Publications

BTW publications are commissioned by our clients and reflect the unique work we have accomplished together.

The following publications are provided for download with permission from our clients. We hope you find these resources useful.

Featured

CAP grantmakers for web

Coaching and Philanthropy: An Action Guide for Grantmakers pdf

How does coaching differ from other types of nonprofit supports? Why should grantmakers support coaching? When and how should coaching be used? These are just a few of the questions that Coaching and Philanthropy: An Action Guide for Grantmakers addresses in this guide that highlights the findings from the Coaching and Philanthropy Project’s unprecedented deep dive into learning about the use of coaching in the nonprofit sector. The project was formed by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, Leadership that Works, and BTW informing change to assess and advance coaching as a strategy for building effective nonprofit organizations.

Community-Clinic-Leadership-in-California-State-of-the-Field-and-Implications-for-the-Future

Community Clinic Leadership in California: State of the Field and Implications for the Future pdf

What kinds of actions taken now would ensure that community clinics have the leaders they need to meet the impending challenges of coming years? In 2008, two leading health care funders in California—the Blue Shield of California Foundation and the Community Clinics Initiative, a joint project of Tides and The California Endowment—engaged a team of consultants from BTW informing change and CompassPoint Nonprofit Services to assess the state of leadership in the community clinics field and answer this question.

Three separate studies were undertaken, and the results of all three are summarized in this publication. Community Clinic Leadership in California: State of the Field and Implications for the Future is a snapshot of the current leadership landscape and calls out important implications for consideration by clinic leaders, their funders and other community clinics stakeholders.

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The Nature of Leadership: Lessons from an Exemplary Statesman pdf

Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson was an extraordinary political leader and public servant. With help from BTW, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation conceptualized and produced a new publication to document Senator Jackson’s legacy of leadership in public service.

In The Nature of Leadership: Lessons from an Exemplary Statesman (July 2008), interviews with 15 of Jackson’s colleagues and staffers shed light on the qualities of leadership embodied by Senator Jackson.

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Jewish Service Learning: What Is and What Could Be pdf

In the fall of 2007, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Jim Joseph Foundation commissioned BTW to assess the landscape of Jewish Service Learning.

To help define the potential and development of Jewish Service Learning, BTW examined three issues:

  1. The current capacity among Jewish Service Learning practitioners
  2. The support required to expand that capacity
  3. The relevance of secular national service and other faith-based service traditions

This report summarizes that research and offers a suggested action plan for growth based on the findings.

Children and Youth

LIFF Image for web

Final Evaluation of the Low Income Investment Fund’s Constructing Connections Pilot: 2004-2009: Executive Summary pdf

The Low Income Investment Fund’s ABCD Initiative supports the development of quality child care facilities in California. In this report, BTW took an in-depth look at one of the initiative’s strategies—Constructing Connections. Through this strategy, LIIF supported local collaborative teams consisting of child care operators, developers, civic leaders, small business leaders and other stakeholders in 11 California counties. These collaborative teams worked together to identify and eliminate local and regional barriers to child care facilities development, streamline the development process and provide support to new child care construction projects. This executive summary summarizes the key findings and implications from the evaluation, including the importance of having an ongoing connective community resource to support long-term systems change work

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Phase I Evaluation Findings: The David and Lucile Packard Foundation After-school & Summer Enrichment Subprogram pdf

The After-school and Summer Enrichment Subprogram of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation helps build sustainable programmatic and financial support for California’s out-of-school programs. Having supported the Subprogram since 2005, the Foundation engaged BTW to evaluate the impact of its contributions.

BTW undertook a multi-year evaluation. Our Phase I study determined that the Foundation’s efforts have helped build critical infrastructure for the field. These and future findings by BTW (Phase II will be released in 2011) will help the field assess its accomplishments in providing technical assistance, workforce development and leadership to summer enrichment and after-school programs.

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The ABCD Story: A Model for Learning pdf

The ABCD Story outlines the purpose, components and intended impacts of the ABCD Initiative.

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Riverside County Constructing Connections, Chapter III: A Case Study for the ABCD Initiative pdf

This in-depth case study illustrates how Riverside County is implementing the local capacity building work of the ABCD Initiative.

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Merced County Constructing Connections, Chapter III: A Case Study for the ABCD Initiative pdf

This in-depth case study illustrates how Merced County is implementing th local capacity building work of the ABCD initiative.

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Building Knowledge & Systems for Lasting Change: A Third Year Evaluation of the ABCD Initiative Executive Summary pdf

The purpose of the Low Income Investment Fund’s ABCD Initiative is to create a sustainable system for financing and developing California childcare facilities, and to support quality childcare spaces statewide. BTW is in its fourth year of an evaluation designed to identify how the Initiative’s interwoven strategies have affected outcomes.

Building Knowledge & Systems for Lasting Change: A Third Year Evaluation of the ABCD Initiative Executive Summary summarizes the key findings and implications from the third year of this evaluation.

Education

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Phase I Evaluation Findings: The David and Lucile Packard Foundation After-school & Summer Enrichment Subprogram pdf

The After-school and Summer Enrichment Subprogram of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation helps build sustainable programmatic and financial support for California’s out-of-school programs. Having supported the Subprogram since 2005, the Foundation engaged BTW to evaluate the impact of its contributions.

BTW undertook a multi-year evaluation. Our Phase I study determined that the Foundation’s efforts have helped build critical infrastructure for the field. These and future findings by BTW (Phase II will be released in 2011) will help the field assess its accomplishments in providing technical assistance, workforce development and leadership to summer enrichment and after-school programs.

Environment

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Going Green: One Funder’s Experience Entering Green Grantmaking pdf

More and more funders are adding “green grants” to their grantmaking programs as a way to encourage their grantees to undertake “green” practices and be more responsible stewards of Earth’s resources.

This brief, published in March 2009, describes the experience and lessons learned by one funder, Community Clinics Initiative (CCI). CCI’s initial half-million-dollar “green” grants program provided $25,000 grants to 20 community clinics to help them renovate or operate environmentally sustainable health-care facilities.

The article describes how grantees reduced their energy and water consumption, reduced environmental hazards in their buildings and engaged staff in implementing environmentally healthy operational practices. It includes 10 Lessons Learned through the program, a list of “Key Factors that Help Nonprofits Go Green” and short profiles of two grantees’ green projects.

This is important reading for funders and lenders who want to encourage environmentally sustainable practices, not only in clinics and health-care organizations, but in any nonprofit organization.

Faith Based

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Jewish Service Learning: What Is and What Could Be pdf

In the fall of 2007, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Jim Joseph Foundation commissioned BTW to assess the landscape of Jewish Service Learning.

BTW examined the current capacity among Jewish Service Learning practitioners and the support required to expand that capacity. We also looked at the relevance of secular national service and other faith-based service traditions in defining the potential and development of Jewish Service Learning.

This report summarizes that research and offers a suggested action plan for growth based on our findings.

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Social Capital & Capacity Building: Discussion Paper Prepared for ZCAM Organizational Development Program Retreat pdf

A funders collaborative in Houston, led by the Rockwell Fund, Inc., hired BTW to assist them with planning and evaluating a new initiative to build the capacity of Zip Code Assistance Ministries (ZCAMs) in the region.

ZCAMs are faith-based nonprofits providing emergency social and human services. This initiative, called the ZCAM Organizational Development Program, was modeled on OCGI, a project that BTW evaluated for three Bay Area funders several years ago.

Part of BTW’s work with the Houston initiative was to develop and facilitate an annual reflection and learning session for funders, ZCAM executives and key program partners. In preparation for the reflection session in September 2006, BTW put together a paper on the formation of social capital.

This paper explored how social-capital formation relates to building organizational capacity, creating a culture of collaboration and shared learning among ZCAM leaders.

Field Building

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Evaluation Capacity Diagnostic Tool pdf

This Evaluation Capacity Diagnostic Tool is designed to help organizations assess their readiness to take on many types of evaluation activities. It captures information on organizational context and the evaluation experience of staff and can be used in various ways. For example, the tool can pinpoint particularly strong areas of capacity as well as areas for improvement, and can also calibrate changes over time in an organization’s evaluation capacity. In addition, this diagnostic can encourage staff to brainstorm about how their organization can enhance evaluation capacity by building on existing evaluation experience and skills. Finally, the tool can serve as a precursor to evaluation activities with an external evaluation consultant.

