Narrowing the Power Gap Build Strong Partnerships with Grantees - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Narrowing the Power Gap Build Strong Partnerships with Grantees Through Transparency

Agenda

• Narrow the Power Gap – Three

Recommendations

• Transparency
• 30-Second Case Stories
• Local Case Stories
• Breakout Discussions
• Regroup
• Farewell!

About PEAK Grantmaking

A community of more than 4,500 grantmakers coming together… … to improve how grants get made

Power:

• Possession of control, authority
• r influence over others
• Also: jurisdiction, command,

sway, dominion, grip, force, strength, might, etc.

“Power, whether through organized people or

• rganized money, is the force that changes

systems, and changing systems is the only way to achieve equitable outcomes for all communities. As a grantmaker, you cannot truly strive for and advance equity until you understand your own power and privilege in society and in relation to your grantees. Then you can make conscious choices about how to use that power to be more effective and have lasting positive impact, in ways that align with the goals, needs and strategies of the communities you seek to benefit.”

Source: Power Moves, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

How to Narrow the Power Gap: 1.Build strong and trusting relationships with your grantees. 2.Rightsize the grantmaking process and implement flexible practices to reduce the time and burden on your grantees. 3.Structure grant awards to be more responsive to grantseeker needs.

Recommendation: Build strong and trusting relationships with your grantees

Resources: How to be Transparent, Clear and Responsive with Your Grantees How to Design Accessible and User-Friendly Online Systems How to Collect and Act on Community Feedback

Be clear, responsive and transparent with your grantees.

Design online application and reporting systems that are accessible and user-friendly.

Solicit direct, confidential feedback and then act transparently to improve.

Resources: How to Rightsize the Grantmaking Process and Implement Flexible Practices NetGrant Calculator

Recommendation: Rightsize the grantmaking process and implement flexible practices to reduce the time and financial burden on your grantees.

Know the Net Grant and keep it high.

Rightsize your application and reporting processes and requirements.

Be flexible with financial and program information.

Resource: How to Structure Grant Awards to be More Responsive to Grantseeker Needs

Recommendation: Structure grant awards to be more responsive to grantseeker needs

Provide your nonprofit partners with flexibility to adapt as their environment changes.

Consider full-cost funding or operating support grants for better outcomes.

Develop a new approach to supporting systems change work through advocacy and lobbying.

Quick Poll

Be clear, responsive and transparent with your grantees.

Transparency:

• Anything an organization does to

proactively communicate, explain

• r share information about itself

with its grantseekers and the community at large.

• Includes staff availability and

responsiveness.

Three Types of Transparency:

• Organizational Transparency—Public information

about your organization, including funding priorities, staff, and current and previous grantees.

• Process Transparency—Public information about

processes related to applying for, receiving, and reporting on a grant.

• Decision-Making Transparency—Clear and proactive

communication about funding decisions and other important decisions related to the grantee.

Organizational Transparency

What to Share:

• See GlassPockets.org by

Candid

• Mission, vision, values
• Key staff and board
• Contact info for staff
• Bylaws, charters, governance
• Financials
• Recently awarded grants and

all previous grantees

• Grantmaking focus and

strategy

• Diversity of board and staff

30-Second Case Story: Organizational Transparency

Process Transparency

What to Share:

• Grantmaking process stages
• Process timeline and how long

each step takes

• When grantee can expect to

hear from you at each stage

• When grant decisions will be

finalized – accountability for your team to share ASAP

• How responsive grantees can

expect your staff to be at any time – on what topics and how quickly

30-Second Case Story: Process Transparency

Decision-Making Transparency

What to Share:

• Names/descriptions of grant

reviewers

• Granting criteria, decision

frameworks, rubrics

• Funding preferences or

prohibitions

• Feedback on each application,

what influenced final decision and suggestions for the future

30-Second Case Story: Decision-Making Transparency

Local Case Stories

Questions?

Breakouts and Group Discussion

• What does your organization do that

reflects a commitment to transparency?

• What does your organization do that

falls short?

• What is one idea you heard from the

case stories that you’d like to try at your organization?

Public Resources

Courage in Practice: 5 Principles for Peak Grantmaking Strategies for Narrowing the Power Gap in Philanthropy