Bob Reid

President and CEO, Edge Philanthropy

Bob Reid is the president and CEO of Edge Philanthropy. Prior to this role, he was the CEO of the JF Maddox Foundation for 25 years. His foundation grant making experience has largely focused on education reform, higher education, workforce training, community and economic development, social services, access to healthcare, and substance abuse. He is also engaged in global development work in South America and Africa and is involved in research on organizational behavior and private philanthropy.  Previously, Bob had a successful career in turning around underperforming healthcare institutions and managing a network of hospitals including both acute care and behavioral health facilities.

Bob’s research has yielded important insights and implications for both management practitioners and policymakers.  In his executive leadership roles in philanthropy and business, he has developed strategies for enhanced organizational leadership and effective governance.

Contributions

Voices from the Field

New Research on Foundation-to-Foundation Collaboration

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Bob Reid

Family foundations often attempt to further their philanthropic objectives through collaboration with other foundations. Collaboration can meaningfully expand financial, intellectual, and relational capital in making grant programs more effective and sustainable. However, foundation-to-foundation collaboration is challenging and too often fails. For example, differences in approach between local and non-local foundations or power disparities between large and small foundations can be… Read More

New Trends: Research Findings from NCFP’s “Trends 2020” Study

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Armando Castellano, Mimi Potter, Neal Chambliss, Claire Costello, Bob Reid, Ellie Frey Zagel

What are new emerging issues facing philanthropic donors and families? How are families’ funding priorities, governance practices, and approaches to giving and decision-making evolving and changing? How are issues of founder participation, choice of lifespan, and the use of multiple giving vehicles affecting the practices and outcomes of family philanthropy? This webinar will share the results of research findings from… Read More

Privacy, Purpose and the Public Trust: Finding a Balance

Posted on May 10, 2018 by Bob Reid, John Mullaney, Laura McCargar, Pam David, Jason Born

How do you balance what you share externally with your family’s need for privacy? And what are the benefits and challenges of being transparent in your communications and relationships? Join NCFP as we explore this topic with family philanthropy experts. Additional Resources: Foundation Transparency: Opacity — It’ s Complicated How We Operate Governance at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation… Read More

Foundation Transparency: Opacity — It’s Complicated

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Bob Reid

Calls for greater transparency from social institutions are gaining momentum in American culture, especially given concerns about the potential risks to society from misconduct hidden from public view. Such concerns have escalated since the 2008 global financial crisis, where consequences of misconduct had broad impact. While social institutions had little role in bringing about that crisis, broadly applied transparency is increasingly represented as society’s best defense against unethical behavior. Accordingly, advocates for increased transparency are acquiring a growing voice in the field of private philanthropy… Read More