Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and Foundation Center Form Strategic Alliance

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Cheryl Loe Communications Project Manager Foundation Center (888) 356-0354 ext. 701 communications@ foundationcenter.org	Dan Brady Communications Manager Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers (888) 391-3235 dbrady@givingforum.org
Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and Foundation Center Form Strategic Alliance  Nationwide Partnership Will Expand Access to Data on Philanthropy, Improve Foundation Effectiveness New York, NY — October 6, 2014. Washington, DC-based Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and New York-based Foundation Center have announced a new partnership to improve the quality and effectiveness of grantmaking through the strategic collection and sharing of data on philanthropy. The Forum is a national network of 34 geographically organized philanthropic associations that together have a membership of more than 5,500 participating organizations, making it the largest network in American philanthropy. Foundation Center is an independent nonprofit that is known as the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. "The philanthropic sector talks increasingly about such things as field alignment, strategic collaboration, and leveraging core competencies," said Bradford K. Smith, president of Foundation Center. "This partnership is a golden opportunity to put those principles into action." The Forum's mission is to leverage the collective knowledge of its association members so that each can be the highest quality provider of philanthropic support services in their regions, while a Foundation Center priority is to empower donors with the knowledge tools they need to be strategic. The partnership will tap the unique strengths of each organization in order to achieve shared goals. "The Forum Network has both deep regional roots and a broad national reach, and our regional associations' members are key to strengthening connections and knowledge sharing across the giving sector. However, at present, only a handful of our associations has access to up-to-date grantmaking data on their membership, and none have sophisticated online tools that allow the data to be queried and explored in real time," said Michael Litz, president and CEO of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers. "Opening these new resources to the Forum Network will be a game-changer for those striving to be more strategic and impactful in their philanthropy." The partnership will entail establishing platforms and systems for collecting data contributed by Forum members and translating it into knowledge services that will benefit not only the Forum membership, but the broader philanthropic sector. Specific plans include the following: Philanthropy Data: To support a vibrant and effective philanthropic sector, the partnership will launch a "donor data campaign" to encourage members of regional associations to centralize and standardize giving data at Foundation Center. This current data will be accessible to all members through an interactive mapping platform helping to inform funding decisions and track trends in each region.  Philanthropy Research: Templates for research reports will be created so that information about regional giving can be more easily and efficiently published and shared, providing regionally focused funders with critical information about funding patterns in their communities. Philanthropy Tools: Data visualization, benchmarking, and knowledge management tools will provide regional associations with continuous access to comprehensive data on the work of their member foundations and empower users to draw actionable conclusions from the information. In recent years, Foundation Center and individual Forum member associations have partnered on a wide variety of projects, including more than 40 research reports and fact sheets, and Forum members have participated in Foundation Center's Funding Information Network. This partnership is a natural evolution of those preceding collaborations, all of which have in common the goal of spreading knowledge to strengthen philanthropy and the good it can achieve. The national scope of the partnership, however, will introduce efficiencies and broaden its impact. "Recent advances in information technology have put us in a position to collect and share knowledge far more efficiently than ever before," said Lisa Philp, vice president for strategic philanthropy at Foundation Center. "When this system for data gathering, sharing, and visualization is applied across an entire network of grantmakers, the opportunities for donors to collaborate and achieve their visions of a better world will multiply exponentially."  ### Share on Twitter: Strategic alliance btwn @givingforum and @fdncenter will improve quality and effectiveness of grantmaking. bit.ly/FCforum14 About Foundation Center Established in 1956, Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit Foundation Center's website each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 470 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.orgor call (212) 620-4230. About the Forum of Regional Association of Grantmakers Established in 1998, the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers is a national philanthropic leader and network of 34 regional associations of grantmakers with a combined membership of more than 5,500 participating organizations. The Forum facilitates effective philanthropy by fueling connections and knowledge sharing across the giving sector, delivering efficiencies and cost savings for our 34 member associations, and providing tools and resources to advance policy change. For more information, please visit givingforum.orgor call (888) 391-3235. View Press Releases Foundation Center • 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003 • (212) 620-4230

