In 2010 the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona initiated a new grantmaking process that focuses on a three-year cycle of funding broad-based community collaborations.
This takes the place of our annual grant rounds. However, the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona provides
other grant opportunities as well.
How we arrived at our new grantmaking process
In 2009 as the impact of the economic crisis spread, the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona re-designed its community investment grant process to respond to the critical situation that was unfolding in the nonprofit sector. We gathered information from the nonprofits themselves about the needs in our community, and our community-based review panel chose 20 organizations that would address those needs with fewer grantees and larger grants.
In 2010 we analyzed what we had learned and the unique mission of a community foundation and decided to take an even bigger step from the traditional, responsive philanthropy of the past. Instead of sending out a Request For Proposal, identifying the priority focus areas of the foundation, and funding the best proposals that fulfilled that criteria, we refocused our unrestricted Community Investment Grants process. We decided to promote and identify community collaborations that build on existing strengths so that we can increase the capacity of local nonprofit organizations to better serve the community.
In other words, we decided that the role of a community foundation is to address larger community issues that require the work of many public and private organizations and individuals to create a systems change or cultural shift that can have a measurable impact on life in Southern Arizona. We believe no single organization can accomplish that goal by itself, but when organizations work together, the whole can be greater than its parts and real change can occur.
We brought together approximately 200 nonprofit leaders to envision what significant community change they would like to see and provided guidance on how to find others to join them in that work. We received 29 proposals and provided planning grants to Collaboration Teams who would partner with us in developing full proposals. One of the unique aspects of this process was that the nonprofit leaders themselves identified the community goals that, in their knowledgeable opinions, should be achieved.
During the planning period, we provided technical assistance both individually and by offering workshops on how to develop a sustainable collaboration and how to evaluate systems change. A Community Investment leadership group met with each of the Collaboration Teams after receiving drafts of their full proposals and made suggestions to strengthen them. Finally, the Community Investment Review Panel reviewed the final proposals and met with each Collaboration Team prior to making its recommendation to our Board of Trustees.
This process does not end with the sending of a check. The Community Investment team will continue to work with the collaborations to ensure that they stay on track. There will be quarterly learning meetings to exchange ideas and discuss challenges. Community Foundation for Southern Arizona board members and liaisons will be assigned to each project, and updates will be reported regularly.
Evan Mendelson
Vice President
Donor Relations and Program Services
520-770-0800 EXT 7119