Wilhelm & Romon – Accelerating funding for systems change

Wilhelm, N., & Romon, E. (2022). Accelerating funding for systems change. The Philanthropist, 14 March This blog post reports from the journey of a group of 12 organizations in Switzerland to explore the topic of systems change. What (systematic) changes in funding, learning and collaboration are required to support systems change? The authors list five […]

Funding Mechanism Spiderweb Tool

Funding Systems Change initiative – Funding Mechanism Spiderweb Tool This tool was developed by a working group of the Funding Systems Change initiative composed by foundations and social innovators. Its purpose is to help foundations reflect on their funding mechanisms across different dimensions in the funding cycle. These include dimensions whose relevance or implications may […]

Andrews et al. – Community-Based Organizations and High-Capacity Donors

Andrews, E., Bartczak, L., Brest, P., Shamash, R., Tantia, P. (2020). Community-Based Organizations and High-Capacity Donors: Relationships, Perceptions, and Behaviors. Produced in partnership by the Effective Philanthropy Learning Initiative at the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, Community Wealth Partners, & ideas42. From the website: “Through interviews with nonprofit leaders and high-capacity donors, the […]

nfpSynergy – Taking nothing for granted

Saxton, J., & Lindström, E. (2012). Taking nothing for granted: a research report into what charities think a model grant-maker looks like. nfpSynergy. From the website: “In early 2012 the John Ellerman Foundation embarked on a strategic review to find out what a model grant-maker looks like in the eyes of applicants and grantees, and […]

CEP – In Search of Impact

Huang, J., Buchanan, P., & Buteau, E. (2006). In Search of Impact: Practices and Perceptions in Foundations’ Provision of Program and Operating Grants to Nonprofits. Cambridge, MA: Center for Effective Philanthropy. From the report: “Foundation and nonprofit executives have long discussed debated how grantmakers can best support nonprofits. Some prominent leaders have argued in recent […]

GEO Funders – General Operating Support: Action Guide

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations. (2007). General Operating Support: Action Guide. Washington, D.C.: GEO Grantmakers for Effective Organizations. From the website of GEO Funders: “What is general operating support? How are grantmakers providing it? GEO’s answer to these questions (and more) were inspired by a spirited conversation that took place in early 2007 on the GEO […]

IVAR – Thinking about… Core funding

Cairns, B., Mills, C., & Ridley, S. (2013). Thinking about… core funding. London, U.K.: Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR). From the website of the Institute for Voluntary Action Research: “Thinking about… core funding draws on learning from our own and others’ research and interviews with key informants from seven charitable foundations providing core funding […]

CEP – New Attitudes, Old Practices: The Provision of Multiyear General Operating Support

Buteau, E., Marotta, S., Martin, H., Orensten, N., & Gehling, K. (2020). New Attitudes, Old Practices: The Provision of Multiyear General Operating Support. Cambridge, MA: Center for Effective Philanthropy. https://cep.org/portfolio/new-attitudes-old-practices/ From the website of the Center for Effective Philanthropy: “Multiyear general operating support (GOS) provides nonprofits with the flexibility to use funds to fulfill their […]

Paul Brest – Smart Money

Brest, P. (2003). Smart Money. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 1(3), 44–53. In ‘Smart Money’, Paul Brest argues that general operating grants can be strategic for foundations and nonprofits. The article was published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review in Winter 2003. Read the article here (external link).

Deny de Jong & Suzanne Kooij – Van capacity building naar Funding Plus (Dutch)

de Jong, D., & Kooij, S. (2017). Van capacity building naar funding plus. Van de website: “Het rapport ‘Van capacity building naar Funding Plus’ van Deny de Jong en Suzanne Kooij is de neerslag van een verkennend onderzoek naar (behoeften aan en aanbod voor) capacity building bij aanvragers van vermogensfondsen. In het rapport wordt in […]