United States

Goal

To support a strong enabling environment for philanthropy and the nonprofit sector in the U.S., emphasizing accountability, effectiveness and inclusiveness.

Objectives

Nonprofit Sector Effectiveness and Accountability. To support access by philanthropic and other nonprofit-sector practitioners to learning opportunities, capacity-building assistance and policy advocacy services that enhance effectiveness and accountability.

Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Philanthropy. To support more inclusive practices within philanthropy.

Nonprofit Sector Research. To support timely and reliable gathering and dissemination of data and research on philanthropy and the nonprofit sector for the benefit of the field.

Grantmaking seeks to strengthen the ability of the nonprofit sector and philanthropy to maintain a healthy civil society in the U.S. It therefore focuses mainly on fieldwide initiatives and infrastructure organizations that can have an effect on the sector as a whole.

Among the current challenges facing philanthropy and the nonprofit sector are increased public calls for demonstrating impact, pressure to self-regulate or be regulated more, questions about whether sufficient philanthropic resources are serving disadvantaged communities, and a level of diversity that is lagging behind other sectors.

Funding Priorities for Nonprofit Sector Effectiveness and Accountability

This objective focuses primarily on nonprofit and philanthropic membership associations and key providers of capacity-building services at the national and state of Michigan levels.

Specifically, we support:

Leading national and Michigan nonprofit sector and philanthropy membership organizations whose services strengthen and advance the field.
Key national and Michigan providers of capacity-building tools and services to meet the sector’s current and future challenges.
Intermediary organizations that provide technical assistance and regranting funds to enhance community foundations’ accountability and effectiveness.

Funding Priorities Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Philanthropy

This objective is designed to increase the participation and decisionmaking of people of color within philanthropy.

Specifically, we support:

Within Michigan, internships and professional support opportunities for people of racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds who are interested in careers within philanthropy.
Within Michigan, technical assistance services and peer learning activities for community and private foundations that wish to become more diverse and inclusive in decisionmaking.
National programs and supports that help create an environment that is supportive of increased racial and ethnic diversity within the field.

Funding priorities for Nonprofit Sector Research

This objective is directed at ensuring sustainable and efficient collection, aggregation and dissemination of sectorwide data.

Specially, we support:

Leading national and regional institutions that collect and disseminate sectorwide data.
Research on sectorwide issues that have critical policy implications for philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.

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