On the Money: the Key Financial Challenges Facing Nonprofits Today
by Nancy Burd, 2009 Grantmakers for Effective Organizations Featured Publication*, http://www.geofunders.org/publications.aspx
This publication highlights the financial challenges nonprofits face and the ways in which grantmakers are both improving the situation as well as perpetuating the problem.
+ download PDF: http://www.geofunders.org/document.aspx?oid=a0660000004dLaT
+ executive summary: http://www.geofunders.org/document.aspx?oid=a0660000004dgr9
+ discussion guide: http://www.geofunders.org/document.aspx?oid=a0660000004dgqu
Learning for Results
A GEO Action Guide December 2007 Grantmakers for Effective Organizations Featured Publication*, http://www.geofunders.org/publications.aspx
A report on learning organizations, including strategies to embed learning in day-to-day grantmaking work.
+ download PDF
+ executive summary PDF
*About GEO's Publications:
Downloads of GEO publications are free to members. Nonmembers may access executive summaries at no charge, and may purchase hard copies for a fee. Standard UPS Ground charges apply for all shipments. Please indicate if you would like your publications shipped through a diffierent carrier.
Foundation Center's Giving Trends Reports: funding trends reports provide the latest data available on every aspect of U.S. foundation philanthropy. Our team of research experts analyzes and interprets the data on foundations that we collect — providing a national data source unique for its scope, depth, and historical value. http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/nationaltrends.html
The Philanthropic Initiative Library Series: The Venturesome Donor
Raising Children with Philanthropic Values -An excellent primer produced by TPI.
http://www.tpi.org/resources/primer/raising_children_with_philanthropic.aspx
Making a Difference: Evaluating Your Philanthropy- A TPI primer on evaluation.
http://www.tpi.org/resources/primer/raising_children_with_philanthropic.aspx
Passion: Discovering the Meaning in Your Philanthropy- An insightful primer on meaningful giving.
http://www.tpi.org/resources/primer/passion_discovering_the_meaning.aspx
The Strategic Corporate Citizen: Smart Philanthropy and Community Involvement- A working primer written by Ther Senior Advisor and Senior Vice President of TPI.
http://www.tpi.org/resources/primer/the_strategic_corporate_citizen.aspx
Effective Philanthropy: The Importance of Focus
The Conservation Company
A briefing paper that outlines how "for small foundations, a smaller field of vision can mean greater effectiveness", written by Richard A. Mittenthal.
http://www.tccgrp.com/pubs/planning.php
Principles and Practices for Effective Grantmaking
The Council on Foundations
http://www.cof.org/learn/content.cfm?ItemNumber=776
Foundation Effectivness: A Report on a Meeting of Foundation CEOs, Senior Executives, and Trustees (PDF)
The report that resulted from the Center for Effective Philanthropy's seminar.
http://www.effectivephilanthropy.org/images/pdfs/cep03seminar.pdf
Assessing Foundation Performance: Current Practices, Future Possibilities (PDF)
Lessons Learned from a Gathering of Foundation Leaders
The report that resulted from the Center for Effective Philanthropy's 2002 Seminar
http://www.effectivephilanthropy.org/seminars/seminars_past.html
For Additional Resources, please see the Effectiveness section of the Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington website: http://www.gosw.org/grant/makers/info/effectiveness/ Investing in Change: Why Supporting Advocacy Makes Sense for Foundations (PDF) From The Atlantic Philanthropies, “Why Supporting Advocacy Makes Sense for Foundations” explores the experiences of a growing number of funders around the world who are committed to supporting advocacy as a strategy to advance social change. We selected it as the first topic of the series because funding advocacy too often is the philanthropic road not taken, yet it is a road most likely to lead to the kind of lasting change that philanthropy has long sought through other kinds of grants."
Giving Beyond Grantmaking
Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers
Philanthropy in Action: Achieving Impact Without Giving Cash
Council on Foundations
This article highlights some of the key resources other than money that grantmakers can offer to help nonprofits.
www.foundationnews.org/CME/article.cfm?ID=2990
Giving More Than Grants
Association of Small Foundations
This essay describes how the Three Guineas Fund provides assistance to its grantees beyond grant dollars by also offering local knowledge, board and staff expertise, and connections to other funders.
www.smallfoundations.org/why_give_/giving_more_than_grants
Extending Reach Through Funding Partnerships
Association of Small Foundations
This essay describes how two small foundations discovered that collaborating helped them better serve their grantees and their missions.
www.smallfoundations.org/why_give_/partnerships
Philanthropies Working Together: Myths and Realities (PDF)
The Foundation Center
This paper provides an overview of foundation collaboration, and examines the gap between the rhetoric and real incentives of collaboration in the philanthropy field.
www.fdncenter.org/for_grantmakers/practice_matters/practicematters_09_paper.pdf
When Community Foundations and Private & Corporate Funders Collaborate
Council on Foundations
This book provides tools and ideas on how community foundations, private foundations and corporate funders can collaborate. Available for purchase.
www.cof.org/publications
Capacity Building Strategies (PDF)
Council on Foundations
This “Family Matters” newsletter reprint includes articles on how a foundation can help build nonprofit capacity beyond giving grants, including through convening, training and connecting to other funders.
www.cof.org/files/Documents/Newsletters/FamilyMatters/fmspring02.pdf
Megan Wentworth
