Category Archives: theory of change

10 Key Attributes of Grantmaking Initiatives

Categories: foundation, nonprofit, Philanthropy, theory of change

One of our favorite clients, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, recently asked us to define the term “grantmaking initiative”. Simple, I thought. After all, nonprofits and foundations have used this term for ages. Here at Putnam Community Investment Consulting, we’ve spent the last 10 years designing, managing and evaluating foundation initiatives. We all know what an initiative is, but can we actually define the term? Turns out, I couldn’t. So I embarked on a quest. Several hundred Google searches, listserv queries, tweets, and LinkedIn posts later, I was surprised to learn that there is no universally accepted definition of “grantmaking initiative”. I did, however, discover 10 attributes shared by many grantmaking initiatives. 1.    Initiatives are sponsored by at … Continue reading 10 Key Attributes of Grantmaking Initiatives →

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10 Great Resources for Creating a Theory of Change

Categories: consultant, consulting, foundation, logic model, nonprofit, Philanthropy, theory of change

What is a Theory of Change? According to ActKnowledge, a Theory of Change defines all the building blocks required to bring about a long-term goal. ‘Like any good planning and evaluation method for social change, it requires participants to be clear on long-term goals, identify measurable indicators of success, and formulate actions to achieve goals.’ Many people use it interchangeably with the term “logic model” but it differs from logic models  because it requires stakeholders to articulate underlying assumptions which can be tested and measured, and because shows a causal pathway from here to there by specifying what is needed for goals to be achieved. According to Jim Connell and Adema Klem you should ask yourself whether your Theory of … Continue reading 10 Great Resources for Creating a Theory of Change →

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