Community Foundations Toolkit to Tackle Poverty - Community Foundations of Canada has launched an online resource for community foundations and other organizations interested in tackling the root causes of complex social issues like poverty. From Good Causes to Root Causes is a practical resource designed to help funders better understand and address poverty in Canadian communities. Learn more here. [Source: CFC]
Just Another Emperor? - Business involvement in philanthropy is increasing day by day, but is it a blessing, a curse, or somewhere in between? Just Another Emperor? is the first book to take a comprehensive and critical look at this vital new phenomenon. Whatever position you take, this could be one of the most important debates of the next 10 years. Download the book for free here. [Source: Charity Village]
Destination Unknown - Although many donors say they give to help the poor, surprisingly few of them donate to organizations that directly assist the needy, shows a Stanford Social Innovation Review Google.org-sponsored study. Surveying 10,000 households that represent the racial, ethnic, regional, and socioeconomic diversity of the United States, the study examined the philanthropic intentions and actions of more than 8,000 contributors who in 2006 made more than $16,000,000 in combined charitable donations. The findings show that there is a wide gulf between donors’ intended and actual giving. Read more here. [Source: Stanford Social Innovation Review]
Sustainability in Emerging Community Foundations - It's a striking paradox: as community foundations grow their assets, their sustainability is often threatened. Learn more here. [Source: FSG Social Impact Advisors]
Giving Priorities Tied to Household Income Levels - This report from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and Google finds that less than one-third of the money individuals gave to US nonprofits in 2005 was focused on the needs of the economically disadvantaged. The study also determined that lower- and middle-income donors are far more likely to give to charities that benefit the poor than are upper-income households. To download the full report in PDF format, click here. [Source: Charity Village]
Paying for Overhead - The perennial and growing challenge for many charities is paying for overhead, or core operating expenses. Charities have complained, with some justification, that funders do not consider these expenses when assessing how much to grant to them. But a recent report in the U.S. challenges the conventional wisdom that foundations are not willing to provide for any overhead. Download the report here.
“Hard Lessons” about Philanthropy - In 1996, the Hewlett Foundation embarked upon an ambitious, multi-year, multimillion-dollar initiative designed to improve the lives of residents in three disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Bay Area. Ten years and $20 million later, the Neighborhood Improvement Initiative is an acknowledged disappointment. While the initiative did improve life in the three neighborhoods, its impact did not reflect the large investments of financial and human resources. What went wrong? How can the Hewlett Foundation and its colleagues in the community and philanthropy learn from the experience of the Neighborhood Improvement Initiative? Read the report more here. [Source: The Hewlett Foundation]
Luck of the Draw - Program officers make or break grantees’ experiences with foundations. To trigger social change, foundations must give program officers better training, clearer expectations, and regular performance feedback. Download the article here. [Source: Stanford Social Innovation Review]
Compounding Impact - This report provides the first comprehensive analysis of mission investing by U.S. foundations. Mission investing is a specific type of social investing that uses financial investments as tools to achieve a foundation’s mission. Learn more here. [Source: FSG Social Impact Advisors]
The Grantmaking Tango - This comprehensive guide to the choices and strategies that grantmakers face, written by Julia Unwin, was published in 2004. Unwin distinguishes three types of intended impacts and three different funding styles. The intended impacts are: maintenance of services and activities; building organizations; and systems change. The funding styles are: giving; shopping; and investing. She suggests that many funders will have a mix of intentions and styles, and that it is important to understand, not confuse, the intents and styles, or risk being much less effective as a funder. Download the guide here. [Source: PFC Newsletter]
Accelerating Impact - This report from the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation documents the Foundation's efforts to contribute to the emerging body of knowledge and reflective practice on the role of funders in supporting innovation and social change. Read the report here. [Source: PFC Newsletter]
Clinton/Slate 60 Philanthropist Gathering - In November 2006, more than a hundred of America's most generous individuals convened at the Clinton Presidential Library to share lessons learned and mistakes made while giving. The conference marked the 10th anniversary of the Slate 60, a list of the 60 US citizens who give the most to charity each year. Learn more here. [Source: Charity Channel]
Grant Makers & Non-profit Leadership Change - Even for seasoned funders, supporting leadership transitions can be a tricky business. Where is the fine line between helping and intruding? What interventions work? And, how can a grant maker play a constructive role? Discover how grant makers take up the transition challenge, engage with boards, support new CEOs and help grantees use the moment to go in promising new directions. Learn more here. [Source: GrantCraft]
Success is Community Leadership, Not Asset Size - It's time for community foundations to replace the traditional approach of measuring their success by the yardstick of asset size and grant dollars. Instead, the Aspen Institute Nonprofit Sector Research Fund argues that Foundations should focus on measures that gauge their leadership on behalf of communities. Read more here. [Source: Aspen Philanthropy Letter]
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