LaunchPath’s Post

Wondering what's next for orgs - like us - that have been fortunate to receive big bet, unrestricted gifts from #MackenzieScott and others? As the just launched #FundWhatWorks report highlights, "True systems change takes time and requires sustained investment" and these gifts were "a downpayment towards a long-term solution." The call to action? "To fully realize their bold impact goals, these organizations still need to raise 75-90% of their overall funding needs. This funding gap presents an opportunity for philanthropists to have an outsized impact with their follow-on funding." Thanks, Gabrielle Fitzgerald and Panorama Global, for all your work on this.

Over the past three years, Panorama's Collaborative Learning for Impact Philanthropy initiative has analyzed the impacts of large, unrestricted gifts on nonprofit organizations. Within a year of receiving the gift, these high-impact organizations working on systems change are at peak strength and ready to act boldly to achieve their missions. It’s inspiring to see how these high-impact organizations, once given the resources, are ready to tackle complex challenges and make a lasting difference. But meaningful change doesn’t happen overnight—it takes sustained investment. Continued donor support for these highly vetted, proven organizations can amplify the effects of those initial gifts and pave the way for even greater impact. Today I’m sharing two things: Our summary of what we learned, “Funding What Works: High-Impact Organizations Trusted by Leading Philanthropists”, plus a list of more than 50 of those high-impact organizations. I hope these new resources will be useful for donors eager to make a meaningful, outsized impact with their follow-on funding. Learn how you can #FundWhatWorks https://bit.ly/48QFUAq View the list of organizations: https://bit.ly/3CAFF0p

Fair Chance, a social change organization, was selected to design and deliver a comprehensive three-year place-based capacity building program for small, youth-serving organizations in the majority-Black suburb of Washington, DC.  In this piece published by Nonprofit Quarterly, its CEO, Gretchen Van der Veer, PhD, shares four lessons learned from the first cohort that should be useful insights for funders looking to strategically invest in the growth and impact of BIPOC nonprofits.

Nonprofits are facing a touch choice: balanced budgets or burnout. As funders, we need to support the well-being of those leading critical missions. Let's reshape the future of philanthropy together! Discover how we can help nonprofits thrive without sacrificing staff well-being in this insightful article from Center for Effective Philanthropy

Congratulations to the GreenLight Fund (“GF”) for their remarkable successes outlined in their 2023-2024 Impact Report (https://lnkd.in/ek-2HUdw). GF’s dedication to selecting and scaling high-impact nonprofits that tackle systemic issues, outlined in this recent SSIR piece (https://lnkd.in/eXVtmSzf), is deeply inspiring. We share GF’s commitment to measurable outcomes and the importance of fostering deep partnerships between donors, experienced capacity building professionals and local communities to drive lasting change. GF’s focus on addressing local community needs while dismantling the barriers that perpetuate inequality aligns closely with our own mission to support place-based intermediaries (PBIs). Both GF and the Viney Wallach Foundation recognize the importance of engaging local stakeholders in decision-making processes. This reflects the participatory grantmaking models we support, such as those introduced by The Social Innovation Forum and Cambridge Community Foundation, which involve community leaders in allocating funds. By prioritizing community-driven solutions, we ensure that the programs we support not only address immediate needs but also have the potential to scale sustainably and equitably. Through deep investments in nonprofit capacity and centering the voices of those most affected, we are making strides toward a more equitable and just future. 

The partnership between funders and grantees is crucial for meaningful social impact. In a blog published by Center for Effective Philanthropy, the CEO of Code2College, Matt Stephenson, outlines how funders can take advantage of the four T’s (time, talent, treasure and testimony) to stretch their  impact with grantees while addressing some of the core challenges that those organizations face. “In reducing funding timelines, accelerating the trust-building process, and facilitating the overall fundraising activities of a nonprofit leader, funders can significantly reduce the stress and pressure faced by these leaders. “In offering support through time, talent, and testimony, funders can significantly amplify the benefits that their ‘treasure’ bestows on their grantees. Further, the deeper the engagement with a grantee the more the balance shifts towards transformational, rather than transactional, partnerships.”