Creative Commons License
Evaluation Capacity Diagnostic Tool by BTW informingchange is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://btw.informingchange.com/about/contact-us.

hewlett brief

Measuring the Immeasurable: Lessons for Building Grantee Capacity to Evaluate Hard-to-Assess Efforts pdf



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Phase I Evaluation Findings: The David and Lucile Packard Foundation After-school & Summer Enrichment Subprogram pdf

The After-school and Summer Enrichment Subprogram of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation helps build sustainable programmatic and financial support for California’s out-of-school programs. Having supported the Subprogram since 2005, the Foundation engaged BTW to evaluate the impact of its contributions.

BTW undertook a multi-year evaluation. Our Phase I study determined that the Foundation’s efforts have helped build critical infrastructure for the field. These and future findings by BTW (Phase II will be released in 2011) will help the field assess its accomplishments in providing technical assistance, workforce development and leadership to summer enrichment and after-school programs.

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Creating Currents of Influence: Success Factors for a Multifaceted Social Change Initiative pdf

This evaluation brief outlines how the Community Clinics Intiative (CCI), a joint project of Tides and The California Endowment, has been successful in effecting broad and deep social change within the community clinics field in California.

In addition to a description of CCI’s impacts and the evaluation design, the brief discusses critical factors that emerged for achieving deep, systems-level changes, and offers some summary reflections. These factors and reflections can inform the design and implementation of other philanthropic initiatives and grantmaking efforts.

More-Than-the-Money

More Than the Money: Fiscal Sponsorship’s Unrealized Potential pdf

BTW’s recent work has included exploring the issue of fiscal sponsorship; how the practice currently supports nonprofit sector work, how donors and funders perceive it, how it still holds untapped potential for public problem solving.

Fiscal sponsorship—as it exists and as it could be—has a place in the independent-sector toolbox for the 21st century, but current perceptions are limiting its application and effectiveness.

In this brief we suggest that fiscal sponsorship be considered within a larger question: How do we make the sector more effective at lower cost and with more effective collective action?

Los-Angeles-Alliance-for-a-New-Economy-Organizational-Profile

Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy Organizational Profile pdf

BTW prepared case studies to serve as learning tools for social change movement building in work with the Marguerite Casey Foundation. The Foundation supports community-based leadership and promoting grassroots activism.

BTW worked to evaluate and facilitate a cluster of eight grantee organizations:


  1. Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy
  2. Breakthrough Urban Ministries
  3. Institute for Democratic Renewal/ Project Change
  4. Interfaith Worker Justice
  5. Labor/ Community Strategy Center
  6. Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches
  7. Radio Bilingue
  8. South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations

Each case study revolves around the grantee organizations’ work on economic justice and community development issues. A sample case study is shared here; please contact BTW for other case studies

Health

CHP impage for web

The Bridging Role of Community Health Promoters pdf

Community health workers, public health aides, promotores and peer educators are all terms used to describe the role of community health promoters. These workers are recruited from communities to apply their knowledge of the area and their personal connections with residents to promote the public’s health. The Community Clinics Initiative requested that BTW examine the role of community health promoters in their Networking for Community Health grantmaking program. This brief documents the role and effectiveness of community health promoters in the program.

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Creating Connections for Healthier Communities: The Community Clinics Initiative’s Networking for Community Health Program pdf

In 2008, The Community Clinics Initiative (CCI)’s launched their new Networking for Community Health grantmaking program. The program provides California community clinics with two-year grants to strengthen networking efforts with other organizations to promote the health of the communities they serve. Grantees’ networks have addressed a variety of community health priorities, from exposure to toxins to access to healthy food and regular exercise to disaster planning.

At a mid-point during the inaugural cohort, BTW informing change created a “visual summary” that describes the program’s key findings and learnings in a visually appealing, easy-to-use and condensed format.

The-Pipeline-Promise-A-Study-of-Emerging-Leaders-in-Californias-Community-Clinics

The Pipeline Promise: A Study of Emerging Leaders in California’s Community Clinics pdf

This report describes the findings and implications from a study of emerging leaders within the community clinics field in California. It looks at the degree to which their group of clinic staff are interested in and poised to become future CEOs, medical directors or other senior leaders in community clinics and consortia and what types of support they need to do so. It is part of a larger compendium of studies that provide a snapshot of clinic leadership within the state and important implications for preparing the next generation of clinic leaders.

