When markets shrink and foundation assets—despite being collectively measured in the billions of dollars—wither, we are again reminded of philanthropy’s rather relative insignificance in the great scheme of things………………..Don’t get me wrong; I don’t want to imagine a world without grant-making foundations. The evidence of the problems they have helped to solve and the emergency relief they have provided during critical times is all about us………………..And yet, despite all of their good work, we also must concede that they haven’t put much of a dent in the massive problems facing our society. All of which brings me back to the subject of advocacy and the need to support it………………..Perhaps your foundation is trying to correct the cavalierly destructive way in which we have despoiled our environment for hundreds of years. Maybe your work is focused upon the symptoms of poverty that manifest themselves in hunger and homelessness—or the struggles of rural communities to make themselves sustainable, or the need for more early childhood education in your community. Perhaps you want to sustain the arts or bring an end to the abuse of animals. More often than not, though, as you wrestle with the decisions about how to be of greatest assistance, you will discover that one of your biggest obstacles lies in the realm of public policy………………..It’s difficult enough to be discerning about your philanthropy without the additional complication of combating laws and regulations that gets in the way of good education for all children, good health care for everyone, and the protection of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the natural eco-systems upon which we all depend. Bad public policy, in effect, is making it difficult for your grant dollars to make a difference………………..From my perspective, you have an option. If you indeed are determined to make a significant impact with your giving, by all means acknowledge the fact that your resources are limited. But instead of getting depressed, think about how you can leverage those assets by supporting organizations that are advocating for the kinds of changes in public policy that will make your other grants more effective.