Access Philanthropy

The bookshelf

The Equitable Evaluation Framework

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Insights for Grantseekers… when funders place equity at the center of their giving

The Equitable Evaluation Initiative group recently published a paper in partnership with Grantmakers for Effective Organizations entitled The Equitable Evaluation Framework.

While it’s a little on the academic side, the paper’s work will be very interesting to grantseekers who are now faced with a shower of requests to judge their work within the context of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The EEI paper asks grantmakers and grantseekers to imagine “What might be possible if evaluation was conceptualized, implemented, and utilized in a manner that promotes equity?” Not hypothetically, but really and truly.

This led us (specifically Access Philanthropy Researcher, Laura Wilson) to wonder: If foundations are really beginning to place equity at the center of their work, how can grantseekers effectively demonstrate their work in this area to prospective funders?

That is, if the funder follows the principles behind the Equity Evaluation Framework, and needs to know how your organization’s historical and structural decisions have contributed to the conditions your organization is addressing, how do you support your proposals in the terms of that Framework?

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Here are a few take-aways, we pulled from the Framework that can assist grant-seekers:

— Highlight how your organization fits into that specific foundation’s strategic philanthropy plan.
Emphasize your role in addressing the larger issue.
— Showcase intentionality behind your decisions, actions, and program design.
— Demonstrate how your programs address the funder’s core issue; provide services that produce equitable results.
— Reflect on inequities in your approach to providing services to the community followed by specific actions you are taking to grow from those mistakes.
— Offer, implicitly or explicitly, to be closer partners, learning from each other and suggesting new approaches to an issue.

Above all, think reflectively about the work you do.

Have ongoing discussions with staff and board members about what’s working, what isn’t. How can you demonstrate your impact in ways that show it is advancing equity? Can you educate grantmakers on what you want to measure and need to evaluate to succeed? How can the community be involved in evaluating your work?

This is a long-haul process, one that could be very meaningful, if we are all active participants.

Small Rural Grantmakers

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“SMALL RURAL GRANTMAKERS

Philanthropy Daily recently published a piece about rural grantmakers with the punchline, “Quite frequently, it’s the rural funders with modest financial means that make the biggest on-the-ground impact.”

They identify five non-financial assets that small rural funders provide. They:

— Put issues on the table – giving voice to big issues and to those without voices
— Build local infrastructure – provide or purchased tech assistance for local NPOs
— Educate the community – supporting public education campaigns on big issues
— Leverage fundraising capacity – support preparation necessary for bigger grants
— Grow local voices – train and mentor residents to speak out.

We agree. Small rural funders are often the best examples of community-funder partnerships. Some of our favorites include Greater Mankato United Way, K.A.H.R Foundation, George Nielsen Foundation, Northfield Area Foundation, Carl and Verna Schmidt Foundation, Red Wing Shoe Foundation, Jones Family Foundation, and of course, regional Initiative Funds, to mention a few.”

Private Virtues, Public Vices: Philanthropy and Democratic Equality.

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Philanthropy, Plutocracy, and Democracy
In his classic The Prince and other works, Niccolò Machiavelli frequently wrote that philanthropy had no real community value, especially in fostering democracy and empowerment. Five centuries later, it’s still a hot topic, one that Emma Saunders-Hastings revisits in her new book — Private Virtues, Public Vices: Philanthropy and Democratic Equality.
In a review for Candid, Kyoko Uchida writes that the book focuses on two objections to philanthropy with regard to democracy: “philanthropy can be an exercise of plutocratic power, and it can be objectionably paternalistic. Despite calls for reform, elite philanthropy continues to enjoy both social deference, which limits comparative evaluations of philanthropic donations, and institutional and legal deference, in the form of tax benefits, facilitation of foundation creation, weak oversight, and protection of donor intent.”

Rural Health. Power and promise of feminist movements

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“May, 2022

Rural Philanthropy

Rural Health Information Hub has some good insights in its new report, Challenges Rural Organizations May Face in Seeking Philanthropy Support.

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The power and promise of feminist movements

Bridgespan recently released a report on the “power and promise of feminist movements””
-Lighting the Way, including history, interviews, and recommendations for philanthropy.
Notably, feminist movements have achieved their successes with minimal philanthropic support. In 2017, less than 1 percent of total foundation giving was directed to women’s rights organizations.
Recommendations for funders: 

— Understand power structures that shape our homes, communities, and systems.
— Re-examine risk. Recognize the greatest risk is not investing in the feminist leaders and organizations that are actively tackling systemic injustice—and facing well-funded opposition.

 

Support feminist funds.

 

— Shift your practices. Expand your sourcing beyond your close-in network, and ensure your diligence practices aren’t screening out feminist movements. Fund across the ecosystem and provide long-term general operating support.
— Measure what matters to movements. The multifaceted work of movements requires a range of measures. Work with grantees to define success—and allow them to pivot as needed.

Simplifying Grantseeking

The Chronicle of Philanthropy took a look at ways to simplify the grant application process. Minnesota’s own Kari Aanestad (MN Council of Nonprofits) reported on grantseeker perceptions:

— Topping the list of application complaints was funders who require a grant seeker to complete an application without letting them see it beforehand.
— Lengthy applications in relation to the small amount of cash being provided.
— Repetitive questions.
— Character limits on response.

Solutions from the growing practice of “Trust-Based Philanthropy” include shorter applications, a shift toward more general operating funds, and flexibility in how foundation grant money can be use.

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Crowdfunding and the Masses

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“Turns out maybe crowdfunding isn’t the ultimate in fundraising equity. In fact, Nonprofit Quarterly did a story on the inequalities of crowdfunding.

AP’s Laura Wilson ([email protected]) gave us a summary:

“Nora Kenworthy, an associate professor at the University of Washington Bothell, analyzed 175,000 GoFundMe crowdfunding campaigns during the first seven months of the pandemic. What she is startling.

— Of all the campaigns the researchers analyzed, 43% of the 175,000 efforts received zero donations.
— Requesters with proximity to wealth, such as golf caddies at upscale LA golf courses, had much more success as a result, further exacerbating already wide wealth inequities
— The platform’s homepage prioritizes well-performing, popular campaigns for casual browsers, forcing many requesters to rely on their own social networks to receive donations
— She concludes that while GoFundMe is a useful tool for mutual aid financial management, “careful consideration should be used when involving a for-profit company in a non-profit space.”

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