Research

This report, informed by the work of the 2005 Evaluation Roundtable, examines some of the current topics in philanthropic evaluation and showcases the evaluation approaches of several grantmakers, both large and small. The report explores the link between evaluation and grantmaking and contains tips on how to incorporate a results orientatation into your organisation's work without making a large investment.

Associate Professor Dorothy Scott, School of Social Work, University of Melbourne discusses evalutation and philanthropy. Conference 2004

To get insight into a complex community, problem or process of change, sometimes you need to look beyond conventional research or evaluation methods. Ethnography is a powerful way to step inside the culture of an organisation or community, hear ongoing feedback from multiple points of view, and understand a program's real impact. In this guide, learn about ethnography's benefits and pitfalls, and see how grant makers use the method to document, evaluate and improve approaches to youth engagement, HIV education and neighborhood policing.

The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) publication offers some simple, pragmatic approaches to evaluation. The most effective evaluation efforts are tailored to the size, scale and complexity of the initiative under review, and conform to the donor’s philanthropic goals, strategy and learning style. The approach that you decide to take to evaluation may be formal or informal, costly or cost-free, analytical or intuitive. In the end, it is all about learning from the giving experience, gaining a better understanding of the difference you are making, and improving the effectiveness of your future philanthropic investments.

"What are we doing, and why do we think it’s going to make a difference? Are we being effective?" Grantmakers ask evaluation questions like these of their grantees and themselves. This brief guide explains why grant makers use theories of change to guide their questioning, unearth assumptions that underlie their work, establish common language, and develop strong action plans. Contributors to the guide also describe how a theory of change sets the stage for evaluation by clarifying goals, strategies, and milestones.

Vol. 6, No. 1, Winter 2001, puts the spotlight on successful giving programmes for the young and for families. It has advice on when to teach your children about money and has a number of links to other organisations working in this field.

The purpose of this paper (commissioned by the J.W McConnell Family Foundation) is to contribute to an emerging body of knowledge and reflective practice on the role of funders in supporting innovation and social change.  Our goals are to: 

• Encourage funders of all sizes to accelerate their impact;
• Provide practical insights and examples of some of the opportunities and pitfalls of funding for durable social change;
• Refine their own foundation's performance through feedback and engagement with readers and fellow grantmakers. 

Vol. 1: A Grantmaker's Framework for Understanding Non-profit Leadership Development. Given the vast literature on leadership development and the challenges of translating research and theory into practice, this publication explores a sampling of the leadership development literature. It is designed as a first step to help inform grantmakers. It highlights 1) the importance of leadership in the non-profit sector, 2) dominant theories within leadership research, 3) different approaches to developing leadership and investing in non-profit capacity, 4) the link between leadership development and organisational performance, and 5) steps to advance the field of non-profit leadership development.

This is a summary of the survey  carried out by Philanthropy New Zealand in conjuntion with Funidng Information Service to gain a better understanding of the impact the Global crisis is having on funders' investments and community support.

Value Added by Voluntary Agencies (VAVA) was led by the New Zealand Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations. It was commissioned to examine the voluntary inputs of voluntary agencies across New Zealand. Such voluntary based agencies are characterised by their use of voluntary donations of time, money and/or goods. The project is structured in three phases: measuring input, output and outcomes of voluntary sector organisations to New Zealand society and economy. Phase 1 was completed in September 2004.

This paper produced in October 2006, is the first part of an international research project lead by John Hopkins University in the USA and the Committee for the Study of the New Zealand Non-Profit Sector in New Zealand. This project compares data on non-profit organizations in more than 40 countries, which will help measure the economic contribution of the community and voluntary sector in New Zealand.

The paper has 4 main sections: historical background, legal treatment, major types of non-profits and the structural – operational definition.

Resource flows to the community non-profit sector in New Zealand − a report prepared for Philanthropy New Zealand. This report has information on sources and levels of funding made to the voluntary community or not-for-profit sector, and estimates the varying contributions from these sources to different functional activities.

Resource flows to the community not-for-profit sector in New Zealand − a report prepared for Philanthropy New Zealand. This report has information on sources and levels of funding made to the voluntary community or not-for-profit sector, and estimates the varying contributions from these sources to different functional activities.

This paper asks the core questions: what is generosity, and what does it have to do with the way we live our lives or run our businesses?

This paper examines the benefits that stem from generosity for givers, receivers and the community as a whole.