Grantmaking Strategy & Tools

The State of Foundation Performance Assessment: A Survey of Foundation CEOs

Publication date: 
09/2011
Over the past decade foundations have worked to assess their performance in the fields and communities they seek to address. Data-driven forms of measurement have become more widely used to judge the results of programs, as part of a broader range of information used, as CEOs place great importance on assessing their foundations’ effectiveness.
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Can Feedback Fuel Change at Foundations?

Publication date: 
05/2011
When foundations make a commitment to getting consistent feedback from their grantees that is candid and comparative, they can make substantive changes that result in different—and better—grantee experiences. Foundations that use the Grantee Perception Report (GPR) more than once are making changes that are benefiting the organizations they fund. In addition to describing the data, the report identifies four keys to driving change as a result of the GPR, based on CEP’s experience delivering results to some 200 foundations.
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What Makes an Effective Coalition?

Publication date: 
03/2011
The California Endowment, a leading funder of policy advocacy efforts, commissioned TCC Group to conduct new research on the crucial ingredients for an effective coalition or network. Written by TCC Group's Director of Evaluation Jared Raynor, the report identifies the characteristics of effective coalitions and examines how they can be cultivated and evaluated.
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Lessons from the Field: From Understanding to Impact

Publication date: 
12/2010
Three foundations — the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, the Energy Foundation, and the Wilburforce Foundation — seek to make an impact on some of the most complicated challenges we face: civil rights, renewable energy sources, and wildlife protection. This case study provides an in-depth look at how these foundations cultivate an understanding of their fields and then turn that understanding into more effective grantmaking.
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Working with Government: Guidance for Grantmakers

Publication date: 
07/2010
Foundation-government collaborations seem to be on the rise as each sector looks to pool resources with new partners. How can grantmakers take advantage of the benefits while managing the risks of working on terrain that can be unfamiliar to all parties? GrantCraft's latest guide includes case studies, suggestions for finding changemakers in government and advice on navigating roles and power dynamics. Government partners chime in with ideas for keeping things running smoothly.

Race to the Top: What Grantmakers Can Learn from the First Round

Publication date: 
06/2010
The nation's foundation community has provided critical financial and technical support to states applying for the first round of the U.S. Department of Education's "Race to the Top" education reform competition. Yet according to this issue brief from the Foundation Center, created from interviews conducted in March and April 2010 with foundation staff, education consultants, and government leaders who had guided the first-round application process in nine states, the success of future collaborations will depend on government including grantmakers in the development of new policies and...
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Working with Grantees: The Keys to Success and Five Program Officers Who Exemplify Them

Publication date: 
05/2010
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.
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Essentials of Foundation Strategy

Publication date: 
12/2009
What separates more strategic foundation leaders from less strategic ones? This research explores the state of strategy at foundations today and identifies behaviors and practices common to more strategic leaders. Case studies and interviews included in the report highlight strategic best practices.

Communicating for Impact: Strategies for Grantmakers

Publication date: 
11/2009
Foundation communications goes far beyond an annual report or the occasional press release about grantees. And it's no longer the exclusive domain of big foundations, communications staff, or consultants. Integrating communications is critical to advancing programmatic goals. See how grantmakers use a "communications lens" to develop strategy, evaluate impact, take advantage of new media technologies, and more.
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