveg led exercises and shared strategies for enhancing audience engagement. This equipped our volunteer leaders with practical tools to improve their facilitation skills and create more impactful meetings. Following this, Mark Sedway from The Giving Practice led an insightful workshop focused on reflective practices, strategic thinking, and personal growth. The emphasis on role-specific leadership underscored the potential for personal and organizational growth, leaving our leaders inspired with a fresh perspective on how they show up at work and beyond.
Volunteer Leadership Summit
The Volunteer Leadership Summit is designed to advance the impact of PEAK volunteers to transform the sector as change agents for equitable grantmaking practices. This year’s summit, held September 17–18, focused on developing more than 100 PEAK volunteers’ skills in change management, self-advocacy, and team-building strategies. Presentations and interactive discussions were led by seasoned leaders in the sector from PEAK’s board and staff and included honored guests such as (below, from left) former Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation President Sybil Jordan Hampton, PhD; Marissa Lifshen Steinberger, One Eleven Leadership; and Fatimah Williams, PhD, Professional Pathways.
LEARNING COHORTS
Grants Management 101 2024 Virtual Learning Course
The 2024 Grants Management 101 virtual learning course concluded in October. The program provided 150 participants from a variety of organizations with insightful discussions and hands-on experiences that took them on deep dives into the fundamentals of philanthropy and equitable grantmaking practices. Each module was led by senior-level professionals in the field, including PEAK’s board, staff, and six dedicated cohort advisors. This year, staff evolved this signature PEAK program by developing new training focused on topics ranging from managing budgets to learning how manage up and self-advocate. We also added time in the schedule for breakout activities, and hands-on case study exercises that uplifted the Principles for Peak Grantmaking and strategies for making grantmaking practices more equitable and responsive to community needs.
In addition to PEAK’s board, staff, and the senior-level professionals who made GM101 a success, we’d like to extend special thanks to our cohort advisors: (top, from left) Cheryl Bean; Chindaly Chounlamountry, Streamlife Consulting; (middle, from left) Adriana Jiménez, Resources Legacy Fund; Suki O’Kane, Walter & Elise Haas Fund; (bottom, from left) Chris Percopo, The Helmsley Charitable Trust; and Rik Treiber, Hillspire.
Our Second Mentorship Pilot Program
To honor the memory and legacy of Orneata Prawl—one of our beloved founding members, a chapter leader, and a mentor to countless professionals—PEAK first piloted a mentorship program in collaboration with the PEAK Northeast chapter in July 2021. During the yearlong program, 42 participants, paired as mentors and mentees, embarked on a valuable and mutually beneficial experience which focused on colearning. Power dynamics were intentionally minimized to encourage a balanced exchange of experiences and insights.
This year, in collaboration with PEAK New England, we launched the second pilot of our mentorship program, bringing together 31 mentors and mentees for mutual support, learning, and collaboration. The program will run from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, and we are excited to continue to enhance and expand this program. Like our first cohort, pairs have committed to meeting at least six times throughout the year, and periodically as cohorts of mentors and mentees, to troubleshoot challenges, share resources and ideas, and discuss ways we can improve mentorship opportunities moving forward. Through the mentorship program, we are empowering a diverse group of change agents for equity by supporting them in navigating philanthropy, building transformative and mutually-beneficial partnerships and alliances, and wielding power from wherever they sit.
In addition to the chapter volunteers and program participants who are helping PEAK realize our vision for philanthropy, we’d like to give special thanks to the selection committee for reviewing, selecting, and pairing our applicants.
Learn more about the selection committee
ONLINE RESOURCES
PEAK’s Newest Report on Compensation Trends
Released in June, PEAK’s 2023 Grants Professionals Salary Report delivers comprehensive insights into compensation trends, benefits, and workplace practices based on the firsthand input of grants management professionals.
