The value of philanthropy goes well beyond that of dollars and cents. Non-financial assistance can impact nonprofits in profound ways. The third most common suggestion from nonprofit leaders is a desire for even more of these types of support.
Nonprofit CEOs speak to the value of funder-provided support beyond the grant – also known as “non-monetary assistance” – noting that “the most valued funders are those who work with us to increase our capacity and impact.”
These suggestions aren’t new. They align with suggestions commonly seen from foundation grantees responding to the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s Grantee Perception Reports. They align with findings from CEP’s field-wide research: when funders provide more intensive patterns of non-monetary supports to grantees — more than a smattering of support here or there – it is associated with substantially more positive perceptions of foundation impact on grantees’ experiences, and, importantly, more positive perceptions of funder impact on grantees’ organizations.
Further, a recent research report, Strengthening Grantees, found that nonprofits desire help from their funders to strengthen their organization, especially their fundraising, staffing, and communications capacities.
Foundation leaders also care about strengthening the overall health of their grantees, yet there is a lot of room for foundations to provide support in areas where nonprofit CEOs say they need it, such as information technology, fundraising, strategic planning, and communications.