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Community Foundation Atlas Now Available

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Cheryl Loe Communications Project Manager Foundation Center (888) 356-0354 ext. 701 communications@ foundationcenter.org	Jenny Hodgson Executive Director Global Fund for Community Foundations +27 11 447 4396 jenny@globalfundcf.org
Community Foundation Atlas Now Available Most Comprehensive Dataset About Community Foundations Just Published New York, NY — October 20, 2014. Today at the 2014 Fall Conference for Community Foundations, an international research collaboration unveiled the "Community Foundation Atlas," the most comprehensive directory of the world's community foundation movement that has ever been published. The online platform, available at CommunityFoundationAtlas.org, maps the identities, locations, assets, roles and achievements of place-based philanthropies around the world. Among the key findings: The global community foundation movement is gaining momentum. Embracing an inclusive definition of "community philanthropy" field, the Atlas has identified 1,827 place-based foundations in 67 countries. While the movement began 100 years ago, the last three decades have seen explosive growth. In just the past 14 years, the number of known community foundations and community philanthropies nearly doubled, growing from approximately 1,000 in 2000 to more than 1,800 in 2014. "Place-based philanthropy is on the rise globally in no small part because community foundations have resoundingly demonstrated to the world their ability to bring local people and resources to the table to address local needs," concludes an analysis of the data gathered from the Atlas's unprecedented survey of the global field and secondary research. The international research effort was spearheaded by the Cleveland Foundation — the world's first community foundation — located in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. Research partners were the New York City-based Foundation Center, the Global Fund for Community Foundations (Johannesburg, South Africa), WINGS, the Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (São Paulo, Brazil), and CENTRIS, the Centre for Research and Innovation in Social Policy and Practice (Newcastle, United Kingdom). The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, a private American philanthropy headquartered in Flint, Michigan, and longstanding supporter of community foundations worldwide, funded the project. Other key findings: Defining characteristics: Grantmaking and accountability to local residents were almost universally reported by survey respondents as central to the mission of community foundations. Collective impact: Combined grantmaking from community foundations in the last fiscal year totaled more than $4.9 billion worldwide. Education the most commonly cited program area: Foundations most commonly reported extensive programmatic engagement in education, followed closely by human and social services, arts and culture, and health. Strengthening civil society also a priority: In addition to grantmaking, nearly half of foundations surveyed actively foster collaboration between grantees or provide training and capacity-building services to local organizations. Populations served: Almost 30 percent of respondents work at least to some extent in a neighborhood-based service area. Forty percent report having a "local" orientation, while the service area of nearly one in four includes a regional focus. A very small percentage work at a national or international level. The Community Foundation Atlas offers a variety of entry points to further understand the reach and influence of community foundations, including: Organization directory: This alphabetical listing is the portal to profile pages for 1,827 community foundations and community philanthropies. Visitors to the site can select individual organizations to review or filter by geographic region or country of particular interest. A built-in editing function enables foundations to easily update their profiles. Data snapshots: A series of quick facts, deeper-dive infographics and a comprehensive, downloadable analysis present the Atlas's baseline data in accessible form. The infographics are programmed to change in real time as organizational profiles are updated. First-person accounts: Foundations describe in their own words the "most meaningful change" brought about in recent years as a result of their support or initiative. Considered in their entirety, these unrehearsed accounts show how place-based foundations are helping to advance their communities' aspirations, large and small. Stories of struggle and success: From the prosperous cities of Canada to the culturally rich matriarchal villages of rural India come 50 narratives chosen to convey the wide-ranging influence of the global community foundation movement. "Adding to Knowledge," "Encouraging Innovation" and "Stimulating Policy and Systems Reform" are among the highlighted arenas of endeavor. The Atlas provides a long-needed and detailed baseline of information upon which the field can build to facilitate wider exchange of best practices and high-impact collaborations aimed at addressing tough problems that span geographical boundaries. Post-launch planning for updated content, additional research and data analysis, and enhanced functionality for the Atlas will be spearheaded by the Global Fund for Community Foundations and Foundation Center, the platform's host. For more information about the Community Foundation Atlas, visit: CommunityFoundationAtlas.org. Learn about the project partners. About Foundation Center Established in 1956, Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit Foundation Center's website each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 470 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230. View Press Releases Foundation Center • 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003 • (212) 620-4230

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Community Foundation Atlas Now Available

Community Foundation Atlas Now Available Most Comprehensive Dataset About Community Foundations Just Published New York, NY — October 20, 2014. Today at the 2014 Fall Conference for Community Foundations, an international research collaboration unveiled the "Community Foundation Atlas," the most comprehensive directory of the world's community foundation movement that has ever been published. The online platform, available at CommunityFoundationAtlas.org, maps the identities, locations, assets, roles and achievements of place-based philanthropies around the world. Among the key findings: The global community foundation movement is gaining momentum. Embracing an inclusive definition of "community philanthropy" field, the Atlas has identified 1,827 place-based foundations in 67 countries. While the movement began 100 years ago, the last three decades have seen explosive growth. In just the past 14 years, the number of known community foundations and community philanthropies nearly doubled, growing from approximately 1,000 in 2000 to more than 1,800 in 2014. "Place-based philanthropy is on the rise globally in no small part because community foundations have resoundingly demonstrated to the world their ability to bring local people and resources to the table to address local needs," concludes an analysis of the data gathered from the Atlas's unprecedented survey of the global field and secondary research. The international research effort was spearheaded by the Cleveland Foundation — the world's first community foundation — located in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. Research partners were the New York City-based Foundation Center, the Global Fund for Community Foundations (Johannesburg, South Africa), WINGS, the Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (São Paulo, Brazil), and CENTRIS, the Centre for Research and Innovation in Social Policy and Practice (Newcastle, United Kingdom). The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, a private American philanthropy headquartered in Flint, Michigan, and longstanding supporter of community foundations worldwide, funded the project. Other key findings: Defining characteristics: Grantmaking and accountability to local residents were almost universally reported by survey respondents as central to the mission of community foundations. Collective impact: Combined grantmaking from community foundations in the last fiscal year totaled more than $4.9 billion worldwide. Education the most commonly cited program area: Foundations most commonly reported extensive programmatic engagement in education, followed closely by human and social services, arts and culture, and health. Strengthening civil society also a priority: In addition to grantmaking, nearly half of foundations surveyed actively foster collaboration between grantees or provide training and capacity-building services to local organizations. Populations served: Almost 30 percent of respondents work at least to some extent in a neighborhood-based service area. Forty percent report having a "local" orientation, while the service area of nearly one in four includes a regional focus. A very small percentage work at a national or international level. The Community Foundation Atlas offers a variety of entry points to further understand the reach and influence of community foundations, including: Organization directory: This alphabetical listing is the portal to profile pages for 1,827 community foundations and community philanthropies. Visitors to the site can select individual organizations to review or filter by geographic region or country of particular interest. A built-in editing function enables foundations to easily update their profiles. Data snapshots: A series of quick facts, deeper-dive infographics and a comprehensive, downloadable analysis present the Atlas's baseline data in accessible form. The infographics are programmed to change in real time as organizational profiles are updated. First-person accounts: Foundations describe in their own words the "most meaningful change" brought about in recent years as a result of their support or initiative. Considered in their entirety, these unrehearsed accounts show how place-based foundations are helping to advance their communities' aspirations, large and small. Stories of struggle and success: From the prosperous cities of Canada to the culturally rich matriarchal villages of rural India come 50 narratives chosen to convey the wide-ranging influence of the global community foundation movement. "Adding to Knowledge," "Encouraging Innovation" and "Stimulating Policy and Systems Reform" are among the highlighted arenas of endeavor. The Atlas provides a long-needed and detailed baseline of information upon which the field can build to facilitate wider exchange of best practices and high-impact collaborations aimed at addressing tough problems that span geographical boundaries. Post-launch planning for updated content, additional research and data analysis, and enhanced functionality for the Atlas will be spearheaded by the Global Fund for Community Foundations and Foundation Center, the platform's host. For more information about the Community Foundation Atlas, visit:CommunityFoundationAtlas.org. Learn about the project partners. About Foundation Center Established in 1956, Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit Foundation Center's website each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 470 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230. View Press Releases Foundation Center • 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003 • (212) 620-4230

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New Guide Helps Funders Adopt a Transparency Mindset

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Cheryl Loe Communications Project Manager The Foundation Center (888) 356-0354 ext. 701 communications@ foundationcenter.org	Catherine Lennon Communications Director European Foundation Centre +32 2 508 3075 clennon@efc.be
New Guide Helps Funders Adopt a Transparency Mindset Philanthropists Indicate That Openness Leads to More Effective Social Change in "Opening Up: Demystifying Funder Transparency" New York, NY — February 6, 2014. As funders face an increasing demand by the nonprofit sector, the public, and governments to be more transparent, a new GrantCraft guide released today in collaboration with Glasspockets provides practical advice for funders to publicly share various aspects of their operations, work, and knowledge. Opening Up: Demystifying Funder Transparencypresents real-world case studies that demonstrate the value of foundation transparency in strengthening credibility, improving grantee relationships, facilitating greater collaboration, increasing public trust, reducing duplication of effort, and building communities of shared learning. The guide joins a growing collection of resources published by GrantCraft, a joint service of the New York-based Foundation Center and Brussels-based European Foundation Centre that taps the practical wisdom of funders to develop free resources for the philanthropy sector. "The research we conducted for this guide demonstrates that funders who openly communicate about their work are finding it to be a win-win strategy," said Jen Bokoff, director of GrantCraft at the Foundation Center. "Grantees, funding partners, the public, and philanthropy professionals themselves all benefit when foundations make their work and their knowledge broadly accessible." A commitment to transparency means a foundation is making available information on aspects of its work, including past grants awarded, the grantee selection process, performance assessments, and strategy documents. In addition to web sites, foundations are also employing social media, video, conferences, publications, and other media to share knowledge about their work. Funders profiled in the guide listed many benefits of transparency, such as gaining efficiencies in time, receiving better and more appropriate grant proposals, and increasing effectiveness based on feedback loops and greater awareness of peer efforts. Other key insights in the report include: Seventy-five percent of survey respondents reported observing an increased demand for funder transparency over the past five years. Numerous interviews with funders and an analysis of blog posts and survey responses indicate that true transparency comes down to a mindset, one in which funders believe they are most effective when they approach all aspects of their work by saying "let's publicly share this." While transparency can be challenging for many reasons, including limited staff time and potential vulnerability, funders interviewed agree that sharing what they know and creating space for dialogue are essential to accelerating change. The guide is divided into five sections, each of which addresses a key aspect of transparency: sharing grantee data, sharing performance assessments, improving relationships, improving the practice of philanthropy, and recognizing opportunities for connecting. Each section explores transparency with funder stories, a list of challenges, action steps, and discussion questions. The guide does not advocate for a "one-size-fits-all" approach, but rather, uses qualitative research to show how each foundation can determine a level of transparency for itself that is appropriate, beneficial, and part of an ongoing process. The guide is based on an international scan of the field, and one of the real-life examples comes from South Africa: Jason Hudson, the Shuttleworth Foundation's chief information officer sums up its strategy as follows: "We have a mildly aggressive obsession with being transparent. We open up our financials and share our planning, learning, and relationships as we go along. It's not easy and, at times, quite uncomfortable, but by doing this, we hope to have partners who come with better ideas, offer improvements, and even run with things on their own. That's what we want." Opening Up: Demystifying Funder Transparency is complemented by online components, including podcasts and the complete results of the transparency survey. Knowledge tools on the Foundation Center's newly-redesigned Glasspockets web site help foundations incorporate transparency activities into everyday practice, and an ongoing conversation can be found at theTransparency Talk blog. The Glasspockets site is also home to a new videothat makes the case for foundations to be transparent, as well as an infographicthat reveals trends with foundations and social media. Opening Up: Demystifying Funder Transparency and related resources were funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. It can be downloaded for free atwww.grantcraft.org/transparency. About the Foundation Center Established in 1956, the Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit the Center's web site each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and at more than 470 Funding Information Network locations nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230. About the European Foundation Centre The European Foundation Centre, founded in 1989, is an international membership association representing public-benefit foundations and corporate funders active in philanthropy in Europe, and beyond. The Centre develops and pursues activities in line with its four key objectives: creating an enabling legal and fiscal environment; documenting the foundation landscape; building the capacity of foundation professionals; and promoting collaboration, both among foundations and between foundations and other actors. Emphasising transparency and best practice, all members sign up to and uphold the European Foundation Centre Principles of Good Practice. For more information, please visit www.efc.be. View Press Releases The Foundation Center • 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003 • (212) 620-4230