And thanks to the participation of more than 1,000 organizations throughout the PEAK community, we have distilled actionable information from our largest dataset to date to summarize current practices across the field. These insights are designed to help you to strategically make decisions on hiring, salaries and benefits, setting workplace practices, and evaluating employee growth opportunities.
CONNECTing in New Ways
One of our most loved resources—CONNECT, our member-exclusive online forum—has been busy with discussions on a variety of pressing topics. When these discussions are popular, aligned with our mission, and have support from our volunteers to think beyond CONNECT to continue the conversation, we create more space for members to collaboratively explore these ideas online.
Kristin Pazulski, grants administrator at the Louis Calder Foundation started a CONNECT thread to explore the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in grants management that grew into a conversation between over 100 members. PEAK hosted a virtual session exploring how grants management professionals are currently using AI, what they want to learn or need to know, and the aspirational hopes and desires we have for AI. A second session featured examples of how PEAK members and grants management staff are using AI.
Audra Aucoin, Institute for New Economic Thinking; Elizabeth Donohue, Peter G. Peterson Foundation; and Inna Livitz, Russell Sage Foundation started conversations around working for research funders and the indirect costs of grants to universities and for research funding. Members compared indirect cost policies across funders and developed a framework for supporting indirect costs in a research context that participants could take back to their organizations.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Kayslee Kemp, Medtronic Foundation, obtained a new certification: Power BI Desktop Foundations from Data Coach.
PEAK Southern California Chair Jennifer Katell is now grants officer, systems and processes at Sequoia Climate Foundation.
PEAK Pacific Northwest volunteer Deb Vaughn has started a new role as director of stewardship investments at Oregon Tourism Commission (Travel Oregon).
Former PEAK Southeast Communications Cochair Katie Wiggins has begun a new role as grants and operations manager at The Heartland Fund.
PEAK Latinx Caucus Cochair and Learning to LEAD 2024 Cohort participant Cecilia Rivas-Gonzalez, The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, has been awarded the Public School Alumni Achievement Award from The Education Fund–Miami.
PEAK Greater Washington DC Vice Chair Maria-Veronica Banks from Bezos Earth Fund was selected as a 2024 Líderes Fellow at Hispanics in Philanthropy.
PEAK board member David Bender has been promoted to chief operating officer at Pinellas Community Foundation.
PEAK board alum Jennifer Pedroni has been promoted to managing director at BDO.
PEAK board member Janet Disla has been promoted to director of asset management at Nathan Cummings Foundation.
Hannah Kahn has started a new role as chief revenue officer at ImagineCRM.
After 47 years, PEAK board alum Janice Opalski has retired from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Dana Wellhausen has started a new role as grants management vice president at Fremont Group.
PEAK Black Caucus Cochair and PEAK2025 Planning Committee member Edberte Beauzile has started a new role as manager, Boost Community, at Sabin Vaccine Institute.
Longtime PEAK volunteer Rachel Kimber and PEAK board member Blanch Vance have launched Full Circle Impact Solutions.
PEAK Mideast Communications Chair Gina Dotson has been promoted to director of communications and grants management at Burton D. Morgan Foundation.
PEAK board alum and Journal guest editor Bonnie Rivers has been promoted to vice president, grants management at The JPB Foundation.
Former PEAK Northeast Cochair Elizabeth Donohue has been promoted to senior manager, grant operations at The Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
PEAK board member Kelli Rojas has been promoted to vice president of operations at Rose Community Foundation.
Among Phila Engaged Giving’s multiple staff promotions announced this summer, Mark Greer is now philanthropic advisor.
PEAK Southeast Cochair Rebecca Telberg has started a new role as associate grants manager at Natcast.
Former PEAK Northern Plains Cochair Kaitlin Ostlie has started a new role as grants specialist coordinator, Older Americans Act, at Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Nora Mitnick was promoted to senior director, grants management at Mellon Foundation.
Rokeya Rahman was promoted to assistant director, grants management and operations at Mellon Foundation.
