By Stephen Alexander, Exponent Philanthropy

Join me to explore the values and visions of emerging leaders of a social-minded generation. Below is an excerpt from my recent conversation with Hannah Quimby, director at the Quimby Family Foundation and 2015 Exponent Philanthropy Next Gen Fellow. 

One of things I love most about these conversations is learning about younger funders’ passions. What are you deeply passionate about? 

I’m really passionate about developing relationships with the nonprofits we’re working with. Here in Maine, it’s actually possible to build consistent, sustained relationships, to get to know the people doing the work, and to provide support, not just through grantmaking but in other ways as well.

I’m also passionate about outdoor education, health and wellness, and creating access to healthy, local, affordable food. I believe positive outdoor experiences will help create the next generation of people who care about the environment. It can be viewed as a public health strategy too, because being outdoors improves so many measures of health.

For the past five or six years, I’ve volunteered with Bay Area Wilderness Training, a nonprofit based in Oakland, CA, focused on getting kids outdoors. For the last year, my fiancé and I have actually been on the road serving as ambassadors for the organization (the regional model is expanding nationwide and is called The Outdoors Empowered Network). We meet with people who have met with the director or who want to learn more about the trainings and programs.

We originally thought we’d do it for a few months, but we’ve now lived out of a camper van for a year and half. The way I was raised—my family lived in a tent, a trailer, a cabin, and Volkswagen van—that laid the groundwork for adapting. I love moving and being on the go, having new experiences, chatting with strangers, seeing the country.

It’s funny how connections come to be. So many of the connections I’ve made and the ideas and resources I’ve encountered on my travels have informed the work of the foundation.

Let’s talk more about what it’s like to live out the things you’re so passionate about. 

It makes so much sense that I have a passion and deeper connection to our work and the work of our grantees because I’m living it firsthand. I see directly how nature benefits my life. When I’m removed from the outdoors—in meetings, on the computer, at the office—I see the effect of that on my health. Having opportunities to be outdoors as a kid was huge; I now relate and care so much more.

My family members believe I have to live in and be connected to Maine to practice effective philanthropy. Obviously, that’s difficult because I live in San Francisco. Yet living in so many different communities, I bring back ideas for how nonprofits at home could stretch themselves and better engage donors. Seeing different ways of going about this work is helpful.

Take the luncheons we hold for grantees. Nonprofits are spread out throughout the state in Maine so these events are a great networking and learning opportunity. We sold out a recent convening, and there was tremendous enthusiasm and a huge waitlist. Another convening is coming up with Andy Goodman, who I wouldn’t have come across if I wasn’t involved in other communities. The convenings are great; they’ve provided so much more conversation, communication, and understanding among nonprofits statewide.

What’s the most challenging aspect of this work for you? 

Feeling as though I was playing catch-up. I wasn’t involved in this work before, and my family wasn’t involved in philanthropy or volunteering growing up, partially because we were so remote. Our board is all family members, so there’s not a single person who comes from the nonprofit world. We have business knowledge and MBAs. There was a big learning curve.

These were just some of the things we had to learn:

• The nuts and bolts of how we communicate our values and our missions.

• What are site visits all about?

• What about when people want to meet all the time? And when we have to turn people down?

• Are we having an impact? The Haas Family Foundation decided to focus for 10 years on marriage equality. At the end, they were able to say they made a difference. That would be ideal, but we’re not there yet.

• As a sole staffer, I’m trying to take care of everything, and do it really well. I find it’s important to take a step back to look at what we’ve accomplished over 10 years. Where are the needs? How are they shifting? We just haven’t had the time for it. It feels like we’re just keeping up, but are we actually doing a good job?

• How do we receive proposals? We receive a ton, and there’s just a small percentage that we can actually fund. The organization we aren’t granting often has very little to do with merit and more with the volume of applications. It’s difficult to offer specific, concrete feedback that would be helpful for the nonprofit.

• Personally, there’s an interesting dynamic around money. My parents chose to live an unconventional lifestyle off the grid. Although our family had access to opportunities and resources, money wasn’t a priority by any measure. Now, all of a sudden, we have three foundations in the same community. I’m asked to sit on a lot of nonprofit boards, and sometimes their work isn’t an area of interest for me or in line with my background. It’s simply because I have a connection to a grantmaking foundation or there’s an assumption that I could give a lot of money. It’s not because I could contribute in a meaningful way to the organization. That piece of giving away money is challenging.

What hopes do you have for your foundation, yourself, and the communities you serve? 

I hope as the foundation ages we’re able to get more focused. I think its key for us in order to have greater impact. We meet so many incredible people, visionaries across Maine. Yet there’s a lack of funding in their areas. I want to support them in as many ways as we can.

I’m hopeful that the foundation is able to work with nonprofits in a way that allows them to thrive. I hope that overall wellness starts to improve through different initiatives, and that my family may be able to play a role in that.

My decision to work for my family foundation didn’t come easily. I studied health in school. I wasn’t sure it was fair for me to take on this role without experience or the background. But I’ve come to love this work so much. When I read grant applications, I get so psyched about all the great things that are happening. It’s such a privilege. I get to meet with other funders and volunteers who are so committed and passionate. That part is awesome. It’s amazing to be privy to all the good work that’s happening.

Hannah Quimby has been involved with the Quimby Family Foundation as a board member since 2004 and as a full-time director since January 2014. The Quimby Family Foundation supports Maine-based nonprofit organizations that work in the arts, environment, and health and wellness. As the sole staff member, she is responsible for communication with potential grantees and current grantees, leading the board of directors, reviewing letters of interest and proposals, conducting site visits, and developing the foundation’s giving strategy.

Program Manager Stephen Alexander designs sessions for our educational programs and coordinates content production with the goal of delivering the best service possible to the Exponent Philanthropy community. Before coming to Exponent Philanthropy, Stephen worked with Thomson Reuters, Jones Lang LaSalle, and two small nonprofits in Washington, DC. Stephen currently serves on the board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network’s DC chapter. Follow Stephen on Twitter @salxndr and Exponent Philanthropy @exponentphil.