It was not so long ago that we published a piece titled “Four Things to Know about William Penn’s New Leader, Laura Sparks. And One Question,” in which we touched on topics like her commitment to economic development, plans to stay the course in terms of grantmaking, and the increased power that came with her title.
Well, in case you haven’t heard, Sparks is leaving the William Penn Foundation to take a higher ed position instead. (Read: A Message from Laura Sparks.) So now, it’s time to wonder again about where this important Philadelphia funder might be going next.
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Lisa Ranghelli’s Nonprofit Quarterly article, “When a Foundation Board Gets in the Way of Community Impact,” highlights the high turnover rate and turmoil that has plagued Penn’s top position, including Jeremy Nowak’s 16-month reign and Peter Degnan’s even shorter six-month stint. Sparks lasted two years, but the nonprofit community in Philadelphia is still concerned about how stable and effective the $2.3 billion funder really is these days.
Read the full article here.
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