Break Fake Rules: Change Big Giving For GoodRewriting Foundation Board Rules feat. Carol Cheney & Katie Carter
What if a foundation board’s most important exercise of power is knowing when to share it? In this live crossover episode with the Can we talk about…? podcast filmed at Philanthropy Northwest’s conference, co-hosts Mares Asfaha, Associate Director of Programs at Philanthropy Northwest, and Glen Galaich, CEO of the Stupski Foundation, are joined by Carol Cheney, CEO of The Collins Foundation, and Katie Carter, CEO of Pride Foundation, to challenge long-held assumptions about board authority and accountability. Together, they explore how inherited governance practices can shape whose voices are heard, whose priorities prevail, and who ultimately gets to make decisions that affect communities.
Their experiences reveal that fake board rules often hold our sector back from realizing lasting change. Together, they question where power resides, how to build trust across an organization, and reconsider what it means to honor a legacy. From fiduciary responsibility to perpetuity, they challenge a fundamental assumption in philanthropy: that accountability requires control.
This episode is also available on Can we talk about...?'s feed. Listen to more conversations about equity-centered philanthropy and subscribe here.
💡 Katie Carter: “It turns out that the best role for the board was not deeply reviewing all of these grants, making that whole process take a whole lot longer and making it harder for us to get resources out to community.”
💡 Carol Cheney: “The big question is, what is a legacy, and really examining what that really means for different people. And you know, a legacy can happen today. We can make a legacy happen right now.”
💡 Mares Asfaha: “And maybe this is another fake rule we talk about. It's either 5% or perpetuity. There are so many numbers between five and 100.”
💡 Glen Galaich: “This system has been built very much on centering donors and what donors need, much more than it's built on focusing on what communities need.”
Explore Philanthropy Northwest and its work over 50 years to shift resources and power toward underinvested communities across the Northwest and beyond.
Check out the Mentimeter results to see which foundation board rules audience members are ready to challenge.
Visit The Collins Foundation to learn more about its work rethinking legacy, equity, and how a family foundation can respond to the needs of communities today.
Explore Pride Foundation and its approach to putting decision-making power closer to the people and strategies shaping the work.
Order your copy of Glen’s book, CONTROL: Why Big Giving Falls Short.
Learn about the Stupski Foundation.
Co-Hosts: Mares Asfaha & Glen Galaich
Guests: Carol Cheney & Katie Carter
Executive Producers: Claire Callahan, Aya Tsuruta & Emily Daman
Production Team: SeeBoundless & Podfly
Graphic Design: Middle MGMT
Catalyst Center for Work Innovation: The Debate
