Funder-Grantee Relationships

CEP’s insights into what nonprofit grantees value are based on rigorous data we have collected from tens of thousands of grantees of nearly 250 foundations. These foundations span a range of types, programmatic and geographic focuses, asset sizes, and several other demographic attributes.

We have published several reports based on our grantee perception data:

Download the report

NEW RESEARCH:

A Time of Need: Nonprofits Report Poor Communication and Little Help from Foundations During the Economic Downturn

The recent economic downturn has left both foundations and nonprofits unsure about their financial futures. Unfortunately, our research has found that nonprofits do not perceive funders to have communicated their responses to the economic downturn clearly, if at all. This research reveals that nonprofits report that funders have offered them little useful help in responding to the challenges of the crisis. CEP began asking grantees about their funders’ communications and helpfulness in response to the downturn in the last half of 2009, and A Time of Need analyzes data gathered from surveys of over 6,000 grantees of 37 foundations.

Download the report

Read an excerpt

Working with Grantees: The Keys to Success and Five Program Officers Who Exemplify Them

Successful foundation-grantee relationships hinge on the prowess of individual program officers, whose abilities may vary widely within a single foundation. This research explores what grantees value in their relationships with program officers and identifies four keys to success. Five high-performing program officers share their stories.

Our data collection is ongoing as we continue to expand our database. This data informs our research and enables us to provide individual funders with Grantee Perception Reports^®(GPR).

Some Questions Our Research Can Help You Answer

Do you strive to strengthen the nonprofits you fund?

The Winter Park Health Foundation provides valuable assistance to the organizations it funds. Read the case study.

Is your foundation making changes in its grantmaking? What will you tell your grantees and how will you tell them?

Program officers at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation personally reached out to each grantee whose funding was to be discontinued. This proactive approach to explaining the cutbacks helped these grantees understand the reasoning behind them. Learn more in an excerpt from Foundation Communications.

What do your grantees really think of their program officers?

When given a chance to comment on their funders anonymously, grantees often write about their program officers. While they are often quite positive, there are some common complaints. CEP explored "When Grantees Take the Gloves Off" in "Luck of the Draw," an article for Stanford Social Innovation Review.