Business Commons^™

Building The Capacity Of California’S Safety Net: Lessons From The Strengthening Community Dental Practices Demonstration, Fontane Lo, Clare Nolan, Len Finocchio

The Foundation Review

· Community dental practices provide “safety net” services to populations who would otherwise have limited access to care. The financial crisis of recent years has made it increasingly difficult for safetynet dental practices to serve people most in need while still balancing their books.

· The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) and the California Pipeline Program (CPP) funded a demonstration project to test the effectiveness of practice-management consulting as a strategy for helping California’s community clinics survive and thrive. This model emphasizes customized technical assistance to enhance the business infrastructure behind the delivery of care.

· The evaluation of this demonstration …

Editorial, Teresa R. Behrens

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Helping Government Agencies Become More Effective And Efficient: Discovering ‘Catalytic Combinations’ In Public Child Welfare Reform, Dara Menashi, Christopher Behan, Kathleen Noonan

The Foundation Review

· This article describes work of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Casey Strategic Consulting Group (CSCG), a 10-year, multistate initiative that embeds outside experts – both public-system and traditional management consulting – in child and family services systems to improve system performance and outcomes.

· The article describes five types of levers that were influenced in different combinations to promote change in different state systems. We call these “catalytic combinations.”

· In numerous states, including Maine, Louisiana, Virginia, and Indiana, the CSCG initiative produced measurable improvements in key performance areas, including shortening stays in foster care, improving rates of permanent …

Using Civic Engagement And Collaboration To Create Community Change: Lessons From Charlotte, N.C., Joanne G. Carman, Rebecca A. Hefner

The Foundation Review

· The city of Charlotte, N.C. undertook a deliberative democracy process using the AmericaSpeaks “21st Century Town Meeting” process.

· The University of North Carolina-Charlotte performed a retrospective, process evaluation of the initiative examining the initiative’s components, coverage, participant feedback, short-term outcomes, and lessons learned.

· Early planning and implementation was done by volunteers, which ultimately was not sustainable. A new center, housed within an existing organization, was created to implement the recommendations.

· The initiative achieved a number of early successes, such as increasing the number of school nurses, expansion of an early childhood development program and an increase …

The Role Of The Congregation In Community Service: A Philanthropic Case Study, Mark T. Mulder, Kristen Napp, Neil E. Carlson, Zig Ingraffia, Khary Bridgewater, Edwin Hernández

The Foundation Review

· The Family Leadership Initiative (FLI), part of the larger Gatherings of Hope Initiative, was a collaboratively designed program to strengthen families and improve children’s education in Grand Rapids, Mich.

· FLI was launched in 2011 with two cohorts of 20 congregations who took part in a six-step design process.

· Programs were implemented in fall 2011. The program entailed holding monthly meetings for parents and children that included bonding time, parent education and homework support for students, and time for ministry.

· The initial evaluation shows high levels of satisfaction, with students reporting some academic improvements.

· For the …

Evaluating The Kaiser Permanente Community Fund’S Social Determinants Of Health Portfolio, Sarah B. Paige, Emily Bourcier, Carol Cahill, Clarissa Hsu, Chris Kabel

The Foundation Review

· Research over the past two decades repeatedly demonstrates the relationship between poor health outcomes and socioeconomic factors such as poor housing, poverty, racism, and structural inequity.

· In 2005, the Northwest Health Foundation, supported by the Kaiser Permanente Community Fund, began an initiative to address these social determinants of health (SDOH).

· A variety of projects – short- and long-term, large and small – were supported over the five-year period for a total of $12.4 million. The mean project-implementation grant was $175,350 and 2½ years in length; capacity-building grants averaged $50,000 for 1½ years.

· In all, 323 social-determinant …

Evaluation For Models And Adaptive Initiatives, Heather Britt, Julia Coffman

The Foundation Review

· Although there has been a growing emphasis on use of experimental designs in evaluation, there is also increasing agreement that evaluation designs should be situation specific.

