Kris Putnam-Walkerly

President, Putnam Consulting

Kris Putnam-Walkerly is a global philanthropy expert and advisor. For over 20 years, ultra-high net worth donors, family foundations, Fortune 500 companies, wealth advisors and family offices have sought Kris’s advice to increase the clarity, impact, and joy in their giving. As president of Putnam Consulting Group, Inc. she’s helped over 100 philanthropists strategically allocate over half a billion dollars in grants and gifts, including the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Zilber Family Foundation, J.M. Smucker Company, Community Foundation Sonoma County, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, and dozens of others. Kris’s services for family funders include trusted advising, coaching for new foundation leaders, VIP Strategy and Coaching Days, rapid strategy development, strategy implementation, and board training. She also offers bespoke philanthropic services for wealth advisors and family offices. Kris is an award-winning author, and recently published her second book, Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change And What They Can Do To Transform Giving (Wiley 2020). Learn more at https://putnam-consulting.com/

Contributions

6 signs your funding initiative is in trouble

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

I have helped dozens of foundations explore, develop and launch new grantmaking programs and initiatives. In my experience there are six red flags indicating trouble ahead. Investments made now will be easier and less costly than trying to resurrect a failing initiative later… Read More

The power of taking stock: 5 reasons to conduct evaluations

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

Knowledge is power, as the saying goes, but I am not sure many foundations fully believe that. In the course of working with foundations across the country, I have made a somewhat surprising discovery: Many foundations grossly underestimate the importance of evaluating impact. This is unfortunate, because evaluation is both enlightening and empowering… Read More

Don’t Do It: 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring Philanthropy Consultants

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

When you need to hire a consultant, the pressure is on. Time and money are at stake, and so is success. My work with foundations and nonprofits over the past two decades has given me the chance to observe firsthand the errors that people commonly make when trying to hire a consultant… Read More

How to Effectively Hire a Consultant: 5 Tips for a Win-win Relationship

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

Nonprofit and foundation leaders are held accountable to their stakeholders to make sure they are using their budgets to garner the best results. A strong relationship with quality consultants can help limited budgets go a long way, so it is imperative that you find a consultant who can become valuable member of your team. … Read More

Voices from the Field

Small Stone, Big Ripple: 12 Strategies for Spreading Your Small Grant Further

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

Do you want to make a big splash with grant dollars, but you can only make a small gift? Not a problem! Some of the most effective change starts with a small grant. By following a few simple strategies, you can create a growing ripple effect with a small gift. … Read More

Successful RFP management for foundations: 10 tips to select the best grantees

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

The RFP is essential to the way many organizations make grants — so improvements in the RFP process can have a profound impact on grantmaking success. We have helped many foundations and corporate grantmakers develop and manage requests for proposals as they identify the best nonprofits to fund. … Read More

Don’t Need a Consultant? 5 Good Reasons You Might Be Wrong

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly

Consultants can take some of the burden off of staff while providing a new perspective and expertise. They may also increase your organization’s credibility. Here are the five main reasons most foundations and nonprofits enlist the help of outside consultants… Read More

Disaster Preparedness for Your Family Foundation

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Kris Putnam-Walkerly, Tim McCarthy

Like many small family foundations, the McCarthy Family Foundation operated out of a family member’s home. Tim’s house was destroyed, along with many of the foundation’s records, in the 2007 San Diego fires. Learn how to prepare so you can keep operating if disaster strikes… Read More

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