Keynote cynthia bailie

Funding for Nonprofit Collaboration Cynthia Bailie, The Foundation Center

The Lodestar Foundation: Overview
Strategies:
Increase philanthropic resources by supporting organizations, programs and projects that encourage philanthropy, public service and/or volunteerism
Increase philanthropic impact by encouraging and supporting long-term collaborations among nonprofits working in the same area in order to increase efficiency and/or impact and to reduce duplication of efforts, and the adoption of other sound business practices

Lodestar Funding Rationale
Grow philanthropy by increasing both philanthropic development (“input” side of philanthropy) and impact of philanthropic grants (“output” side of philanthropy)
Inputs: Support projects and organizations that encourage and help people be philanthropic
Social Venture Partners Arizona
Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation
Outputs: Support collaborations to maximize the effectiveness of philanthropic dollars
Lodestar Day Resource Center
AWEE/Women Living Free merger
The Collaboration Prize

Goals
Identify models of nonprofit collaboration for inspiration and replication in the nonprofit sector
Build an information base (database) of effective practice models for research and use by nonprofit leaders, grantmakers, academics, consultants and others

Important Eligibility Requirements
Two or more 501(c) (3)s
Formal Agreement that is enduring and addresses management and operation of the collaboration
Actively operating for at least 18 months
Parties and activities are located in US
Prize Selection Criteria
Demonstrates significant impact through quantifiable means and/or qualitative evidence
Is an outstanding model for the sector by:
Representing an innovative response to a specific challenge or opportunity
Better positioning the collaboration as a field/sector leader
More effectively using human and financial resources

Overview of Total Nomination Pool
2009: 644 nominations were submitted, 176 qualified for the prize
2011: 809 nominations were submitted, 412 qualified for the prize
Among qualified nominations:
2009
52% were between two organizations
2011
26% were between two organizations
All types of collaborations were represented, with largest number in joint programming
All types of collaborations were represented, with largest number in joint programming
Collaborations were in all focus areas with largest number (24%) in health and mental health
Collaborations were in all focus areas with largest number (38%) in human services
Largest number (27%) were started in 2006
Largest number (25%) were started in 2008

The Nonprofit Collaboration Database collaboration.foundationcenter.org/search/searchGenerator.php
Contains models and best practices drawn from 670 projects presented for consideration for the 2009 and 2011 Collaboration Prize Competitions

The Nonprofit Collaboration Database: Type of Collaboration*
Largest number of collaborations in the database are Joint Programming (71%)
*This and the following analyses examine the entire contents of the database.

The Nonprofit Collaboration Database: Collaboration Focus Area
Collaborations in the area of Human Services make up the largest portion (46%) followed by Education (23%), Health (20%), and Mental Health (20%)

The Nonprofit Collaboration Database: Geographic Scope
Collaborations were mostly local in nature, with 72% serving regional communities*
* Local collaborations include collaborations that focus on a city, county or multiple counties.

The Collaboration Database: Reasons to Collaborate
Top 5 goals sought through collaboration:
Top 5 circumstances prompting collaboration:
1. Expand reach, range of services, and programs
2. Improve quality of services and programs
3. Address unmet or escalating community needs
4. Maximize financial resources
5. Serve more and/or different audiences
3. Initiated or mandated by funder(s)
2. Respond to a community needs
4. Competition for funding or clients
1. Advance a shared goal
5. Respond to a funding opportunity

The Collaboration Database: Collaboration Process and Structure
How were funders typically involved?
What were the top challenges encountered?
1. Funded implementation
2. Suggested or encouraged the collaboration
3. Funded initial exploration
4. Provided endorsement of the project
5. Served a lead investor
3. Coordination or integration of programs and services
2. Creating a shared culture
4. Addressing lack of staff or allocation of staff resources
1. Raising funds or integrating fund development to support the collaboration
5. Internal and external communications

The Collaboration Database: Outcomes
Community Impact
Organizational Impact
1. Previously unmet needs now being addressed
2. Collaboration has served as a model for others
3. Greater coordination of services (less duplication)
4. Increased collaboration with/among organizations
5. Improved quality of programs and services
3. Greater ability to allocate resources to areas of need
2. Fund development improvements
4. Human resources efficiencies
1. Financial savings
5. Improved marketing and communications, public relations, and outreach

Lessons Learned
Innovative models of nonprofit collaboration exist
Collaboration takes time and resources
Funders have a critical role to play in the collaboration process
Provide resources
Create an environment that encourages collaboration
Educate
Language of collaboration is confusing
Collaboration is an effective capacity-building tool
Collaboration is easier when all parties focus on mission rather than operations
Funders should think more about collaborating among themselves
Collaboration can provide incredible bang for the buck

Search the Nonprofit Collaboration Database collaboration.foundationcenter.org/search/searchGenerator.php

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The Collaboration Database: Future Enhancements
Open submissions
Interactivity
Training
Matching service

Funding for Nonprofit Collaboration Cynthia Bailie, The Foundation Center

Keynote cynthia bailie

by GPNP on Aug 31, 2011

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