The Challenge

Few government, business, nonprofit and news media decision makers understand foundations. This threatens U.S. philanthropy’s political support and potential impact. READ MORE

The Response

A growing number of foundations and other groups are engaging influential Americans in conversations about philanthropy’s roles, contributions and value in American society. READ MORE

Resources

Philanthropy's Awareness Deficit.

Engaged Americans show limited knowledge of foundations and struggle to identify their impact on communities or issues they care about, according to a recent survey by Harris Interactive. But there is a silver lining: they still express positive feelings towards foundations and their social value. Read about these and other survey findings in this PAI Digest.
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Five Questions about Demonstrating Impact.

American foundations must do a better job of demonstrating the impact of their work, according to a dozen philanthropy leaders. In this PAI Digest, they weigh in on how foundations can demonstrate impact and why they should. The stakes are high, the state of practice low. Consider it a wake-up call for the field.
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Philanthropy in the News.

Over the last two decades, the quantity of news coverage of foundations has gradually risen, but its quality remains highly superficial, according to this report by PAI and University of Minnesota professor David Fan. In fact, nearly 99% of more than 40,000 stories since 1990 have been transactional in their content—focused on grants made and dollars out the door, not on benefits achieved.
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Making American Foundations Relevant.

The work and impact of foundations is not registering with critical audiences, according to philanthropy leaders and observers interviewed for this PAI report. To find the solution, foundations need to look in the mirror, they argue, and make changes to their communications culture and practice.
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A Research Synthesis on Aspects of Foundations and Philanthropy.

Philanthropy’s substantial R&D muscle has largely been focused within, according to this report by PAI and Edge Research’s Lisa Dropkin and Colleen McCulloch-Learch. Much of research about foundations addresses internal relations with grantees, trustees and donors, while little examines external relations with the public, opinion leaders, policymakers or the press.
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