Foundations Seek Feedback from Grant Recipients
A growing number of foundations are seeking feedback from grant
recipients to assess their own performance and compare the results
with other funders, the New York Times reported April 23.
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation was the first to post
the results of its survey of grant recipients online. The survey
was conducted last spring by the Center for Effective Philanthropy,
a nonprofit research organization.
The openness of the assessment surprised many in the nonprofit
arena, especially those who are used to treading cautiously around
current or potential funders.
But the foundation said the constructive criticism would enable
it to adjust its policies and practices to be more responsive to
their grantees.
"The foundation has long been concerned about improving philanthropy
and the nonprofit sector in general," said Paul Brest, president
of the foundation. "The more information we can make available,
the better we all are."
Among the concerns raised in the survey were the amount of time
it took to file a new application and the lengthy approval process
before a grant is awarded.
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