AI WITH PURPOSE:
How Foundations and Nonprofits Are Thinking
About and Using Artificial Intelligence
A new, nationally representative survey of nonprofits and foundations reveals how organizations are engaging with AI, top concerns they share, and lagging support for AI development and use with equity in mind.
Resources for Grantmakers
Access helpful information, like data-backed reports based on rigorous research.
Resources for Individuals
Get insights and information around what it takes to be an effective giver.
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CEP seeks to influence foundations and major donors to be more effective. We offer assessments that gather essential feedback from key stakeholders, data-driven research, customized advisory services, thought-provoking events, and incisive commentary on the CEP Blog.
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CEP’s assessments provide unique insights into your effectiveness by gathering candid and actionable feedback from grantees, donors, and funder staff and benchmarking results with other grantmakers.
Featured Resources
State of Nonprofits 2025: What Funders Need to Know
In CEP’s third annual State of Nonprofits report, nonprofits report difficulty pursuing their missions in a complex environment shaped by the current political climate and future economic uncertainty.
Breaking the Mold: The Transformative Effect of MacKenzie Scott's Big Gifts
Transformative Gifts: Inside Organizations That Received MacKenzie Scott Grants — A Companion to CEP’s Three-Year Study
Partnering for Progress: Grantee Recommendations for Europe-Based Funders
Voices That Matter: How Nonprofits and Foundations Engage With the Communities They Support
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Grace Nicolette, Vice President, Programming and External Relations
From the Blog
Using Staff Feedback to Guide Your 2026 Agenda
At least according to some sources, the statue of limitations has ended on wishing each other a Happy New Year. But, if you’re anything like me, the entire month of January might be viewed as an extension of your end-of-year celebrations — another happy period of...
Three Misconceptions Impeding More Action from Funders
Editor’s note: This is the first in what will be a monthly blog column by CEP President Phil Buchanan in 2026. His posts will generally run on the second Tuesday of each month. In a little less than a year, the U.S. nonprofit sector — comprised of more than 1.5...
Don’t Presuppose AI Has an Inevitably Positive Purpose
The Center for Effective Philanthropy recently released a report titled “AI With Purpose” on how nonprofits are or (for the most part) aren’t integrating these technologies into their daily operations. The report warns that “few foundations provide funding or monetary...