We commemorate the passing of Kim Foster, a former PEAK board member and longtime volunteer. She was a steadfast PEAK champion and a beloved member of our community.
Welcome, New Organization Members
A. Green Results*
Agog
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Amy Hertel Buckley Consulting*
ArtsFund
Ashland Community Health Foundation
Betty & Davis Fitzgerald Foundation
Bezos Family Foundation
California Community Foundation
CARESTAR Foundation
Center for Culturally Responsive Engagement at MPHI*
City Fund
The Collins Foundation
Color Congress
Delaney Data Empowerment*
Dogwood Health Trust
The England Family Foundation
Foundation for the Mid South
Full Circle Impact Solutions*
Funders for LGBTQ Issues
Geneva Global*
Georgia Health Initiative
Giving Advisors*
Global Support and Development
Groundswell Fund
Healthy Lakewood Foundation
Healthy Places by Design*
Hideo Sasaki Foundation
John Muir Community Health Fund
Kouri-Vini Consulting*
Living Cities
Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation
Magic Cabinet
Mat-Su Health Foundation
Methodist Healthcare Ministries
Native Hawaiian Philanthropy
Pacific Hospital Preservation & Development Authority
Patricia Kind Family Foundation
Prince Charitable Trusts
The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation
Purple Otter*
The Reis Foundation
reSolved*
The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
RIZE Massachusetts Foundation
The Roots & Wings Foundation
Samueli Foundation
Sequoia Climate Foundation
The Seybert Foundation
Skyline Foundation
Taube Family Foundation
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Upstream Thinking*
Value Stream Consulting*
van Beuren Charitable Foundation
*Consultant Members
AROUND THE CHAPTERS
Over the past year, our chapter leaders have continued to reenvision how they build community across the country. Recognizing the power of collaboration, PEAK Southern California and PEAK Northern California chapters have worked together to plan and host gatherings with a focus on hyperlocal in-person meet-ups and virtual educational meetings. The PEAK Minnesota chapter approved changing its name to PEAK Northern Plains at PEAK2024 to include North and South Dakota, which are also part of this chapter’s footprint. The leadership of PEAK New England partnered with PEAK Grantmaking to launch the second mentoring program within our chapter network to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and skills among participants. Finally, the PEAK Grantmaking Peer Network Volunteer Leader Playbook is supporting our leaders in actively creating spaces for growth and connection that position members to reshape the philanthropic sector. Here are a few highlights from the past year of how our chapters have convened to build community and advance conversations on grantmaking practice.
PEAK Delaware Valley (above) held its inaugural in-person networking event, which served as an invaluable platform for professionals to come together, meet philanthropy peers from the greater Philadelphia area, and informally build relationships. This gathering also provided a fertile ground for collaboration and growth of the local community, where members could share preferences for future events.
PEAK Florida organized a virtual coffee hour to explore the creation of a process workflow for managing changes in grant management systems (GMS). During the event, attendees discussed colleagues’ recommended GMS changes; the negative impacts of multiple processes and specific changes; and how to prevent issues by establishing processes that deliver efficient and effective results.
PEAK Greater Washington DC organized an engaging session featuring multiple PEAK staff members who delivered an interactive presentation delving into the various resources accessible to members. Topics included our Principles, strategies for connecting with peers, and volunteer opportunities with PEAK.
PEAK Mideast (above) facilitated a comprehensive discussion about the ways in which funders can harness their influence to empower and sustain community-based organizations and the social, moral, intellectual, reputational, and financial (SMIRF) capital framework. SMIRF underscores the importance of providing support in various forms and emphasizes that the sustained success of nonprofits is contingent upon more than just the infusion of financial resources. Rather, true success necessitates a multifaceted approach that addresses diverse aspects of support.
PEAK Midwest members came together for a delightful evening of networking and music at the Millennium Park Summer Music Series in Chicago. The vibrant atmosphere set the stage for meaningful conversations and provided a wonderful opportunity for members to forge new connections and rekindle old ones.