Taking-the-Pulse-The-State-of-Medical-Director-Leadership-in-California-Community-Clinics

Taking the Pulse: The State of Medical Director Leadership in California Community Clinics pdf

This report describes the findings and implications from a study of Medical Directors within California’s community clinics field. It looks at Medical director’s career pathways and their current job satisfaction, the most significant rewards and challenges of their leadership position, the extent to which they share leadership with others and important sources of support and training. It is part of a larger compendium of studies that provide a snapshot of clinic leadership within the state and important implications for consideration by clinic leaders, their partners, funders and other community clinic stakeholders.

Mission-Critical-The-State-of-CEO-Leadership-in-California-Community-Clincis

Mission Critical: The State of CEO Leadership in California Community Clinics pdf

This report describes the findings and implications from an assessment of CEOs within California’s community clinics field. It looks at CEO’s perspectives on their current position, career path and aspirations, job challenges and rewards and the types of support that are most important for them to be successful in their work.

The report is part of a larger compendium of studies that provide a snapshot of clinic leadership within the state and key implications to stimulate discussion and action among clinic leaders, their nonprofit and for-profit partners, funders and other stakeholders in the community clinics field.

Building-the-Future-The-Community-Clinics-Initiatives-major-Capital-Campaign-Gifts-Program

Building for the Future: The Community Clinics Initiative’s Major Capital Campaign Gifts Program pdf

From 2003 thorough 2007, the Community Clinics Initiative (CCI) invested more than $17 million in community health centers to undertake capital projects and enhance their fund-development capacity. BTW has worked with CCI over the past few years to evaluate the MCCG Program.

As the Program comes to an end, BTW has produced a brief report that provides grantmaking considerations for funders who are thinking about, or already involved in, capital funding programs for nonprofit organizations. The report, “Building for the Future,” also provides a short description of the MCCG grantmaking approach and key impacts that resulted from the program.

Cultivating-Leadership-through-Social-Chang-Initiatives-Broadening-Our-View-and-Support-of-Nonprofit-Leaders

Cultivating Leadership Through Social Change Initiatives: Broadening Our View and Support of Nonprofit Leaders pdf

In 2008, BTW examined the ways in which the Community Clinics Initiative (CCI), a joint project of Tides and The California Endowment, has sought to develop and strengthen leadership in community clinics in California. Throughout the life of the Initiative, CCI has aimed to enhance the capacities of its grantees and strengthen the broader community clinics field in California.

In this brief, we use CCI’s leadership cultivation efforts to show the variety of ways in which leadership can be developed and strengthened within the nonprofit sector. Read about how leadership has been, and continues to be, cultivated within a broad social change initiative.

Evaluation-Findings-for-the-Managing-Ambulatory-Health-Care-Training-Programs

Evaluation Findings for the Managing Ambulatory Health Care Training Program pdf

As part of our broader work with the Community Clinics Initiative (CCI), BTW undertook an evaluation of the Managing Ambulatory Health Care (MAHC) training program, which is offered by the Harvard School of Public Health and was supported by CCI from 2003 to 2007.

The program provides an intensive “Management 101” for medical directors of community clinics and health centers. CCI supported the participation of approximately 160 medical directors representing most community clinics in California. This brief presents the key evaluation findings for the MAHC program.

Creating-Currents-of-Influence-Sucess-Factors-for-a-Multifaceted-Social-Change-Initiative

Creating Currents of Influence: Success Factors for a Multifaceted Social Change Initiative pdf

This evaluation brief outlines how the Community Clinics Intiative (CCI), a joint project of Tides and The California Endowment, has been successful in effecting broad and deep social change within the community-clinics field in California.

In addition to a description of CCI’s impacts and the evaluation design, the brief discusses critical factors that emerged for achieving deep, systems-level changes, and offers some summary reflections. These factors and reflections can inform the design and implementation of other philanthropic initiatives and grantmaking efforts.

Creating-Capacity-&-Connections-An-Evaluation-of-the-Womens-Foundation-of-California-Reproductive-Justice-and-Sexual-Rights-Program

Creating Capacity & Connections: An Evaluation of the Women’s Foundation of California Reproductive Justice and Sexual Rights Program pdf

The purpose of the Women’s Foundation of California Reproductive Justice and Sexual Rights Program is to equip organizations, leaders and advocates to protect and strengthen reproductive rights and access to care for women and girls from low-income communities of color in California. The Program incorporates strategic grantmaking, policy advocacy, capacity building and technical assistance.

