After a few days off for Thanksgiving, I’m settling into the end-of-the-year push that all organizations face – working with funders interested in our February 2011 grantee surveys, finalizing CEP’s 2011 plan and budget, giving and getting 360 feedback, preparing the CEP staff survey, and generally wrapping up loose ends. In the midst of all that activity focused on the coming year, it’s easy to forget to reflect on the past.
So, I wanted to take a second to thank the many funders who have worked with CEP in the past few years and used CEP assessment tools to assess and increase their own effectiveness in creating impact. And it’s important not to forget all the grant recipients and other stakeholders who provided incredibly thoughtful feedback to foundations. The time that grantees take to provide feedback and the earnestness with which funders act on it is such an important reminder that we’re all working towards the same important goals. To make this “thank you” a bit more public for the 143 funders and more than 50,000 grantees who have been part of the Grantee Perception Report in the last four years, CEP’s taken out an ad in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, which you can see here.
As I begin my 10th year at CEP, allow me my moment of cheesiness. Thanks to the funders we work with and the staff at nonprofits who are doing so much to fight for our common causes. Thank you for pushing me, and all of CEP, to work harder every day.
Kevin Bolduc is Vice President – Assessment Tools at the Center for Effective Philanthropy.
