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Researchers Alison Powell, Susan Wolf Ditkoff, and Fay Twersky have partaken in a collaboration literature review, which identified more than 125 major articles and reports by practitioners and academics.
The review shows knowledge gaps, particularly around the foundational questions of whether funders should pursue collaborative action, and what distinguishes failure from success.
To address these gaps, the researchers conducted a study of 10 relatively successful collaboratives, as well as a set of 15 that had faltered or failed, including collaboratives in which donors align funding against an agreed set of criteria, and excluded those whose core focus is learning together while pursuing individual funding goals.
The key finding of the research is under collaboratives can drive greater results when well executed compared to funders who generally believe they could achieve by working alone.
The research suggests the value stronger models can achieve, and provides guidance where collaboratives can better focus their grantmaking strategies and engage their grantees to achieve more impact.
The researchers dig deep into examining core areas that include organization funders, field builders, goal aligners, finding the right investment thesis, and gathering fundamental questions for funder collaboratives to ask themselves.
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
The CEO of the nation's second-oldest civic monument has been ousted over allegations of financial impropriety at Dallas' Fair Park, the Dallas Morning News reports. On May 1, Brian Luallen...more
The winner of this year's Sustainova Startup Challenge in Saudi Arabia has a message for the rest of the world: "If you want to save the planet, you have to start now." The startup contest,...more
"I didn't want to acknowledge any life challenges I had along the waywhich left me feeling burnt out from not showing my whole self," says Trish Boes, founder and CEO of UnlimitMe. But now, she...more
Foundation: Gates Foundation
One of the world's richest men is pushing to make Hong Kong a "philanthropic hub" in the region. The city's chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, says he wants to make it "a bridge between China and...more
"When I came to Harare from Zaka, I had nobody and knew nobody, but I had to define my career path and carve my own niche, hence the confidence that all these important people here now have in...more
Illinois American Waterthe largest regulated water and wastewater utility in the USis making a splash in its home state with a $200,000 donation to help clean up the Ohio River. The utility has...more
It's not every day that a small town gets to throw out the first pitch at a Minnesota minor league baseball game, but that's exactly what's happened in Winnebago. The Mankato MoonDogs are holding...more
Foundation: Whitefish Community Foundation
"But wait. We're not done yet." That was the message from Lois Davis, CEO of the Whitefish Community Foundation, as it handed out $520,300 in grants to 68 nonprofit organizations in the...more
If you've got a strong work ethic and the ability to work nights and weekends, a warehouse job might be just what you're looking for. The Children's Place, a children's clothing and gear company...more
There's a "revolutionary innovation" in education that could make it a lot easier for parents to track their kids' progress, according to a post at Education Week. Permanent Education Numbers, or...more
Nonprofit Management News from...
Regional Access Project Foundation
Gates Foundation
Whitefish Community Foundation
Changemakers
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Community Foundation of the Ozarks
Sierra Health Foundation
Community Foundation of East Central Illinois
Pew Charitable Trusts
William Penn Foundation
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Social Enterprise: Reaching Out to the Private Sector for Help
John Converse Townsend, a Forbes contributor, shares what can the private sector do for a social enterprise. He encourages social enterprises to reach out to corporations for help to scale up their businesses.
