Who Manages The Money? How Foundations Should Help Democratize Capital

For the past twenty-five years or more there has been a groundswell of activity among investment managers institutional investors, consultants and diversity advocates to democratize capital -- that is, to create more opportunities for diverse investment professionals and the firms they lead, to manage institutional capital This effort, grounded in both fiduciary and equity principles, has led to the growth of many diverse investment management firms like Progress Investment Management Company LLC ("Progress") and others. A range of stakeholders now recognizes that democratization of capital brings a range of positive benefits to our industry and society at larg

Leadership and innovation lessons from professional services firms

This paper compares and contrasts higher education with professional services firms. It considers what (if anything) leaders in higher education may gain from reflecting on how other sectors are evolving and the extent to which lessons can be learned by looking outwards. We structure the paper by outlining the world of PSFs, its many manifestations and some of the current challenges in Section 2. We then move on to compare and interpret one particular leadership framework we developed to understand PSFs, and use this to identify some potential questions for higher education leaders. Finally, we conclude by exploring how, in the light of some of the current drivers of change, our view of the higher education sector may evolve as a new ‘eco-system’ emerges

Pathways to Progress: The Portfolio and the Field of Youth Economic Opportunity

In 2014, the Citi Foundation launched Pathways to Progress, a three-year, $50 million initiative in the United States to help 100,000 low-income youth -- ages 16 to 24 -- develop the workplace skills and leadership experience necessary to compete in a 21st century economy.To achieve its ambitious goal, the Foundation enacted a multi-tiered strategy in ten cities: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Newark, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. The U.S. strategy also includes complementary national and local investments, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the National Academy Foundation, and the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues. In addition to the core and complementary program investments, the Citi Foundation's multitiered strategy includes substantial volunteer engagement by Foundation employees, and a significant communications platform -- augmenting grantee organizations' efforts to share their impact with the field.In its efforts to advance youth economic opportunity on a significant scale, the Citi Foundation has invested in solutions that offer promise of sizeable and replicable impact

Built to Change: Catalytic Capacity-Building in Nonprofit Organizations

Summarizes the results of a broad survey of programs, and business and nonprofit experts, in the field of organizational effectiveness

Process Evaluation Insights on Program Implementation

This white paper has the explicit intention to draw lessons learned from the past 30 years of energy efficiency program evaluation in order to facilitate improved program design and implementation going forward. The discussion in this white paper is developed based on interviews with 43 individuals who are either practitioners or users of process and market evaluation. In addition, we obtained references to published materials from our contacts and reviewed conference proceedings dating from 1992 to 2008, which resulted in a review of nearly 100 articles or reports documenting the results of, or commenting on, process and market evaluations

Seeing It Through: Advanced Strategies for Influencing Education Policy

Outlines recommendations from a May 2009 Education Grantmakers Institute about the opportunities and risks of public policy grantmaking, navigating policy from federal to individual levels, funding research, acting as policy entrepreneurs, and evaluation

Seeking Shared Success: Business Model Innovation Through Mergers, Affiliations, and Alliances

Learn how alliances, affiliations, and mergers represent a path to enhanced sustainability and greater impact for community foundations. Hear perspectives from community foundation leaders, access tools for considering a new structure, and read case studies from six community foundations

Safe Routes to School State Network Project: 2007 Annual Progress Report: Building Diverse Partnerships and Action Plans

Summarizes the project to promote walking and bicycling to school and the progress made in its first year. Outlines lessons learned, each state network's activities and accomplishments, and next steps to implement the program nationwide

How Giving Contests Can Strengthen Nonprofits and Communities

Presents a case study of Give to the Max Day: Greater Washington, its financial performance and impact on area nonprofits' relationships with donors, capacity building, and the sector. Outlines successful strategies and tips for nonprofits and organizers

The Rockefeller Foundation Program NYC Cultural Innovation Fund: Evaluation

The Rockefeller Foundation launched the NYC Cultural Innovation Fund (CIF) in2007. Since then, it has supported six rounds of annual grantmaking, resulting in99 grants to 86 nonprofit cultural and community organizations in New York City.Grants across the six years 2007–2012 totaled $16.3 million.An Evaluation Team headed by Helicon Collaborative assessed CIF for the periodDecember 2012 to May 2013 based on Terms of Reference issued by the RockefellerFoundation in September 2012