| Community Foundation Governance Project
The Community Foundation Governance Project is a multiphase
research project designed to create a better understanding of community
foundation governance practices
and in particular the role of the board in helping inform responsive
grant making practices.
During
the summer of 2004 we conducted over 120, 45 minute interviews with
community foundation executives. We appreciate the gracious and
generous support of so many executives. We are in the process of
analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data, and anticipate
having preliminary results by December 2004. Please watch this site
for updates.
The
governing board is the focus of this study because, as stewards
of the publics' trust and accountable for the public purposes of
the organization, the board provides the ultimate mechanism to develop
practices that
are responsive to community needs. They set the agenda of the organization
and function as a model by which staff and community members take
their cues.
This study entails four major phases.
First is an opening project to contextualize our understanding of community foundation governance and refine
measurement tools. Second is a national survey of foundation executives to systematically assess governance
practices and policies. Third is a survey of foundation stakeholders including board members and community
representatives to ascertain their perspectives about community foundations and their ability to respond
to community needs. Finally the study will conclude with in-depth case studies to better understand
responsive philanthropy at community foundations.
Phase
one, conducted during the summer of 2004, entails telephone
interviews with community foundation executives from across the
country to explain how they use their board. This part of the project
is sponsored by Arizona State University
College of Public Programs, the Office
of Research and Economic Affairs and the Center
for Nonprofit Leadership and Management.
Based upon results from the first phase,
funding will be sought to carry-out additional elements of the study.
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