Selected Projects
Building Endowments for Community Development
Client: Ford Foundation
Conducted a study of the barriers and opportunities within organized philanthropy to building permanent sources of local philanthropic capital and endowments for community and economic development. Examined five sectors of philanthropy: community foundations, health conversion foundations, family foundations, alternative funds, corporate giving and social venture funds. This study was commissioned to inform internal program planning.
Program Design and Site Selection Support
Client: W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Provided research and technical assistance to help the Kellogg Foundation design a new initiative to facilitate partnerships between workforce development, child care and early learning programs in order to improve two-generation outcomes (employment outcomes for mothers and educational outcomes for their young children). Examined state policy environments affecting workforce, child care and education, and provided key design, investment, learning, capacity building and site selection recommendations.
Improved Grantmaking Processes for Collaborative Fund
Client: Chicago Foundation for Women
Conducted an assessment of grantmaking process as part of the Foundation's long-term strategic planning effort. Provided recommendations for internal restructuring, replacing outdated procedures, and balancing program and fundraising priorities during a period of aggressive growth. Methodology included document reviews, interviews and focus groups. This assessment resulted in major restructuring of grantmaking operations.
Assessment of PLACES Leadership Development Fellowship
Client: The Funders Network
The Professionals Learning About Community, Equity, and Smart Growth (PLACES) Fellowship Program was created to address the lack of BIPOC representation in philanthropic organizations involved in smart growth and sustainable development disciplines. This assessment examined how PLACES enhanced the leadership skills, grantmaking practices and other activities of participating fellows, and the effect they had on place-based and community change programs within their organizations.
Role of Foundations in Place-Based Community Change
Community Change Leadership Exchange
Community Change Learning Exchange provided a forum for representatives of philanthropic affinity groups and foundation leaders involved in place-based work to engage in frank discussions about the impact and long-term viability of community change initiatives, including how to translate community building to tangible community economic development and employment outcomes. This assessment, which was funded by The Funders Network, examined processes, results and lessons emerging from CCLE dialogues.
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