At ResultsLab, we've been inspired by recent discussions on reshaping funder and nonprofit relationships and wanted to share this article by the Nonprofit Quarterly. As one of the fastest growing impact consulting firms in the US working with both #nonprofits and #funders, we're seeing exciting opportunities and are eager to contribute to this important conversation. Key insights from the article: 1. Addressing power imbalances between foundations and grantees 2. Embracing community-led governance models 3. Aligning foundation investments with missions 4. Putting communities at the center of defining impact We believe transformation in philanthropy requires collaboration between funders, nonprofits, and the communities they serve. How can we work together to create a more equitable and effective sector? #Philanthropy #SocialImpact #FoundationAccountability #Thoughtleadership #Impact

In this 2018 article, I highlighted the importance of Social Return on Investment for both donors and nonprofit recipients. I emphasized that nonprofits need to communicate their impact and value effectively to a wide range of stakeholders, including donors, program partners, volunteers, board members, legislators, clients, and local leaders. By doing so, organizations can ensure that their time, money, and influence are being well spent. Failure to do so can result in falling behind- a message is still relevant today, as nonprofits continue to navigate the challenges of communicating their value and impact to stakeholders. #Nonprofit #SocialImpact #SROI

We're pleased to announce the launch of Fund the People's California Talent Justice Initiative this week! The goal of the Initiative is to spark investment in the Golden State’s nonprofit workforce. To advance this goal, we will: Enable dialogue about the nonprofit workforce among nonprofits, funders, and intermediaries; Reframe the crisis facing the nonprofit workforce and the solutions to that crisis; and Challenge and support participants to make personal action plans and action pledges. In September, we’ll convene funders, nonprofits, and intermediaries to explore talent justice in three regions: Northern California (September 10), Southern California (September 11), and San Diego and Imperial Counties (September 25). Then we’ll bring stakeholders together from across the state for a three-day California Talent Justice Summit (December 9-11). To ensure intimate conversations, all events are by invitation. The Summit was initially co-convened by Seyron Foo (Conrad Hilton Foundation), Rob Hope (ReWork the Bay), Leslie Payne (James Irvine Foundation), Rusty Stahl (Fund the People), and Pui Ling Tam (Walter and Elise Haas Fund). Support for the Initiative comes from Avery Dennison Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, and Weingart Foundation. We’re grateful to our Initiative partners, including: @ All Due Respect  CalNonprofits Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties Center for Empowered Politics Center for Nonprofit Management (Los Angeles) Community-Centric Fundraising (San Diego) Community Partners East Contra Costa Community Alliance (ECCCA) Fieldstone Leadership Network SAN DIEGO Nonprofit Connection of Santa Cruz County Northern California Grantmakers Nonprofit Finance Fund Philanthropy California Resilience Initiative San Francisco Human Services Network Nonprofit Connection Santa Cruz County Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits Southern California Grantmakers Thrive Alliance, The Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance Trust-Based Philanthropy Project United Way of Greater Los Angeles Initiative consultants are Convening Toward Liberation, NPAG, and Rebecca Schumer of Greta Consulting. The chronic lack of talent-investment led to the existential crisis facing the workforce today. The opposite is also true: robust investment in the nonprofit workforce can advance equity, effectiveness, and endurance in the sector. We call this “talent-investing”. To ensure that such efforts advance intersectional inclusion in the workforce, the field must infuse talent-investing with intersectional equity practices. We call this “talent justice.” Learn more about the Initiative at https://lnkd.in/gkD-tXbc. Our Talent Justice research, created with the Center for Urban and Racial Equity, is available at talentjustice.org. Fund the People works to maximize investment in America’s nonprofit workforce. Visit fundthepeople.org.

Interesting to read that 17 years after Bridgespan’s groundbreaking research, the latest findings reveal consistent trends in achieving large-scale impact. Here are key insights: 💡 1. Revenue Focus Over Diversification: 90% of these nonprofits grew by concentrating on a single revenue category. 2. Philanthropy's Rise: Significant increase in large nonprofits relying on philanthropy, highlighting the importance of strategic donor relationships. 3. Dedicated Capabilities: Build specialized infrastructure tailored to primary funding sources, like lobbying for government funds or seamless user experiences for individual donors. #NonprofitLeadership #FundingStrategy #ImpactGrowth #Philanthropy #SocialChange