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The CEP blog aims to offer a range of perspectives, experiences, and opinions related to effective philanthropic practice. We welcome submissions that address crucial issues facing individual and institutional donors and are not self-promotional in nature. The views expressed in these posts are not necessarily CEP’s own.
CEP’s strategic planning process has embraced opinions from over seventy staff members, advisors, and directors. Phil Buchanan explains the process and the philosophy behind this approach.
Phil Buchanan shares lessons from a mentor’s strategic planning process and how it shaped his approach to strategy development.
A Harvard Business Review article oversimplified the purpose and ignored the great accomplishments of the nonprofit sector, says Phil Buchanan.
Is the nonprofit sector too data-driven? Phil Buchanan adamently says “no” and argues against the idea that data-based decision making and philanthropic passion are in conflict.
Valerie Threlfall challenges education funders and leaders to listen to students’ thoughtful feedback and to recognize that youth add an important perspective to education reform discussions.
Valerie Threlfall shares two keys to transforming student feedback into meaningful change in high schools.
In response to current events such as Zuckerberg’s gift to Newark and the DC mayoral campaign, Valerie Threlfall asks, “Are these reform efforts adequately considering students’ perspectives?”
Kevin Bolduc and Andrea Brock reflect on the 2010 Council on Foundation’s community foundation conference’s major themes and speakers.
Ron Ragin of the Hewlett Foundation shares four lessons he’s learned during two years of working as a program officer.
Jeff Raikes and Christine DeVita will be sharing stories of foundation goals and strategies at CEP’s 2011 conference. Phil Buchanan introduces them and highlights the Wallace Foundation’s just-released public performance scorecard.
Ron Ragin explains the Hewlett Foundation’s philosophy on general operating support and shares examples of how it benefits nonprofit arts organizations.
Is there too much data in philanthropic decision-making? Phil Buchanan refutes that idea, and introduces Michael Mauboussin, a speaker at CEP’s 2011 conference, who argues that a lack of data often results in flawed decision-making.
Ron Ragin discusses data collection systems that are informing impact measurement in the performing arts at the Hewlett Foundation and evaluation trends (or lack thereof) in the arts more generally.
Esther Duflo, of MIT’s Poverty Action Lab, will be one of the featured speakers at CEP’s 2011 conference. Phil Buchanan explains her use of experiments to inform the field of development economics and how her attitude towards data meshes with CEP’s.
Ron Ragin, associate program officer for the Hewlett Foundation, discusses the Performing Arts program’s Grantee Perception Report results: what was good, what was bad, and what was changed based on grantee perceptions.
Phil Buchanan introduces guest blogger Ron Ragin. Ron is a former CEP research analyst and a current associate program officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Research Analyst Sally Smyth reviews recent communications research. These reports echo what CEP’s data has found to be true: getting clear and consistent about communication is tough, painstaking work.
The video “Know Your Sector” shares enlightening information for both nonprofit veterans and those who know nothing about the sector.
Phil Buchanan takes issue with Hildy Gottlieb’s proposal for renaming the nonprofit sector, saying “…being nonprofit matters, and we shouldn’t deemphasize that by avoiding the term.”
Phil Buchanan pays homage to Joel Orosz, retiring professor of philanthropic studies at Grand Valley State University, who has worked tirelessly to foster greater professionalism in the field of philanthropy and has good-naturedly improved the sector in marked ways.