This evaluation report captures information about the Program’s efforts from 2001 to 2007. It includes key accomplishments, strengths, opportunities for improvement and programmatic implications that can increase overall effectiveness and impact.

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Building Capacity and Improving Care: The Impact of the Kaiser Permanente Community Clinic Partnership pdf

The Kaiser Permanente Community Clinic Partnership (the Partnership) is a collaboration of Kaiser Permanente (KP) in California and the state’s system of community clinics. KP contracted with BTW informing change to examine the Partnership experience within KP,  the clinic networks and individual clinics. The evaluation focuses on the Partnership’s first phase of support between 2002 and 2005, and examines the accomplishments of the Partnership, how the Partnership achieved these accomplishments and the central lessons learned.

Voices-from-the-Field-Remoblilizing-HIV-AIDS-Philanthropy-for-the-21st-Century

Voices From the Field: Remobilizing HIV/AIDS Philanthropy for the 21st Century

FCAA wanted to better understand and further philanthropic response to HIV/AIDS well into the 21st century. It initiated a study called the Funder Remobilization Project (FRP) to more deeply research HIV/AIDS funders.

BTW conducted in-depth interviews with 35 of the nation’s leading HIV/AIDS funders to answer several primary research questions.

Leadership

CAP Coaches  for web

Coaching and Philanthropy: An Action Guide for Coaches pdf

What does it take to become an effective coach in the nonprofit sector? How can coaches assess leaders’ readiness for coaching? How can coaches ensure a successful engagement? These are just a few of the questions that Coaching and Philanthropy: An Action Guide for Coaches addresses in this guide that that highlights the findings from the Coaching and Philanthropy Project’s unprecedented deep dive into learning about the use of coaching in the nonprofit sector. The project was formed by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, Leadership that Works, and BTW informing change to assess and advance coaching as a strategy for building effective nonprofit organizations.

CAP nonprofit for web

Coaching and Philanthropy: An Action Guide for Nonprofits pdf

What is coaching? How can coaching contribute to my development as a nonprofit leader? What kind of coaching is right for me and my organization? How much is coaching? These are just a few of the questions that Coaching and Philanthropy: An Action Guide for Nonprofits addresses in this guide that highlights the findings from the Coaching and Philanthropy Project’s unprecedented deep dive into learning about the use of coaching in the nonprofit sector. The project was formed by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, Leadership that Works, and BTW informing change to assess and advance coaching as a strategy for building effective nonprofit organizations.

one-on-one peer coaching

Utilizing One-on-One and Peer Group Coaching to Enhance Nonprofit Leadership: The Center for Leadership Innovation’s Pilot Coaching Project pdf

The Center for Leadership Innovation (TCLI), formerly known as the Development Training Institute, embarked on a pilot project to offer two types of coaching to emerging leaders of color who had completed a leadership training. TCLI alumni were given the opportunity to participate in one-on-one coaching, peer group coaching, or a combination of both. BTW informing change conducted an exploratory evaluation of this pilot project to identify the benefits of these different coaching models in and of themselves and as a compliment to the leadership training. Both types of coaching assisted participants in strengthening their leadership, with each type having particular strengths.

What-Helps-Leaders-Grow

What Helps Leaders Grow: Highlights from the Fund for Leadership Advancement pdf

This report offers lessons learned from the James Irvine Foundation’s Fund for Leadership Advancement Initiative. This summary is based on the full evaluation report, “Strengthening Nonprofit Leaders to Enhance Organizational Capacity.”

enhancing nonprofit leadership for web

Enhancing Nonprofit Leadership Through Coaching: LeaderSpring’s Executive Coaching Project pdf

LeaderSpring’s Executive Coaching Project (ECP) complements their existing two-year leadership program for nonprofit executives who are predominantly leaders of color and/or work in communities of color. BTW informing change conducted an evaluation of the ECP and found that, overall, the Executive Coaching Project is a unique and effective model for supporting nonprofit leaders as they engage in the LeaderSpring fellowship program. The report describes LeaderSpring’s ECP model and coaching process, explores key findings and offers program reflections and implications for those who would like to support similar types of efforts.

