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Resource Type: Publication

The Source Codes of Foundation Culture

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Philanthropy evolves slowly, despite (or maybe because of) very few external constraints or imperatives. Historically, good stewardship of philanthropic resources has focused on preserving capital and growing assets for the benefit of future generations. But given the complex, evolving nature of challenges like poverty and climate change, as well as what we have learned about how best to support nonprofit success and community impact, we must shift our conception of good stewardship in order to make significant progress in solving large-scale problems.

How Do We Determine the Right Role to Play in Collaboration?

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Collaborations — groups of grantmakers, nonprofits and other stakeholders aligning around a shared vision and targeting resources and activities in support of that vision — require partners to play various roles to be successful. Once grantmakers make the decision to work together, the next step is to consider what role(s) we play in the collaboration. This piece outlines a variety of roles grantmakers can play in collaboratives and offers tips for identifying the right role(s) for each organization.

How Can We Help Our Grantees Strengthen Their Capacity for Evaluation?

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There is widespread and growing recognition in the nonprofit sector about the importance of evaluation — not only for measuring impact, but also for improving programs and better serving communities. While grantmakers generally see evaluation as necessary, most are not yet investing enough resources in this area.

Leveraging Social Sector Leadership

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What do social sector leaders need to help them succeed and, just as importantly, stay in the sector? What can grantmakers do to support these leaders?

What Are Different Ways to Engage Stakeholders?

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A host of specific practices and activities can help grantmakers bring the voices of nonprofits, beneficiaries and community members into decision making and planning. These activities range from lower touch where grantmakers create vehicles to communicate with key stakeholders, to higher levels of involvement in shaping grantmaking programs.

What Financial Challenges Do Nonprofits Face?

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Financial struggles are a reality for many nonprofits, even those with excellent programs. Primarily dependent on highly restricted grant support that does not cover general operations, today’s nonprofits spend too much time trying to cobble together a patchwork of funding sources.

Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter?

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Grantmakers recognize the value of supporting effective, well-led organizations – strong organizations create meaningful changes in the world. To help us understand whether we are making progress in supporting nonprofits in ways that allow them to be successful, GEO conducts field research to track trends in grantmaker practice. In short, we want to know: is grantmaking getting smarter?

What Makes a Successful Learning Community?

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Learning communities are powerful vehicles for both individuals and communities to amass a shared collection of experience around learning and results from collective action. Grantmakers are well positioned to provide the types of support that catalyze, develop and sustain learning communities. This piece offers key learning for grantmakers about the design, execution and outcomes of learning communities.

What Mindset is Needed to Support Collaboration?

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Throughout history, social change has been possible only through the contributions and dedication of many people and organizations connected in tight and loose groups. Recognizing that operating within the confines of a single organization is often insufficient to create widespread, lasting change, grantmakers are adopting a different mindset that helps them see and do their work as part of larger, more diverse and powerful efforts.

Evaluating Community Change: A Framework for Grantmakers

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Philanthropy works to improve conditions in communities so that life is better for the people living in them. Grantmakers, including government funders, community foundations and private foundations that fund both locally and nationally, are investing in place-based community change efforts that take many forms.

Evaluating Community Change: A Framework for Grantmakers (text version)

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Philanthropy works to improve conditions in communities so that life is better for the people living in them. Grantmakers, including government funders, community foundations and private foundations that fund both locally and nationally, are investing in place-based community change efforts that take many forms.

What Capacities do Nonprofits Need in Order to Collaborate?

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Collective action is an effective way for nonprofits to increase their impact, but they often lack the key capacities that enable these types of partnerships to thrive. Nonprofits need time and space to explore and employ the power of collective action to advance their missions. They also need organizational slack, and board and staff leaders who are adept at building relationships and sharing power and responsibility.