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School Turnaround Field Guide

September 21, 2010

Outlines approaches to turning around low-performing schools, lessons from early efforts, gaps to be filled, and critical actions to implement effective practices, create supportive policies and conditions, and build capacity and sustainability at scale.

What's the Difference? How Foundation Trustees View Evaluation

May 1, 2009

Trustee Evaluation ToolkitTrustees care deeply about impact. Understanding results is part of their fiduciary duty. As foundations strive to improve performance, advance accountability and share knowledge, their desire for evaluation -- reliable data on organizational effectiveness -- grows. Based on discussions with trustees, we've heard that current evaluation approaches don't always generate useful information. In too many cases, foundation evaluation practices don't align with trustee needs. Trustees across the United States believe there are ways to improve how we determine the effectiveness of social investments. FSG Social Impact Advisors, with funding from the James Irvine Foundation, interviewed dozens of foundation trustees, CEOs and evaluation experts to uncover critical issues and exciting ideas related to evaluation. This "toolkit" shares highlights from these interviews, and explores innovative new approaches.

Advancing Good Governance: How Grantmakers Invest in the Governance of Nonprofit Organizations

March 1, 2009

Over the last decade, growing numbers of nonprofit organizations and grantmakers have recognized the need for capacity-building in nonprofit organizations. In 2006, U.S. funding for capacity-building topped $1 billion -- a 126% increase over 2000. Leadership capacity has received particular attention, but utilizing the board of directors has often been overlooked. Today, nonprofits and grantmakers are seeking to leverage the inherent assets of these governing groups. This report represents a revealing overview of nonprofit grantmaking in the new economy.

Growing Smarter: Achieving Sustainability in Emerging Community Foundations: Executive summary

October 3, 2007

Most U.S. community foundations are like entrepreneurs in any dynamic industry. They face challenges in balancing their ambitious goals for community impact, growth and sustainability. The path to sustainability is not built on growth alone, but on defining desirable patterns of growth and asking thoughtful questions about the implications of choices being made.

Growing Smarter: Achieving Sustainability in Emerging Community Foundations: Discussion Guide

October 3, 2007

This straightforward but thought-provoking tool was created for community foundation board meetings. Managing growth and sustainability at today's community foundations requires strong board leadership. This guide features a series of questions related to growth and sustainability for emerging community foundations.

Growing Smarter: Achieving Sustainability in Emerging Community Foundations

September 1, 2007

It's a striking paradox: as community foundations grow their assets, their sustainability is often threatened. That's the conclusion of a new paper written by FSG Social Impact Advisors and sponsored by The James Irvine Foundation. "Growing Smarter: Achieving Sustainability in Emerging Community Foundations" is based on research with growing and small community foundations. The information and models presented have relevance to community foundations of virtually any size that are interested in better understanding and enhancing their economic models.