The-Pipeline-Promise-A-Study-of-Emerging-Leaders-in-Californias-Community-Clinics

The Pipeline Promise: A Study of Emerging Leaders in California’s Community Clinics pdf

This report describes the findings and implications from a study of emerging leaders within the community clinics field in California. It looks at the degree to which their group of clinic staff are interested in and poised to become future CEOs, medical directors or other senior leaders in community clinics and consortia and what types of support they need to do so. It is part of a larger compendium of studies that provide a snapshot of clinic leadership within the state and important implications for preparing the next generation of clinic leaders.

Taking-the-Pulse-The-State-of-Medical-Director-Leadership-in-California-Community-Clinics

Taking the Pulse: The State of Medical Director Leadership in California Community Clinics pdf

This report describes the findings and implications from a study of Medical Directors within California’s community clinics field. It looks at Medical director’s career pathways and their current job satisfaction, the most significant rewards and challenges of their leadership position, the extent to which they share leadership with others and important sources of support and training. It is part of a larger compendium of studies that provide a snapshot of clinic leadership within the state and important implications for consideration by clinic leaders, their partners, funders and other community clinic stakeholders.

Mission-Critical-The-State-of-CEO-Leadership-in-California-Community-Clincis

Mission Critical: The State of CEO Leadership in California Community Clinics pdf

This report describes the findings and implications from an assessment of CEOs within California’s community clinics field. It looks at CEO’s perspectives on their current position, career path and aspirations, job challenges and rewards and the types of support that are most important for them to be successful in their work.

The report is part of a larger compendium of studies that provide a snapshot of clinic leadership within the state and key implications to stimulate discussion and action among clinic leaders, their nonprofit and for-profit partners, funders and other stakeholders in the community clinics field.

Cultivating-Leadership-through-Social-Chang-Initiatives-Broadening-Our-View-and-Support-of-Nonprofit-Leaders

Cultivating Leadership Through Social Change Initiatives: Broadening Our View and Support of Nonprofit Leaders pdf

In 2008, BTW examined the ways in which the Community Clinics Initiative (CCI), a joint project of Tides and The California Endowment, has sought to develop and strengthen leadership in community clinics in California. Throughout the life of the Initiative, CCI has aimed to enhance the capacities of its grantees and strengthen the broader community clinics field in California.

In this brief, we use CCI’s leadership cultivation efforts to show the variety of ways in which leadership can be developed and strengthened within the nonprofit sector. Read about how leadership has been, and continues to be, cultivated within a broad social change initiative.

article_cover

A Blueprint for Action: Coaching as a Tool for Building Leadership and Effective Organizations in the Nonprofit Sector pdf

In 2005, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation initiated the Coaching and Philanthropy Project to assess the use of coaching within the nonprofit sector. Coaching is a powerful strategy for cultivating strong leadership and building effective organizations, and the Foundation sought to expand the use of coaching among nonprofits.

BTW’s research identified substantial rewards for nonprofits prepared to use coaching as a tool for growth. These included

  • The philanthropic sector’s support of coaching for nonprofit grantees
  • The demand for coaching among nonprofits
  • The readiness of the coaching profession to provide services to nonprofits
  • The added value of coaching to enhance the work of the nonprofit sector

BTW’s findings and report provide a framework for strategic advancement of coaching as a nonprofit leadership and organizational development tool.

LGBT

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Reach All, Teach All, Respect for All: A Three Year Evaluation of Women’s Educational Media’s Outreach Campaign – Executive Summary pdf

The Respect for All Project (RFAP), a program of Women’s Educational Media, develops award-winning documentaries and curriculum guides that aim to create safe, hate-free schools and communities. By giving youth and the adults who guide their development the tools they need to talk openly, RFAP encourages diversity and prejudice-prevention in all its forms.

BTW’s report, Reach All, Teach All, Respect for All: A Three-Year Evaluation of Women’s Educational Media’s Outreach Campaign, evaluates the outcomes of RFAP’s outreach and training efforts.

Voices-from-the-Field-Remoblilizing-HIV-AIDS-Philanthropy-for-the-21st-Century

Voices From the Field: Remobilizing HIV/AIDS Philanthropy for the 21st Century

FCAA wanted to better understand and further philanthropic response to HIV/AIDS well into the 21st century. It initiated a study called the Funder Remobilization Project (FRP) to more deeply research HIV/AIDS funders.

BTW conducted in-depth interviews with 35 of the nation’s leading HIV/AIDS funders to answer several primary research questions.

