9 research outputs found
Strengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities: Impacts of Advocacy, Organizing and Civic Engagement in New Mexico
No full textStrengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities: Impacts of Advocacy, Organizing and Civic Engagement in New Mexico by Lisa Ranghelli looks at 2003-2007 data from 14 New Mexico nonprofits, which shows high return on investments and successful policy changes that benefit New Mexicans, such as anti-predatory lending laws, minimum wage increases and homeless trust funds
Measuring the Impacts of Advocacy and Community Organizing: Application of a Methodology and Initial Findings
No full text· The increasing emphasis by funders on strategic grantmaking and measurable outcomes may be a disincentive to support policy and advocacy work, because of the perception that outcomes can be difficult to assess.
· A tool for measuring impact can reduce the barriers to funding advocacy and policy work.
· The tool draws upon the literatures on evaluating advocacy and organizing, social capital building efforts, and return on investment approaches to evaluation.
· The tool was applied in two sites, where funders found it useful to understand advocacy impacts and learn how advocacy can enhance their grantmaking goals
Strengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities: Impacts of Advocacy, Organizing and Civic Engagement in North Carolina
No full textStrengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities: Impacts of Advocacy, Organizing and Civic Engagement in North Carolina by Lisa Ranghelli and Julia Craig looks at 2003-2007 data from 13 North Carolina nonprofits, which shows high return on investments and non-monetary gains on a range of issues including poverty, worker rights, education, health care, housing, environment and civil rights
William Penn Foundation - Is Philadelphia's Leading Philanthropy Back on Track?
No full textFor nearly 70 years, the William Penn Foundation has been a philanthropic giant in the Philadelphia area, leading efforts in the arts, environment and education. While the foundation is largely seen as an effective institution, recent changes in leadership and strategy have challenged the foundation's values of transparency and equity. Encouragingly, William Penn has signaled a renewed commitment to advocacy and organizing that engages affected communities. But there's much work to be done before William Penn is the proactive civic leader its constituents need it to be -- one that breaks through the major problems facing Philadelphia and its underserved communities
Leveraging Limited Dollars: How Grantmakers Achieve Tangible Benefits by Funding Policy and Community Engagement
No full textHighlights findings from seven reports analyzing community and taxpayer benefits and other impacts of grant dollars invested in policy and civic engagement in thirteen states, successful strategies, and best practices. Includes grantmaker profiles
Strengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities: Impacts of Advocacy, Organizing, and Civic Engagement in Los Angeles
No full textAnalyzes the policy impacts and monetary benefits fifteen Los Angeles County community organizations achieved for marginalized groups with foundation support in 2004-08. Presents effective strategies used and recommends greater roles for local funders
Strengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities: Impacts of Advocacy, Organizing, and Civic Engagement in the Northwest Region
No full textAnalyzes the policy impacts and monetary benefits twenty nonprofit organizations achieved for marginalized communities with foundation support for civic engagement in 2005-09. Outlines effective strategies for maximizing returns on grant dollars
Tools to Support Public Policy Grantmaking
No full text· This article provides guidance on how foundations can frame, focus, and advance efforts to achieve public policy reforms.
· Five essential steps for developing public policy strategy are described: choosing the public policy goal, understanding the challenges, identifying influential audiences, determining how far those audiences must move, and deciding how to move them.
· Two tools developed specifically to support foundations during the strategy development process are presented
Setting the Table for a Sustainable and Just Food System
No full text· As consumers and producers, people of color have been affected disproportionately by systemic problems in the food system.
· This article describes the Diversifying Leadership for Sustainable Food Policy initiative, a joint effort of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to build the capacity of organizations led by people of color to engage in policy and advocacy work.
· Grantees successfully built their capacity to engage in policy work (e.g., increased capacity to identify policy targets), increased their organizational capacity (e.g., diversified boards), improved their communities’ capacity (e.g., created opportunities for dialogue and improved access to fresh foods), and impacted policies related to sustainable food (e.g., provided resources for small and new farmers)
