http://www.lipmanhearnecommons.com/2009/02/what-will-donors-do-getting-from-the-global-to-the-personal/ Conversations for Visionary Organizations Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:53:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.lipmanhearnecommons.com/2009/02/what-will-donors-do-getting-from-the-global-to-the-personal/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Colleen O'Grady Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:50:13 +0000 http://www.lipmanhearnecommons.com/?p=158#comment-3 That's a great clarification (and a fun mental image). Community foundations lead the pack when it comes to communicating impact and demystifying the whole foundation ethos. And matching challenges are compelling. <br /> (Truthfully, I have no squabble even with the most private of private foundations...my issue is more about year-end accounting methodologies. If I give $100 to a foundation or a federated giving campaign, and that agent turns around and gives my $100 to a homeless shelter, it "looks" like $200 was given that year.) <br /> This is where stories of impact begin to feel even more important--the general public needs to understand whether homelessness (for example) is being reduced, not just how much is being given to homelessness. Which is why I have high hopes for reporting like that found in one community foundation's regular Vital Signs feature: <a href="http://www.cct.org/page10003377.cfm" rel="nofollow">http://www.cct.org/page10003377.cfm</a> That’s a great clarification (and a fun mental image). Community foundations lead the pack when it comes to communicating impact and demystifying the whole foundation ethos. And matching challenges are compelling.

(Truthfully, I have no squabble even with the most private of private foundations…my issue is more about year-end accounting methodologies. If I give $100 to a foundation or a federated giving campaign, and that agent turns around and gives my $100 to a homeless shelter, it “looks” like $200 was given that year.)

This is where stories of impact begin to feel even more important–the general public needs to understand whether homelessness (for example) is being reduced, not just how much is being given to homelessness. Which is why I have high hopes for reporting like that found in one community foundation’s regular Vital Signs feature:
http://www.cct.org/page10003377.cfm

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