Twelve leaders from foundations across the nation met in San Francisco on March 9, 2012 to share practical advice for building successful funder initiatives to support nonprofits in pursuing different forms of partnership.

Co-sponsored by the Tides Center, the Foundation Center, and La Piana Consulting, this invite-only event engaged participants in examining the state of the field, learning from one another’s efforts, and exploring opportunities for funder collaboration to continue this work.

The group has graciously allowed us to share this report detailing the process and highlighting key takeaways to inspire and inform others.

This case study is one in a series of snapshots about The Collaboration Prize 2009 Finalists. Written by Melissa Mendes Campos, with Jo DeBolt and Robert Harrington, this resource describes the merger of Crittenton, Inc. and The Women's Union, into Crittenton Women's Union. The Collaboration Prize is designed to inspire cooperation among nonprofit organizations. La Piana Consulting managed the design and implementation of the 2009 Collaboration Prize for the Lodestar Foundation.

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Funded by the Deaconess Community Foundation and St. Luke's Foundation, this summary report, by Heather Gowdy, Jo DeBolt, and Melissa Mendes Campos, describes the Human Services Strategic Restructuring Pilot Project in Cuyahoga County. The pilot project brought together a group of 18 grantmaker organizations that were motivated by a common desire to offer struggling nonprofit with support "beyond a grant check."  Their initiative attracted leaders from 76 nonprofits throughout the county. The year-long pilot project provided 17 organizations with readiness assessments and helped 8 organizations develop restructuring plans, culminating in four nonprofit restructurings (including a program transfer, two parent-subsidiary relationships, and a common board and management structure). This summary describes the powerful scalable impact of collaboration and how a funder initiative can serve to transform the social sector. Download the PDF.

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Funded by the James Irvine Foundation, this report, by Heather Gowdy, Alex Hildebrand, David La Piana, and Melissa Mendes Campos, explores La Piana Consulting's reseach initiative NonprofitNext and the key trends driving the future of the nonprofit sector.  The trends include generational and other demographic shifts, the rise and impact of social media and other technological advances, the growing importance of networks as a means for effecting change, the role of volunteerism and civic engagement in society, and the blurring of sector boundaries. For more information and to join the conversation, check out the NonprofitNext blog.

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