To enhance understanding of key issues in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector in California.

A key aspect of how we support the charitable community in California beyond our grants is to commission research that illuminates important issues and trends in the nonprofit sector. How can funders affect public policy? How can they nurture development of new fields? How can they best support grantees? We believe that relevant, accessible and objective information addressing these questions and others can help public and private funders focus their resources and better serve the people of California.

Examples

• The Strong Field Framework: A Guide and Toolkit for Funders and Nonprofits Committed to Large-Scale Impact — A report by the Bridgespan Group about how to assess the nature and needs of the fields in which nonprofits operate, published in June 2009.
• Evaluation Kit for Trustees — A survey by FSG Social Impact Advisors sheds light on what foundation trustees think about evaluation, and provides tools for engaging trustees in exploring and informing their institutions’ evaluation strategies, published in June 2009.
• The Inland Empire Nonprofit Sector — Research by the University of San Francisco Institute for Nonprofit Organization Management on the strengths and challenges for the nonprofit sector in the Inland Empire, published in March 2009.
• Foundations and Public Policy Grantmaking — A white paper by consultant Julia Coffman explores the range of ways that private foundations can engage in public policy, published in March 2008.
• Foundation Giving in California — A report prepared by Putnam Community Investment Consulting about the regional disparities of foundation giving in California, published in November 2006.

Grant Inquiries

Special Initiative proposals are accepted by invitation only.