Foundation Grants
Community Vital Signs
About Us
Researchers Alison Powell, Susan Wolf Ditkoff, and Fay Twersky have partaken in a collaboration literature review, which identified more than 125 major articles and reports by practitioners and academics.
The review shows knowledge gaps, particularly around the foundational questions of whether funders should pursue collaborative action, and what distinguishes failure from success.
To address these gaps, the researchers conducted a study of 10 relatively successful collaboratives, as well as a set of 15 that had faltered or failed, including collaboratives in which donors align funding against an agreed set of criteria, and excluded those whose core focus is learning together while pursuing individual funding goals.
The key finding of the research is under collaboratives can drive greater results when well executed compared to funders who generally believe they could achieve by working alone.
The research suggests the value stronger models can achieve, and provides guidance where collaboratives can better focus their grantmaking strategies and engage their grantees to achieve more impact.
The researchers dig deep into examining core areas that include organization funders, field builders, goal aligners, finding the right investment thesis, and gathering fundamental questions for funder collaboratives to ask themselves.
Read the Entire Article
Selected Foundation News
A customized collection of news from foundations from around the Web.
"When I met with Gibson and a fellow trustee, Ronnie Greenwood, we quickly established a working relationship to consider how music students at [the University of the West of Scotland's] Ayr Campus...more
A team of University of Pittsburgh health sciences students has won a " Healthy Equity Innovation Award" at a national case competition for their plan to deal with a pandemic involving...more
"People often ask me why I chose wood. The answer is, that was the material that was available to me," said Thaddeus Mosley at SculptureCenter's annual gala in New York City last night. The...more
"When your peers are staring at you, waiting for instruction, it makes it hard to want to experiment, or create the sense of dynamism or play that brings music to life." So says James Spinazzola,...more
For 30 years, students in Santa Rosa, Calif., have had the option of studying either the visual or performing arts, the Press Democrat reports. Now they've got a chance to see their work up close...more
The American Theatre Wing, the force behind the Tony Awards, is putting its money where its mouth is. The group has awarded more than 250 students in 34 states with grants to help them continue...more
For two days in March, music fans gathered in Phoenix's Steele Indian School Park for the McDowell Mountain Music Festival, which featured electronic dance music (EDM), R&B, and indie rock. But...more
Foundation: Rockefeller Foundation, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is honoring five people for their "extensive community involvement, philanthropic endeavors, and exemplary service to the community," per a release. The...more
"I was working in corporate America for one of the world's largest retail companies, and it was challenging and wonderful in many ways. But I was finding my truest fulfillment on Saturday...more
If you're looking for a way to give back to your community, FirstBank has just the thing for you. The bank's Charitable Foundation is holding its first-ever Better Giving for Greater Impact...more
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Why People Buy from Social Enterprises?
The Guardian has compiled a list of responses to its latest open thread, and has announced the winner of the social enterprise gift hamper packed with presents.