Monthly Archive
July 2010Program Officers Describe Keys to Success when Working with Grantees
July 28th, 2010
In her blog post of last week, Linda Wood described the benefits to philanthropy when funders participate in “more truth-telling and candor.” Her comments are right in line with the findings we report in Working with Grantees: The Keys to Success and Five Program Officers Who Exemplify Them. ...
Introducing Linda Wood of the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
July 20th, 2010
When it comes to soliciting feedback from grantees, the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund in San Francisco walks the talk. ...
Report Watch: Rejecting False Dichotomies
July 19th, 2010
One of my great frustrations about the discussions and debates in philanthropy over the nine years I have been in this job is the tendency of those writing about philanthropy to posit false dichotomies. So of all the excellent passages in the Monitor Institute report I blogged about on Friday, entitled What’s Next for Philanthropy, this one may have been my favorite. ...
Report Watch: The Future of Philanthropy (and Your Next Board Meeting)
July 16th, 2010
Two new must-read reports seek to look into philanthropy’s future. Lucy Bernhoz with Ed Skloot and Barry Varela focus on the role of technology in their piece, Disrupting Philanthropy. ...
Education Funders: Step Up and Hear from Those You Seek to Help
July 14th, 2010
This is widely seen to be a rare moment of potential dramatic change in the American system of K-12 education. Yet, in all the debate about what are the best strategies for improving educational outcomes for our young people, we hear precious little about the perspectives of young people themselves. ...
Those Who Should Matter Most
July 12th, 2010
Are funders listening to those who should matter most? Are funders listening to those whose lives they seek to improve? ...
Report Watch: Engaging Stakeholders
July 7th, 2010
Do Nothing About Me Without Me: This is the title of a just-released, toughly worded, “action guide” that calls on funders to embrace “stakeholder engagement.” The report, released by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) in partnership with the Interaction Institute for Social Change, calls on funders to substantively engage stakeholders in their decision making, defining stakeholders in five categories: Internal stakeholdersGranteesGrantmaking peersLocal community membersThought leaders / experts I was pleased to see the emphasis on hearing from and listening to stakeholders. ...
Wall Street Saves the World!
July 2nd, 2010
The idiocy continues. More media reports and public pronouncements on philanthropy that equate the push for effectiveness and impact with the adoption of business or “Wall Street” practices. ...
assessing performance
beneficiary feedback
beneficiary perceptions
communications
community foundations
comparative data
conferences
developing strategy
Donor Perception Report
economy
effective philanthropy
Essentials of Foundation Strategy
foundation effectiveness
foundation governance
foundation performance
foundation staff/program officers
foundation strategy
foundation transparency
Funder/Grantee Relationships
funder/grantee relationships
funder effectiveness
giving strategy
goals
Grantee Perception Report
grantee perspectives
Grantee Voice
indicators
leadership
nonprofit sector
overall foundation performance assessment
performance assessment
performance measurement
philanthropy
role of philanthropy
social media
Staff Perception Report
stakeholder engagement
strategy implementation
youth
YouthTruth
Lessons from a Risk Taken
I really appreciate your willingness to share this and your assessment of what didn't work out as planned or anticipated. Thanks.
I really appreciate your willingness to share this and your assessment of what didn't work out as planned or anticipated. Thanks.
Lessons from a Risk Taken
Jon, thanks for the comment. If there’s one thing we learned, it’s that the cost in time and effort and dollars were all higher than...
Jon, thanks for the comment. If there’s one thing we learned, it’s that the cost in time and effort and dollars were all higher than...
Lessons from a Risk Taken
Thanks for sharing the lessons learned, and what I sense are second thoughts about the cost/benefit of the whole enterprise. I appreciate the thirst for...
Thanks for sharing the lessons learned, and what I sense are second thoughts about the cost/benefit of the whole enterprise. I appreciate the thirst for...
Foundations and Impact Investing: What Is Really Going On?
Great insight. Sometimes it's great to invest in multiple countries as security as the economy in one country might decrease and increase in another.
Great insight. Sometimes it's great to invest in multiple countries as security as the economy in one country might decrease and increase in another.
Foundations and Impact Investing: What Is Really Going On?
Great questions. It is likely still too early to get a handle on whether the (potential) results reflect the hype meaningfully. However, I will be...
Great questions. It is likely still too early to get a handle on whether the (potential) results reflect the hype meaningfully. However, I will be...
