Roger Nozaki, Barr Foundation

Twitter = @BarrFdn and @RogerNozaki

Roger Nozaki.jpg

Roger Nozaki is the Vice President of the Barr Foundation, one of the largest private foundations serving the New England region. He oversees the grant making programs, learning and evaluation, and operational activities. Previously, Mr. Nozaki was the senior policy advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to joining the Education Department, Roger held posts at the Hitachi Foundation and GE Foundation, and as associate dean at Brown University. 

The Barr Foundation, based in Boston, is focused on investments in the New England region in the categories of working to elevate the arts and creative expression, advancing solutions for climate change, and expanding educational opportunities. 

Roger joins the show today to discuss the funding priorities of the Foundation, the advantages of having deep roots in a community, the opportunity for partnerships and collaboration, and the components of an effective grant. We also discuss some of the larger trends in the philanthropic sector, and why there is a lot of room for optimism. 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SHOW:

In this interview, we discuss:

  1.  The advantages of being a community based funder with deep roots in the area. (3:00)
  2. Why humility and true partnership is key to a funder-grantee relationship. (5:30)
  3. The key components for measuring an effective grant. (15:45)
  4. Some of the key partnerships and relationships for Barr Foundation, and cross-sector partnership opportunities like the Green Ribbon Commission in Boston. (21:00)
  5. The importance of education to the success of our country, and why we must invest in it. (28:30)

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

"Three guiding principles shape all of our evaluation and learning efforts: they must be meaningful, actionable, and manageable."  -Roger Nozaki  

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

  1. Barr Foundation Strategies Document. 
  2. Learning and Evaluation for Greater Impact blog post. 
  3. Op-Ed in the Boston Globe by Jim Canales, CEO. 
  4. Ten Questions with Roger Nozaki. 
  5. Article in Chronicle of Philanthropy on the important role of regional funders in climate action.
  6. Book Recommendation: "Strategic Giving" by Peter Frumkin (amazon link). 

THANKS SO MUCH FOR LISTENING!

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