During a PEAK New England virtual meeting, members had the unique chance to forge valuable connections with like-minded individuals, nurture their personal development, and hone their leadership capabilities. Through active participation, they delved into stimulating dialogues on industry-specific subjects and assumed leadership responsibilities in steering these enlightening conversations.
PEAK Northeast event featuring Julian Scott, grants associate at The Commonwealth Fund and a member of the chapter’s steering committee, and Kevin Bolduc, vice president, assessment and advisory services, at The Center for Effective Philanthropy emphasized the importance of collecting demographic data. They highlighted that it goes beyond asking about identity and plays a role in power dynamics. Julian shared how The Commonwealth Fund is using demographic data to drive learning within its Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Pledge.
PEAK Northern California and PEAK Southern California collaborated to launch their PEAK Speak series in July. These monthly drop-in virtual sessions offer members in both regions opportunities to connect, share advice, brainstorm solutions, and explore topics like grants management systems and process improvement projects.
The PEAK Northern Plains team held a session led by Emilia Gonzalez Avalos, executive director at UNIDOS MN; Jeanne Ayers, executive director at Healthy Democracy Healthy, People; and Lilly Sasse, campaign director from We Choose Us, to explore the importance of civic and voter participation in building healthy and equitable communities. They studied instances of community groups and health sector organizations collaborating to bolster democracy and encourage civic and voter engagement inclusion. Furthermore, they talked about how philanthropy can contribute to strengthening democracy.
Over the past year, PEAK Pacific Northwest (above) has worked to create a supportive environment for members committed to making a positive difference in the world through its coffee hour series. Each month, they select a topic related to philanthropy or current events and encourage members to engage in insightful and open dialogue.
The Starr Foundation’s Abigail Osei and Full Circle Impact’s Rachel Kimber led a virtual workshop for the PEAK Rocky Mountain chapter on the art of curating your own personal board of directors. Participants were immersed in a series of interactive exercises designed to equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to strategically build a personal, professional network that aligns with their individual personal and professional aspirations.
Outside of in-person meetings at PEAK’s annual convening, the members of PEAK Southeast have only had virtual opportunities to connect since 2020. That finally changed in July when they organized their inaugural in-person happy hour event at Dr. Scofflaw’s at the Works in Westside Atlanta, providing an opportunity for members to engage with chapter leaders in casual conversations and build new connections. The event aimed to foster networking and create a welcoming environment for authentic dialogue and relationship-building among attendees.
Debbie Mueller, representing the Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation, led a session at the PEAK Southwest Knowledge Swap Meet focused on evaluating grant application and report forms. The session advocated for the #FixtheForm initiative, highlighting the importance of streamlined and effective forms in the grantmaking process. During breakout sessions, attendees shared their own forms, leading to in-depth conversations about the advantages and obstacles associated with form usage in grantmaking.
PEER GROUPS
In February 2024, we announced strategic shifts to our peer networks after piloting them for three years. Leaning into our Learn, Share, Evolve Principle, PEAK has reimagined its peer spaces to be in line with new processes that focus on alignment to PEAK’s mission, staff capacity, and the needs of members, ensuring that we’re not duplicating the efforts of peer philanthropy-supporting organizations. PEAK continues to support professional affinity groups, as well as serving underrepresented identities in philanthropy through its caucuses, which grew this year with the kickoff of the new LGBTQ+ Caucus at PEAK2024 in Seattle. We’ve also been testing how to gather members who share common interests on an ad hoc basis by offering roundtable discussions at our convening, exploring virtual town halls, and encouraging posting on our CONNECT online forum. Our thanks go out to the volunteers and community members whose support and insights have helped us to learn and chart new paths for our peer networks.
