Nonprofit Administration and Management Commons^™

Lost Causal: Debunking Myths About Causal Analysis In Philanthropy, Jewlya Lynn, Sarah Stachowiak, Julia Coffman

The Foundation Review

What if philanthropic evaluations told us that changes in the world had occurred, as well as how and why they occurred, including in what ways foundation funding and grantees contributed to those changes? What if evaluations made change pathways more visible, tested hypotheses and assumptions, and generated new insights based on what happened in the “black box” of systems change strategies? This type of learning comes from causal analysis — inquiry that explores cause-andeffect relationships.

Yet currently in philanthropy, particularly for strategies and initiatives that feature high complexity, few evaluations use robust techniques for understanding causality. Instead, philanthropic evaluation tends …

Brazilian Foundations And The Responses To Covid-19, Marcos Paulo Lucca-Silveira, Pietro Rodrigues, Marketa Jerabek, Marcia Kalvon Woods, João Paulo Vergueiro

The Foundation Review

This article aims to systematically analyze the contribution of corporate and family foundations in the fight against COVID-19 in Brazil, one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. Despite its resultant economic and social crisis, the pandemic has sparked an unprecedented wave of philanthropy in Brazil. It is estimated that more than $1.2 billion has been raised and donated by corporations, corporate and private foundations, crowdfunding, and fundraising campaigns.

Foundations, in particular, have played an important role in financing relevant scientific work, supporting public policies, and assisting nonprofit organizations and vulnerable communities. And while there is increasing knowledge about …

Back Matter

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Upswing: How America Came Together A Century Ago And How We Can Do It Again, Michael Layton, Tory Martin

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Youth And The Juvenile Court System: A Community Foundation’S Commitment To Integrating Voice And Community Expertise, Michael A. Yonas, Jennifer C. Sloan, Anna Hollis, Tiffany Sizemore, Kathi Elliott, Michelle Mcmurray, Jeanne Pearlman

The Foundation Review

The staggeringly disproportionate numbers of youth of color in the juvenile court system in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, compelled the Pittsburgh Foundation to launch the Youth Voices Juvenile Justice Pilot project. The initiative sought to learn from youth who have firsthand knowledge of the juvenile court system and from those at risk of such an experience in order to inform the foundation’s efforts to improve outcomes for youth.

This article outlines the foundation’s process for engaging youth and stakeholders in a meaningful way to improve its grantmaking and to better support systems change that leads to reducing youth court involvement through …

Back Matter

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Holding Foundations Accountable For Equity Commitments, Tanya Beer, Patricia Patrizi, Julia Coffman

The Foundation Review

In recent years, foundations of all types and sizes have made commitments to advance racial equity and justice. But good intentions can be undermined by the strategic and administrative structures and processes that shape foundation decisions. Social critics have deconstructed and shed light on the ways in which institutional operating procedures reinforce racism and other forms of injustice in police departments, the courts, and health and welfare agencies. So too, foundation practices warrant serious review.

This article examines how foundation strategy, evaluation, grantee reporting, and monitoring processes have allowed foundations to retain their power and sidestep direct accountability to the …

Front Matter

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

13.2 Full Issue

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

The Revolution Within: What It Really Takes To Partner With Communities, Courtney Ricci, Nancy Csuti, Mia Ramirez

The Foundation Review

In October 2016, The Foundation Review published an article describing a new vision for grantmaking at The Colorado Trust that shifted power from the foundation to community residents to determine locally relevant issues and solutions for advancing health equity. It discussed major shifts underway at The Trust as it developed its Community Partnerships for Health Equity strategy, which it believed would result in measurable change that was authentically planned, implemented, and led by residents of Colorado communities.

This article describes the initial years of the strategy, which began with a phased approach to sharing power with communities, and how the …

Editorial, Teresa R. Behrens

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

(In)Equality Through Unrestricted Grantmaking: Examining Trust And Power In The Collaboration Between The Dutch Charity Lotteries And Their Grantees, Olivier Hunnik, Arjen De Wit, Pamala Wiepking

The Foundation Review

Since 1989, the Dutch Charity Lotteries have provided multiyear unrestricted funding, a type of grantmaking that is fairly unique for the Netherlands, to a wide range of nonprofits at home and abroad. This article shares insights into how unrestricted grantmaking influences the relationship between funders and grantees, specifically highlighting how staff at a sample of grantee organizations experience collaboration with this large social enterprise. It discusses hidden and invisible power dynamics that exist in the relationship, even when there are few formal restrictions on grantees’ spending.

