In a recent data point post, we shared that the most significant factor program staff consider when determining what type of assistance beyond the grant to provide is specific requests from grantees. In our research, program staff also told us that the most frequent assistance beyond the grant request they receive from grantees is help raising money from other sources.
For our survey of 103 program officers at foundations with $100 million or more in assets, we listed a range of ways foundations could assist their grantees in obtaining additional funding from other sources, and asked respondents to select all the ways in which they do so.
The typical foundation provides just 22 percent of its grantees with assistance securing funding from other sources. The most frequent way program staff assist grantees in obtaining additional funding is by suggesting other funders. But, grantees do not rate the impact of this type of assistance much differently than not receiving any suggestions at all. Perhaps this is because most foundation grantees are already well aware of other potential funders.
The typical foundation goes beyond simply suggesting other funders for only 12 percent of its grantees. However, when foundations do more, either by introducing grantees to other funders or attending meetings with other funders, it makes a difference. Grantees rate the impact of this assistance securing funding higher than grantees not receiving these activities.
* * * * * * * *
What is the current state of assistance beyond the grant at large foundations? For a fuller exploration of nonmonetary assistance, see the report More Than Money: Making a Difference with Assistance Beyond the Grant written by Ellie Buteau, Ph.D., Phil Buchanan, Cassie Bolanos, Andrea Brock, and Kelly Chang.
Ellie Buteau is Vice President – Research at the Center for Effective Philanthropy.