Organizational Effectiveness

An-Information-OASIS-The-Design-and-Implementation-of-Comprehensive-and-Customized-Client-Information-and-Tracking-Systems

An Information OASIS: The Design and Implementation of Comprehensive and Customized Client Information and Tracking Systems pdf

Despite increasing demands for outcome measurement, nonprofit organizations typically do not have the capacity to collect, analyze and use outcome information.

This paper describes the process of planning and developing customized tracking systems for nonprofit organizations. The system is called OASIS (Ongoing Assessment of Social Impacts), and was supported by The Roberts Enterprise Development Fund and a collaboration of other funding partners.

Strengthening-Nonprofit-Leaders-to-Enhance-Org-Capacity

Strengthening Nonprofit Leaders to Enhance Organizational Capacity: The Fund for Leadership Advancement pdf

The James Irvine Foundation’s Fund for Leadership Advancement Initiative was established to support nonprofit leaders to propel their organizations toward the next stage of growth. Leaders have access to a variety of flexible and customized supports, including executive coaching, visits to peer institutions, participation in executive seminars and organizational development consulting. BTW informing change conducted an evaluation of the program and produced this report, which describes the grantmaking model and its impacts, including how to support executive coaching as part of a broader leadership development effort to enhance the effectiveness of nonprofit leaders and their organizations.

Making-the-Most-of-Evaluation

Making the Most of Evaluation pdf

During BTW’s multi-year evaluation of the Community Clinics Initiative (CCI), we observed that CCI was particularly effective in extracting knowledge and lessons while the evaluation was underway. This made their grantmaking more responsive and strategic.

In this article, we identify five tactics that CCI used to ensure that the evaluation and its findings were real-time learning tools that could be employed right away. We also share how CCI’s unique approach to a widely accepted evaluation process has led to better-than-average success.

Wired-for-Change-Investing-in-Collaborative-Technology

Wired for Change: Investing in Collaborative Technology pdf

In 2003, BTW partnered with the Community Clinics Initiative (CCI), a joint project of The California Endowment and Tides Foundation, to evaluate its Strategic Investments Program. This ambitious program funded collaborative information technology (IT) to support clinics and health-center networks and enhance patient health care in underserved communities.

Wired for Change: Investing in Collaborative Technology summarizes the evaluation findings and provides funders, nonprofit leaders and technical-assistance providers with criteria for designing or implementing similar collaborative IT efforts.

Designing-Learning-Communities-for-Enhanced-Impact

Designing Learning Communities for Enhanced Impact pdf

BTW’s evaluations often include structured experiences to help participants understand the process and what can be learned from it.

In this article, BTW’s Director of Evaluation and Organizational Learning outlines key factors for successful learning communities and describes benefits of participation to funders. This article first appeared in LEARNING, the newsletter of Grantmakers for Effective Organization (GEO), in February 2007.


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Social Capital & Capacity Building: Discussion Paper Prepared for ZCAM ODP Retreat, September 14-15, 2006 pdf

Zip Code Assistance Ministries (ZCAMs) are faith-based nonprofits providing emergency social and human services in the Greater Houston Area. In 2006, a funders’ collaborative in Houston, led by Rockwell Fund, Inc., partnered with BTW to plan and evaluate a new initiative with one important goal: to build ZCAMs’ capacity to serve the region.

The initiative was called the ZCAM Organizational Development Program, and was modeled on a project BTW had evaluated for three Bay Area funders in the past (OCGI).

To help funders formulate a successful initiative, BTW worked with the ZCAM Organizational Development Program in two key ways:

  • Developed and facilitated an annual reflection and learning session for funders, ZCAM executives and key program partners
  • Prepared a paper on social capital formation that laid the groundwork for the reflection session in September 2006.

BTW’s work informed ZCAMs’ organizational capacity-building and created a culture of collaboration and shared learning among ZCAM leaders as the initiative took shape.

Building-an-Organization-to-Last-Reflections-and-Lessons-Learned-from-SeaChange

Building an Organization to Last: Reflections and Lessons Learned from SeaChange pdf

“Reflective practice” sounds good, but who actually does it? The W.K. Kellogg Foundation enlisted the help of BTW to do just that.

In Fall 2000, the Foundation and several other significant investors financed the start-up of SeaChange, an effort to use technology to enhance connections between social investors and social entrepreneurs.

