The Financial Times article cited in a recent blog post, “Pull the Right Levers for Maximum Effect,” is timely. It is limiting to think that philanthropy contributes only money to accomplish societal good. Most contemporary grantmakers understand and embrace the role of resource provider and/or connector when appropriate to their mission and focus. It is, however, often a delicate line to walk. With resources comes influence, and that may not always be easy for grantmakers nor nonprofits to deal with.
Another point of the article is the importance of knowing what you want to achieve with your philanthropy, and ensuring that the grantees have the tools and strategies in place to evaluate their work and the difference they’ve made. While philosophically most grantmakers would agree they want to know the impact of their grants, the reality is that many have either small or no staffs and the evaluation process seems overwhelming.
Measuring impact is also important for local nonprofits, as shown by a MinnPost article yesterday describing a recent conference by the Wilder Foundation, Return on Investment: The Dollars and Cents of a Nonprofit Program’s Worth.
MCF is offering a grantmaker program on Evaluation on November 13 as part of its Effective Grantmaking Series, and other resources are available (such as Grantmakers for Effective Organizations or GEO) to help foundations in determining how their philanthropy is having the desired impact.
- Melissa Eystad, MCF vice president of member services
