Strategy & Collaboration
Top 10 findings from a three-part study of giving circles, their impact and their relationship with their hosting organizations significantly updates our understanding of the current scope, scale and significance of giving circles and other models of collective giving in the U.S. Additionally, this study deepens our understanding of the impact of participation in giving circles on donors’ giving and civic engagement and offers actionable information related to the relationships between giving circles and their hosting organizations.
For this suite of resources, GrantCraft captured the wisdom of philanthropic leaders who have participated in multi-party advocacy collaboratives and conducted a literature scan of how foundations talk about advocacy-focused collaborative work.
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has had a long-standing commitment to increasing the effectiveness of grantmaking organizations, a commitment reflected in its Philanthropy Grantmaking Program. In 2015, the Foundation commissioned Harder+Company Community Research, in partnership with Edge Research, to conduct a field scan to inform its own strategies in this area as well as those of other organizations working to increase philanthropic effectiveness.
The Funders Collaborative was an innovative partnership supported by 14 local and national foundations. The collaborative supplemented the programs and grantmaking of its member foundations by working with community organizations, the business sector and public agencies to encourage collaboration, planning and investment “beyond the rail.”


This publication is focused on building an organization’s collaboration muscles. It offers guidance on steps grantmakers and nonprofits can take to adopt a "collaborative mindset" and align values and practice so they can be better partners in collaboration.
What comes after “strategic...?” If you said, “planning,” you’re not alone. And for many leaders of community foundations, especially small ones who don’t have the time or money for a big process, anxiety is the feeling that follows. If that’s the case, this guide is for you.
Building Healthy Communities (BHC) is a 10 year, $1 billion comprehensive community initiative launched by The California Endowment in 2010 to advance statewide policy, change the narrative, and transform 14 of California’s communities most devastated by health inequities into places where all people have an opportunity to thrive.
Case study from Philanthropy New York documenting the formation, challenges and ultimate success of the Education Funders Research Initiative – an unusual funder collaborative that brought together funders for and against charter schools, funders with different views of testing and accountability, and funders with vastly different approaches to supporting education reform to identify and advance shared priorities.

In Supporting Grantee Capacity: Strengthening Effectiveness Together, GrantCraft looks at how funders approach building capacity with grantees. Through examples from foundations ranging in size, mission, and geography, we explore various strategies for capacity building and the types of awareness that funders can choose to incorporate in decision making to facilitate informed, thoughtful judgments about strengthening organizations.