Meyer Memorial Trust News
Looking ahead at MMT
It's difficult to overstate the changes Meyer Memorial Trust has been through over the past half decade. Five years ago, we were almost exclusively a general purpose responsive foundation, with nearly all our giving in response to proposals submitted from organizations across Oregon and Clark County, Washington. The field of philanthropy, however, has learned much READ MORE
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Awash in November News
Even the fish are hunkering down as hours of daylight and temperatures diminish. Yesterday I watched them remain absolutely motionless for a good 30 minutes in a sunny spot in the lake in Portland's Chinese Garden. Look at the photo. See how still they are!
Here's a question: when fish stay motionless in one spot in the water, do we call it sitting? lying? standing? I need fish-verb help here, people.
While I await your replies, we are awash in news:
- We awarded nearly $7 million in grants and loans this week. READ MORE
- Is it just me or is everyone seeing a lot of job postings lately? Grantmakers for Education, NTEN, Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO), Think Shout…the list goes on.
- Speaking of NAO, it is joining the online learning community with an 8-part webinar series on successful grants stewardship. Cost for series is $325 ($55 per session) with a 10% discount for NAO members.
- Nonprofits are going to grad school! Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management programs have been announced at both the University of Oregon and Portland State University. The University of Oregon is also offering a Master's degree in Nonprofit Management.
- We came across a very interesting McKinsey on Society report – Activists, Pundits and Quiet Followers: Engaging the Public in Social Issues – about how nonprofits can predict who is likely to be interested in their work and then develop targeted communications and advocacy approaches. (Preview: it's not about demographics.)
- MMT's Communications & Learning Associate emeritus extraordinaire Amy Sample Ward has a very helpful post on What the New Facebook Changes Mean for Nonprofits in the Oct. 18, 2011 issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review.
- In anticipation of the next legislative session, here's more information about nonprofits and lobbying and public policy advocacy. READ MORE
When I can, I like to leave you with something breathtaking. Like this photo of Mt. Rainier casting a shadow in the sky at sunrise. Yes, a shadow in the sky.
Okay, you can breathe again. :)
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Nov 30 2011 - 2:00pm
And the winner is.......
Suspending! I had to go with that because two people suggested it (and one used it in a sentence...a very poetic sentence, I might add!) I seriously loved all the nominations, you are all winners in my eyes.
Thanks for the great participation, you made my month!
Nov 30 2011 - 1:58pm
More fish verb suggestions
Thanks so much for the great suggestions and here are a couple more wonderful contributions that arrived via email:
From Pendleton:
Marie, thanks for your interesting and entertaining MMT News Alerts. I always enjoy reading them, and I was intrigued by your call for help with finding the right verb to describe the motionless fish. My offering for you to consider is "suspending," as in "The fish are quietly suspending in clear water."
Cheers,
Susan Plass
++++++++++
From Grants Pass:
As for the fishies - how about stationary water treading? Or motionless treading?
OR you could look to blimp technology for the answer. Blimps have a bladder of air inside the container of helium. Air is heavier than helium so to go up--air is released, to come down air is taken in. Perhaps fish have a similar mechanism with air. The container is called a ballonets and it's pronunciation is almost like Balloon but with a naze on the end. Long A. As in French pronunciation. Thus - maybe the fishies are ballonazing. (if we wrote balloneting no one would "get it")!
--Hyla Lipson
Nov 15 2011 - 1:50pm
fish holding still in the water
possible answers from polling our staff:
floating
resting
still
basking
swimming in place
dead
Nov 17 2011 - 8:37am
Fish question...
Suspending