SeaChange was launched with considerable fanfare but confronted many challenges. In Spring 2003, SeaChange ceased to exist as an independent entity and merged with another nonprofit organization to form a new effort: Social Enterprise Alliance.

This report summarizes reflections on the lessons learned along the way by the effort’s funders, leaders and key observers.

Building-Effective-Organizations-An-Evaluation-of-the-Organizational-Capacity-Grants-initiative-(OCGI)-Executive-Summary

Building Effective Organizations: An Evaluation of the Organizational Capacity Grants Initiative (OCGI) – Executive Summary pdf

Service and Civic Engagement

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Jewish Service Learning: What Is and What Could Be pdf

In the fall of 2007, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the Jim Joseph Foundation commissioned BTW to assess the landscape of Jewish Service Learning.

BTW examined the current capacity among Jewish Service Learning practitioners and the support required to expand that capacity. We also looked at the relevance of secular national service and other faith-based service traditions in defining the potential and development of Jewish Service Learning.

This report summarizes that research and offers a suggested action plan for growth based on our findings.

The-Cost-of-a-Volunteer

The Cost of a Volunteer pdf

BTW conducted an examination of 21 volunteer programs nationwide to assess the true cost of organizing a high-quality volunteer program. The study helped the field better understand the implications of the President’s Call to Service for the nonprofit sector.

Read the results of the review and find out what it really takes to provide quality volunteer experience.

Social Entrepreneurship

pub_2006-Social-Return-Executive-Summary-Expanding-Reach-Increasing-Social-Return-1

2006 Social Return Executive Summary: Expanding Reach, Increasing Social Return pdf

BTW champions the creation of jobs and other economic gains in low- and moderate-income communities in California. Pacific Community Ventures (PCV) does too, providing capital and resources to small, high-growth businesses that put these communities to work.

BTW was brought in to help PCV monitor and broaden its investment in these businesses, and we’ve been working with PCV since 2000 to articulate and measure its social returns.

REDF-Social-Impact-Report-2005-What-a-Difference-a-Job-Makes-The-Long-term-Impact-of-Enterprise-Employment

REDF Social Impact Report 2005
What a Difference a Job Makes: The Long-term Impact of Enterprise Employment pdf

In 2005, BTW produced a research brief regarding the impact of REDF social enterprise employment on disadvantaged youth and adults.The brief was based on data collected over a two-year follow-up.

For those data, we interviewed a sample  group from 991 individuals employed in REDF’s portfolio of social enterprises between 1998 and 2005.

This report highlights findings across several outcome areas, including:

  • employment
  • hourly wage
  • housing stability
  • criminal conviction rates.

BTW has prepared a series of similar reports for each of the REDF portfolio groups.

Rubicon-Social-Impact-Report-2005

Rubicon Social Impact Report 2005 pdf

Juma-Ventures-Social-Impact-Report-2005

Juma Ventures Social Impact Report 2005 pdf

CVE-Inc

CVE, Inc. Social Impact Report 2005 pdf

GGCI-Social-Impact-Report-2005

GGCI Social Impact Report 2005 pdf

Workforce Development

pub_2006-Social-Return-Executive-Summary-Expanding-Reach-Increasing-Social-Return-1

2006 Social Return Executive Summary: Expanding Reach, Increasing Social Return pdf

BTW champions the creation of jobs and other economic gains in low- and moderate-income communities in California. Pacific Community Ventures (PCV) does too, providing capital and resources to small, high-growth businesses that put these communities to work.

BTW was brought in to help PCV monitor and broaden its investment in these businesses, and we’ve been working with PCV since 2000 to articulate and measure its social returns.

REDF-Social-Impact-Report-2005-What-a-Difference-a-Job-Makes-The-Long-term-Impact-of-Enterprise-Employment

REDF Social Impact Report 2005
What a Difference a Job Makes: The Long-term Impact of Enterprise Employment pdf

In 2005, BTW produced a research brief regarding the impact of REDF social enterprise employment on disadvantaged youth and adults.The brief was based on data collected over a two-year follow-up.

For those data, we interviewed a sample  group from 991 individuals employed in REDF’s portfolio of social enterprises between 1998 and 2005.

This report highlights findings across several outcome areas, including:

  • employment
  • hourly wage
  • housing stability
  • criminal conviction rates.

BTW has prepared a series of similar reports for each of the REDF portfolio groups.