Learnings
© Humana 2025
10/07/2024
Humana Foundation Learnings: Grantmakers of Kentucky “Building Community Through Collaboration and Participation”
Humana Foundation Grants Administrator Rebel Chreste attended the Grantmakers of Kentucky 2024 conference “Building Community Through Collaboration and Participation” in Louisville, Kentucky from July 31 – Aug. 1. The event was in partnership with Philanthropy Southeast and included learning seminars and on-site visits with local nonprofit organizations.
Rebel attended sessions throughout the two-day conference and discussed topics like trending tools for grantmakers, the role of philanthropy in underserved populations, impact investing and effective measuring of impact. In pursuit of leading the thinking and actions in these shared spaces, Rebel shared several important learnings and takeaways from discussions at Grantmakers of Kentucky’s “Building Community Through Collaboration and Participation” event:
- We discussed the Advancing Participation in Philanthropy Tool (APPT). This is a self-assessment tool developed for organizations’ iterative learning and innovative systems change. Common areas included in the tool are governance, grant administration, finance, fundraising, communication, etc.
- A key takeaway for using assessments in our work with the Humana Foundation, is to also ask the grantee, “beyond funding, what can we do to impact your organization?” This callout validated how at the Foundation we ask similar questions on the final report of grantees at the close of their grant period (like our reporting question of Please describe your overall experience working with the Humana Foundation throughout this grant cycle. How could we better support your organization? Please help us improve by providing us with feedback including any comments and lessons learned, or anything that may help us in future projects.”
- A key takeaway for using assessments in our work with the Humana Foundation, is to also ask the grantee, “beyond funding, what can we do to impact your organization?” This callout validated how at the Foundation we ask similar questions on the final report of grantees at the close of their grant period (like our reporting question of Please describe your overall experience working with the Humana Foundation throughout this grant cycle. How could we better support your organization? Please help us improve by providing us with feedback including any comments and lessons learned, or anything that may help us in future projects.”
- We made on-site visits and met leaders of nonprofits in West Louisville, including Blak Koffee, Molo Village, AMPED, Goodwill Opportunity Campus, Republic Bank Foundation, YMCA Alberta O Jones Park.
- During our in-person visits, I learned the importance of grantees developing sustainable income sources beyond grant funding. For example, AMPED has invested in a real estate building that they rent out for monthly income to assist them with their operating costs to increase their sustainability.
- During our in-person visits, I learned the importance of grantees developing sustainable income sources beyond grant funding. For example, AMPED has invested in a real estate building that they rent out for monthly income to assist them with their operating costs to increase their sustainability.
- We discussed essential insights into affordable housing, and the role of philanthropy in the solution. Statewide partners such as the Family Scholar House (Louisville), Housing Development Alliance (Hazard), St Benedict’s Homeless Shelter (Owensboro), KY Housing Corporation (Louisville) provided insight to barriers such as lack of affordable housing, particular strategies are working in this space and lack of accessibility to housing.
- For me, an important consideration is gleaning insights from challenges faced by the underserved populations we serve. For example, accessible housing is lacking in many communities regardless of urban or rural nature. Many investors are concerned about their return on investment to build low-income housing making affordable houses scarce. Successful housing only begins with finding someone housing they can afford. Continued education and support for new homeowners is important to assist them in maintaining housing.
- For me, an important consideration is gleaning insights from challenges faced by the underserved populations we serve. For example, accessible housing is lacking in many communities regardless of urban or rural nature. Many investors are concerned about their return on investment to build low-income housing making affordable houses scarce. Successful housing only begins with finding someone housing they can afford. Continued education and support for new homeowners is important to assist them in maintaining housing.
- We discussed innovative ways to measure the impact of a foundation’s work. We discussed how to combine quantitative and qualitative storytelling methods like “Ripple Effect mapping” to empower communities to share their experience
- Ripple effect mapping is to discover the impact of community projects and programs by mapping a program’s story by visually showing collected data, untold stories, and behind-the-scenes activities. We do this well at the Humana Foundation by asking the grantee to share success stories, quotes, videos, and stories. This is also accomplished during the check-in meetings.
- Ripple effect mapping is to discover the impact of community projects and programs by mapping a program’s story by visually showing collected data, untold stories, and behind-the-scenes activities. We do this well at the Humana Foundation by asking the grantee to share success stories, quotes, videos, and stories. This is also accomplished during the check-in meetings.
- We set aside time for networking and building bonds beyond the business card with other KY Foundations and organizations
- I was able to meet members of the Community Foundation of Louisville, Foundation for a Healthy KY, Foundation for Appalachian KY, and other community organizations across the state.
On behalf of the Humana Foundation, thank you, Rebel, for sharing these learnings from Grantmakers of Kentucky’s “Building Community Through Collaboration and Participation.”
This article and accompanying insights are part of the Humana Foundation’s continual growth journey where we share learnings to expand our knowledge in philanthropy to better serve our communities.