Caucuses
Over the past year, the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Caucus (above) members held regular Bimonthly Tea Sessions (BTS) to connect and discuss work-related topics with the community. At PEAK2024, guest speaker Rahul Gupta from the Wing Luke Museum discussed the Seattle-based museum’s programs, history and focus on the culture, art, and history of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders—the only pan-Asian Pacific American community-based museum in the United States.
The Black Caucus began the year with a book club that read and discussed White Women Cry & Call Me Angry: A Black Woman’s Memoir on Racism in Philanthropy by Yanique Redwood, PhD. At PEAK2024, Redwood held an in-person discussion on her memoir, which chronicles her experience working in the DC philanthropic sector. The conversation made space for Black professionals who have survived (or are surviving) racial abuse in the workplace.
At PEAK2024, the Latinx Caucus (above) held an in-person session for networking, goal-setting, and sharing ideas: “How Do We Reimagine Philanthropy for Latinx Communities?” The group held a second virtual discussion, “Disrupting the Narrative That Working Hard Gets You Far,” cofacilitated by Marissa Lifshen Steinberger, One Eleven Leadership, and Ceci Rivas-Gonzalez, cochair of the Latinx Caucus. They shared insights on how to accelerate your professional journey and opened the floor for attendees to share their personal perspectives.
The LGBTQ+ Caucus launched its inaugural meeting at PEAK2024, where attendees were able to network with their peers and discuss ideas and goals for the caucus. As of September 2024, there are over 100 members.
“The LGBTQ+ Caucus is excited to bring queer people together to learn with and from each other and to support each other as multifaceted changemakers in this sector. We are eager to model care and respite with one another as we examine assumptions and inconsistencies that have created artificial hurdles to true inclusion in our workplaces and grantmaking.”
—PEAK LGBTQ+ Caucus cochairs Elizabeth Powley, MacArthur Foundation; Jamie Melius, Mid Atlantic Arts; Kelsey Andersen, Arcus Foundation; and Luc Athayde-Rizzaro, Ford Foundation
Affinity Groups
The Intermediaries Affinity Group has met twice virtually over the year to build community and share problems (and solutions) with peers who work at similar fundraising and grantmaking institutions. At PEAK2024, they shared how best practices among intermediaries are essential for promoting collaboration, knowledge exchange, and overall improvement in the field. For their next session, the group hosted a conversation with Sandy Ho, who became the new executive director of the Disability & Philanthropy Forum in June 2024.
At PEAK2024, the Small Foundations Affinity Group invited coach and facilitator Marissa Lifshen Steinberger of One Eleven Leadership to share strategies to support attendees in optimizing their performance and implementing self-care practices, such as reimagining to-do lists, making effective requests, and establishing better boundaries. The session also offered time for attendees to make connections and cultivate community—a critical wellness practice when working at a small-staffed foundation.
Tailored for senior-level grants management leaders of large private foundations with annual budgets of at least $100 million, the Grants Management Directors’ Circle (GMDC) and the Grants Management Peer Experience (GMPE) a subgroup for GMDC staff, hold space biannually to foster collective professional development and mutual support. At PEAK2024, The Meeting Guru’s Daniel Weinzveg facilitated sessions for both groups (above) that offered a unique opportunity to connect, collaborate, and elevate the standards of excellence in grants management—in addition to having fun by way of a reception at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“During my time as cochair of the PEAK Small Foundations Affinity Group, I forged invaluable connections that have deeply influenced how I approach my work and leadership. These connections have sparked a reimagining of my strategies and processes, playing a pivotal role in shaping my approach as I transitioned into the role of executive director.”
—Diane Grossman, Executive Director, The Sheltering Arms Foundation
Special thanks to the PEAK Grantmaking team members who collaboratively authored the Community section of the Journal: Vanessa Elkan, Clare Larson, Dionne Thompson, and Rafael Torres.
Meet the Author
Sara Richman Sanders
Senior Membership and Community Engagement Director, PEAK Grantmaking