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Chanda Smith Baker

@chandasbaker

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President and CEO @spmfoundation |🎙 Host of @conversationswithchanda | Co-Founder @mnblackcf

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2025 owes me nothing. #grateful by @chandasbaker

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10 months ago

When the Hispanic Heritage Foundation brought its awards to Minnesota, they honored the people of this state. Not one community. Everyone.

That’s the Minnesota I know. Thank you to our Latino neighbors, friends, and leaders for the joy and the strength you bring to all of us every day. taken in Orchestra Hall (Minneapolis) by @chandasbaker

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4 days ago

"The power of possible means that there's more work to do." 💪

Our President & CEO Chanda Smith Baker shares why the power of possible is energy-shifting and a catalyst for creativity.

What is your power of possible? Share your story with us at the link in our bio! taken in Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation by @chandasbaker

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18 days ago

Knowing yourself is not a reason to stop stretching yourself.

People are surprised to hear I am an introvert. If you are with me when I hit the wall, you will see it. The peopling for today is over, and you will literally see it in my body.
Being comfortable in front of a room did not come with the role. It came with coaching, effort and a lot of practice.

From a conversation with Michelle Maryns at the Minnesota Council on Foundations. by @chandasbaker

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24 days ago

Are we close enough to know?

Proximity and understanding matter, especially when we’re making decisions that impact people and communities.

A moment from my conversation with @susanbassroberts of the Pohlad Foundation and Jen Ford Reedy of the Bush Foundation at the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable. taken in Minneapolis Club by @chandasbaker

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a month ago

New episode is live! 🚨

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She oversees nearly $2 billion in charitable assets, and she’ll tell you the most important thing she does is shut up and listen.

@chandasbaker runs the @spmfoundation, the largest community foundation in the state, awarding more than 9,000 grants a year. If anyone has earned the right to walk into a room with the answers, it’s her.

Instead, she walks in curious.

On the latest episode of Proof of Impact, she told me her whole leadership posture comes down to two things: stay proximate, and stay curious. Not “I’ve seen this before, here’s the fix.” But “what’s actually happening here, and whom should I be learning from?”

That runs against almost everything we’re taught about leadership. We think authority means having the answer. We think expertise means we’ve stopped needing to ask.

Chanda’s career says the opposite. The more power she’s gained, the more deliberately she listens, because she knows that the person closest to a problem usually understands it better than the person holding the checkbook.

There’s a warning in that for all of us. The moment you decide you already understand a community, you stop being able to serve it.

Proximity isn’t a phase you graduate from; it’s the whole job.

Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Link in bio! taken in Picnic Linden Hills by @chandasbaker

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a month ago

Minnesota State Fair, you never disappoint. 🎡 taken in Minnesota State Fair by @chandasbaker

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a month ago

💭 How can we amplify our impact?

In the fifth episode of The Power of Possible: Leadership Edition, Dr. Tashion Macon and Chanda Smith Baker take listeners inside what it means to lead a community foundation.

Chanda describes a community foundation as the place where generosity meets purpose and legacy, bringing together people who care deeply about their neighbors and want to make a meaningful difference.

She shares how her approach is shaped by listening: to community, to peers and especially to emerging leaders whose perspectives challenge and expand her own. This episode highlights the importance of creating space for new voices, borrowing courage when needed and remembering what it felt like to be earlier in your journey.

🔗 Episode 5 is streaming now! Watch and/or listen at the link in our bio. by @chandasbaker

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2 months ago

Some of the best advice I’ve received about leadership was really about listening.

Listen for what’s actually being said. Pay attention to what you might be adding to it. And understand what you’re reacting to before you respond.

It’s a lesson I continue to carry with me.

A reflection I shared at Angel Fest this year on leading through periods of uncertainty. by @chandasbaker

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2 months ago

Well… that was unexpected. 😂🐦 taken in Bell Museum by @chandasbaker

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2 months ago

Last week I spent some time at Minnesota Farmfest in Redwood County, connecting with people, attending the forums, getting on a tractor and taking a ride on a golf cart. 🚜

There’s always more to appreciate about Minnesota. The people, the places and the experiences along the way.

And yes, I had a little fun too. ❤️ taken in Redwood County by @chandasbaker

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2 months ago

@halinyc gave the simplest definition of a giving circle I have heard. Groups of people pooling their time, talent, treasure, testimony, and ties to do something good in their community. That is it. No minimum wealth required. We are starting one here, and I want you in it.

Link in bio to listen to the full episode. 🎧 taken in Bell Museum by @chandasbaker

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2 months ago