Knowledge-sharing website tests funders' appetite for learning

Governance | Celina Ribeiro | 9 Mar 2011

Funders will be encouraged to improve their performance on sharing learnings in the trial of a website that will allow funders to share and access information on successful grants and knowledge gained.

New Philanthropy Capital and the Association of Charitable Foundations have today launched a six-month pilot of a website which will feature a forum and Q&A space for funders to discuss among themselves what they have learned through their grantmaking.

The website was launched on the back of NPC’s report Foundations for Knowledge, also released in London today, which argues that funders are in the perfect position to share and learn quickly. With increasing demand upon trusts and foundations to make grants to charities, NPC says that funders need to be open about mistakes and successes.

The report calls for a “centralised resource” to encourage this openness in order to create the maximum benefit to charities' beneficiaries.

At present, funders are culturally and structurally averse to consistent reporting and sharing, says the report, which identifies “Underdeveloped and under-resourced systems for collecting and documenting learning” and an “activist culture” which de-prioritises learning and reporting.

The website will test whether there is demand for this kind of resource. NPC and ACF are looking for funders to get involved, potentially to contribute resources or simply participate in discussion.

Directory: Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) | New Philanthropy Capital

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