Phil Buchanan, Author at The Center for Effective Philanthropy

Working Well with Grantees: A Guide for Foundation Program Staff
Ellie Buteau, Ph.D. Director of Research Projects and Special Advisor on Research Methodology and Analysis, CEP
Phil Buchanan President, CEP

Jun 27, 2013 | Funder/Grantee Relationships Assessment Tools, Funder/Grantee Relationships Funder/Grantee Relationships

Ellie Buteau and Phil Buchanan introduce CEP’s newest research report that lays out practical advice for foundation program staff to strengthen relationships with their grantees.

Getting Clear About Overhead, Part 2: Questionable Fundraising Costs
Phil Buchanan President, CEP

Jun 26, 2013 | Assessing Performance Administration, Assessing Performance Assessing Performance, Assessing Performance By Phil Buchanan

Phil Buchanan continues his exposition on the nonprofit overhead debate, warning that a failure to acknowledge our worst offenders blurs our ability to make a cogent argument.

Getting Clear About Overhead, Part 1
Phil Buchanan President, CEP

Jun 25, 2013 | Assessing Performance Administration, Assessing Performance Assessing Performance, Assessing Performance By Phil Buchanan

Phil Buchanan weighs in on the issue of overemphasis on overhead as a measure of nonprofit effectiveness.

‘Strategy’ Is Not a Bad Word
Phil Buchanan President, CEP
Aaron Dorfman President & CEO, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP)

Jun 18, 2013 | Developing Strategy Developing Strategy

Phil Buchanan and Aaron Dorfman dispute the notion that there is an inherent tension between strategy and social-change movements; in fact, they argue, is essential to grass-roots success.

Foundations and Impact Investing: What Is Really Going On?
Phil Buchanan President, CEP

Apr 2, 2013 | Assessing Performance Assessing Performance, Assessing Performance By Phil Buchanan

Phil Buchanan raises questions about what we know about foundations’ involvement in impact investing and calls for new research to explore the topic.

Sifting Through the “Research”
Phil Buchanan President, CEP

Mar 14, 2013 | Assessing Performance Assessing Performance, Assessing Performance By Phil Buchanan

Phil Buchanan warns against the scurrilous errors that can infect supposed “research” and asks us all to become more discerning readers.

Making Evaluation Matter
Phil Buchanan President, CEP

Jan 23, 2013 | Assessing Performance Assessing Performance, Assessing Performance By Phil Buchanan

Phil Buchanan reviews a new internal working paper from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and discusses why distinctions in evaluation practices matter.

When “Dependency” is Not a Bad Word
Phil Buchanan President, CEP

Jan 15, 2013 | Funder/Grantee Relationships Developing Strategy, Funder/Grantee Relationships Funder/Grantee Relationships

Phil Buchanan questions the assumption that a dependence on philanthropic funding is a detriment to grantees and a negative outcome for foundations.

Which Data? And Who Will Pay for It?
Phil Buchanan President, CEP

Oct 30, 2012 | Funder/Grantee Relationships Assessing Performance, Funder/Grantee Relationships By Phil Buchanan, Funder/Grantee Relationships Funder/Grantee Relationships

Phil Buchanan shares insights on the importance of credible data and robust nonprofit performance management systems in light of the recent push for “big data.”