Christian Medina’s Post

In the world of philanthropy, accurate, timely, and relevant information is crucial for making impactful decisions. Grant managers and their teams collect, analyze, and share vast amounts of data to maximize the potential impact of philanthropic funds. Christian Medina’s latest blog post delves deep into the transformative power of treating feedback as data and the importance of data governance in this process. Read the full blog below!

Looking for ways to connect with #grant funders? Here are four ways that Laura Henninghausen suggests to break through the barriers on the Grant Professionals Association blog: https://lnkd.in/ehAn3mmy

Nonprofits are the subject-matter experts in their field. Instead of funders dictating metrics, let the NPO be the guide on where it has the most impact. Rather than being restricted by rigid funding requirements or short-term project objectives, organizations can focus on innovation in answering a call instead of being prescriptive. Crossing my fingers that this trend continues. https://lnkd.in/gX5PgWBP

Wednesday’s May 8, 2024 From: Dr. Richard Francis Viktor Hogan Setting measurable objectives in nonprofit strategy is crucial for achieving meaningful impact. Remember that revisiting your strategy periodically and adapting it as circumstances change is essential. Don’t let your plan gather dust—keep it alive and relevant! Here are some best practices to consider: — • SMART Goals Framework: •For nonprofits, using the SMART goals framework is highly effective: 1- Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve and how you plan to do it. 2- Measurable: Identify the data you’ll collect to determine success. 3- Achievable: Ensure that the goal is realistic and possible to achieve. 4- Relevant: Align the goal with your organization’s mission and strategic priorities. 5- Time-bound: Set a deadline for achieving the goal. — • Objectives: • Objectives define measurable actions in the short term to achieve your overall goal. — • When creating objectives: • State them in quantifiable terms (e.g., increase volunteer participation by 20%). • Focus on outcomes, not just processes (e.g., improve literacy rates rather than just conducting reading programs). • Make them time-bound (e.g., achieve the objective within the next fiscal year). • Ensure alignment with your broader goals. — • Engage Stakeholders: • Involve staff, board members, volunteers, and other stakeholders in the goal-setting process. • Stakeholders input ensures buy-in and a shared commitment to achieving the objectives. -30-

👏 Great to see The David and Lucile Packard Foundation's new tiered indirect cost rate policy which reflects its commitment to fostering equitable grantmaking practices and investing in the organizations and people who are dedicated to creating a more just and equitable world. 💡 "We learned many grantees continued to downplay their indirect costs rates because they have been led to believe—or they fear we believe—the myth that low indirect cost rates are an indicator of a more efficient organization. Providing adequate funding for grantees not only allows organizations to adequately pursue their critical, mission-driven work; it is a critical step toward addressing field-wide issues like the chronic underinvestment in nonprofit organization infrastructure." 💡 https://lnkd.in/ettRGhrQ This may seem like a technical, in-the-weeds thing (let's be honest, IDC rates aren't the most riveting topic!) but the impact is far-reaching. Hundreds of nonprofits benefit from policies like this, ensuring their projects can cover costs and build long-term sustainability. And it's indeed cool that BDO USA's #nonprofit and #grantmaking advisory practice played a supporting role in this important work! 🎉 Learn more about the Packard Foundation's policy here:

Wednesday’s May 8, 2024 From: Dr. Richard Francis Viktor Hogan Setting measurable objectives in nonprofit strategy is crucial for achieving meaningful impact. Remember that revisiting your strategy periodically and adapting it as circumstances change is essential. Don’t let your plan gather dust—keep it alive and relevant! Here are some best practices to consider: — • SMART Goals Framework: •For nonprofits, using the SMART goals framework is highly effective: 1- Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve and how you plan to do it. 2- Measurable: Identify the data you’ll collect to determine success. 3- Achievable: Ensure that the goal is realistic and possible to achieve. 4- Relevant: Align the goal with your organization’s mission and strategic priorities. 5- Time-bound: Set a deadline for achieving the goal. — • Objectives: • Objectives define measurable actions in the short term to achieve your overall goal. — • When creating objectives: • State them in quantifiable terms (e.g., increase volunteer participation by 20%). • Focus on outcomes, not just processes (e.g., improve literacy rates rather than just conducting reading programs). • Make them time-bound (e.g., achieve the objective within the next fiscal year). • Ensure alignment with your broader goals. — • Engage Stakeholders: • Involve staff, board members, volunteers, and other stakeholders in the goal-setting process. • Stakeholders input ensures buy-in and a shared commitment to achieving the objectives. -30-

Monday insight for 🇰🇪 nonprofit leaders and management 💭 💡 In a not-so-promising economy, what should Nonprofits do to ensure economic sustainability? Consider Cross-Sector partnerships and strategies: "Strengthening and building new community partnerships across sectors, including governments, higher education institutions, public school districts, community-based organizations, and employers, has not only increased local support for our nonprofit’s work, but it also simultaneously validates our purpose, enhances credibility, and promotes transparency." As presented by Felida Villarreal, CPA in this article! 👇 https://lnkd.in/dvJX3t86

"Nonprofit organizations can adopt strategies from the for-profit sector, including competitive analysis and product refinement, along with continuous improvement of processes and people within the organization. With these components, nonprofits can focus on achieving their mission while maintaining financial viability." - Amen! All too often I see something categorized as "innovation" when it's really just applying approaches from a different industry (agnostic to sector). It's a good reminder siloing operational excellence by industry is thinking too small.

Hot off the press, Nonprofit Boards in Pursuit of Innovation for Growth: Views From the Frontline!! Professor Sarah Kelly OAM In this open access article in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly from Sage, we weave together a comprehensive literature review with findings from 26 interviews with nonprofit directors. In this first-in-field conceptual paper, we describe nonprofit innovation for growth and why it matters. And we originally conceptualize that nonprofit boards seem to prioritize particular factorial determinants new to nonprofit-innovation research in their effective pursuit of innovation for growth. https://lnkd.in/gtXw7dg4

🔍 How can Canadian foundations better manage their information to strengthen their philanthropic impact? Find out in our new article 📚 The philanthropic duty of remembrance: towards enlightened, far-sighted and sustainable information management, 📝 by Jean-Marc Fontan, Co-director of PhiLab 💡 Canadian foundations have a long history, but their information management often remains rudimentary. A healthy democracy and a fair society require better information management. ℹ️ By adopting information governance and understanding the relevant legislative frameworks, foundations can optimise their use of information, improving the effectiveness of their decisions and maximising their impact. 🔄 With practical advice on information lifecycle management and the importance of archives, this article also calls on the philanthropic community to share their experiences to foster best practice. 📢 Check out the full article here: https://ow.ly/6AlJ50R8Wrl #Philanthropy #InformationManagement #Impact #Nonprofits #DataManagement #PhilLab #CanadianFoundations #SocialImpact #KnowledgeManagement #DataGovernance