Beyond the ATM: The many roles philanthropic funders can play

By Andrew Ross, Executive Director of the Hathaway Family Foundation.

My family went on a vacation when I was a teenager to Gatlinburg, which my parents had pretty fond memories of. It’s where they honeymooned back in the late 1970s when the little town was full of mountain charm. The time I went, Gatlinburg had grown into a tourist destination full of souvenir shops and various other gimmicky attractions designed to relieve travelers of their money. I remember well passing by an airbrush t-shirt store and one shirt in the window display caught my eye: My Name is Dad, Not ATM.

My dad laughed, and I can see why-it was the perfect one-liner to describe life with teenagers always asking for money. Now, as an adult with kids of my own, I feel like the shirt makes more and more sense. Sometimes, in my work with nonprofits, I feel like I should don that t-shirt myself.

I want to be more to my community than someone who just writes checks. Don’t get me wrong—grant-making is incredibly rewarding, but it’s not enough. Nonprofits need more from us than financial support. That’s why I’ve started asking: What can our foundation do beyond a check to help you thrive?

The responses we’ve gotten back have opened our eyes to a number of ways we, as funders, can come alongside our partners in a more impactful way. Whether you are a donor, foundation leader, or even just someone who wants to give back, these ideas can spark creativity about how to do more than just write a check

We’ve heard:

  • Bridge the Gap Between Funders and Boards: Help foster conversations that build long-term, mission-focused relationships.
  • Constructive Feedback: Give detailed feedback to grant writers to help nonprofits improve their applications.
  • Linking Nonprofits to Other Funders: Introduce them to funders with mutual interests who could further their opportunities.
  • Building Community Connections: Connect nonprofits with local leaders and potential supporters.
  • Capacity Building: Share knowledge in leadership, marketing, and strategic planning. Connect them to in-kind donations like furniture, supplies, or specific equipment that they need. Provide general operating support so they can do what is necessary to help our community.
  • Advocacy for Long-term Support: Advocate for public-sector funding and offer multi-year grants.
  • Promote Awareness: Showcase their work through your network and channels.
  • Engage in Person: Offer to visit their facilities and join events to help foster relationships.
  • Communicate Transparently: Share feedback on gaps and areas for improvement.
  • Tap into Their Knowledge: Bring the nonprofits into community discussions on key issues.

As my dad always said, he was good for much more than his wallet; he brought experience, wisdom, and support. Similarly, for us as funders, we can lend our experiences, our network, our time to help support the nonprofits to thrive. My dad didn’t look great in that shirt, in fact none of us would. So, let’s be more than an ATM. Money is but one piece of the puzzle for success in the world of nonprofits. The next time you connect with a nonprofit leader, share how else you would like to help them be successful. I guarantee it will look a lot better on you than that airbrushed t-shirt.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *