Several months ago, we published a blog post about research that informs philanthropy, using the example of the Stoneleigh Foundation’s Fellow Dr. Brandy Blasko and her research on gun violence in schools.
Research that informs philanthropic practices can also catalyze impact. This research helps funders and nonprofits improve their operations and programming. It can focus on various subjects, including board governance, grants management, how philanthropy can forward equity, communications, and family involvement in philanthropy, to highlight a few.
Philanthropy-serving organizations (PSOs) play a pivotal role in the field, offering a wealth of knowledge that guides funders. Organizations like PEAK Grantmaking, Exponent Philanthropy, and the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) create guides, lessons, and reports that provide crucial data and information. For instance, Exponent Philanthropy’s Foundation Operations and Management Report has been an invaluable resource for harp-weaver staff, serving as a benchmark for our operations processes and those of our foundation partners.
Other organizations in the field also provide valuable resources. harp-weaver staff appreciate the work of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, and the journal Stanford Social Innovation Review. While not PSOs, these organizations provide thought leadership and insights into current trends in philanthropy. Their frameworks for thinking, analytical articles, and thoughtful blog posts are worth the read and influence how we think about working with our foundation partners.
Then there are schools and centers within universities where research and teaching on philanthropy forms the core component of the work being done. Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP), Grand Valley State University’s Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy, and the Urban Institute’s Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy conduct research into philanthropy and integrate that research into their courses as well as sharing it with a broader audience. For example, the Lilly Family School’s research for Giving USA and CHIP’s High Impact Giving Toolkits provide context and further understanding of the giving landscape.
All said, there are a number of resources for funders who want to learn more about “best practices” and trends in the field. Research on philanthropy informs our work at harp-weaver as we seek to best support the giving of those we serve.
If you’d like to learn more about how we use research on philanthropy to inform our work, please contact Abby Rolland at abby@harp-weaver.com.
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