One Size Doesn't Fit AllOne Size Doesn't Fit All

Thrupthi Reddy

Most grant-making foundations in the United States operate on very modest budgets, are largely unstaffed and are run by unpaid trustees. But that's where their similarities end. A fierce, slow-motion debate has been raging about how much is appropriate for them to spend on staff, overheads, trustees, and administrative expenses. To underscore how dissimilar the spending needs of similar-sized foundations can be, a new report was released on Feb. 3 that “cautions against the ‘one size fits all’ approach to setting standards” that seems to dominate reforms being considered in Congress.

The Foundation Expenses and Compensation report issued Feb. 3, emphasizes the need to consider the impact of foundation type and size and the d...