Philanthropy Watchdog Examines The California Endowment and Daniels Fund on New Crowdsourcing Website

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) unveiled the latest pair of foundation assessments for Philamplify, a new project aimed at bursting the isolation bubble in philanthropy by delivering honest feedback to grantmakers. The new reports, assessing Los Angeles' The California Endowment and Denver's Daniels Fund, are the second set of Philamplify assessments since the project launched in May.

"The assessments of The California Endowment and Daniels Fund demonstrate very different approaches to grantmaking by two foundations that serve specific regions or states," said Aaron Dorfman, executive director of NCRP. "Everyone in the sector has much to learn by discussing the merits of these contrasting strategies."

Conducted by top-notch researchers, Philamplify's foundation assessments provide a comprehensive examination of a foundation's grantmaking and operations. The reports incorporate feedback received from the foundation's key stakeholders and offer recommendations designed to maximize foundation effectiveness. Philamplify.org users can comment on and agree or disagree with these recommendations and share stories about how philanthropy has impacted their lives.

"Sadly, sharing of insight and knowledge doesn't come naturally to foundations," said Dorfman. "Philamplify facilitates the critical feedback grantmakers need so that they can maximize their impact on the issues and communities they care about."

Since its launch, Philamplify has been met with approval from stakeholders in the sector, who see it as a potential turning point in the ongoing conversation about transparency and accountability in philanthropy. Buzz Schmidt, founder of GuideStar, a site that aggregates information about all registered nonprofits, is one such supporter.

"The absence of market tensions at both [the internal and external] levels keeps private foundations from performing at the highest level and being the effective resource allocators we need them to be," said Schmidt. "NCRP's new philamplify.org site seeks to help remedy this situation and impose an external market tension."

"In the coming months we intend to review the report and its recommendations with our board and with our staff," said Dr. Robert K. Ross, president and CEO of The California Endowment. "We see ourselves as part of a larger community working for health and justice and we know that our work is enhanced when we engage in learning and conversation with others. As members of this community we all benefit from transparency and constructive critique."

In addition to The California Endowment and Daniels Fund assessments, NCRP has released reports on the Lumina Foundation for Education in Indianapolis, Robert W. Woodruff Foundation in Atlanta and William Penn Foundation in Philadelphia. Additional assessments covering other top-100 U.S. foundations will roll out in the coming months.

To foster transparency, mutual accountability and knowledge sharing, the full reports on The California Endowment and Daniels Fund, along with all other Philamplify assessments, are available on Philamplify.org.

To learn more, view these Philamplify videos on The California Endowment and Daniels Fund or visit philamplify.org.

About NCRP 

Since 1976, NCRP has served as the voice of nonprofits and the communities they serve in philanthropy. Through research and advocacy, NCRP works to ensure that philanthropy contributes in meaningful ways to the creation of a fair, just and equitable world. Visit www.ncrp.org for more information.

For interviews with Lisa Ranghelli, director of foundation assessments at NCRP, Aaron Dorfman and Philamplify researchers, please contact CJ Frogozo at (310) 570-2622 and [email protected] or Yna Moore at (202) 557-1381 and [email protected].

SOURCE National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy