Evaluation of the Mitchell Kapor Foundations Targeted Grantmaking - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Evaluation of the Mitchell Kapor Foundations Targeted Grantmaking - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Evaluation of the Mitchell Kapor Foundations Targeted Grantmaking Program Anna Saltzman Tina Joh September 18, 2009 Blueprint Research & Design, Inc. Blueprint Research & Design, Inc. Blueprint Research & Design, Inc. Garden


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SLIDE 1

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc. Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Anna Saltzman Tina Joh September 18, 2009

Evaluation of the Mitchell Kapor Foundation’s Targeted Grantmaking Program

Garden and election photos used under Creative Commons from Vicki Moore and LDCross.

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SLIDE 2

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • Purpose of Evaluation
  • Evaluation Methods
  • Highlights of Evaluation Findings

– Interactions with Grantees – Impact of Grantees’ Work

  • Looking Ahead

Overview of Presentation

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SLIDE 3

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • Learning Outcomes

– Deepening knowledge of MKF staff

  • Doing Outcomes

– Understanding grantees’ impact on the community

  • Reflecting Outcomes

– Assessing MKF’s process for evaluating applicants/grantees and its interactions with them

Purpose of Evaluation

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SLIDE 4

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • Internal Reflection Sessions

– Three memos to MKF

  • Applicant Data Analysis

– 216 applications received from late 2007 to early 2009

  • Grantee Final Report Analysis

– 25 reports for grants awarded in late 2007 to early 2008

  • Grantee Interviews

– 10 grantees (5 Green Access and 5 VoICE)

Evaluation Methods

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SLIDE 5

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • Application and final report processes went

smoothly, asked for right amount of information

  • MKF staff understood complexity of issues

grantees were addressing

  • Convening role played by Foundation helped

connect grantees to each other

  • MKF staff was accessible and innovative
  • Blog was a great resource for staying up-to-date
  • n the field, MKF’s thinking

Interactions with Grantees: What Worked Well

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SLIDE 6

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Interactions with Grantees: Areas for Improvement

  • Mixed reports of MKF’s responsiveness to

requests, frequency of communication

  • Desire for more transparency amongst some

grantees

– Communicating changes in direction of grantmaking – Explaining how information in final reports is used

  • More opportunities for in-person site visits
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SLIDE 7

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Interactions with Grantees: Implications for Foundation

  • Maintain consistent communication and

transparency with grantees

  • Assess training provided to MKF staff members
  • Share with grantees information about how final

reports are used

  • Consider performing more site visits, continuing to

arrange convenings and connect grantees

  • Conduct ongoing assessments of grantee needs
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SLIDE 8

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Grantees’ Reflections on Foundation Grantmaking in General

  • Establish deeper, longer-term relationships with

funded organizations

  • Make changes to type of grants made and grant

guidelines

– General support grants – Multi-year grants – Guidelines for funding policy change work

  • Streamline reporting processes
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Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • Helped grantees to leverage other funds
  • Allowed grantees to prioritize certain aspects of

their work

  • Helped grantees carry out programmatic work

(Green Access)

  • Supported existing staff members, allowed for

creation of new positions (VoICE)

Impact of MKF Funding

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Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • Few grantees provided data on outcomes
  • Many mentioned need to build capacity
  • Focus on shorter-term outcomes
  • Grantees addressing change at different levels:

– Changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors – Changing policies and practices of institutions – Changing local and state policies – Building infrastructure – Building the field

Impact of Grantees’ Work: Green Access

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SLIDE 11

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Impact of Grantees’ Work: VoICE

  • Few grantees provided data on outcomes
  • Focus on building capacity, shorter-term outcomes
  • Many outcomes centered around 2008 election
  • Grantees addressing change at different levels:

– Raising awareness about civic engagement – Reducing barriers to civic engagement – Changing local and state policies – Building organizational capacity – Forming partnerships and building the field

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SLIDE 12

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • Loss of funding or insufficient funding
  • Staff transitions
  • Difficulty reaching target populations
  • Need to build organizational capacity
  • Desire to maintain momentum in off-election years

Impact of Grantees’ Work: Challenges and Lessons Learned

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SLIDE 13

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • More capacity-building support to grantees
  • Engage grantees in dialogue about longer-term
  • utcomes
  • Revise program map to emphasize outcomes
  • Create standard set of information on outcomes to

collect from grantees

  • Use this information to further refine and focus

grantmaking

Looking Ahead

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SLIDE 14

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

  • Members of Blueprint team

– Jack Chin – Conan Liu – Leslie Andrews

  • MKF staff

– Cedric Brown – Tiffany Price – Carmen Rojas

Acknowledgements

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Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc.

Blueprint Research & Design, Inc. 720 Market Street, Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94102 T: 415.677.9700 F: 415.677.9711 E: info@blueprintrd.com Blueprint is a founding B Corporation and member of the Social Venture Network.