Funders, make a plan to gather vital feedback on your work in 2026!
Contact Us
Search
What does it take to form strong relationships with grantees? What does it take to be responsive, fair, approachable when problems arise, and clear and consistent in communications – the core aspects of any effective funder-grantee relationship? These are questions...
I recently wrote a post for the CEP blog about the power of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers — the Forum Network — to advance philanthropy across the field. That power of the Forum Network, the largest network serving philanthropy in America, was on...
All foundations confront exits. Whether due to shifting strategic priorities, limited-time enterprises, or other organizational changes, the decision to leave a field challenges foundation leaders, staff, routines, relationships and results. Writing on the subject is...
The giving sector deserves credit for many things, but efficiency is not always one of them. For as long as there have been foundations investing in worthy causes, there have also been critics rightfully pointing out the duplicative, even wasteful ways with which the...
Foundations interested in helping nonprofit grantees build capacity can choose from many potential routes to accomplish those goals. From direct technical assistance to grant-funded consultant support, many funders grapple with the best approach to providing...
In this new series, we’ll be sharing case studies of foundations that exemplify the ways in which funders can provide their grantees with support that goes beyond just the check. In 2008, CEP published a research report, More than Money: Making a Difference with...
Starting this month, we are kicking off a Q&A series on the blog, in which readers can submit questions to be answered by CEP’s experts. We’d love to hear from you with questions related to relationship-building with grantees, grantmaking patterns, assistance...
Foundation effectiveness, as CEP’s own Phil Buchanan has helpfully summarized, is about four things: clear goals, coherent strategies, disciplined implementation, and relevant performance indicators. As the field has sought how to achieve greater effectiveness, “one...
Ireland, recently placed 4th in the CAF World Giving Index 2014, is a country that has benefited greatly from philanthropy. However research by Philanthropy Ireland in 2011, found that only 25% the population understood the term philanthropy. Ironically many believe...
A program officer was doing a site visit with a small nonprofit that worked with at-risk teens. The organization didn’t have a lot of resources, but they developed good relationships with the kids and were making a difference. At the end of the visit the executive...