Grantmakers and grantees work in a symbiotic process to push forth one mission. For those of us in the social change arena that’s usually some form of social or environmental equanimity.
GEO, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, believe that with certain practices on the part of grantmakers, nonprofits could actually become stronger and effect more change. In many ways, their mission is our mission.
Five of GEO’s broad practices are that:
• Grantmakers increasingly fund outcomes/results
• Grantmakers more broadly adopt mechanisms for engaging stakeholders
• More grantmakers embrace evaluation as a learning and improvement mechanism
• More grantmakers support collaborative problem-solving
GEO offers bieannual conferences as well as presentations, Webinars, and customized workshops to help grantmaking organizations focus on sharpening skills in areas like leadership development or stakeholder engagement. They also encourage conversation and partnership among grantmaking organizations. Their next national conference is set for March 2012 in Seattle, Washington.
Watch Smarter Grant Making for Stronger Nonprofits
Watch Five Steps to Greater Empathy in Philanthropy
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