New Report Addresses Opportunities for Funders That Collaborate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Cheryl Loe Communications Project Manager The Foundation Center (888) 356-0354 ext. 701 communications@ foundationcenter.org	Noah Rimland Flower Monitor Institute, a part of Deloitte Consulting LLP (415) 932-5345 nflower@deloitte.com
New Report Addresses Opportunities for Funders That Collaborate Companion "Interactive Tool Finder" Aids the Search for Technology Solutions New York, NY — November 7, 2013. A new report released today sheds light on how online tools are changing the way funders collaborate. Harnessing Collaborative Technologies: Helping Funders Work Together Better is the product of research conducted jointly by the Monitor Institute and the Foundation Center. This report helps funders learn about the different phases of collaboration and online tools that can help them advance all types of sharing, coordination, and cooperation. "Increasingly, foundations seek to leverage the impact of their giving by joining with others to address large, complex problems," said Katherine Fulton, president of the Monitor Institute, a part of Monitor Deloitte. "The logistical challenges they face in working together can be daunting, but new technologies can make collaborations easier by reducing inefficiencies and enabling new methods of working together that were difficult to imagine just a few years ago." The report aims to help funders get smarter about how emerging new technologies can help them work together more effectively and provides guidance on how to make thoughtful choices about investing in the development of new tools that facilitate collaborative work. An interactive tool finder developed by GrantCraft, a joint service of the Foundation Center and the European Foundation Centre, complements the report by presenting seven distinct collaborative needs (including finding partners, designing strategies, and assessing progress) and 17 types of tool functionalities (ranging from data gathering to project management) in an online matrix that facilitates intuitive exploration of available resources. This free resource helps users generate custom results that provide details on recommended solutions, including their cost; whether they are best for small-, medium-, or large-sized collaborations; how easy they are to use; and if there is a mobile-friendly version. "In a time when the challenges of repairing the world seem to know no bounds, working together as a global community of problem-solvers is more important than ever," said Lisa Philp, vice president for strategic philanthropy at the Foundation Center. "Technology is helping funders harness the power of collaboration, opening up new opportunities for strategic partnerships and making it easier to build effective relationships across organizations and geographies." The research on which the report is based included an extensive literature review on collaboration in philanthropy, detailed analyses of trends from a Foundation Center survey of the largest U.S. foundations, interviews with 37 leading philanthropy professionals and technology experts, and a review of more than 170 online tools. The content of the report is divided into three primary sections: an introduction to emerging technologies and the changing context for philanthropic collaboration; an overview of collaborative needs and tools; and recommendations for improving the collaborative technology landscape. Key Findings from Harnessing Collaborative Technologies outlines overarching themes from the report and serves as a companion piece to the full report. The Harnessing Collaborative Technologies: Helping Funders Work Together Better report and Key Findings executive summary can be downloaded for free in the Gain Knowledge area of the Foundation Center's web site and from the Monitor Institute's web site. Funding for the project was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. About the Foundation Center Established in 1956, the Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit the Center's web site each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 470 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visitfoundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230. About the Monitor Institute Monitor Institute is a social change consultancy that works with innovative leaders at nonprofits and foundations to advance social impact across a diverse range of issues. Monitor Institute strives to be a scout for social innovation, bringing new approaches to clients and contributing to the public debate on leading-edge topics such as impact investing, strategic philanthropy, and networked collaboration. As a for-profit/for-benefit hybrid, Monitor Institute pursues social impact while operating as a fully integrated unit of Deloitte Consulting LLP. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. For more information, please visit monitorinstitute.com or call (415) 932-5382.