Grantee representatives interviewed for this study stated that openness and honesty in communication with …

Strategy Resilience: Getting Wise About Philanthropic Strategy In A Post-Pandemic World, Jewlya Lynn, Clare Nolan, Peter Waring

The Foundation Review

Public and private systems worldwide have been disrupted by COVID-19, cutting across all types of philanthropic priorities. Amid this uncertainty, some philanthropic strategies have struggled to find their footing while others have adapted easily, harnessing previously unanticipated opportunities to achieve change. Why have some philanthropic strategies been more successful than others? What wisdom can we draw from this moment that can help us prepare for the future?

During times of crisis, the concept of resilience is frequently applied to nonprofit organizations and their leaders. This article flips the vantage point toward funders, proposing a theory to explain what makes some …

Shifting Power In Maine: Findings From A Six-Year Community-Based Health Initiative, Susan Foster, Teresa Doksum, Charles Dwyer

The Foundation Review

Between 2013 and 2019, a Maine Health Access Foundation community-based initiative provided place-based funding to communities to address system gaps and inefficiencies that impede the ability of Maine’s most vulnerable individuals to obtain essential services and supports. To rebalance power between the funder and grantees, the foundation introduced grantmaking practices such as long-term, flexible funding and new ways of relating to and supporting grantees. The theory of change guiding the initiative was that systems change is more effective and sustainable when communities develop cross-sector partnerships and engage community members in planning. The foundation guided the evaluation team to conduct a …

How To Encourage Sustainable Change: A Reflection On How Philanthropy Can Partner With Grantees To Build Organizational Capacity, Allison Dymnicki, Alex Hooker, Rebecca Goldberg

The Foundation Review

In 2014, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation embarked on the National Character Initiative to support organizations seeking to advance character development among youth. The initiative sought to promote lasting change by focusing on building grantee capacity that was based largely on grantee priorities.

This article highlights key findings from an evaluation of the foundation’s approach to the initiative by elevating the perspectives of grantees, foundation staff, and field experts who served as consultants. It discusses supports the foundation provided to grantees and three key transformational elements in capacity building: proactive and responsive technical assistance, a culture of learning, and …

Walking The Talk In Participatory Philanthropy, Megan Meyer, Emily Smith Goering, Karen Hopkins, Cheryl Hyde, Nicole Mattocks, Jonalyn Denlinger

The Foundation Review

The philanthropic sector has been called on to increase community engagement and beneficiary voice in funding decisions — in other words, to democratize philanthropy — and foundations have responded with a variety of innovative grantmaking models. One of those, participatory grantmaking, comprises practices that range from soliciting feedback from constituents to encouraging their active participation in or control over grantmaking decisions, program implementation, and outcome evaluation. Little research, however, has examined the perceptions of foundation or community stakeholders involved in participatory grantmaking initiatives.

This article examines the participatory grantmaking process of a Baltimore, Maryland, community foundation that invested $1.5 million …

Book Review: Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change And What They Can Do To Transform Giving, Steve Wilson

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

The Human Services Workforce Crisis: Moving Forward With Intention In Massachusetts, Suzanne Gray Henderson

School of Professional Studies

The human services field is growing rapidly in Massachusetts as it is across the country, and the Commonwealth does not have enough qualified staff to fill vacancies. The workforce shortage has risen to crisis levels due to high turnover, insufficient training, low wages, and a lack of recognition and appreciation for direct support professionals. The individuals receiving services in Massachusetts deserve quality and stability. The state budget – strained by inefficient service models and reactive fixes – also demands systemic change. The human services workforce crisis impacts a variety of stakeholders. Individuals served are directly affected, as are the direct …

Moving From Shelter To A Housing First Reponse, Robyn Kennedy

School of Professional Studies

Massachusetts is a right to shelter state for families who experience homelessness. Based on decisions made several decades ago, the state assigned the response to families who experience homelessness to the Department of Welfare (now the Department of Transitional Assistance) and a shelter, rather than a housing response was adopted. Following national best practice, the state has decided to transition the system to a Housing First response. Through this research, I will be evaluating the trends in the industry and assessing what Massachusetts needs to do to achieve a Housing First approach to serving families who are experiencing homelessness. Unless …

A Gateway To Economic Success, Nathan R. Boudreau

School of Professional Studies

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a leader in the United States, a gleaming example of the American dream and the way life should be. We are always at the forefront of world-class innovation, house arts and culture that rival some of the best cities in the world, and have high-class educational institutes rivaled by almost no other region. Massachusetts leads the way when it comes to progressive ideals that provide for the less fortunate and ensure equality for all while keeping taxes reasonable, unemployment down, and living wage jobs readily available. With all that said, I began to ponder why …

Group Living Environment Responses To Pandemic: A Case Study Of Advocates, And The Covid-19 Crises, Nicole K. Atchue

School of Professional Studies

The literature will take a deeper look in the personal lives of developmentally disabled members and their staff who experienced COVID-19 pandemic in a group living environments. The holistic approach of understanding will navigate the history of care and the level care needed as well as external factors that played a larger role in explanation for the support provided.

