Tag Archive
developing strategy
Making Evaluation Matter
January 23rd, 2013
Evaluation matters. When we surveyed foundation CEOs about performance assessment in 2011, we saw that nearly all rely on formal evaluations—including of grantees, program areas, and grant clusters—to inform their understanding of their foundations’ effectiveness. ...
Gloves Off Wisdom for Donors from the UK: A Philanthropy “How-To”
August 22nd, 2012
I did not necessarily expect to like Caroline Fiennes It Ain’t What You Give, It’s the Way You Give It, but I’d rank it among the best in the burgeoning industry of philanthropy how-to literature. I did not expect to like it because, lately, I have had trouble not rolling my eyes when I see the latest press release for yet another book offering donors advice on how to maximize their impact. ...
Engaging Grantees In Foundations’ Social Media and How To Tell If It’s Working
August 16th, 2012
Last week, more than 175 funders tuned into a webinar hosted by the Center for Effective Philanthropy to hear more about new research that seems to have struck a nerve. According to the report, titled Grantees’ Limited Engagement with Foundations’ Social Media, very few grantees—about 16 percent—are engaging on social media with their foundation funders. ...
The Need for Clear Boundaries
May 24th, 2012
This is the second in a series of six blog posts. It has become an article of faith that the “boundaries are blurring” between nonprofits and companies, and that this is inarguably positive. ...
Data Point: What Information are Foundations Using to Assess Their Programmatic Work?
December 9th, 2011
For our recent State of Foundation Performance Assessment report, we gathered data from 173 CEOs of U.S. ...
Data Point: Getting Input When Developing Strategies
November 4th, 2011
Being “strategic” in philanthropy is sometimes equated with being isolated, arrogant, or top-down, with foundation leaders asserting detailed theories of change to rigidly guide grantmaking. But CEP’s research suggests that the opposite is the case. ...
New Report on Strategy at Community Foundations Sparks Debate
September 22nd, 2011
The topic of strategy has long been central to research undertaken by the Center for Effective Philanthropy, because we are convinced that strategy is essential if foundations are to maximize their impact on people, communities and issues. For this reason, we have spent considerable energy exploring how to define strategy in philanthropy and how to determine the degree to which foundations do – or don’t – use strategy in their day-to-day work. ...
Working Strategically: A Common Challenge for Community and Private Foundations
September 14th, 2011
Over the course of CEP’s work, we often hear reasons why foundations cannot, or should not, be compared to one another. According to the conventional wisdom, “If you’ve seen one foundation, you’ve seen one foundation. ...
2013 Conference
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 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
Will What Was Said in Detroit Stay in Detroit?
While I unable to attend the conference, I was interested in this edition of your blog. As someone who has moved in and out of...
While I unable to attend the conference, I was interested in this edition of your blog. As someone who has moved in and out of...
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.
