Building Impact Partners

Ballmer Group’s decade-long effort to drive economic mobility for children and families in need was highlighted in The Chronicle of Philanthropy this week. The article shares how Summer Discovery, Ballmer Group’s summer enrichment program for grade schoolers in Michigan, has rapidly improved students’ test scores. This program is a fantastic example of what can be accomplished when we prioritize impact and invest in communities. As Connie Ballmer puts it, “To have the most impact without making a million grants, re-granting is the key.” Building Impact Partners is thrilled to support Summer Discovery, and we look forward to driving more impact together. #localphilanthropy #communitybuilding #socialimpact

In a recent piece from Maria Di Mento and Jim Rendon at The Chronicle of Philanthropy, founding partner Alex Johnston shared his insights into the giving strategies of ultra high net worth donors. Local giving is particularly appealing, Alex explained, as “many donors are directing their philanthropy where their attention is already focused, where they already have connections, and where a gift is meaningful to them.” ? Dive into the full article below. #UHNW #localphilanthropy #communitybuilding

How do we #AccelerateAction on issues critical to women and girls? Getting philanthropic dollars off the sidelines is a place to start, and there are women philanthropists and advisors showing the way. For #InternationalWomensDay, Caitlin Hannon, president of Building Impact Partners, highlights three ways philanthropy can be done differently—for greater impact benefiting women and all of society. #IWD2025

For this month’s #EmployeeSpotlight, we are highlighting Tanis Klingler, Associate at Building Impact Partners. Tanis finds inspiration in the Greek meaning of the word philanthropy—love of humankind. In her client engagements and projects, she seeks to facilitate the kind of philanthropic work that lives up to its name. Tanis joined the firm in 2020, bringing her experience as both an educator and an advocate in the education sector. She embodies our belief at Building Impact Partners that giving should be joyful and impactful. At every step of each client engagement, from initial research to strategy development to program implementation, Tanis is fiercely dedicated to driving results. In her own words, “the joy of creating with intention, purpose, and impact is immensely satisfying. Change is possible together with philanthropy as an engine for good.” Thank you, Tanis, for sharing! #philanthropy #nonprofit #socialimpact?

Building Impact Partners founding partner Alex Johnston is quoted in an article about the rapid growth of the philanthropy advising sector, written by Eden Stiffman, senior writer at The Chronicle of Philanthropy. In this piece, Alex shares his perspective on what makes advisors appealing to donors and the importance of coming to advising from a place of empathy. ? Check out Eden’s full article below. ? #philanthropy #nonprofit #socialimpact

This week, the Center for Effective Philanthropy released its final report on the impact of MacKenzie Scott’s trailblazing approach to philanthropy, marking the culmination of a three-year research study. Since 2019, Scott has given over $19 billion in unrestricted support to more than 2,000 organizations. This is an unprecedented pace of giving. Some have wondered if it's actually possible to maximize the impact of your giving when you move so much money so fast, with so few strings attached. It’s encouraging to see such positive findings from this research into the impact of her philanthropy. At Building Impact Partners, we believe there's no one-size fits all approach to giving—and even if other donors don’t choose to emulate every aspect of Scott’s approach, there are important lessons here about how to achieve real measurable impact while also incorporating key elements of trust-based philanthropy.? #philanthropy #newresearch #giving

In his recent op-ed from The Wall Street Journal, Michael Bloomberg highlights the impact that Bloomberg Philanthropies has had in improving student outcomes, in light of the latest #NAEP results. This impact is a testament to the power of philanthropy, which can be a catalyst for change and identify creative solutions. We look forward to continuing our work with Bloomberg Philanthropies as they tackle some of the most pressing issues in education. #philanthropy #nonprofit #socialimpact #k12 #education https://lnkd.in/e3kZVmuh

We’re kicking off our #EmployeeSpotlight series with Deneice (McClary) Frazier, Senior Associate and Director of People & DEI at Building Impact Partners! Deneice joined our team in 2018 and plays a critical role in both our client-facing and internal work. In her dual role, she leads client engagements as well as internal talent, DEI, and performance management processes. Keep reading to get to know Deneice! Q: What’s the most satisfying aspect of your role? A: I really enjoy the internal aspects of my role. I have been with the firm for seven years and have really enjoyed bringing people into the organization to help us achieve our goals. Q: What’s the best part of working at Building Impact Partners? A: I love the people. Everyone at this organization is super smart and very dedicated to its mission and success. I feel like the people here make me better. We push each other. I also enjoy the smallness of our team. We all know each other and feel like family. Q: What’s a project you’ve worked on that you’re proud of? A: I am most proud of being part of the initial Indy Summer Learning engagement team. We partnered with local funders to create a wonderful research-based summer program that supported thousands of Indianapolis students through summer learning loss. The program went on to inspire other funders to do the same and will have a lasting impact on the families in those communities. Thank you, Deneice for sharing! #philanthropy #nonprofit #socialimpact

2025 will be a transitional year for U.S. philanthropy. At Building Impact Partners, we wanted to share some of the trends and opportunities that we’re watching and thinking about this coming year:? ? 1. An increased focus on systemic change? 2. More community-centric philanthropy? 3. Creative cross-sector collaboration?? 4. Thinking more expansively?? 5. Continued support for new philanthropists and emerging leaders? ? Read more about these trends in our latest blog post: https://lnkd.in/eHG4jznm?? ? #philanthropy #socialimpact #equity #newyear

To kick off the new year, we’re excited to welcome two new analysts to Building Impact Partners, Cheri Coleman and Neha Shingane! Neha joins with a background in law, grantmaking and philanthropic consulting, while Cheri brings her experience in strategy consulting, nonprofit work and education. Our analysts are critical to our work and we look forward to the skill, leadership, and experience Cheri and Neha will bring to our team!?? ? #philanthropy #forwardthinking #socialimpact #newhire #welcomepost