· The nature of the program is one of the key factors to consider in evaluation design.

· Two types of programs – models, which provide replicable or semi-standardized solutions, adaptive initiatives, which are flexible programming strategies used to address problems that require unique, context-based solutions – require different evaluation designs.

· Evaluation of models requires understanding the stage of development of the model program, with summative evaluation done only when the model …

Assessing And Advancing Foundation Transparency: Corporate Foundations As A Case Study, Marta Rey-Garcia, Javier Martin-Cavanna, Luis Ignacio Alvarez-Gonzalez

The Foundation Review

· This article explores the mix of forces explaining variability in good-governance standards and practices by charitable foundations.

· A six-drivers framework for explaining improved foundation accountability and transparency is proposed and discussed in the context of a country study. Those drivers are: regulatory pressures, self-regulation, demands for information from donors and other relevant stakeholders, societal pressure derived from scandals, emulation, and third-party assessment.

· A simple tool for assessing foundation transparency internationally is proposed and then applied to corporate, endowed, and fundraising foundations in the U.S. and Spain.

· Foundations’ financial structure compounds with institutional factors to influence the …

The Logic Model Guidebook: Better Strategies For Great Results (Second Ed.): Book Review, Beverly Parsons, Patricia Jessup

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Philanthropy In The Faith Community: Mobilizing Faith-Based Organizations For Substance Use Prevention, Ashley Townes, E. Kelly Firesheets, Mary Francis

The Foundation Review

· The Assistance for Substance Abuse Prevention Center, established by the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, has worked with community partners in the faith community to prevent alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse.

· Reviving the Human Spirit (RTHS) was a collaborative project that provided resources to help congregations provide substance use prevention and recovery support in their communities, including the adoption of evidence-based practices.

· Slightly more than two thirds of the congregations that participated in follow up interviews reported that their programs were still operating.

· Faith-based programs have many things in common with programs operated by other …

Practice, Practice, Practice: Preliminary Findings From An Evidence-Based Practice Funding Initiative At The Peter And Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation, Nicholas G. Randell

The Foundation Review

· The Tower Foundation supported a five-year initiative to support the implementation of evidencebased practices (EBP). The average award was a three-year award of $84,050.

· The underlying grantmaking theory of change was that behavioral health providers could bring empirically tested protocols to their communities and sustain them over time if supported by long-term funding to support the real costs of implementation (e.g., training, technical assistance, adherence to program protocols, and cultural change).

· Grantees cited the high cost of training, certification, and recertification – especially in the face of high staff turnover – as a primary challenge to implementing …

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Roles Of Community Foundations In The Establishment And Sustainability Of Local College Access Networks In Michigan, Nathan Daun-Barnett, Haley Lamm

The Foundation Review

· Community foundations have a long history of supporting college access, particularly through the management of scholarship programs. This article examines the role of community foundations in the creation and establishment of local college access networks (LCAN) across the state of Michigan.

· We use the collective impact model as a framework to examine the roles of community foundations in the creation and development of LCANs.

· Our findings illustrate that community foundations have played a variety of roles, from fundraising to convening to cheerleading.

· The success of the community-foundation approach to LCAN development is evident both in the …

Dimensions Of Change: A Model For Community Change Efforts, Jara Dean-Coffey, Nicole Farkouh, Amy Reisch

The Foundation Review

· The Dimension of Change Model (DOCM), developed by the authors, is offered as a potentially useful tool for foundations, government, bodies, consultants, coalitions, and even individual organizations that are initiating or engaged in substantive efforts to bring about community change.

· The dimensions contained in the model - structure, parameters, intention, approach, and people - offer a frame for addressing key aspects that emerge from the literature as fundamental to all change efforts. The model is offered as a way to design, implement, adapt, and evaluate change initiatives.

