去年，基金会收到了一份 推荐数量 from the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) that were designed to help us achieve greater impact with our grantmaking. CEP’s recommendations were part of a Grantee Perception Report that is an important data point as we work to increase our impact through grantmaking.
许多建议都与正在进行的变革相一致, 或者被开发, 我们的领导团队. 例如, the recommendations directed us as a staff and team to engage differently with the grantees we fund. They also called for us to build a much greater understanding of the fields and communities that grantees serve, 工作和生活. 最后, CEP recommended more robust communications – from clearer points of contact to more regular communication and proactive discussions about evaluative data from a grantee’s work.
在我们接近2017年底的时候, 我们想分享我们如何解决CEP建议的最新进展:
CEP推荐: Seek opportunities for grantee engagement that drive and demonstrate a deeper understanding of their fields and incorporate grantees’ ideas and concerns into future grantmaking strategies and approaches.
我们今天是这样做的: 2016年，我们在全州进行了一次倾听之旅. ,旅游, 以及其他数据来源, 促使我们退后一步，反思我们在资助方面是如何做的以及做了什么. It re-inspired how we think about “listening” to learn from Coloradans, including grantees. 2017年1月， 我们分享了我们如何改变项目官员的角色. 现在, 项目官员花在实地的时间比以往任何时候都多, 集中在国家的特定地理区域. 我们希望通过倾听和参与社区, everyone in Colorado (especially grantees) find a voice in our work and spirit as an organization.
CEP推荐: Consider where the Foundation can build a stronger understanding of grantees’ local communities and contexts, 特别是对那些在农村地区工作的人.
我们今天是这样做的: 我们今天的信条是，社区参与既是一个过程，也是一个结果. 我们认为，让居民参与进来对社区的繁荣至关重要. Bringing in new voices and supporting local champions taps into the inherent power in communities and helps create equitable, 可持续和健康的社区. 10月, our portfolio directors wrote an update about how we are striving to understand communities more deeply in every area of the state.
CEP推荐: Ensure staff have opportunities to engage with grantees to create a stronger shared understanding of grantees’ goals, 战略和他们的组织面临的挑战.
我们今天是这样做的: 基金会对我们如何在社区中出现和工作有了全新的理念. The new philosophy has impacted grantmaking deeply: We have fundamentally shifted how our program officers work and operate across the state. 在一个 我们在二月份发表的一篇博文，我们分享了我们理念背后的思考过程:”这是我们自身的根本转变, 我们如何出现, 我们和谁交谈，我们关注谁. 这种转变远远超出了慈善事业. 这不仅仅是一个资助策略. 这是十大菠菜靠谱老平台我们改变DNA，改变指纹.”
CEP推荐: Facilitate regular staff conversations about barriers that hinder and how to facilitate stronger relationships with grantees, 以及如何应对这些挑战.
我们今天是这样做的: 在2017年, our program officers have engaged in a learning series focused on helping us continue to improve how we engage both as leaders and how we work together. This has enabled staff to spend more time considering how we can improve our knowledge base and how we can use what we learn to achieve more impact. Our staff have also been engaging in a variety of trainings and education focused on the political, 国家不同地区的经济和文化方面, 以及在我们新的重点领域建立内容知识.
CEP推荐: Review and refine our process for increased continuity and robust knowledge transfer during moments of staff transition.
我们今天是这样做的: We revisited our transition process earlier this year to ensure full clarity about each transition of a grant or portfolio that occurs. Staff are also spending more dedicated time and energy on transitions between themselves and in learning about new bodies of work or issues they’ve been asked to take on.
CEP推荐: Strive to communicate clearly with understandable and timely messages to grantees about organizational changes.
我们今天是这样做的: 今年时机对我们有利, as our Communications Team was already committed to reworking several of our main communications tools. We launched a new website that has enabled much clearer communications for those that are trying to learn about us online. It includes a blog that has helped us to share information more readily and directly from those of us who manage certain types of work. We also launched an interactive map that is designed to help you connect with a program officer by area of the state. 最重要的是, 新的项目官员角色概述了我们如何更清晰、更有规律地沟通. 在受助人自己的社区中为他们提供服务是其中不可或缺的一部分.
CEP推荐: 与受助人讨论报告/评估.
我们今天是这样做的: We are committed to timely review of reports and communicating with grantees about the reports they submit. 我们也希望尽可能多地在资助过程中分享我们更广泛的成果. 幸运的是, this has become much easier since we launched a new website with a dedicated area for organizational insights. Check out an example of how we are sharing insights from a recent funding opportunity we wrapped up earlier this year.
CEP推荐: Consider how to mitigate pressure to modify programs or projects in order to receive funding through current opportunities.
我们今天是这样做的: We are trying to develop 资金的机会 that are more responsive to community needs. 例如，根据我们从科罗拉多州社区听到的情况，我们开设了两个新的 资金的机会 for our June 2017 deadline that focused on behavioral health and immigrant and refugee communities.
虽然我们知道还有更多的事情要做, 我们仍然致力于分享我们在机遇和改进领域取得的进展. 我们期待着这种持续的进步，也期待着你在此过程中可能产生的任何想法.