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Food Insecurity And Solutions In Worcester, Massachusetts, David Sullivan

School of Professional Studies

Worcester, Massachusetts is a postindustrial city with high levels of potential that faces the persistent obstacle of food insecurity for its low-income and ethnic minority communities. This research thesis examines food insecurity in general and explores data and trends in Worcester, then combines this with conceptual frameworks which explain how socioeconomic factors play into food security. It also explains the systemic inequalities present as a result of food insecurity and critiques academic assumptions surrounding food insecurity. One of these assumptions is that food deserts on their own can explain food insecurity in Worcester and elsewhere, though it has been found …

Pernet Family Health Service, Inc.: Organizational Restructuring & Change Management Best Practices, Carly Massino

School of Professional Studies

Research exhibits that between 70-75% of change initiatives fail and a major contributor to this trend is employee resistance. Although change can bring exciting growth and innovation, it can cause employees heightened stress and worsened physical and mental health outcomes. These effects are often amplified when organizations enact multiple change initiatives at once. These worsened outcomes are often a result of feelings of distress, anxiety, powerlessness, and apprehension and unknowns such as how one’s position will be affected, how operations will change, or how one fits into the change. This topic is incredibly relevant for Pernet Family Health Service, Inc., …

A Comparison Of Community Development Corporations (Cdcs) In Worcester, Massachusetts, Benjamin L. Gessel

School of Professional Studies

This paper examines the factors that influence the effectiveness of two community development corporations (CDCs) in Worcester, Massachusetts. The Main South CDC is more community-oriented and has a comprehensive approach to improving its neighborhood. Worcester Community Housing Resources (WCHR) has a narrower approach that is limited to developing and financing affordable homes. The paper investigates the success of these two organizations on factors widely considered important for CDCs, including their ability to provide affordable housing, the extent of services they offer, their level of community control, and their financial security

Happening In Plain Sight: An Evaluation Of Sexual Harassment In Municipal Government Through A Case Study Of Newark, New Jersey, Hoween R. A. Flexer, Caitlin R. Louie

School of Professional Studies

In the city of Newark, New Jersey, Sebrevious Scott, a participant in the New Jersey Reentry program was hired as part-time office assistant in the city's re-entry office. After being transferred to the city’s Parks and Grounds Departments, she started being sexually harassed, inappropriately touched and propositioned by her supervisor, Richard Kirkland. Scott made repeated attempts to report these actions through the appropriate channels. She was met with dismissal, resistance, and later retaliation. While working in this hostile environment she was also pursuing a full-time employment opportunity with the city upon the completion of the reentry program. Unfortunately, this never …

Employee Retention Rate, Lila Sorenson

School of Professional Studies

This paper addresses the following problem regarding low employee retention rates in non-profit mental health organizations, specifically at NFI. The problem at hand is that majority of staff at NFI have an average length of stay of one year or less. The purpose of this paper is to address the current problem and hypothesize factors that could impact the low retention rates. Additionally, the purpose of the paper is to brainstorm potential solutions regarding the low retention rates and suggestions of how to implement the solutions. The documents contained in this paper include data analysis of employee average length of …

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Single Women, Catherine Martens

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Since its formation in the 1700’s, America has been home to varying degrees of discrepancies between social classes, which include assumptions inherently held within these differences. Considering the fact that America was largely built by the hands of human slaves ruled by those with political influence often landowners, social hierarchy has been intricately woven into the fabric of America’s story from the beginning. Despite the progress that has been made to create and advance equal economic opportunity, there is still a considerable lack of social mobility available for those in lower socioeconomic statuses. More specifically, the impact of poverty is …

Agreement Success Plan, Miranda Holtz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Monterey County Health Department’s Administration Bureau works with contracts and agreements for the Public Health Bureau, which detail what services programs will complete so that they can receive funding or maintain a partnership with the County. The problem was that a large portion of the management analyst’s time was dedicated towards technical support for agreements. The Agreement Success Pan is aimed to increase efficiency by aiding program staff with agreements through a Prezi, which is similar to a self-paced webinar. The project had three phases; interviews of program supervisors or managers, gathering supporting documents, and final launch. Afterward, a questionnaire …

Investigating The Relationship Between The James C. Kennedy Center And The Utilization Of The Harvard Policy Model: A Strategic Planning Process, Neely Griggs

Honors Theses

This thesis aims to understand the relationship between the James C. Kennedy Wellness Center and the utilization of the Harvard Policy Model. The Wellness Center in Tallahatchie county, Mississippi has a profound impact in the community by working to decrease the prevalence of preventable diseases, and the Wellness Center’s leadership has decided to engage in the development of a strategic plan. The researchers led the Wellness Center through the first four steps in the Harvard Policy Model of strategic planning. Through focus groups and data analysis, the Wellness Center’s vision and mission statements were re-conceptualized, the core values of the …