Real Results: Why Strategic Philanthropy is Social Justice Philanthropy

The crises affecting our nation and the world have prompted philanthropists to become more organized, focused and, perhaps above all, "strategic" in their efforts. The movement toward "strategic philanthropy" has already contributed to greater philanthropic effectiveness. Yet, despite important contributions to education, health, the arts and the environment, it is clear that philanthropy's ultimate impact is still limited. Great disparities along the lines of race, gender, class and other identity markers persist and, in some cases, are even exacerbated.This suggests that something is missing from our sector's understanding of what makes for truly strategic and effective philanthropy:A clear understanding of one's goals includes not only the desired impact but also identifies who will benefit (or not) and how.A commitment to evidence-based strategy cannot ignore the tangible, positive impact -- and often the necessity -- of influencing public policy.Keeping a philanthropic strategy on course requires the input of those who stand to gain or lose the most from grantmaking: the grantees and the communities they serve.Truly strategic philanthropy is social justice philanthropy

The State of Multi-Year Funding 2011

Looking at the 2011 data, "The State of Multi-Year Funding" found that nearly 90 percent of the top U.S. foundations in the sample did not report any multi-year grantmaking in 2011, which is consistent with results from previous years' analyses

The State of Social Justice Philanthropy 2011

According to "The State of Social Justice Philanthropy 2011" giving around policy and community engagement to address pressing social problems dipped to 12 percent, compared to the 15 percent average in 2008-2010

Learning from Madoff: Lessons for Foundation Boards

More than 80 percent of foundations that lost between 30 to 100 percent of their assets to Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme had fewer than five trustees serving on their boards. In Learning from Madoff, NCRP research and policy director Niki Jagpal and research assistant Julia Craig examined whether there was any link between board size and diversity, and exposure to Madoff's fraudulent activities

The State of General Operating Support 2011

In 2011, 1,121 American grantmakers reported $5.9 billion in general operating support, a substantial increase (83 percent) over average core support from 2008-2010. The share of foundation dollars classified as providing this vital type of funding increased from 16 percent to 24 percent. NCRP's "Criteria for Philanthropy at Its Best" encourages grantmakers to provide at least 50 percent of grant dollars for general operating support. Also called "core support," these grants are essential for nonprofits' success: it provides flexible funds that help them respond to unexpected opportunities, builds capacity and leadership development and signals trust between the funder and the grantee

The State of Giving to Underserved Communities 2011

Numbers from "The State of Giving to Underserved Communities 2011" show that there was a slight increase in giving to benefit marginalized groups, broadly defined, such as the economically disadvantaged, racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQ citizens and others, at 42 percent in 2011 compared to 40 percent average in 2008-2010

Criteria for Philanthropy at Its Best

The Criteria for Philanthropy at Its Best: Benchmarks to Assess and Enhance Grantmaker Impact is the first ever set of measurable guidelines that will help foundations and other institutional grantmakers operate ethically and maximize the impact of their dollars. It attempts to answer the questions: What differentiates an exemplary foundation from the rest of its peers? What can foundations do to improve its relevance to nonprofits, the economically and socially underserved Americans and society as a whole

Families Funding Change: How Social Justice Giving Honors Our Roots and Strengthens Communities

In this paper, we offer a snapshot of family philanthropy as it often is practiced to day, including what makes traditional family philanthropy different from other forms. It is our hope that our suggestions will be considered when developing strategy, both by family funders for whom our research rings true, and for those whose experiences differ. A significant reason that social justice grantmaking is a powerful means to bolster impact is that it can be integrated into ongoing work regardless of the point of the path that a specific foundation is on

Cultivating Nonprofit Leadership: A (Missed?) Philanthropic Opportunity

From 2003-2012, the country's top foundations dedicated only 0.8 percent of total grants to nonprofit leadership development. And yet, as shown by recent historic progress around immigration, criminal justice and other social justice movements, we need leaders who are strong, skilled and connected to successfully realize positive, social change.What kind of leadership development do social change-makers need to be successful? How can foundations measure the impact of leadership development? What are the most common barriers to funding such programs and how can we overcome these challenges? What can we learn from foundations that are already supporting transformational leadership development, and from the recipients of such support? This report answers these questions and offers the following recommendations to foundations that wish to invest in the current and future leaders of social justice movements:Begin or increase funding for leadership development.Integrate leadership development with program strategy.Engage with grantees as true partners.Use a culturally inclusive lens.Build capacity that supports leadership development

The State of Social Justice Philanthropy

This report provides data on 906 large grantmakers average social justice giving from 2008? - ??2010. It found that the reported amount of giving increased 66 percent to more than $3 billion when compared to 2004 - 2006 data. Examines giving by foundation type, region, and size, and includes a list of the largest social justice funders. With bibliographical references