Action Learning
Turning knowledge into improved practice.
It is one thing to know change is needed; it's something else entirely to transform that knowledge into improved practice. GEO’s Action Learning offerings bring together a group of grantmaking peers to explore a shared challenge and implement immediate changes in their work.
Upcoming Opportunities:
- CCBLab: Building the capacity of nonprofit organizations — exploring effective assessments of capacity building efforts, developing funder collaborations, promising methodologies for building specific types of capacity and mapping nonprofit needs, and working with delivery partners. + more
- Working with intermediaries — exploring the role of regranting and working with intermediaries to achieve greater impact, including finding and selecting the right partners, level of grantmaker involvement in grantee selection, the value intermediaries bring and the challenges they face being simultaneously a funder and a grantee. + more
How do I know if Action Learning is right for me?
Key to the success of an action learning group is having the right people in the room. We have found that the most successful learning experiences include participants who:
- Have burning questions or challenges related to a topic
- Want to and are able to make improvements to how their foundation works
- Want help from peers in other organizations on how to make those improvements
- Have capacity to participate in the designated timeframe
- Are willing to share ideas and learning with other colleagues within their foundation
- Are willing and able to share their experiences with peers in the AL group
What have past participants said about Action Learning?
“[Unlike many grantmaker convenings], with this group, you go back home… you think about what you already have in your work plan and how you can apply what you learned to what you are already doing… It has been a great learning experience and a practical one that we are applying to our work.”
“It’s like group consultation, not a workshop. Working one-on-one with a consultant would not have been as effective.”
“If I left right now [half-way through], I’d have gotten my money and time’s worth. Hearing how other experienced grantmakers are tackling this issue is incredibly helpful.”
How does Action Learning work?
Action Learning can take place through many formats, such as peer-to-peer coaching, virtual and in-person convenings, site visits or working groups. Because no one single approach to action learning is likely to meet the needs of all GEO members, each Action Learning offering is uniquely structured to achieve the desired outcomes of the participants.
GEO listens intently to our members to identify opportunities for both the framing questions and the right programming model. GEO members can also request the creation of a group.
What topics has GEO covered so far?
Supported by light-touch, but powerful facilitation, GEO’s Action Learning groups have developed improved practice around such questions as:
- How can we best support seasoned nonprofit leaders?
- How can we best strengthen synergies between investments in leadership with investments in organizational capacity building?
- How can we best demonstrate the success of general operating support?
- What will it take to best leverage lessons learned from grantmaking “failures”?
- How can we improve evaluation of general operating support?
- What will it take to ensure that our learning practices increase the impact of our grantmaking?
Who has already participated?
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Contact:
To learn more about forming or joining an Action Learning group, please contact Leonor Alfonso, senior program specialist, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 202.355.9536.
