Impact and Evaluation Archives - Exponent Philanthropy

Blog

Topic: “Impact and Evaluation”

The Foundation Data Dilemma: On Making and Measuring Change

Since attending and presenting at Exponent Philanthropy’s 2023 Annual Conference in October, I’ve spent some time reflecting on how foundations and non-profits relate to one another and engage in social change. In particular, I’ve been thinking about the challenges grant-makers experience in understanding and demonstrating the ‘difference’ they make. In my own session and in... Read More

Philanthropic Impact: Key Strategies and Factors

As foundations strive to make meaningful change in support of their missions, understanding what leads to philanthropic impact is crucial. In the 2023 Foundation Operations and Management Report, foundations named insufficient grantmaking impact as one of their top challenges. In this blog, I’ll discuss a few factors that drive impact, as well as strategies for... Read More

Disaggregated Data Collection and Use by Lean Foundations

Foundations play a critical role in advancing equity and addressing disparities in our society. One key practice that foundations are increasingly adopting is the collection and use of disaggregated data. Disaggregated data refers to the separation of compiled information into smaller units based on various characteristics such as age, sex, geographic area, education, ethnicity, or... Read More

Going Beyond the Grant To Support Nonprofits

A little over 30 years ago, Pro Football Hall of Famer and venture capitalist investor Ronnie Lott and his wife Karen founded All Stars Helping Kids. Ronnie modeled his philanthropic efforts on the lessons he learned playing football and investing in technology starts-up. Much like how venture capitalists invest in startups, All Stars invests in... Read More