· The work of First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission …

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Shaping Education Policy: The Importance Of Clarity, Commitment, And Consensus Building, Ronald B. Richard, Helen Williams, Robert E. Eckardt

The Foundation Review

· In 2005, the Ohio Grantmakers Forum (OGF), a consortium of philanthropic organizations that includes the Cleveland Foundation, trained its focus on the seemingly intractable problem of improving public education.

· This review, co-chaired by the Cleveland Foundation, culminated in a report, “Education for Ohio’s Future,” which offered recommendations in five areas: systems and structures, standards and accountability, teaching and leadership quality, innovation and choice, and funding.

· In 2008, OGF reached out beyond philanthropists to a diverse array of education stakeholders who developed consensus recommendations on teacher quality and student success.

· For the next three years, OGF and …

Building The Capacity Of Networks To Achieve Systems Change, Douglas Easterling

The Foundation Review

· Networks have historically played an essential role in promoting progress in areas such as social justice, political reform, environmental protection, and public health.

· Foundations are increasingly recognizing the power of networks and looking for strategies to help networks achieve their potential.

· The most common strategies are: a) convene a new network around a mission in line with the foundation’s interests, or b) make grants to an existing network whose interests align with the foundation’s. Each strategy has practical limitations.

· This paper analyzes an alternative strategy developed by the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation (MRBF). In addition to …

Corporate Giving Gets Smarter: Conagra Foods Foundation Fights Childhood Hunger, Lisa Wyatt Knowlton, Cynthia Phillips

The Foundation Review

· This article discusses how a better “map” can develop strategic focus and alignment, increasing the potential for results.

· Program development and evaluation are best done hand in hand.

· In complex systems, co-construction has huge yield. It promotes accuracy, comprehensiveness, and utility.

· Grantmakers can provide more than funding; they can identify and use new tools, processes, and resources with multiple stakeholders for effectiveness.

· Alignment and integration are powerful principles inside and outside organizations as well as across sectors in pursuit of social change.

Bridging Silos, Improving Systems, Deidre Johnson, Phillip Chung, Jennifer Schroeder, Judith Meyers

The Foundation Review

· Systems that provide services to children tend to operate in silos; foundations can play a role in helping bridge these silos by supporting “systems building” efforts.

· Using examples from two foundations and two communities, this article explores the challenges and lessons learned in systems building work.

· Educating grantees and other community members about systems and systems building is a critical first step in the process.

· Supporting systems building requires an iterative process and foundations should continuously reinforce the importance of systems building activities.

Toward A High-Performance Culture: From Strategy To Strategic Human Capital At The Rhode Island Foundation, Melanie Coon

The Foundation Review

· The Rhode Island Foundation successfully applied to be part of the first cohort of the Talent Initiative, enabling the foundation to engage in human resources planning in support of its strategic plan.

· The strategic plan called for a shift from responsive to proactive grantmaking, fundraising, and leadership, which required different staff roles and skills.

· The Talent Initiative focused on three areas: talent, systems, and culture.

· The changes that were implemented included adoption of a new performance review system, a road map for professional development, and a streamlined approach to operations and technology support.

· Initial results …

Impact Investing: A 21st Century Tool To Attract And Retain Donors, Amy L. Cheney, Kathryn E. Merchant, Robert Killins Jr.

The Foundation Review

· A familiar private foundation tool is being used by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation as a way to engage donor advisors to make a positive difference in the community.

· While due diligence and risk management of the financial return for these investments is crucial, the social return to be achieved is the primary consideration.

· Donors can achieve a modest financial return, which is recycled into their donor-advised fund, by investing locally in projects that make a significant difference.

· Initial donor interest in participating in impact investing has been strong and provided valuable insight into program design.

· …

Lessons In Building A Better Community, One Voice At A Time, Erica Wood

The Foundation Review

· By 2035 there will be an estimated 1.2 million new jobs and 900,000 new households in the San Francisco Bay Area (Association of Bay Area Governments, n.d.); without planning and management, this population increase will result in rising air pollution levels, climate change, escalating cost of living, increasing traffic, and less green space.

· Silicon Valley Community Foundation partnered with area nonprofits and government agencies on a two-year initiative, Envision Bay Area, to engage residents and community leaders in conversations about growth.

· At a series of 10 public forums more than 800 participants came together, including those who …

Managing Expectations When Measuring Philanthropic Impact: A Framework Based On Experience, Frank Ridzi

The Foundation Review

· In order to achieve more targeted community change than possible in conventional grantmaking, foundations have developed a portfolio of activities ranging from capacity building to venture and catalytic philanthropy.

· Key to each of these approaches is a desire for meaningful impact. Yet, funders across the nation express dissatisfaction with their ability to prove or demonstrate impact.

· Conversations with colleagues and personal experience suggest that part of this dissatisfaction is due to a disconnect between the expectations of board members, donors, staff, and participants on one hand and what is actually feasible to measure on the other.

· …

Happiness At Work: Rules For Employee Satisfaction And Engagement, Femi Cadmus

Faculty Scholarship

The concept of employee satisfaction and engagement is not new. Quite recently, however, there appears to be renewed interest in positive psychology, tracking what makes for happiness in general, and how this translates in the workplace. Cultivating and maintaining a climate and culture which breeds happy, motivated, and productive employees in a library setting requires hard work. Happiness in the workplace is not unattainable, but it requires a concerted plan of action and consistent effort by managers. Managers also need to take steps to make sure that their own personal and work needs are being taken care off to avert …

Small-Firm Uniqueness And Signaling Theory, James C. Brau, J. Troy Carpenter

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, we develop a theory of small firm uniqueness. Instead of using an exogenous definition of firm size typical of the extant literature, we allow firms

Did Securitization Affect The Cost Of Corporate Debt?, Taylor Nadauld, Michael S. Weisbach

Faculty Publications

This paper investigates whether the securitization of corporate bank loan facilities had an impact on the price of corporate debt. Our results suggest that loan facilities that are subsequently securitized are associated with a 17 basis point lower spread than that of facilities that are not subsequently securitized. We consider facility characteristics that are associated with the likelihood of securitization and estimate the extent to which these characteristics are related to spreads. We document that Term Loan B facilities, facilities of B-rated firms, and facilities originated by banks that originate CLOs are securitized more frequently than other facilities. Spreads on …

Measuring Life Skills: Standardizing The Assessment Of Youth Development Indicators, Mat D. Duerden, Peter A. Witt, Mariela Fernandez, Marie Jolliff Bryant, Daniel Theriault

Faculty Publications

While the development of life skills (e.g., communication, problem solving, etc.) is a commonly targeted youth program outcome, the lack of standardized conceptualizations and instrumentation make it difficult to compare impacts across programs and develop validated best practices. In order to promote a more unified approach to life skill development, literature reviews were conducted for 10 life skill domains to identify common definitions and, if available, appropriate outcome measures. Data were then collected from an ethnically diverse sample (N = 758) of elementary, middle, and high school aged youth for the 10 identified instruments. Analyses were conducted to ascertain the …

Subprime Foreclosures And The 2005 Bankruptcy Reform, Donald P. Morgan, Benjamin Iverson, Matthew Botsch

Faculty Publications

After the bankruptcy abuse reform (BAR) took effect in October 2005, foreclosures on subprime mortgages surged nationwide.

Prior to BAR, overly indebted borrowers could file bankruptcy to free up income to pay their mortgage by discharging unsecured debts; BAR eliminated that option for better-off filers through a means test and other requirements, making it more difficult to save one’s home by filing bankruptcy.

A study of the reform suggests that BAR was associated with more subprime foreclosures; BAR’s effects were greater in states with high bankruptcy exemptions, as theory predicts.

For a state with an average home equity exemption, the …