A 'Flip' Chat With...Ben Esner, Senior VP for Programs, Brooklyn Community Foundation

This is the fourth in our series of "Flip" chats with thought leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. You can find others here (Ami Dar, Idealist), here (Nancy Lublin, Do Something) and here (Lucy Bernholz, Blueprint Research & Design).

One of the great things about working for an organization like the Foundation Center is being able to meet nonprofit and foundation leaders who participate in events at our New York City library. Most recently, I attended an event where five panelists -- Ben Esner of the Brooklyn Community Foundation, Armanda Famiglietti of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Jonathan Goldberg of the Surdna Foundation, Rossana Martinez of the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, and Susanna Zwerling of Verizon -– discussed the pros and cons of online grant applications and reporting. (For more information about the event, be sure to read my colleague Tracy Kaufman's post at the Philanthropy Front and Center – New York blog.)

After the event, I had the opportunity to speak with Esner, senior vice president for programs at BCF, about the foundation's funding priorities. In the video, Esner also shares some background about the foundation, which began life as the Independence Community Foundation, an independent private foundation associated with the Independence Community Bank (since acquired by Sovereign Bank), became a public charity in October 2009, and announced its first round of grants earlier this month.

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(Total running time: 9 minutes, 54 seconds)

-- Regina Mahone

Comments

[Philippe Boucher]

Just a small technical question: what type of flipcam do you use? do you use a tripod (what type?) or do you hold the flipcam in your hand?
Thank you in advance.

[Regina Mahone]

Hi Philippe,

We use a Flip UltraHD and a floor-standing tripod.

Thanks for reading!

Regina