Message from the President

Derrick Davis

Slow Philanthropy

As I was reading an article about local Vermont food, I realized that there are parallels between the “Slow Food” movement and the brand of philanthropy we practice at the Permanent Fund.

Slow Food involves the coming together of the food community – connecting producers and co-producers, coming together on the farm, in the market, and at the table. It is about taking the time to think about where our food comes from and savoring each bite!

The Permanent Fund’s approach to philanthropy encourages developing of relationships with funders who share an interest in promoting the well-being of Vermont’s children. We learn a tremendous amount from other funders and, by coming together to identify important issues and develop solutions, we become better informed and more effective grant makers. And, by making these connections with other funders, we are able to undertake initiatives we could not tackle alone.

In “Slow Philanthropy” we also make strong connections with the service providers in our areas of interest and develop ongoing relationships with the people working day in and day out in these fields. We take the time to work closely with our grantees as well as the children, families, and community members because these relationships and sharing of ideas provides a deeper understanding of the issues.

How, for example, could we truly understand the issues facing children with incarcerated parents if we did not take the time to visit with mothers and fathers who are incarcerated and speak with children whose parents are in jail? How could we possibly be effective in this area if we did not take the time to visit with the Department of Corrections and involve key legislators and other stakeholders in the conversation? Knowing that it is the people involved who make the difference, how could we truly leverage our grants if we did not take the time to identify and partner with the leaders in these fields who are addressing the issues and developing effective solutions?

By establishing connections with all the players, including the children, families, and communities we serve, we ultimately hope to have a greater impact in our communities. “Slow Philanthropy” requires patience and a willingness to stick with initiatives. Over the past 10 years we have learned a great deal about responsible and respectful grant making and have experienced the joy and rewards to this approach.

There’s much important work to do for Vermont’s children and the vexing issues they face. Join us. From the seed of an idea to taking the time to think about all the players involved, when we sit down at the table we can contemplate each outcome and savor each bite!

It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving. - Mother Teresa

Past Messages from the President

For a number of years I have had the opportunity to see first hand the impact we can have on the lives of children when we give them a helping hand. Often it is a small boost at the right time that is all that is needed. At other times it may be a more comprehensive effort or systematic change in a child's environment that is needed. But in every case, I have discovered that when we genuinely care about the children in our community and believe in their potential, the sky is the limit for the difference we can make in their lives.

This first hand experience has led to a passion for the work of promoting the well-being of Vermont children. I firmly believe that this is important work, knowing that when we provide children with the assets they need in order to thrive, Vermont reaps significant benefits down the road. It is this belief and passion that led me to join with my friends, Carl and Judy Ferenbach, to found The Permanent Fund for The Well-Being of Vermont Children in 2000.

But passion, alone, was not the genesis of The Permanent Fund. We saw this as an opportunity to create a proactive model for our philanthropy where we would invest in, not just good programs, but in community-based strategies where we would be active participants. Our commitment to hiring a full-time executive director is an indicator of our belief that engaging actively in community work enhances our opportunity to create real leverage and produce tangible results.

Collaboration has been a hallmark of The Permanent Fund from the start. We became a supporting organization with The Vermont Community Foundation with the firm belief that if we work closely with others, rather than going it alone, we will be a stronger and more effective foundation. And by collaborating with other foundations and philanthropists within our mission area, we are able to learn from the experience of others as well as join together to fund projects we could not undertake alone.

“It is all about the people”, stated one of our board members after a day of visiting early childhood programs in Northern Vermont. We all know that the best strategies in the world are not effective unless there are good people involved to carry them out. We want to work with strong leaders and exceptional individuals because we know that the success of any project is directly related to the people involved.

The Permanent Fund would like to stay nimble, be opportunistic, and fill gaps in services whenever possible. We are always learning and want to continually check our own progress in achieving clearly stated outcomes.

The Permanent Fund board and staff have a deeply held commitment to improve the lives of Vermont children. Our philanthropy is a bond between people and all of our work and the grants we make are based on the value of strong human relationships. We are fortunate to be able to do this work and feel extremely gratified when we know we have made a difference.