Mission Focused Funding Supporting Nonprofit Sustainability in the Tumult of a Recession

This report is an evaluation of The California Wellness Foundation's (TCWF) grantmaking. Past evaluations of TCWF's core operating report (COS) funding strategy demonstrated that COS has been successful in building organizational sustainability and capacity, as well as helping grantee organizations leverage funds, increase credibility, and build trust with TCWF -- but those studies took place during much better economic times. This report was prepared by Harder+Company Community Research to explore the effects of the COS funding strategies under the far more difficult economic circumstances of 2009 and 2010. Of the 581 grantee organizations with active grants in 2009 and/or 2010, 424 responded to the evaluation survey, reflecting a 73 percent response rate. Through an analysis of TCWF documents and databases, financial data, survey data, and case studies, this report seeks to answer the following evaluation questions: What was the impact of the recession on TCWF grantees?How were the 2009 and 2010 TCWF COS grants used? What was the impact of the 2009 and 2010 COS grants on organizations?By evaluating the COS grants that were active in 2009 and 2010 -- years that include the official end of the recession and its immediate aftermath -- we were able to identify the effects of this type of funding during a period of major financial strain for most nonprofits. This is a unique opportunity to learn about COS that could inform funding practices now and into the future. The findings from this evaluation reveal that in the midst of the recession, TCWF has supported and even strengthened organizations in a variety of important -- and even surprising --ways. This summary highlights key findings, while the full report provides further detail

The Foundation Center 2004 Annual Report

The growing emphasis on accountability and transparency in the nonprofit sector reached new heights in 2004, prompting intense interest in the activities of grantmakers and their beneficiaries. In this climate, stakeholders within and outside the sector turned in increasing numbers to the Foundation Center, the nation's leading authority on institutional philanthropy. To respond to the burgeoning information needs of diverse audiences, we expanded our data gathering efforts, leveraging new technologies and building new relationships with colleague organizations to present a more vivid and timely portrait of the field of philanthropy

Governing by internet architecture

In the past thirty years, the exponential rise in the number of Internet users around the word and the intensive use of the digital networks have brought to light crucial political issues. Internet is now the object of regulations. Namely, it is a policy domain. Yet, its own architecture represents a new regulative structure, one deeply affecting politics and everyday life. This article considers some of the main transformations of the Internet induced by privatization and militarization processes, as well as their consequences on societies and human beings.En los últimos treinta años ha crecido de manera exponencial el número de usuarios de Internet alrededor del mundo y el uso intensivo de conexiones digitales ha traído a la luz cuestiones políticas cruciales. Internet es ahora objeto de regulaciones. Es decir, es un ámbito de la política. Aún su propia arquitectura representa una nueva estructura reguladora, que afecta profundamente la política y la vida cotidiana. Este artículo considera algunas de las principales transformaciones de Internet inducida por procesos de privatización y militarización, como también sus consecuencias en las sociedades y en los seres humanos

Funding the Extraordinary: An Evaluation of The Kresge Foundation Arts and Culture Program's Institutional Capitalization Grantmaking

In undertaking an assessment of Kresge's Capitalization Program, NFF applied its own high-level framework to help answer Kresge's primary research questions and assess the progress of each grantee in meeting its stated capital targets. NFF has found that effective capitalization in the nonprofit sector requires attention to three key financial priorities: liquidity, adaptability and durability:1. Liquidity: Does the organization have adequate cash to meet its operating needs?2. Adaptability: Does the organization have flexible funds that allow it to make adjustments as circumstances change?3. Durability: Does the organization have sufficient resources to address the range of needs that it may face in future years?NFF's review of Kresge's grantees sought to assess capitalization by looking for evidence of organizational progress in building liquid funds for immediate operating needs, as well as longer-term balance sheet savings for adaptability and durability. NFF's evaluation of grantees involved a combination of data analysis and interviews