Researching CHARITIES

GuideStar Pulls in data on nearly 2.7 million entities around which each is encouraged to self disclose augmented information, all of which is systematically fed to over 200 different platforms and applications. Has become the “Wikipedia of Philanthropy.”

Charity Navigator Is an unbiased, objective, numbers-based rating system to assess over 9,000 of America's best-known and some lesser known, but worthy, charities.

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Via their twenty "Standards for Charity Accountability," they assist donors in making sound giving decisions and to foster public confidence in charitable organizations. The standards seek to encourage fair and honest solicitation practices, to promote ethical conduct by charitable organizations and to advance support of philanthropy.

The Overhead Myth

The Overhead Myth In 2013, GuideStar, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Charity Navigator wrote an open letter to the donors of America in a campaign to end the Overhead Myth—the false conception that financial ratios are the sole indicator of nonprofit performance - and focus instead on what really matters: an organization’s efforts to make the world a better place.

Pay-What-It-Takes Philanthropy A new grantmaking approach is needed—one that provides enough money for nonprofits to pay for all their operations, not just programs and services. The first step toward achieving that is for grantmakers to realize that different types of nonprofits have different cost structures.

Measurement

Charting Impact A common framework that allows staff, boards, stakeholders, donors, volunteers, and others to work together, learn from each other and serve the community better. It complements planning, evaluation, and assessment that organizations already undertake, and can be used by nonprofits and foundations of all sizes and missions.

How Nonprofits Can Measure Outcomes and Why They Should Demand keeps growing for nonprofits to provide proof that what they are doing accomplishes something. Unfortunately, many nonprofits do not have objective data showing that their outcomes are worth supporting.

How to Measure the Impact of Volunteerism With arguably the most developed social sector and philanthropic market in the world, it’s safe to say that the people of the United States love to give. And while some can give money, many can and do give time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that more than 63 million Americans volunteered in 2009. Volunteers are critical to the success of nonprofit organizations, yet these organizations continue to face challenges in fully capturing the value of this workforce.

The Moneyball Approach To Fighting Poverty Relentless Monetization sounds like something that a startup or investment bank would pursue. In reality, it’s the poverty-fighting strategy wielded by The Robin Hood Foundation, a New York City philanthropic organization with a ruthless–and effective–system for funding only the best nonprofits in the region.

How to Talk About Nonprofit Impact from Inputs to Outcomes The idea of measuring results is far from new but has taken on more importance in the 21st century. Foundations especially and many individual philanthropists now search for organizations that are data-driven and results oriented.

insight and community

Exponent Philanthropy is a vibrant membership organization with programs and resources designed specifically for funders working with limited infrastructure. Members have in common lean operations and a style of philanthropy motivated by personal passion, community needs, and a strong desire for better outcomes.

Broad Perspectives

Four Pathways to Greater Giving: An exploration of what impedes giving to social-change efforts and how four pathways could potentially double the flow of funding to initiatives that could benefit millions.

11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2020: For the fourth year in a row, experts and thought leaders from the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy explore 11 trends in philanthropy for 2020 to help you anticipate and embrace what’s next.

NPT Donor-Advised Fund Report: Chronicles the doubling in grantmaking from donor-advised funds to qualified charities over the past five years - in 2018 this totaled $23 billion vs. the $54 billion from private foundations.

Opportunity Insights: Identifying barriers to economic opportunity and developing scalable solutions that will empower people and communities to rise out of poverty and achieve better life outcomes. Also, this site provides lecture materials and videos for a course entitled “Using Big Data to Solve Economic and Social Problems.”

Transparency

Give.org Donor Trust Report A periodic survey of adults across the United States and explores donor beliefs, feelings, and behavioral intentions related to charity trust and generosity.

Guidelines for Greater Foundation Transparency Philanthropic transparency requires directors and executives of foundations to think deeply about how increased transparency might make their work more effective, but even more, what they should be doing to function in a responsible, responsive manner with the American public that views foundations as mysterious and obscure.

More Transparency Means More Donations People are increasingly suspicious that nonprofits aren’t using money well. A study found that organizations with GuideStar certification received notably more money from donors.

Donor Intent In philanthropy, donor intent is the purpose, sometimes publicly expressed, for which a philanthropist intends a charitable gift or bequest. Donor intent is most often expressed in gift restrictions, terms, or agreements between a donor and donee, but it may also be expressed separately in the words, actions, beliefs, and giving practices of a philanthropist.

Video

Dan Pallotta TED: The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong Too many nonprofits are rewarded for how little they spend -- not for what they get done. Instead of equating frugality with morality, we are asked to start rewarding charities for their big goals and big accomplishments

Everyone Deserves a Fair Slice Many foundations want to create equitable partnerships with grantees that are grounded on respect, understanding, trust and shared learning approaches. Those who follow this call to action, pursue the social return goals they share with grantees through constructive dialogue, not prescriptive management interference. They value and invest in grantee expertise alongside their overall organizational capacity. They build strong, long-term partnerships with rewarding outcomes. However, there remains a tremendous gap between the talk and the walk across the philanthropic sector …

Saving Philanthropy: Resources To Results™ Profiles of diverse social service organizations that have gained national attention for the measurable outcomes they achieve, and highlights the roles that internal management and forward thinking funders play in the process.

Philanthropy Lessons A series of 9 videos produced by Exponent Philanthropy, funded by the Fund for Shared Insight, and released in partnership with The Chronicle of Philanthropy to help others be more effective and efficient in creating the change they want to see in the world.