SmartSimple Blog

There are many moving and complex facets in running an event, often all happen in tandem. Using SmartSimple tools, Kim Thao from Bader Philanthropy and Annie Brinkman from the Spencer Foundation managed to streamline their entire event management process in one centralized system, keeping everyone on the same page, from the finance department to the caterers. Both Annie and Kim presented their event management systems at ELEVATE San Diego. Here’s how...

In anticipation of their upcoming presentation at SmartSimple’s ELEVATE San Diego conference in October, we sat down with Zia Maumenee, Grants Manager of Headwaters Foundation, and Malcolm Klotz, Founder of Re-Solved, to learn more about their trust-based philanthropy model and how they leveraged SmartSimple’s technology to carry it out.

Are you an organization with multiple independent departments? Do you ever wish you had a platform that houses all of them in one system while operating independently? In anticipation of their upcoming presentation at SmartSimple’s ELEVATE San Diego conference in October, we sat down with Sam Caplan, CIO and Deputy Director of Operations of the Walton Family Foundation, and Malcolm Klotz, Founder of Re-Solved, to learn more about their process of successfully building and uniting 12 different entities and multiple departments in one cohesive system.

SmartSimple recently exhibited at the Americans for the Arts (AFTA) 2019 Annual Convention in Minneapolis. For over 60 years, the AFTA Annual Convention has brought together the movers and shakers of the arts industry, including advocates and funders. This year, the four-day, more than 1,000 arts professionals and funders participated to discuss arts education, cultural diversity, developing arts programs and events in local communities and more. Daily learning sessions focused on a series of core themes, including the value of inclusion, accessibility, and investing in the arts.

Donor Advised Funds (also known as DAFs) are increasing in popularity and many foundations are jumping on board. Yet this method of giving is getting some criticism. While DAFs totaled more than 110 billion in 2017, some organizations are accumulating assets and holding onto them. There is criticism that donors and funding destinations can be anonymous, creating a less-than-transparent process and critics of donor-advised funds are suggesting that Congress should regulate DAFs and require a minimum payout.