Site Visits: A Useful Tool for Effective and Engaged Grantmakers

Family Giving News

From the August 2005 issue of Family Giving News, published by the National Center for Family Philanthropy.

http://www.ncfp.org/FGN-Aug_2005/contents.html

The Truth About Site Visits-Why grantmakers do them; What you should know

Minesota Council on Foundation

This article, written by Joel Hoekstra, was originally published in the Spring 1999 issue of the Giving Forum.

http://www.mcf.org/MCF/forum/1999/sitevisit.htm

Foundation News & Commentary

On Site Visits: The art of information Excavation

The following is an excerpt from Grantmaking Basics: A Field Guide for Funders, by Barbara D. Kibbe, Fred Setterberg and Colburn Wilbur, which was published by the Council on Foundations.

http://www.foundationnews.org/CME/article.cfm?ID=804

Kate Cassidy

Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers

Developing a Site Visit Program
Council on Foundations
Basic guidance for foundations on how to develop a site visit program.
www.cof.org/Content/General/Display.cfm?contentid=938

Managing Grantseeker Expectations: Site Visits
GrantCraft
Advice for grantmakers on how to manage grantseekers’ expectations during site visits.
www.grantcraft.org/catalog/guides/yesno/managing_expectations.html

The Evaluation Wars
Association of Small Foundations
This essay offers some tips for a foundation to “eyeball effectiveness” during a site visit.
www.smallfoundations.org/why_give_/evaluation_wars

Successful Interviews With Grantees (PDF)
Council on Foundations
Practical tips for conducting successful grantee interviews during a site visit.
www.cof.org/files/Documents/WebNotebook/July2003/Grants/Successful_Interviews_with_Grantees.pdf

Sample Site Visit Worksheet (PDF)
Council on Foundations
www.cof.org/files/Documents/WebNotebook/July2003/Grants/Sample_Site_Visit_Worksheet.pdf

Sample Site Visit Checklist
Council on Foundations
www.cof.org/Content/General/Display.cfm?CONTENTID=933

Sample Site Visit Review Questions
Council on Foundations
www.cof.org/Content/General/Display.cfm?CONTENTID=937

Sample Site Visit Evaluation
Council on Foundations
www.cof.org/Content/General/Display.cfm?CONTENTID=930

Megan Wentworth

For Additional Resources, please see the Site Visits section of the Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington website: