Grants Management Knowledge Bank

Selected articles from back editions of the Grants Management Quarterly (formerly The Australian Best Practice Grantmaking Quarterly) are available for download to current subscribers and members of the Australian Institute of Grants Management (AIGM). Click on the link below the article summary to download the article.

If you find an article listed on this page that you would like to download that has not been loaded for viewing, let us know by emailing kathyr@ourcommunity.com.au.

Please Note: Non-subscribers can purchase any back issue by emailing the edition number to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

Edition 2, 2010

Snapshot:
Understanding Unincorporation
Analysing the pros and cons of funding unincorporated associations.
Click here for a link to this article.

Global View:
Australian data needed
The Foundation Centre in the United States is seeking information from Australian grantmakers to add to an interactive map that plots grantmakers and grant recipients around the world.
Click here to read this article.

Program Evaluation:
The GEO Guide
Delegates at this year's Best Practice in Grants Management Conference raised the need for a good guide to program evaluation, and Grantmakers for Effective Organisations' Evaluation in Philanthropy was recommended. GMQ got hold of a copy to help you decide whether you would like to purchase one for your organisation.
Click here to read this article.

In the News:
NYC cuts red tape
New York City is overhauling its contracting procedures to make life easier for the thousands of not-for-profits it relies on to deliver services.
Click here to read this article.

Public Ancillary Funds:
Regulations to be reformed
The Federal Government has flagged that Public Ancillary Fund guidelines will soon be subject to changes similar to those introduced last year for Private Anciallary Funds.
Click here to read this article.

Matching Grants:
Taking risks for innovative results
The City of Sydney recently launched a new marketing campaign for its Local Action Plans Matching Grants Program. GMQ spoke to project manager Lynne Welch about how the program has evolved over the three years since it was launched. The program accepts applications from any group of residents with a project that will benefit the community, whether the group is incorporated or not. Applicants must be willing to contribute cash, in-kind materials and/or time, which is matched by up to $10,000 cash or in-kind support from the council.
Click here to read this article.

Right-sizing:
When the grant fits
Ensuring the burdens of your application processes do not outweigh the value of your grants is one of four key principles guiding grantmaking revisionists Project Streamline. You can use their guide to ensure you maximise the net community benefit of your grantmaking.
Click here to read this article.

Agreed:
Government to embrace Web 2.0
The Federal Government has agreed with most of the findings of last year's report into government use of Web 2.0, rejecting only a recommendation regarding copyright licensing.

By Popular Vote:
Letting the public decide
The trend for selecting grant recipients by popular vote seems to be gathering pace.

Room for Improvement:
Roads to Recovery
THE Australian National Audit Office report on the Roads to Recovery program has found that while funding has been effectively distributed and used for road works, there is also much room for improvement.
Click here to read this article.

Taking Advice:
Advisors can increase knowledge
Demand for professional advice on philanthropy is not keeping up with growth in philanthropic giving, a British consultancy says.
Click here to read this article.

Indigenous Philanthropy:
Lack of information jeopardises outcomes
A severe lack of publicly-available information is detrimental to the philanthropic sector's ability to improve outcomes for indigenous Australians, a researcher has found.
Click here to read this article.

Great Ideas:
Manifesto for community philanthropists
Community Foundations in the UK have drawn up a manifesto detailing their innovative ideas for reframing philanthropy.
Click here to read this article.

Schools Stimulus:
Greater flexibility required
The short timeframe for delivery of the Federal Government's controversial schools stimulus program has contributed to both positive and negative criticisms from the auditor.
Click here to read this article.

Asian Philanthropy Forum:
Going strong after two years
The Asian Philanthropy Forum is celebrating its second anniversary and 200th post. .

Avalanche of Applications:
BP's Vouchers for Volunteers
WHILE BP sweats under the intense pressure generated by what is now widely accepted as the worst US environmental disaster ever, one program it has been able to deliver without a hitch is Vouchers for Volunteers.
Click here to read this article.

Social Investment:
Futurebuilders England axed
An experimental loans program has been axed by the new UK government, despite an independent review giving the program a tick of approval.
Click here to read this article.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

Article you want not loaded? Let us know by emailing christyd@ourcommunity.com.au

Edition 1, 2010

Snapshot:
Best practice program reviews
A comprehensive review of your grants program is hard work, but the payoff will likely be new efficiencies and better value for money.
Click here to read this article. (PDF - 173KB)

You Can't See Through Red Tape:
Advice from the Audit Office of New South Wales
After flagging significant problems with New South Wales State Government grantmaking in a report released last year, the Audit Office of New South Wales last month told the Australian Institute of Grants Management how practices could be improved.
Click here to read this article.

In the News:
The Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation
The family of the benefactor of one of Victoria's major foundations has gone public with a complaint.
Click here to read this article.

Grants Life Cycle:
A management framework you can use
THE Wales Audit Office has produced a neat framework for reminding grantmakers of everything that should be considered at each stage of the funding cycle.
Click here to read this article.

Top tip:
Broadening the funding base
Many grantseekers do not realise their application is strengthened if they are also seeking other funding sources, grantmakers at the February Best Practice in Grantmaking conference noted. As well as explaining in your guidelines that you encourage applicants to seek multiple funding sources, you can also refer applicants to Our Community.
Click here to read this article.

From the ATO:
Latest private ancillary fund figures released
Donations to private ancillary funds (PAFs) have continued to grow, Assistant Treasurer Senator Nick Sherry has said.
Click here to read this article.

Advertising Your Grants Program:
Lotterywest's Top Ten Tips
Lotterywest general manager of grants and community services, Jacquie Thomson, presented her marketing tips to delegates at the Best Practice in Grants Management Conference 2010.
Click here to read this article.

Productivity Loss:
Report slams government grantmaking
Government grantmakers should make changes to enhance the not-for-profit sector's contribution to society, the Productivity Commission has found.
Click here to read this article.

Thumbs Up:
Sample application forms
We are giving the NRMA a big tick for including a sample application form in its Community Grants Information Booklet.
Click here to read this article.

Going the Extra Mile:
Sunshine Coast Regional Council
The Sunshine Coast Regional Councils' grantmaking team goes to considerable lengths to support grant applicants in addition to providing funding. They provide one-on-one advice and individual feedback to help improve applications.
Click here to read this article.

The Downside of Grantmaker Collaboration
A SIGNIFICANT minority of grant recipients have had mixed or negative experiences working with funder collaborations, a GrantCraft survey has found.
Click here to read this article.

Starting off on the Right Foot:
Getting funding partnerships right
Melbourne's Inner North Community Foundation is involved in a successful funding partnership. Development Officer Trudy Hairs gave the delegates at the Best Practice Grants Management Conference 2010 some of the keys to success.
Click here to read this article.

In the News:
The power of small grants
An article in Alliance magazine has GMQ reflecting this quarter on the value of investing with small grants.
Click here to read this article.

Ideas you can Steal:
Giving small/emerging groups access to your funds
Community groups from small communities and communities new to Australia face significant barriers to accessing grants, but there are measures you can take to help.
Click here to read this article.

The Little Blue Book:
A guide to analysing community groups
UK think tank New Philanthropy Capital has published a booklet outlining how it analyses community groups, information it hopes will help funders to identify community strengths and weaknesses, what works and what does not.
Click here to read this article.

The Global Financial Crisis:
US grantmakers still suffering the effects
GRANTMAKERS in America's fifth most populous state, Illinois, are still suffering the effects of the financial crisis, according to the Illinois Donors Forum.
Click here to read this article.

SmartyGrants:
Your questions answered
The SmartyGrants team responds to your questions about Australia's most useful grants managment software.
Click here to read this article.

Applying the Gender Lens:
Shifting focus to help shift an inherent disadvantage
The Victorian Women's Trust has published a guide to boost grantmakers' ability to take gender inequality into account in their work.
Click here to read this article.

Local Grants:
QLD State Government guidelines
GUIDELINES for local government administration of community grants from the Queensland State Government may be of use to local government grantmakers throughout Australia, and others as well.
Click here to read this article.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

Article you want not loaded? Let us know by emailing christyd@ourcommunity.com.au

Edition 4, 2009

Snapshot:
Best practice application forms
The manner in which you structure and express your application forms may have a huge bearing on the results of your grants program. GMQ outlines some of the considerations.
Click here to read this article. (PDF - 173KB)

All Ears:
Grantmakers open up to grantee perceptions
Many modern grantmakers ask their grantees for feedback on their program and operations. In the US foundation world, some have gone a step further, scoring their results against those of other foundations - and then publishing the results online.
Click here to read this article.

Great Ideas:
Collecting intelligence
How well do you know your grantees? How much do you know about the challenges they face? More importantly, how often do you test your assumptions?
Click here to read this article.

What's New:
Website discloses grant details
A new Victorian Government website is a good example of how a simple online presence can aid the transparency of a grants program.
Click here to read this article.

Building Capacity:
Evaluating the impacts of organisational development funding
Two of Australia's oldest and most respected philanthropic organisations have joined forces to fund capacity building in 37 community organisations over 2009 and 2010. And in order to assess the success of the program, the Sidney Myer Fund and The Myer Foundation have commissioned a thorough evaluation. The results of the evaluation, which is being carried out by the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at QUT, should be of immense interest to any organisation that provides capacity building help for community organisations. Lead researcher Jo Barraket outlines the project so far.
Click here to read this article.

Research Grants:
Major grantmaker receives harsh judgement from A-G
An Auditor-General's review of a major federal funding body has turned up some grave weaknesses in the management of conflict of interest and serious shortcomings in its grants management systems.
Click here to read this article.

Great Ideas:
Streamlining payments
Grantseekers often complain about long delays between applying for a grant and actually receiving the funds. Occasionally, grantmakers have the same trouble.
Click here to read this article.

Thumbs Down:
Short timeframes exclude applicants
Thumbs down to grantmakers who restrict applications to only a couple of weeks each year.
Click here to read this article.

Burning Questions:
Are electronic signatures legal?
You're putting your grant forms online so that potential grantees can fill them out online. At the bottom of the form, it asks for a signature. You've always demanded that some named person take responsibility for the information vouchsafed, and the way they do that is by signing it. So what do you do now? Having them scribble a signature on the screen doesn't really answer the need. Do they have to download it and post it? Or do you have to give up the idea completely?
Click here to read this article.

Brick Walls:
Knocking down the barriers to socially inclusive grants
How socially inclusive is your grants program? AIGM trainer Fiona Dempster provides some pointers on how to identify barriers to greater inclusion and make changes at the right point in the system.
Click here to read this article.

Building Resilience:
Working out what works
NAPCAN is a national organisation that works to prevent child abuse and neglect. As part of that role the organisation has provided small grants for projects that aim to build resilience in young people through its KIDS CAN initiative. The organisation is now evaluating its grants program in the hopes that others can learn from the experience.
Click here to read this article.

Helping or Hindering:
Helping grantees overcome financial challenges
Last edition we brought you news of a report on the "not-for-profit starvation cycle" - grantmaker practices that involve persistent underfunding of overhead. A new report from a US organisation makes a similar finding - and proposes some solutions.

Government 2.0
Making government information accessible
A new report by the federal Government 2.0 Taskforce makes some bold recommendations relating to accessibility of government information and the use of new web-based tools to help distribute it. Government grantmakers may well be able to make use of any innovations that result from implementation of the recommendations.
Click here to read this article.

Bright Ideas:
Cutting reports
In the US, the collaboration working to cut red tape in grantmaking, Project Streamline, reports that general operating support accounts for 19% of grants given by foundations. The organisation says that eliminating the report requirements for such grants presents a significant streamlining opportunity.
Click here to read this article.

Trends:
Securing a future
Lotterywest is securing the future of its own grantmaking program as well as the environment with a new focus on sustainability.
Click here to read this article.

Grants Rage:
Managing Staff Transitions
Our Community, which supports community organisations across Australia and also publishes this newsletter, often receives feedback from grantseekers expressing frustration with grantmaker programs and practices. Some of these we pass on through GMQ in the interests of pushing the field of grantmaking forward. The latest "grants rage" comes from the principal of a Melbourne secondary school, who appears to have found herself a victim of a poor staff succession process at a corporate grantmaking foundation.

In the News:
What's making headlines
Red faces, outrage, some questionable practices, some foreshadowed cutbacks, and a rethink - this quarter has seen plenty of news action where grants are concerned. Here's a quick rundown.

Private Ancillary Funds:
New guidelines take effect
Private Ancillary Funds - previously known as Prescribed Private Funds - have been subject to new guidelines since October 1. Here's an overview of what they entail.

Spreading the Word:
Tips for online publication of project results
An international organisation that aims to help generate and disseminate knowledge for the use of developing countries has released some useful pointers about how to disseminate research findings online. The tips, developed by the New Delhi-based Global Development Network, will be of interest for grantmakers keen to spread the word about the results of funded projects. A summary of relevant tips is provided below.
Click here to read this article.

You're Not Alone:
Grantmakers turn the tables on Grants Rage
What do grantseekers do that drives you up the wall? As part of the 2009 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference, we undertook to find out grantmakers' key grumbles. Here's some of what they said.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

Article you want not loaded? Let us know by emailing kathyr@ourcommunity.com.au

Edition 3, 2009

Snapshot:
Best practice assessment panels
There are a lot of different ways to decide on who gets grants, but there's been surprisingly little empirical work on which of those ways work best. We thought we'd try and find out, so we asked a selection of grantmakers to tell us about their own methods and their thoughts on what works and where the deficiencies lie.
Click here to read this article. (PDF - 200KB)

NSW Audit:
Applicants get caught in red tape, abandon projects
The NSW Audit Office's latest audit report has revealed there is too much red tape and not enough transparency in the administration of environmental grants.
Click here to read this article.

Great Ideas:
Case Foundation helps grantees 'Gear up for Giving'
The American Case Foundation is working to help equip its grantees and other not-for-profits with better fundraising skills, releasing a training program on fundraising through social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

Grants Mapping:
Organisation-wide study reveals the true size and nature of funding
Have you ever wondered just how many sources of funding and support your organisation provides? Port Macquarie-Hastings Council community development and project officer Maya Spannari did - and she set out to find out the answer. What has resulted is a grants mapping exercise that is throwing up some interesting results. Maya outlines why she set out to map her council's grants and what she's discovered so far.
Click here to read this article.

Trends:
Grants for social enterprise
There's a new player in town that could benefit from access to your grants funds. Do you grant to social enterprises?
Click here to read this article.

Grants Rage:
Who's Carrying the Baby?
Many grants programs provide seed funding for innovative programs and projects. Who picks up the funding baby once a program/project proves itself?

Good Practice Guidelines:
Commonwealth releases new grants guidance
New guidelines that have been developed for Federal Government grantmaking agencies provide a useful reference for all grantmakers.
Click here to read this article.

Strategic Review:
Federal grants 'probably ineffective': report
Remedying flaws in Federal Government grantmaking programs will take many years, a report has found. But with the release of new guidelines, changes are under way.
Click here to read this article.

Big Ideas:
Catalytic Philanthropy
It's the eternal dilemma for do-gooders; do you try for certain small gains, or speculative vast changes?

Good RAP:
Funding Health and Medical Research
Health and medical research can seem a complex field to consider funding, but a group of new resources simplifies the process.
Click here to read this article.

Philanthropy Australia launches knowledge-sharing tool
The national peak body for philanthropy in Australia has launched an online listing of projects seeking funding.
Click here to read this article.

Big Ideas:
Dob in a Fraudster
Grantmakers charged with overseeing public money sometimes need to try every trick in the book to unearth misuse of funds. In this example, Austrade has sought help from the public in uncovering suspected fraud.
Click here to read this article.

Get Online:
AIGM announces the launch of SmartyGrants Applications
An online applications system is the first cab off the ranks as the AIGM rolls out its new SmartyGrants service.

Challenge Grants:
Community foundations poised to rise to the challenge
Victorian-based community foundations have been offered an exciting opportunity to boost their fundraising and increase their grantmaking potential, as Inner North Community Foundation development officer Trudy Hairs explains.
Click here to read this article.

Social Inclusion:
Grantmakers ride the wave
Social inclusion is the new overarching policy agenda in Australia, and grantmakers are catching on, as Barry Smith explains.
Click here to read this article.

Big Thinking:
BIG consultation results released
Possibly the world's most extensive and innovative grantmaker consultation process has wound up in the UK. The process and results should be of interest to any grantmaker who's serious about involving its stakeholders in its decision-making.
Click here to read this article.

PAFs:
Prescribed private funds get a new name and new regulations
Amendments to Australia's tax laws coming into effect on October 1 change the rules for the operation of private charitable trusts.
Click here to read this article.

Top Three:
Report delivers rules of thumb for 'intelligent monitoring'
The UK's government auditor has released guidance for grantmakers on how to achieve "Intelligent Monitoring" of their grantees.
Click here to read this article.

Program in Profile:
Telstra Connected Seniors grants program
There are many ways that the new internet technologies can contribute to the efficiency of community groups; unfortunately, groups often find it hard to get the most out of these new possibilities because of a reluctance, sometimes almost a phobia, among some members. The problem is most pronounced in groups with a large proportion of older members. Telstra's Connected Seniors grants program aims to bring down that barrier.

Poor Portal:
Grants.gov review highlights critical weaknesses
An in-depth report by the US Government's accountability office has highlighted serious deficiencies in the main Federal Government grants portal. The results make interesting reading for anyone operating a grants website.
Click here to read this article.

Web 2.0:
Improving Government-citizen connections
Web 2.0 is not just for Gen Ys - even the Federal Government's getting in on the action.
Click here to read this article.

Big Ideas:
The Not-for-Profit Starvation Cycle
If you're giving out grants, you're feeding your grantees, right? Well, maybe not. In fact, you may be starving them, as a new Stanford Social Innovation Review article explains.
Click here to read this article.

Groan and Grumble:
Grantmakers turn the tables on Grants Rage
This edition we continue to lift the lid on the key things grantseekers do that drive grantmakers nuts. Through an open forum during the 2009 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference, as well as a pre-conference survey, we got to hear about grantmakers' chief grumbles. Here is some of what was said.
Click here to read this article.

What's New:
Rethinking Drinking
A number of grants programs are now working to build safer drinking cultures.
Click here to read this article.

Hardship Funding:
Responding to the downturn
Things might be looking up economically, but we're not out of the woods yet. Grantmakers across the world are having to find ways to plug the holes that have emerged.
Click here to read this article.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

Article you want not loaded? Let us know by emailing kathyr@ourcommunity.com.au

Edition 28

Snapshot:
Spreading the word about your grant results
If you're evaluating your funded projects properly, you know which ones worked and which ones didn't. You might even have some idea of why. That information may be as valuable as anything else that comes out of the project, and you want it to get into the hands of the people who need it. You can't count on that just happening; someone has to insist on it, and that person is probably you.
Click here to read this article.

Tough Times:
Steering a path through the GFC
An American report provides some tips for grantmakers wanting to help their grantees weather the global economic crisis.
Click here to read this article.

Reviewing Government Grants:
Auditor-General highlights key concerns
The NSW Auditor-General has issued a scathing assessment of the administration of government grants in NSW, urging measures to improve transparency and evaluation. The findings and recommendations are essential reading for any government grantmaker.
Click here to read this article.

Great Ideas:
Hitting the Road
Undertaking grants roadshows; sending pre-emptive email updates.

How are you getting on?
Improving communication of grant results
A new report sheds some light on some of the ways grantmakers and grantees can improve the process of communicating the results of their grant-funded programs.
Click here to read this article.

Many Happy Returns:
Assessing social return on investment
SROI (Social Return on Investment) systems are intended to make sure that in assessing our projects we measure what really matters. A Guide to Social Return on Investment, a useful manual issued by the UK Office of the Third Sector (OTS) and the Scottish Government, spells out what matters in SROI.
Click here to read this article.

Grants Rage:
Go on, grantseekers, tell us what you really think (Part 2)
In January 2009, the Australian Institute of Grants Management sent out a survey to community groups across Australia asking them about their interactions with Australian grantmakers, focusing in particular on the area of communications. A total of 520 organisations responded to the 2009 Grants in Australia Survey, making this one of the largest surveys of its kind in Australia. In the last edition of GMQ we outlined some of the results of the 2009 Grants in Australia survey. Here's part two.
Click here to read this article.

Opening Up:
Grantmaking and social inclusion
Social inclusion is the new overarching policy agenda in Australia. This has implications for every aspect of government business, but particularly grants programs. Fiona Dempster outlines what's at stake.

A Healthy Start:
Boosting donations to health and medical research
While many people count health and medical research as among their top social priorities, few actually donate money to the cause. A Melbourne-based philanthropic program is working to shift the ratios, as Rebecca James explains.

Hazard Alert:
Grants managers trained to spot potential insolvencies
One of the UK's biggest government funders has devised a training course for its staff to help them identify potential insolvency cases.

Accountability Drought:
Auditor-General says clear objectives are needed to account for spending
The Victorian Auditor-General's criticism of two drought-assistance programs highlights the importance of working to clear grantmaking objectives and being able to account for funds having been well spent.

Groan and Grumble:
Grantmakers turn the tables on Grants Rage
This edition we continue to lift the lid on all the things that drive grantmakers nuts. Through an open forum during the 2009 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference, as well as a pre-conference survey, we got to hear about grantmakers' chief grumbles. Here is some of what was said.

Hazard Warning:
Rating government grantmakers
Grantmakers are used to assessing their grantees - a UK website is turning the tables.

FaHCSIA:
Reducing the administrative burden
FaHCSIA is introducing changes with its 2009-2010 grants, opening up lines of communication with service providers and simplifying processes. GMQ takes a look at what's in store.

Breaking the Cycle:
Improving the lot of ex-prisoners
If your grantmaking program aims to tackle disadvantage, a new report from New Philanthropy Capital is well worth a look. The report focuses on how funders can help prisoners and ex-prisoners break out of the cycle of re-offending, and while it's rooted in the UK context, the principles are every bit as relevant for Australian programs.

Great Ideas:
Letting them down nicely
Profiling a best practice rejection email.

Project Streamline:
Practitioners weigh in
This time last year, GMQ reported on a US project designed to cut down on paperwork. Project Streamline has now followed up with a new section comprising feedback on its recommendations.

Take Five:
UK group releases principles for local governments
The National Council of Voluntary Organisations in Britain has released a list of five key principles to strengthen relationships between community organisations and local councils.

What's New:
Online test released
the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy in the US has introduced an "online self-test" to allow grantmakers to assess how their current operations and grantmaking compare to its philanthropic benchmarks.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

Article you want not loaded? Let us know by emailing kathyr@ourcommunity.com.au

Edition 27

Snapshot:
Grantmaking in the wake of a disaster
If there's one thing we have no shortage of these days, it's disasters. Correspondingly, a number of grantmaker associations have gone to the trouble of collecting and distilling the wisdom on the best ways for dealing with them. As Victoria reels from record-breaking heat and fires, Queensland mops up after cyclones and floods, and the whole country contemplates the prospect of ongoing drought and climate change, GMQ goes looking for the best advice about what can grantmakers can do to support the victims and the agencies that work with them.
Click here to read this article.

Hazard Warning:
New grants tipped to bring down web portal
The US Government's main grantmaking portal could collapse under the weight of a massive injection of funds being distributed through the government's new stimulus package.

Changing Focus:
New program structure goes on trial
Lotterywest has no regrets half way through a 12-month trial of a new grantmaking structure. A focus on relationships and regions has enabled better understanding of communities and connections with a broader range of community groups.
Click here to read this article.

News Brief:
PPF changes to be delivered in July
A Federal Government review of the operation of Prescribed Private Funds (PPFs) is on track for completion by the start of the next financial year.

From Power to Partnerships:
Creating a new era in government funding relationships
When it comes to the awarding of government grants, nobody's happy. Community organisations aren't happy (apart from the temporary euphoria they might feel when they actually receive a grant), Auditors-General aren't happy, academics can rarely find a good word to say about them - even governments themselves, judging by recent inquiries, aren't happy about how the grants process is being handled in Australia. A new model of funding is needed if these problems are to be tackled, lawyer, academic and not-for-profit expert Myles McGregor-Lowndes told the 2009 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference.
Click here to read this article.

Thumbs Up:
Application tips
Thumbs up to the Australian Heart Foundation, which has provided excellent general feedback on applications received during its previous funding round.

More than Money:
Going beyond the grant
The US Centre for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) notes that there's a lot of talk around in the grantmaking field about such things as "promoting organisational effectiveness" and "building capacity". They've now run a survey to see how the talk translates into walk.
Click here to read this article.

Grants Rage:
Go on, grantseekers, tell us what you really think
In January 2009, the Australian Institute of Grants Management (a division of Our Community, which publishes this newsletter) sent out a survey to community groups across Australia asking them about their interactions with Australian grantmakers. A total of 520 organisations responded to the 2009 Grants in Australia Survey, making this one of the largest surveys of its kind in Australia. The results were fascinating, informative, and surprising.
Click here to read this article.

Trustee Duties:
New guide spells out grantmaking trustees' duties
Philanthropy Australia has released a handbook outlining the roles and duties of trustees of grantmaking charitable trusts in Australia.

On the Edge:
Achieving edgy grantmaking without toppling over
The British Council is a cultural relations organisation charged with building engagement and trust for the UK worldwide. The Council's Australian Director Rebecca Matthews - an experienced grantmaker and grantseeker - told the 2009 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference that the Council's model of partnerships and funding attempts to keep pushing the boundaries, whilst keeping it comfortably within its financial and moral parameters.
Click here to read this article.

Thumbs Up:
You're OK, but how are we doing?
A US health funder is so keen on hearing from its constituents that it sends reminders urging people to complete evaluation surveys.

Totting Up:
Counting the costs of administering government grants
The findings and recommendations of a UK investigation into the costs of administering government grants should make for interesting reading for Australian government grantmakers.
Click here to read this article.

Trends:
Operational Support Grants
Some American watchers of grantmaking have noted an increase in grants to support the operational expenses of not-for-profit organisations in response to worsening economic conditions.

Strengthening Democracy:
Measuring bang for your buck
A new reports suggests that there are big gains to be had from money invested in advocacy.
Click here to read this article.

Groan and Grumble:
Grantmakers turn the tables
GMQ has for many years included a regular section called 'Grants Rage', providing an opportunity for grantseekers to vent their frustrations with grantmakers' practices. At this year's Best Practice in Grants Management Conference, we turned the tables, inviting grantmakers to highlight some of their key grumbles. Through a pre-conference survey and an open forum during the conference, we got to hear what drives grantmakers nuts. Here is some of what was said.

Back to Basics:
Report details path to granting success
Not all funding is good funding, a new report from the UK argues.

Socially Inclusive Grantmaking:
Achieving equity in grantmaking
Despite the best efforts of government grantmakers, the most vulnerable and socially excluded groups are usually the ones that are least likely to receive a share of the grants pie. What would a truly socially inclusive grants approach look like? In his keynote presentation to the 2009 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference Masterclass for Local Government, veteran grantmaker Michael Lockwood turned his mind to the question. He began by outlining what was meant by the term 'social exclusion', before moving on to sketch out what a socially inclusive grantmaking process might look like.
Click here to read this article.

Hazard Warning:
Inclusion exclusion
The UK Government has scrapped draft national guidance which advised local councils to avoid funding organisations supporting particular communities such as minority ethnic groups.

e-Gov:
Internet replaces face-to-face as main means of contact
The Australian Government Information Management Office has released the results of its fourth annual study into Australians' use and satisfaction with e-government services - those services delivered via the internet or telephone. When the study was first released in 2005, most Australians were still making contact with the government in person. In 2008, the internet had become the most common way for people to contact government. The report's findings are important reading for grantmakers, whose interactions with stakeholders are increasingly being shifted online. Key findings and conclusions are reproduced below.
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Setting Benchmarks:
Storm erupts over philanthropy effectiveness criteria
A vigorous debate has opened up in America over the criteria that should guide grantmaking.
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Edition 26

Going Green:
Environmental grantmakers' network takes flight
Solutions to the world's pressing environmental problems are at hand, but require significant entrepreneurial spirit, strategic thinking, public pressure and financial leverage, writes Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network executive officer AMANDA MARTIN. Grantmakers of all persuasions can be part of those solutions, particularly if they work together. Ms Martin explains what the new Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network is doing to help.
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Finding an Oasis:
Online acquittal system to be rolled out in Qld
Queensland's Department of Communities is about to roll out a new online acquittal system around the state.
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Improving Transparency:
Federal Government announces sweeping reforms
Commonwealth grantmakers fasten your seatbelts: The Federal Government has announced sweeping changes that will affect all Federal Government grants programs. The first tranche of the changes will kick in in less than a month.
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Let's Go Shopping:
Local grantmaking as a tool to strengthen social capital
Local government grantmaking programs can deliver real change in creating and strengthening social capital, argues City of Monash community development coordinator JULIUS PEIKER. In this edited extract of a speech to the Partnerships for Social Inclusion conference in Melbourne during October, he argues for the development of local 'compacts' as a key step in achieving social inclusion.
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Brain Drain:
Tips for protecting intellectual property in funding agreements
It is usual to see 'intellectual property' or 'IP' mentioned in funding agreements, especially detailed ones. Understanding your organisation's IP rights and obligations can help you to get the most out of the funding relationship, whether you are providing or receiving the funding. Lawyer JOE SIRACUSA examines some of the issues.
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Role On:
The A to Z of Grantmaking Roles
Grantmakers assume many different roles in the course of their work, as the Ford Foundation's grants development arm has revealed. Here is GrantCraft's list of grantmakers' top 30 roles.
Click here to read this article.

Thinking BIG:
UK fund launches BIG consultation
The UK's Big Lottery Fund has embarked on an innovative and extensive program of consultation to identify priorities for future funding.
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Working with Children:
Arts funder releases grantee protocols
New protocols on working with children in art have been developed in the wake of the Bill Henson affair. Is this a portent of things to come in other areas of grantmaking? CHRISTY DOWLING reports.
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Snapshot:
Grantmaking during the economic crisis
CHRIS BORTHWICK takes a look at what the Global Financial Crisis means for Australian grantmakers.
Click here to read this article.

Policing PPFs:
Legislative changes mooted
The current "all or nothing" approach to policing Prescribed Private Funds is under review. CHRISTY DOWLING reports.
Click here to read this article.

Network at Work:
NSW grants network maps the way forward
The recent NSW Grants Network AGM included a consultation session for members to identify resources that the network could provide to support local government grantmakers in NSW. Key outcomes of the consultation are provided below. .

Tooling Up:
Moving from charity to social investment
Is it possible to measure and assess the social impact created by the organisations that you fund? An American group pushing for changes to the way funds are distributed believes it is - and has offered up a tool to help get you started.
Click here to read this article.

Trends:
In for a Penny Lane
Grants for city laneway development are now available in at least two Australian cities.

A Sense of Proportion:
Monitoring and evaluating grantee effectiveness
Charities Evaluation Services, a UK consultancy, has produced a report on Developing Monitoring and Evaluation in the Third Sector that it calls "the first comprehensive research on monitoring and evaluation in this sector since an overview 20 years ago highlighted the lack of evaluation in this area" and "the largest study yet undertaken". It's relevant, they say, to "government bodies, public and independent funders, third sector organisations, and all those agencies and individuals engaged in supporting or carrying out evaluation activity in the sector." CHRIS BORTHWICK looks at its insights.

Model Grantmaking:
Five approaches to grantmaking
Most grantmakers operate a competitive grantmaking program, never questioning if that's the best approach they could be taking. The US Council on Foundations offers some alternatives. The online guide is designed for community foundations, but is a usual reference for grantmakers of all persuasions.
Click here to read this article.

Joining Forces:
Large community foundations merge
Community foundations around the world may be entering a new phase of development, as recent activities in the UK and the US reveal.

Lights! Action! Documentation!
Changing minds through documentary
Historically, we may be at a high point in the influence and power of the documentary. Al Gore has changed the world and won a Nobel on the strength of a simple film transcription of his slide show on global warming. An Inconvenient Truth is moving, convincing, and entertaining. It may have left many grantmakers thinking, "How can I make that work for me?" CHRIS BORTHWICK looks at how the area of grantmaker support for documentaries is progressing in this country.
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Keeping Up:
Campaign urges government to keep up with costs
A Victorian campaign is urging the government funders to keep up with costs.

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Edition 25

Grant Scrutiny:
New federal disclosure rules
Federal Government ministers will have to disclose information about all grants approved by their departments or agencies, under new legislation introduced by the leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Nick Minchin.

Grassroots Grants:
Making a big commitment to small grants
In the March 2007 Budget, the UK Government announced that it was setting aside £80 million ($173 million) for a small grants program aimed at supporting small, local, voluntary and community groups and organisations in England. This was followed in July by an additional £50 million for a capital grants endowment 'match challenge' fund, designed to leverage more local donations and improve the long-term sustainability of local groups. The result is a £130 million pool of cash - that's more than 280 million Australian dollars - set aside for the Grassroots Grants program. Community Development Foundation communications officer Jane Priest tells GMQ how an innovative structure is ensuring that this large program is hitting its local targets.
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And Then There Were Three:
Grants review spurs major changes at Arts NSW
Arts NSW has a new-look grants structure, modelled in large part on the new funding arrangements put in place by the Australia Council.
Click here to read this article.

News:
Cultural funding up: ABS
Government funding for cultural activities increased by more than 2.5% between 2005-06 and 2006-07, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) last month.

The Power of One:
Making grants to individuals
In general, there's an institutional bias against funding individuals. We're most comfortable with our own kin, and organisations prefer to fund organisations. Many programs, however, do involve grants to individuals. How do these differ from organisational grants, and what should we do differently? That's the subject of a recent American report from Grantcraft. Chris Borthwick sums it up.
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Thumbs Up:
Language Access
Thumbs up this edition goes to Monash Council in Melbourne's south-east, which provides grants application forms in four of its dominant community languages - English, Greek, Italian and Chinese.

Shifting Targets:
Fund moves youth from the fringes to the centre
A lot of lip-service is paid to the importance of involving young people in grantmaking. Melbourne's EastWeb Fund has gone beyond the rhetoric to ensure that young people play a central role in its work. Board members Gaby Wolkenberg and Katherine Monson tell GMQ how.
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Number Crunch:
Private foundation numbers continue to climb
Queensland University of Technology has released new figures on Prescribed Private Funds in Australia. The good news is numbers are up, donations are up and distributions are up. The bad news is the money's not always being distributed to eligible organisations. Here's the lowdown.
Click here to read this article.

Changing Climate:
Green grants not just for enviro-focussed grantmakers
The entire span of recorded human civilisation has been spent within a very small range of climate variability. Since the industrial revolution we have as a species managed to kick-start a process that is moving us into a considerably warmer climate. It is still quite possible, of course, though not certain, that we will manage to adapt to these changed circumstances without going extinct, but it is sensible to take this threat seriously - at work as well as in our private lives.
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Local Action:
Neighbourhood grants program proves its worth
Local councils around Australia are watching with interest as local action matched grants programs move beyond the pilot phase and start delivering results. GMQ checked in with the City of Sydney's program to see how it was progressing.
Click here to read this article.

New Kids on the Block:
Community foundation reflects on first five months
The first ever community foundation was formed in the U.S. way back in 1914. It took many decades until these "give where you live" philanthropic foundations started to appear in Australia, but their place now seems solidified. More than 30 community foundations are now dotted around Australia, with more planned. One of the newest kids on the block is the Inner North Community Foundation, which works in Melbourne's inner northern region. The foundation has just awarded its first round of grants to projects that improve employment prospects for disadvantaged or vulnerable young people. Development officer Trudy Hairs reflects on the journey so far.
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Building for the Future:
Review of Scottish fund finds more variety needed
A review of a Scottish experiment in government social investment via grantmaking, training and other forms of support for the community sector has revealed an organisation that is too reliant on grants.

Great Ideas:
Smart Budget Form
One American foundation includes as part of its standard grant application budget form a facility to automatically calculate the proposed grant amount as a percentage of the organisation's total budget.

Snapshot:
Quick Response Grants
Many Australian grantmakers are now running Quick Response Grant programs parallel to their standard programs. In this article, GMQ looks at the arguments pro and con.
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Great Ideas:
Email Marketing
Email signatures are now an essential marketing tool for anyone in any line of work, and grantmakers are no exception.

Getting Personal:
The role of program officers in grantee perceptions
Disrespectful, incompetent, unavailable ... Does that sound like you? A group of US philanthropic researchers has looked at the effect that program officers have on their grantees, and what that means for the organisations that employ them.
Click here to read this article.

Going Back to School:
Swinburne announces new-look grantmaking course
The Asia-Pacific Centre for Philanthropy and Social Investment at Swinburne University will be offering a new-look Master of Business (Philanthropy and Social Investment) in 2009.

Turning the Tables:
Reforming reporting by putting fundees in control
Efforts in the UK to reduce the reporting burden on grantees by delivering a more "joined-up" government grants reporting regime have been woefully unsuccessful. As in Australia, the major barrier to greater cooperation among funders has been their view that their requirements are too individual to be standardised. A research body in the UK has come up with a solution - let the fundees do the standardising.
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Creating Change:
Grantmakers and advocacy
There's always been a general assumption by Australian grantmakers that you can't fund advocacy - that the law of charities that we inherited from the times of Queen Elizabeth I forbade any efforts to change the law or influence the sovereign. A series of recent judicial decisions have, however, opened up new possibilities in this area. GMQ looks at a recent American report on advocacy and speculates on what the new developments involve for grantmakers.

Great Ideas:
Returning to Earning
Parents Returning to Earning, a Victorian government funded scheme that provides up to $1000 to people returning to (work-related) training after taking time off to look after children, has a new wrinkle on its website - a grant-by-grant count of how many handouts are left.

Trends:
Grants for petrol
It's often the fine print in the budget that contains the real opportunities, and this year's Federal Budget has a bouquet for community groups.

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Edition 24

How Long Is A Piece of Red Tape?
The paperwork reporting costs of government grants
Just how much paperwork are you, as a government grantmaker, causing your grant recipients to generate? And exactly how much is it costing them? Christine Ryan, Cameron Newton & Myles McGregor-Lowndes from the Centre for Philanthropy and Non-profit Studies at Queensland University of Technology decided to find out.
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Conflicts of Interest:
Avoiding reputational damage
Managing conflicts of interest means managing people's perceptions as well as the actual conflict, according to the Victorian Ombudsman.
Click here to read this article.

Making an Exit:
Tips for managing the end of a grant
All good things must come to an end, as they say, but what's the best way of managing the end of a grant? A new guide provides some clues.

Making the Case:
Funding small and emerging community organisations
Community groups from small and emerging communities can present particular problems for funders. At Auburn Council in Sydney, where a large chunk of the population belongs to one of these communities, they've decided it's worth the effort, and have come up with strategies for making it work. Council community projects officer Jennie Dunlop and community group members Saada Abdikarim and Beatrice Sesay explain how.
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News:
Diversity reporting hits the headlines
Theatre managers and gallery directors in the UK will be asked to reveal their sexual orientation in order to obtain Arts Council funding.

Big Get Bigger:
Grants favouring big business, says ABS
A new Australian Bureau of Statistics report has revealed that small business may be getting left behind when it comes to claiming a share of government financial support.

Great Ideas:
Opt-in Grant Alerts
You have a website, and on it you have the details of your grants, but details change, and prospective grantees need to know of any changes.

eGovernment:
Australians' use of online services
People say they want to speak to a real person when dealing with government, not a machine, but do they really? A new report raises some doubts.
Click here to read this article.

Thumbs Up:
UK Grantmaker goes big on feedback
One of the UK's largest grantmaking outfits, the Big Lottery Fund, has provided feedback reports to around 800 unsuccessful applicants over the past year.

Setting the Standard:
Guidelines for rating your own performance
A UK organisation has produced some clear, no-nonsense standards to assist government grantmaking organisations to rate their performance.

Sustainability:
More than a fiction-writing contest
Funders should stop demanding sustainability from their grantees, and instead reward organisations that have plans to change their existing practices to produce long-lasting impacts, argues U.S. consultant Cassandra O'Neill.

Food for Thought:
What grantees want
Almost all grantmakers are supposedly there to support not-for-proﬁts so that they can have maximum impact on the issues they care about. They don't always show it.

News:
Voters deliver their verdict
Four projects have been awarded grants as part of a new "citizen-centred" grants program run by the American Case Foundation.

Trends:
Promoting Partnerships
One of the problems of grantmaking for change is the number of competing community groups working in every area, often tripping over each others' feet and reinventing each other's wheels. How much better if they could be encouraged to work together! Many grantmakers are now going out of their way to encourage collaborative submissions.

Unsolicited Applications:
A blessing or a curse?
There is anecdotal evidence that Australian grantmakers are moving away from the old model of advertising for applications for funding towards more selective and centrally operated systems that discourage unsolicited applications. Is this progress towards efficiency or a retreat from accountability?
Click here to read this article.

Resources:
Our Children, Our Future
Grantmakers and philanthropic investors have a number of actions to choose from in improving education delivery and outcomes to Indigenous students, according to a new report from the AMP Foundation, Effective Philanthropy and Social Ventures Australia.

Regional Development:
Accountability focus for inquiry
In the wake of last year's damning report into the Regional Partnerships Program, the new government is looking for better funding models.

Hazard Warning:
Protecting Your Database
One Australian philanthropic foundation was forced to air its dirty laundry in public after a former employee allegedly used the foundation's database to promote her business.

Pilot Error:
Scaling up effective programs
From the point of view of the grantmaker - from the perspective of rationality itself - pilot programs are necessary tests of the validity of an organisation's conceptions and approaches. From the point of view of the organisation itself, though, the word that comes to mind when you say 'pilot' is generally 'kamikaze'. Far too often the pilot program ends with no follow-up and no descendants. For both parties, it's vitally important to have a reliable way to scale up from an initial small-scale trial to something large enough to make a difference.

In The News:
Branding Clause Hits the Headlines
Even standard clauses can land you in hot water sometimes, as this recent article about a new Melbourne Water grants scheme illustrates.

NSW Audit:
$10 billion expenditure gets risk-management check
Five years after the last audit, NSW Government grants management is being critiqued by grant recipients.

Trends:
Climate Change Grants
Turning around the economy of the world is a large enterprise, and will involve changes greater than we have seen; however, the engine that will reverse our course is sputtering into life.

Project Streamline:
Challenges and opportunities in grant application and reporting
Are not-for-profits drowning in paperwork and distracted from their purpose as a result of grantmakers' application and reporting requirements? Do the same practices that grantmakers use to increase effectiveness end up overburdening both grantmakers and grantseekers - and diminishing their effectiveness? An American report finds the answer to those questions to be 'Yes'. And most of those answers apply equally to Australia, and to government grantmakers as well as philanthropic foundations.

What's New:
Small Poppies
Port Phillip Council in inner-Melbourne is the latest Australian local government authority to introduce a micro-grants program based on the Seattle model that focuses on neighbourhood-centred projects.

Racing Patience:
How long is too long for grants turnaround?
It's one of the eternal grantmaking questions - how long is too long when it comes to turnaround times for applications? One large US foundation thinks it's found the answer.
Click here to read this article.

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Edition 23

To Give, Shop or Invest:
Defining funding relationships for more effective risk management
Only after properly defining the funder-fundee relationship can a government grantmaker hope to establish an appropriate accountability and risk management regime, argues the Auditor-General of Queensland Glenn Poole.
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From Seattle to Sydney:
New model self-help grants program 'charging along'
A pilot matched grants program for neighbourhood projects is under way in Sydney, and early indications are looking good.

Show Me The Money:
How to boost your grantmaking coffers in line with demand
Few grantmakers at a local government level - or within any government context, for that matter - have enough money at their disposal to fully meet the demands of their community. Speaking at the recent Best Practice in Grants Management Conference, CEO of Manningham City Council Lydia Wilson outlined some of the factors driving that increasing demand - among them the huge competition for federal and state grants and other funding sources, the reluctance of councils to substantially increase rates and charges, the increasing pressures on council budgets arising from external impacts such as the rising costs of petrol, public lighting, waste management and cost-shifting, and revolutionary changes in community values and needs. So how, in such a climate, does a local government community grantmaker go about securing enough money to keep their programs running effectively? Ms Wilson outlines her ideas.
Click here to read this article.

For the Kids:
New tool aims to measure wellbeing, prove impact
Many organisations that work with children struggle to measure and communicate to donors the real impact of their work. In an attempt to make that task easier, a British organisation is developing a free, off-the-shelf tool that not-for-profit groups can use to measure the wellbeing of children.

She Said It:
Useful failure
Writing in the winter 2008 edition of the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Judith M. Gueron identifies three types of failure for grantmakers: Naïve Failure, Missed-Opportunity Failure and Useful Failure.

Grants Rage:
Latest grants survey reveals tech-headache for grantseekers
This year's Grants in Australia survey focused on the use of online communications in the grantmaking process. The good news is grantseekers are becoming increasingly comfortable with the use of technology in procuring grants information and submitting applications. The bad news is there's a proviso - they only like it when the systems work, and all too often, they just don't.
Click here to read this article.

Great Ideas:
People's Choice Awards for Grants
Take a leaf out of the NSW Local Government and Shires Associations' book and encourage greater awareness of pride in your local grants programs by setting up a People's Choice awards process.

In the Eye of the Storm:
Report reveals lessons in disaster grantmaking
In August 2005, money started pouring in to the Gulf Coast region of the United States in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which displaced more than 750,000 people and destroyed close to 300,000 homes. Private and corporate grantmakers were among the donors. The lessons they learned during that period provide some useful pointers in disaster grantmaking for Australian funders.
Click here to read this article.

Regulatory Creep:
How to ease the administrative and compliance burden
A 'regulate first, ask questions later' mentality is among the factors that need to be tackled if we are to have any hope of stemming the growing tide of excessive red tape, writes Victorian State Services Authority Commissioner and regulation reduction specialist, Susan Pascoe AM.
Click here to read this article.

Trends:
Men's Health Grants
Men's health and wellbeing is becoming an increasing area of support by grantmakers.

In the News:
Post -election grantmaking
The lead-up to the announcement of an election is often accompanied by a flurry of government grantmaking activity, with a period of calm as the election campaign kicks into action, followed by a period of uncertainty in the post-election period. We look at a few of the programs that hit the headlines after the Rudd Labor Government took office in November.

In the Headlines:
Getting marketing bang for your buck
Marketing is not a topic that's known to excite the interest of government grantmakers - but it should be, argue social marketing expert Bill Shannon and VicHealth CED Todd Harper. It's not so much about promotion, they say. It's about building trust and reputation.

The $1 Billion Baby:
Private philanthropic funds start to flex their muscles
It is now seven years since the gazetting of the first Prescribed Private Fund - the Federal Government-initiated philanthropic vehicle to encourage greater personal and family giving in Australia. New figures reveal just how far they've come.

Hitting the Target:
Including disadvantaged groups in your grants program
How do you make sure your grants program is reaching disadvantaged groups within your target community? Claire Thorn and Judy Morton provide some hints.
Click here to read this article.

Health Grants:
Making sense of scientific applications
Philanthropy experts in Melbourne are embarking on a series of workshops to improve the process of seeking and making grants for health and medical research.

A Different View:
Applying a racial equity lens to your grantmaking
GrantCraft, a US support organisation for grantmakers, has produced another in its series of thought-provoking texts, a short guide called Grant Making with a Racial Equity Lens. Chris Borthwick assesses its applicability for Australian grantmakers.

Entering The Danger Zone:
Grantmaking in a political climate
Most government grantmakers know all too well the challenges of grantmaking in a political climate. Damian Ferrie and Francis Davies provide some tips for negotiating through this difficult terrain.
Click here to read this article.

Philanthropy Online:
Philanthropy Australia enters the world of Wiki
Philanthropy Australia has taken a stride into the world of Web 2.0. launching an interactive online encyclopedia.

In Review:
Evaluating program efficiency
Directors of the Australian Institute of Grants Management Barry Smith and Fiona Dempster tackled some of the big questions in grants evaluation during last month's Best Practice in Grants Management conference. The questions they posed can be used as a handy starting point for grants managers setting out to ensure their program is running smoothly.
Click here to read this article.

International News:
Google announces giving focus
Grantmaking videos released
Sharing the good word (and bad)

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Edition 22

Local Action:
New model grants program targets neighbourhoods
Locally initiated neighourhood improvement projects including working bees, creation of street art and community gardens, and even street parties will be given a boost in the City of Sydney, with the introduction of a pilot matched grants program. Based on the famous model developed by Jim Diers for the City of Seattle, the Local Action Plans Grants Program is open to any group of residents - incorporated or not - that has a project in mind to improve their patch, whether socially or physically. Greg Ironfield gives a rundown of how the program will work, and what the council hopes it will achieve for the City of Sydney.
Click here to read this article.

Cultural Grants:
Results of NSW cultural grants review imminent
The NSW Government remains tight-lipped about the results of a review of the cultural grants program, but all will soon be revealed.

Perpetual Struggle:
Funder practices highlighted in new community sector report
Funder policies are at the root of many of the problems in the community sector, a new Australian report argues.
Click here to read this article.

Ship Shape:
Testing the capacity of grantees
A new UK report could prove useful for Australian grantmakers grappling with questions of grantee capacity.
Click here to read this article.

Regional Partnerships:
Auditor-General slams program administration, approval process
In the dying days of the 2007 Federal Election campaign, the Auditor-General of Australia dropped a stinkbomb on the Coalition Government, releasing a performance audit detailing serious deficiencies in the administration of the Regional Partnerships program. Both the administration of the program and the involvement of government ministers in the approvals process were criticised in the report.

Mentoring:
Paying for people
It's grantmaking, but not quite as you know it.

Lessons in Social Change:
The US-based Innovation Network - an organisation working to share planning and evaluation tools and know-how for not-for-profit organisations and finders - has distilled some of the lessons it has learned from its work to create social change over the past 10 years.

Grantmaking 2.0:
Making grants in an interactive world
There is an almost unstoppable momentum online from one-way communication to dialogue and exchange - a move from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. This may yet offer grantmakers better ways to recruit applicants, deliver and monitor programs, and disseminate lessons. Many large American foundations are already experimenting with these new technologies. Chris Borthwick follows Generation Y into the world of interactive grantmaking.
Click here to read this article.

Documentary Australia Foundation launched
A new initiative backed by Philanthropy Australia aims to create partnerships between philanthropic grantmakers, charitable organisations and documentary filmmakers.

NSW grants network passes first milestone
The trend towards more peer support for grantmaking professionals is growing, as the rapid growth of a new NSW-based network demonstrates.

At Arm's Length:
Working with intermediaries
If you want to get close to your target community, a recent report finds that it's sometimes more effective to fund a community group to hand out the project grants. Chris Borthwick touches on the pros and cons of this approach - and trouble with the tax office.

Taking Care of Business:
Queensland Government revamps business grants
The Queensland Government announced in July a rationalisation of its $81 million grants program for business, citing high administration costs and mixed results in the old scheme. GMQ sifted through information provided by the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry (DTRDI) and the Minister to get the lowdown on what's behind the review and what the Government hopes to achieve.

Top 100:
Case Foundation prepares for grantmaking by popular vote
Last edition, GMQ profiled a new "citizen-centred" grants program being offered by the American Case Foundation. The program has now narrowed the field of applicants to 100 and is preparing for a popular vote in February to select the final four grants recipients.

New Philanthropy:
Taking the guesswork out of funding choices
A UK organisation is attempting to go boldly where no organisation has gone before - to take the guesswork out of funding to the not-for-profit sector. New Philanthropy Capital is working to provide advice to donors and grantmakers in the UK and other parts of Europe on the most effective and rewarding ways to support not-for-profit organisations and achieve real impact. John Copps took GMQ through the concept.
Click here to read this article.

Direct Charitable Activities:
What grantmakers do when they're not making grants
Some grantmakers are not content to provide funding for others to do the work - more and more are moving into the world of direct charitable activities themselves, a new study has found.

Getting To Know You:
Building partnerships with your grantees
Respectful risk management is one key to building - and ending - strong partnerships, according to Lotterywest's Jacquie Thomson.

Grants Rage:
War stories from the coalface.

From Insight to Action:
A bridge too far?
Evaluation-wise, America's Hewlett Foundation is on a roll. In the last issue of GMQ we told you about a very interesting report that they had produced on the long-term outcomes of one of their community action projects, frankly exploring the reasons why their goals hadn't been achieved. In this issue GMQ covers Hewlett's most recent report - From Insight to Action: New Directions in Foundation Evaluation - which cuts even more deeply into the problems of the not-for-profit grantmaker.

Systems Change:
Grantmaking for advocacy report launched
There are many ways that grantmakers can support groups lobbying for social change, according to a new report.

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Edition 21

People Power:
Live grantmaking event puts the power in the hands of the public
Scottish groups have shared in nearly half a million dollars as a result of a new live grantmaking experiment, the first of its kind in the UK and possibly the world. The Big Lottery Fund Scotland program, put in place to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the UK, saw applicants make a public pitch to attendees at a national community sector conference in Glasgow, with the winners decided by popular vote. Scotland Director Dharmendra Kanani spoke to GMQ about how it was done and what were the lessons.

Local Solutions:
Best practices in grantmaking to Aboriginal causes
The tools and knowledge grantmakers need to help create healthy, prosperous Aboriginal communities are already at our fingertips, says Mark Leibler.

Beyond the Black Stump:
Grantmaking to rural community groups
The playing field may be level, but if it's 200 kilometres long you still have problems. Chris Borthwick discusses a new report on how rural community groups can get their fair share of grants.
Click here to read this article.

Dangling the Carrot:
Moving people to action through grants
Without incentives, it can be difficult to create a situation where private landholders will carry out natural resource management actions that incur a private cost but result in a largely public benefit. Grants programs are one powerful way to provide the carrot needed to shift behaviour, as Melbourne Water has discovered through its River Health Incentive Programs, through which it has distributed nearly $10 million over the past decade. A recent review has turned up some of the strengths and possible areas for improvement of the program, as Corinne Mays explains.

Public Funding:
'Baroque' arrangements limiting potential - report
The UK's National Audit Office has taken a look at the grantee experience in negotiating the complex web of government funding, and the picture that has emerged is rather less than flattering.

Unintended Consequences:
From Africa to Australia, with lessons
The story of Dona Fatima and the broken water pump provides some lessons from grantmakers at home.

Take Two:
The pros and cons of a two-stage application process
On the whole, grantmakers are nice, sensible people who have no interest in wasting the resources of the very groups they're trying to help. In truth, though, some are doing just that. There are ways to minimise the waste.
Click here to read this article.

Making the Case:
Grantmaker moves to 'citizen-centred' approach
A program being offered by a US philanthropic foundation has become the latest example of grantmakers' increasing willingness to let the public play a part in their decision-making processes.

Sustainability in Grantmaking:
The key elements to achieving ongoing outcomes
In the June edition of GMQ, researcher Mary Johnson looked at just what was meant by that sometimes slippery term, 'sustainability'. In this article, Mary takes the discussion a step further, looking at the key characteristics of sustainability and, importantly, how these can be applied to the grantmaking process.
Click here to read this article.

Learning from Mistakes:
Grantmakers probe the past for future lessons
We make progress only by learning from our mistakes. With grantmakers, though, it's often a case of "Mistakes? What mistakes?" Chris Borthwick looks at a range of recent assessments that show a willingness to cast a cold eye on favourite projects.
Click here to read this article.

News:
Business as usual for Victorian Government grants
It's business as usual in all but name for grantseekers accessing Victorian Government grants, despite the dismantling of the Department for Victorian Communities.

A Principled Approach:
Defining common grantmaking aims
A set of funding principles have been released in the US to try to improve the impact of funds flowing to the not-for-profit sector.

PAR for the Course:
Participatory action research for grantmakers
It's been called a 'bottom up' and 'inside out' evaluation technique, and it can be a very useful tool, but is it really for you? Chris Borthwick looks at a GrantCraft paper on the creative uncertainties of participatory action research.

Panacea or Paradox?
The Higher Education Endowment Fund
A community's pattern of giving takes more to shift than policy mechanisms and government exhortation, writes Asia-Pacific Centre for Philanthropy director Micahel Liffman.

Local Focus:
UK coalition argues the case for local grants
Grants funding should continue to exist as part of the local government funding mix rather than being replaced with contract-based funding systems, a UK report argues.

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Edition 20

Information for a Messy World:
Making Sense of Pre-Grant Inquiry
Grantmakers are coming under increasing pressure for greater accessibility, transparency, "fairness" in decision-making, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness - all of which contribute to a shift from risk-taking to risk-aversion. Yet grantmaking is inherently an uncertain and risky business. Pre-grant assessment, or "advance audit" has become the tool by which many grantmakers seek to overcome these tensions - but as grantmaking expert Diana Leat writes, the effects of this activity can also be toxic.
Click here to read this article.

Let the People Decide:
Live grantmaking piloted in Scotland
A large Scottish grantmaking fund has entered the brave new world of interactive grantmaking.
Click here to read this article.

The Gorilla in the Room:
Rethinking evaluation
Much conventional evaluation lets us tick the boxes and run the numbers but doesn't do much to help us learn from our experience. GMQ looks at a Canadian method that goes into greater depth on the issues.
Click here to read this article.

Planning Ahead:
Getting to grips with sustainability in grantmaking
It's difficult to find a set of grants guidelines these days that doesn't specify 'sustainability' as a key requirement. But just what is meant by the term? In this first instalment of a two-part feature for GMQ, researcher Mary Johnson looks at where a common understanding of the term originated and its relevance in the grantmaking arena.
Click here to read this article.

Offering a Carrot:
Study examines challenges in incentive grants
Offering financial incentives - including grants - is a popular way for councils to attract greater landholder participation in environmental protection and enhancement schemes. But it also presents councils with a number of challenges, according to a new Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) study.

Grants Hit the Headlines:
Auditor report fuels claims of pork-barrelling
A report brought down by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) carries some stern warnings for a Federal Government department that oversees a grants budget of more than $1 billion.

Grants Online:
ACT launches new grants website
Grants portals that bring together all state government grants are all the rage - the ACT Government is the latest to jump on the bandwagon.

Role On:
Investing time and money pays dividends in Casey
For most local government authorities there never seems to be enough money or time to go around. Casey Council in Melbourne's south-east, which serves a rapidly expanding population and correspondingly burgeoning need for community support, has come up with a solution - the creation of a new 'Grants Facilitator' position to work with the local community to access non-council grants and coordinate the council's own grantseeking activities. Jessie Ballantyne explains how her role works.

Going Local:
Campaign urges more local government grants
An increase in local government funding is the aim of a new campaign launched this month in the UK.

Keeping the Faith?
Grantmaking to religion and for religious activities
Which grantmaking organisations are restricting their grants to religious groups or for religious activities? Why are they doing it? Is it even legal?

Defining Purpose:
Qld Auditor-General calls for improved funding relationships
Three Queensland Government departments are the latest to undergo auditor scrutiny following a recent review by the Auditor-General of Queensland of funding to non-government organisations.

Job Ready:
Clarifying grantmaking staffing roles
A new online publication could prove useful for organisations wanting to clarify their grantmaking jobs.

Hard Copy Hardball:
We haven't reached the paperless office yet, but we're certainly moving into the era of the paperless grant application.

Stand and Deliver:
Move from grants to contracts threatens independence - report
The move in the UK from grants to contracts may threaten the independence of the community sector, according to a new report, which also calls for more clarity around funding terminology.

Book Review:
The keys to grantmaking success … and failure
Chris Borthwick reviews a book that analyses what makes a grantmaker successful, how to make a grantmaker more successful, and how to push a grantmaker to become more accountable.

Getting Ahead:
Perspectives on funding overheads
The long-standing argument over funding of grantees' administrative, infrastructure and overhead expenses has continued in the US with the release of two new reports with rather different findings.

Defining Values:
Statement provides guiding principles for arts & culture
How do you go about capturing what it is that your organisation holds dear - the things that define its thinking and guide its decision-making? Eacham Shire in northern Queensland has produced a Value Statement to underpin its Arts and Cultural policy, a document that will be adapted for other council funding programs in coming months. The statement was developed through a community consultation process.

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Edition 19
(Including all the highlights from the 2007 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference)

Exiting with Grace:
Avoiding blood on the floor when reducing or withdrawing your grants
It's the scenario that every grants manager has grown to dread - that sinking feeling you get when you're coming to the end of a grant and you realise that your grantee is not as ready for making the break as you are. You can't go on handing out money forever, so what's a grants manager to do? As expert government adviser Anne Dunn told the 2007 Australian Best Practice in Grants Management Conference, it's all in the relationship.
Click here to read this article.

From the Horse's Mouth:
Survey uncovers top grantseeker gripes
Fix your communication channels, improve your timelines, provide feedback on applications and cut your red tape - that's the message from Our Community's latest Grants in Australia survey.
Click here to read this article.

Asking the Right Questions:
The top 10 I.T. considerations for grants managers
Steven Godinho is the CEO of Process Automation Systems, a company that specialises in high-volume, high-security I.T. systems. At the core of his business is a belief that I.T. developments must enable business functions - not dictate them. In his presentation to the 2007 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference, Steven outlined the top 10 I.T. considerations for grantmaking programs.
Click here to read this article.

Local Matters:
Examining best practice in local government grants management
This year's Best Practice in Grants Management Conference included for the first time a special half-day MasterClass for Local Government grants managers. Here we present the main lessons are presented below.

Supporting the Core:
Study provides insights into best practice for operating grants
Operating grants are important, but they're not the silver bullet for not-for-profit organisations, especially if they're too small or too short-ranged, a new report has found.

Grants Rage:
What you do that drives disability organisations nuts
Most grantmaking organisations believe they are open to receiving applications from disability groups; some even target those groups in delivering their program's objectives. But how accessible is your program really?

Spreading the Word
Publicity tools create outcomes for youth arts program
Modern times call for modern thinking on ways to spread the word about your grants programs, as a Queensland program demonstrates.

High Impact or Low Risk:
Deciding who gets the grantmaking buck
We all need to be able to sleep at night, but risk management should never be treated as an end in itself, Lotterywest's Jacquie Thomson told the 2007 Best Practice in Grants Management conference.

Opening Up
FOI changes force government to release grant details
The Queensland Government has released the details of grants awarded under a controversial government scheme designed to attract more business and jobs to the state - but the move towards greater transparency did not come without some criticism.

Grants Rage
What you do that drives multicultural organisations nuts
Hutch Hussein is the Business Development Manager with the Northern Migrant Resource Centre, an organisation with 13 different government contracts, as well as contracts with philanthropic and corporate funders. The organisation also helps migrant and refugee community groups gain funding. In her presentation to the 2007 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference, Ms Hussein provided a list of some of the common causes of Grants Rage, and what could be done to fix them.

Working Together:
NSW network gathers momentum
A new grantmaking and grantseeking network has started to hit its stride in NSW.

Forms Follow Function:
Making the move to e-forms
Get your house in order before you rush to introduce e-forms, urges Chris Borthwick.

Compliance:
The top 10 questions every grantmaker must ask
Compliance is not something that can be tacked onto the end of a grants program - it needs to be built in from the very start, Barry Smith and Fiona Dempster told delegates to the Best Practice in Grants Management Conference.

Step Back, Move Forward:
Telstra Foundation moves to create greater impact
One of Australia's largest corporate foundations has taken a step back to review its programs. Telstra Foundation National Manager Georgia Symmons outlines the results.

Selling Grants:
Getting marketing bang for your grantmaking buck
Marketing is not just something that profit-making companies do - it can also be an invaluable tool for grantmaking organisations, as Mayor of Hootville Communications Brett de Hoedt told the 2007 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference.

Bringing it all Back Home:
Mending the grantmaker-grantseeker relationship
Grantmakers tell their grantees to be open-minded, diverse, and responsive. How well do the grantmakers do on their own criteria?

Changing Times:
Gates Foundation restructures
The world's largest philanthropic foundation has made moves to clarify and refine its governance structure.

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Edition 18

Slicing the Red Tape:
FaCSIA helps stakeholders break out of the tangle
The Australian Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) set out about 12 months ago to find out what barriers individuals and organisations faced when dealing with the department. The illuminating results of this project provide pointers not just for FaCSIA, nor even just for Australian Government agencies - but for any grantmaking outfit interested in making life easier for its stakeholders.
Click here to read this article.

Doubling Up:
Research examines the problem of multiple reporting
Any government department that hands out money to the not-for-profit sector in return for service provision needs adequate monitoring, accountability, and evaluation systems, and this may require a lot of form-filling and data exchange. On the other hand, if the not-for-profit agency has to collect the same data on the same client to fill out five different forms - one for each government department they are dealing with - it's worth asking whether there might not be a better way to do it. GMQ looks at the recommendations of a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Grassroots Grantmaking:
Examining current issues in local government grants management
Local government grantmaking has been undergoing quite a transition in the past decade or so as many councils move to formalise and professionalise their programs. In an attempt to get a better view of how the sector is handling the new environment, GMQ selected a small sample of councils in each state and asked them about their community grants programs. Not every council responded, but the responses we did get, coupled with interviews with councils and local government umbrella organisations, provide some interesting insights into local government grantmaking around the country.
Click here to read this article.

Free Range Golden Eggs
Preserving values in the shift from grants to contracts
GMQ reviews a new paper from Community Links, that deals with the threats that new developments in government policies pose for the values of the community sector.

Targeting Inequality
Profiling a process for building equity into grant schemes
The Victorian health promotion organisation VicHealth is currently trialling a new tool to bring greater equity to its grants schemes before rolling it out to all new grants programs, as Senior Project Officer in Health Inequalities Mark Boyd explains.
Click here to read this article.

Measurement Matters:
The Seven Tensions of Outcomes and Evaluation
A new guide on measuring outcomes identifies seven tensions created by this type of work.

Finding the "X" Factor
Pinpointing the ingredients for community foundation success
Setting up a community foundation can be an expensive, exhausting and time-consuming business, and the result is sometimes disappointing. New research may help supporters of this movement target their resources more wisely.

The US Scene:
One grantseeker's view of the US move to online grantmaking
The US Government is rapidly moving its grantmaking operations online, and one experienced US grantseeker has some misgivings. His comments may provide some food for thought for Australian grantmakers heading down the online path.

Local Government View
Moreland's audits provide path to community intelligence
When the Victorian Auditor-General undertook a review of local government grants administration in 2005, only one of the five councils reviewed had an auditing process in place. "Local Governments generally accepted the information on face value, considered it correct, and did not follow up," the audit report noted. The exception to this was Moreland Council in inner-city Melbourne. GMQ takes a look at the council's auditing processes, as well as its new membership grants category.

Finding Out What Works
New web-based resource launched for grantmakers, grantseekers
Elimination of wastage and duplication is the target of a new resource launched for Australian grantmakers and grantseekers.

Good Practice:
Grantmaking guide released in NSW
A new web-based resource aims to provide guidance on good practice in grants management for NSW Government agencies.

Bricks & Mortar
Examining the grantmaker's role in affordable housing
Affordable housing is critical for lower-income families and communities, but it's not an issue grantmakers are eager to jump onto. A new report spells out the crucial role grantmakers can play in housing programs and policy - and it's not always about the money.

Plus local and international grants news and resources, emerging grantmaking programs and trends, grantmaking innovations and practices to avoid at all costs, and the Good Oil - a bite-sized summary of all the essentials from this edition of Grants Management Quarterly.

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Edition 17

On the Rise
The current impact - and future promise - of Prescribed Private Funds
A new force is Australian philanthropy is quickly - but quietly - gaining strength. Around 500 Prescribed Private Funds (PPFs) now exist in Australia, with a total corpus of more than $400 million - a figure set to grow exponentially.
Click here to read this article.

Evaluating Processes
Improving the grantmaker & grantseeker experience by throwing the spotlight on yourself
In 2004 The Myer Foundation and Sidney Myer Fund embarked on an evaluation of their grantmaking processes in a bid to improve efficiency and information management, and create a better experience for grantseekers.
Click here to read this article.

Meeting Funder Compliance
Challenges, time spent, and dollars invested
It will surprise nobody to hear that not-for-profits put a lot of work into meeting the reporting requirements of the agencies that fund them. Funding agencies, at least, may still be surprised at just how much work that is.
Click here to read this article.

Rural and Regional Benefits
New measures to encourage community foundation donations
As part of the 2006-07 budget, the Federal Government has moved to overcome restrictions in giving created by current Deductible Giving Recipient (DGR) laws - and increase giving options in regional Australia.

Independent Thinking
UK program helps not-for-profits get to grips with independence
The best grantmakers are always on the lookout for new trends impacting on the individuals and groups they fund. This edition we profile a UK organisation that is doing just that, and moulding its grantmaking to suit.

A Take of Two Sectors
Improving financial relationships between governments and not-for-profits
Governments are now attempting to move more and more welfare functions across to the not-for-profit sector. A new UK report calls for more fexibility in the way these arrangements are funded.

A Measured Approach
Getting to grips with measurement of social returns
How does a donor measure social returns? Philanthropy Australia CEO Gina Anderson offers her view.

Turning the Tide
Advisers talk turkey about philanthropy
An Australian study has found a massive jump in the number of professional advisors actively providing philanthropic guidance to affluent clients.

Weathering the Storm
Katrina's lessons for disaster grantmaking
The recent anniversary of Hurricane Katrina has served as a reminder all of the horror of that disastrous shambles, and turned people's thoughts again to the changes in the system that would allow a more successful response to the next crisis.

The Way Forward
Telstra Foundation review nears completition
A clear focus for future granting is one aim of the Telstra Foundation's review of its Community Development Fund.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs, seminars and conferences, The Best and the Rest - grantmaking innovations and practices to avoid at all costs, and the Good Oil - a bite-sized summary of all the essentials from this edition of The Australian Best Practice Grantmaking Quarterly.

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Edition 16

A Clearer View
Profiling a grants website that works
A new UK lottery funding website provides an excellent example of how a lot of information can be boiled down to produce a clear, exceptionally easy to use web-based grants resource. The National Lottery's "single front door" website brings together information on all current funding opportunities provided by the various lottery funders in the UK. Here, we provide a snapshot of the website's key pages and an explanation of why they work.

Swimming Upstream
Choosing long-term versus short-term grantmaking interventions
A new report provides a few tools to help grantmakers decide how to place their efforts along the macrocosm-to-microcosm spectrum.
Click here to read this article.

On your Mark:
Benchmarking Basics for Grantmakers
Benchmarking your grantmaking program is not rocket science, writes South Australian grants manager Karen Stavridis. In fact, you're probably doing it already.
Click here to read this article.

Case in Point:
How benchmarking provided the linchpin to a grantmaking review process
Benchmarking can provide a vital source of information and inspiration for an improving grants program, writes former Melton Shire Council Community Funding Officer Liz Foreman. The trick is working out what to ask and who to ask.

A Question of Risk
Exploring risk management in grantmaking
The Australian Best Practice Grantmaking Quarterly spoke with a number of government, corporate and philanthropic grantmakers to explore one of the most challenging aspects of the craft - risk management.

Defining what we Do
Philanthropy and social change
Dr Michael Liffman from the Asia-Pacific Centre for Philanthropy and Social Investment at Swinburne University takes a look at the gap between what we do and what we say.

Jargon Busting
UK project helps grantmakers and grantseekers speak as one
It's important that the people on both sides of the desk speak the same professional language, and one of the easiest ways to go astray is by using different terms for the different stages and levels of producing results. A UK project is working to fix that problem.

Macro Plans
Reforming philanthropic giving and investment
A new Melbourne Community Foundation publication that brings together information about the nature, scale and location of disadvantage in Melbourne represents the first step in an ambitious plan to reform philanthropic giving and investment.

Analysing the 'Craft' in 'GrantCraft'
Mobilising your 'self' for effective grantmaking
You can lay down all the guidelines you want, but there are still going to be aspects of the grantmaker's job that remain ambiguous, unclear or frustrating. A recent publication from the Ford Foundation's GrantCraft series looks closely at the 'Craft' in GrantCraft, drawing on the experience of people who have gone through these trials to suggest a framework for handling your tough calls.

Justice Matters
Getting to grips with social justice grantmaking
In America 11% of grantmaking is driven by a drive to achieve social justice. What does this mean in practice? How is this movement developing? And what implications does it have for Australia? A recent American report casts a new light on these issues.
Click here to read this article.

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Edition 15
(Including all the highlights from the 2006 Best Practice in Grantmaking Conference)

Blood, Sweat & Fears
Lessons learned from 30 years of grantmaking
Barry Smith has seen the grantmaking landscape change considerably since he began his "adventure into grantmaking" in 1976. From early years characterised by a relatively naïve not-for-profit sector and a paucity of expert grantmakers, Barry has seen exponential growth in grants programs and a corresponding increase in expectations. While the government got better at developing programs, community-based organisations got better at organising themselves. In this exceptional paper presented to the 2006 Best Practice in Grantmaking conference, Barry sifts through all the tears, fears and jeers of his 30 years of grantmaking, and emerges with a clear-headed grantmaking framework all grantmakers can use.
Click here to read this article.

Back to Basics
Grantmaking essentials for new kids on the block
A step-by-step process - including laying a solid groundwork, promotion, interaction with applicants and accountability - are among the essentials for "new grantmakers on the block", Julius Peiker (Monash City Council) and Danny Colgan (Boroondara City Council) told the fifth workshop at the 2006 Best Practice Grantmaking Conference - entitled Grantmaking Essentials for New Kids on the Block.
Click here to read this article.

Grants Rage
Tales from the edge
As part of the 2006 Best Practice in Grantmaking Conference, Our Community invited three community representatives to provide a candid view of life from the other side of the desk and to answer the question: "What do grantmakers do that really drives grantseekers nuts?" Their answers may surprise you.
Click here to read this article.

Feeding Back
Grantseekers tell grantmakers what they really think
There is always reluctance on the part of grantseekers to criticise grantmakers - no one wants to bite the hand that feeds them. In an effort to overcome this natural reluctance, Our Community conducted an anonymous survey of grantseekers from around Australia in the lead-up to the 2006 Best Practice in Grantmaking Conference. The survey was designed to uncover the experiences of grantseekers in dealing with a range of grantmakers - government, corporate and philanthropic - and to find out what grantmakers were doing well, and where their performance was lacking.
Click here to read this article.

Inputs, Outputs, Outcomes, Impacts
Measuring the Impact
Evaluation of grants is often a difficult and unappealing process, with obstacles that can see grantmakers lapse into "lesser forms" of evaluation and take on roles as bursars, auditors or propagandists, Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Philanthropy and Social Investment at Swinburne University Dr Michael Liffman told the second workshop at the 2006 Best Practice Grantmaking Conference, entitled Measuring the Impact.
Click here to read this article.

Achieving a Practical Spread
Putting in place a balanced grantmaking portfolio
All grantmakers, large and small, need to look at their methodology - how do they run their grants? Is their process transparent? Is the process as objective as possible? That was the message from Gina Ploenges, Community Services Manager for the City of Mount Gambier, and Brisbane City Council's Manager, City Life Michael Lockwood, at the third workshop at the 2006 Best Practice Grantmaking Conference on 'Putting in Place a Balanced Grantmaking Portfolio'
Click here to read this article.

Overcoming Grants Rage
Revealing the results of NSW grants reform
Around six years ago, the New South Wales government set out on a program to reform grants administration, in response to calls for greater understanding and cooperation between the community sector and the government, and a desire for less duplication and administrative burden for organisations accessing government grants. As Principal Project Manager Cathy Peters writes, the reform process has delivered a range of outcomes.
Click here to read this article.

The Group, the Grant, the Project
What happens when the money runs out?
Lotterywest Director of Grants and Community Development Jacquie Thomson and Our Community's Patrick Moriarty led the Best Practice in Grantmaking Conference's "sustainability" workshop, which looked at options for easing grantees off the government grants treadmill. Grantmakers have "sucked the meaning" out of the word sustainability, Jacquie Thomson told the workshop. "In fact there are three words I'd like to ban from our vocabulary: sustainability, evaluation and strategic plans …"
Click here to read this article.

Feed the horse
Grantmaking strategies for funding core costs
Grantmakers often decline to fund an organisation's core costs, preferring to direct their money into specific projects that serve their particular purposes. This presents both grantmakers and grantseekers with a number of problems.

New Australian laws on financing terrorism
Funders now face maximum penalties of 15 to 25 years in jail for knowingly or recklessly financing terrorism under Australia's new anti-terror laws which came into effect late last year.
Click here to read this article.

Working Money Harder
Foundations and Social Investment
Foundations affect society by the grants they make - but also by their choices on how they invest their money. How far should you go in directing your investment funds to companies who support your cause?

Measuring Up
Effectively evaluating the impacts of grants
Traditionally, grants evaluation has been used to increase efficiency - to compare inputs with outputs and to show that a grant has achieved the results promised. Today, however, grantmakers are seeing evaluation as a way to understand the situation better so that better work can be done. In this feature article, Chris Riches looks at the struggles grantmakers have in evaluating what their grants have delivered, and seeks out advice, opinions and tools that might provide help grantmakers get a better grasp of the issue.
Click here to read this article.

Depending on Gender
Women and Philanthropy
The proportion of philanthropic grants directed at women and children has fallen in recent years as the more obvious gender inequalities have been removed. A new paper calls for a number of new strategies to reverse this tendency.

After the Cheque
Methods for monitoring grants funding
How do grantmakers monitor how their grant monies are being spent? How do they deal with problems that might arise? We asked the grantmakers their view.
Click here to read this article.

Giving till it Hurts
US & Netherlands top giving list
New figures show that the US tops the list when it comes to the amount of cash and property given to philanthropy, and the Dutch lead the list in volunteering for philanthropic groups. Australia ranks much further down the list.

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Edition 14

Site Works
Developing a grants super-site
For Western Australia's Lotterywest, redeveloping the Grants and Community Development section of their website turned into something of a cross-country adventure. Doing it all internally, the organisation embarked on an inter-disciplinary approach that broke new ground - and, along the way, created much more value than just an outstanding piece of cyberspace.
Click here to read this article.

Stepping Up
New philanthropy chief plans greater leadership role for the organisation
The new head of Philanthropy Australia is not from the traditional philanthropic or academic background. She told Best Practice Grantmaking she will bring a fresh perspective to the job.
Click here to read this article.

Who are your Users?
Reading the trends in internet usage
Grantmakers with an internet presence have much to learn from a new Australian Government report on the public's use of the web and the phone in accessing government services.
Click here to read this article.

Going Beyond the Back Room
Recognising the intangibles in grant program evaluation
Dollars and cents, programs delivered, clients served: Numbers rule when it comes to measuring grants program effectiveness. As Sue Marriage writes, the intangible outcomes of a grants program - the changes to quality of life, improved educational and social outcomes and so on - are harder to measure but are equally important when considering the true value of your program.
Click here to read this article.

Philanthropy in the Sunshine State
Queensland's new funding "blueprint"
The Queensland Community Foundation has gathered the opinions of hundreds of non-profit representatives as part of its new report into the future of funding across the state. In doing so, it has found many well-known issues are still causing concerns for non-profits.
Click here to read this article.

Local Government in Review
New report provides recommendations for council grantmakers
Earlier this year, the Victorian Auditor-General's Office embarked on a special review to find out how well local governments were handling the task of administering their grants and other funding programs. The recently released report on the review provides some interesting recommendations for grantmakers.
Click here to read this article.

A Partnership Approach
Joining forces for results in community grants
The Boroondara Community Grants Program is the result of a unique and mutually beneficial partnership between Boroondara Council and a local service organisation. A recent review of the program turned up some improvements that could be made in the application and evaluation process - improvements that are largely now in place and benefiting both applicants and council staff. The council's Coordinator of Community Support Rosanne Cregan takes us through the partnership, the improvements and other innovations including an evolving project to improve disability access to funded projects.
Click here to read this article.

Granting to non-DGRs
Facing the challenges for community's sake
Anyone in the corporate, philanthropic and community foundation world knows it is very hard indeed to fund organisations - even hard-working, highly effective and highly worthy organisations - if they don't have deductible gift recipient status. But as Chris Riches discovered, there are some grantmakers who are willing to face the challenges and grant to non-DGRs, secure in the knowledge that the rewards for doing so are well worth the extra effort.
Click here to read this article.

From a Virtue to a Skill
The coming generation of philanthropic investors
Who are the new forces that are shaping Australian philanthropy in the 21st Century? Director of the Asia-pacific Centre for Philanthropy and Social Investment Michael Liffman says four distinct philanthropic categories have emerged.
Click here to read this article.

Playing Risk
If risk is inevitable, lie back and understand it
Funders can't avoid risk altogether - but they can decide which risks are worth taking. This UK paper sets out the dilemmas of grantmakers that are expected to be both innovative and steady, both independent and collaborative, and both inexpensive and infallible.

Damned if you Do
Corporate giants criticised over philanthropy
Corporate philanthropy is all the rage in the US and growing in Australia - but it is not always plain sailing. Some recent stumbles in the US could hold lessons for local businesses entering the field.
Click here to read this article.

Translating the Numbers
New project helps grantmakers, grantseekers speak the same financial language
A much-anticipated common Chart of Accounts is being rolled out across Queensland, with the aim of simplifying the process of grant acquittal by non-profit organisations to government departments.
Click here to read this article.

Working Together
How to fund community development that endures
If you're in the business of community development, the process is in many ways as important as the outcome indices - and someone has to make sure that the process is done right. A new report gives you some guidelines to work with.

Shifting into Passing Gear
Philanthropy in a democracy: where to now?
How should philanthropy respond to the potentially catastrophic threats from terrorism and environmental degradation? By shifting gears and using its "bold resources" to face the challenges, says a leading environmental and philanthropic thinker Peter Goldmark.

Assessing the Assessors
The role of diversity in grants assessment
Should diversity be a consideration when it comes to putting in place a panel to assess grants applications? We asked the grantmakers their view.
Click here to read this article.

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Edition 13

Opening Pandora's Box
Achieving grantmaking results by "getting out there and getting over yourself"
Jacquie Thomson is evangelical about the move Lotterywest has made towards greater flexibility and responsiveness. As Jacquie writes in the first of a two-part feature on Lotterywest, it can be painful and scary to break out of a potential "procedural rut", but the discomfort is definitely worth it.
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Working Out What Works
Grantmaking evaluation report nuts out some answers
Sustainability, trust, flexibility, leverage and leadership have emerged as key themes from a new grantmaking evaluation report. The Early Learnings research report is the second in a series of evaluations designed to draw out lessons derived from Telstra Foundation-funded Indigenous community development projects.
Click here to read this article.

Opening the Net
NSW Government Grants Portal launched
An all-of-government State Government grants portal - the first in Australia - has been launched in NSW.

The Winds of Change
Social change philanthropy organisation set for Australian launch
A new Australian organisation designed to help build interest and skills in social change philanthropy is being launched in Melbourne. Defining the laws relating to advocacy funding, and developing some tools that can be used for evaluating the outcomes of social change grantmaking are among the first projects to be tackled by Changemakers Australia.

The Emperor's New Clothes
When it comes to feedback, you get what you ask for
Most grantmakers want to know if they're doing a good job - that their program is well-targeted, their guidelines are clear, their processes easy to work through, and their staff easy to deal with. But how do you ever really know for sure? Just like the emperor showing off his new clothes, are grantmakers who seek feedback asking to be flattered, rather than informed? It depends how you ask the question.
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More than the Money
How capacity building is delivering value for ethnic groups
Groups formed to support newly arrived ethnic groups will generally either expand, merge with similar groups or break down. So how should the grantmaker respond to all this? Should they wait for the group to settle into a more permanent state before considering funding? Adult Multicultural Education Services - Australia's largest provider of specialist multicultural language and employment services - believes newly formed ethnic groups are worth funding. It's how you fund that's the key.
Click here to read this article.

Creating a Level Playing Field
Local government pilot homes in on ethnic groups
Most community grantmakers are aware that many ethnic groups are at a gross disadvantage when it comes to accessing grants funds. Instead of throwing up its hands in resignation, Darebin Council has put in place a pilot project to provide one-on-one support to ethnic groups that need a bit of extra help in accessing grants.
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Stepping up the Stairs
UK report recommends new measures to increase philanthropic impact
An annual philanthropic Spring School - an event "to die for" - is one of a range of proposals being put forward to increase the impact of progressive philanthropy in the UK.

When Words Fail
Plain English campaign targets grantmakers
Want to put in place an initiative to proactively incentivise your grasstops and organic stakeholders? America's Edna McConnell Clark Foundation sure wishes you wouldn't. Its new book 'When Words Fail' is part of a campaign to rid grantmaking foundations of "bogus management-speak".

Doing it their Way
Philanthropy in Australia, the UK and the USA
A range of historical factors have shaped the unique pattern of philanthropy that has emerged in Australia - factors that set us apart from our overseas counterparts. Asia-Pacific Centre for Philanthropy and Social Investment director Michael Liffman explores where we've been and where we're going.
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Responding to Rorts
Report recommends dozens of actions to boost accountability
A new report recommending action to curb abuses in the US non-profit and philanthropic sector has received a lukewarm reception.

Collective Wisdom
Grantmakers' network explores common ground
The Local Government Community Grantmakers Network was formed in Victoria around 12 months ago to promote sharing of information, ideas and best practices among local government community grantmakers. The most recent meetings of the group have explored how to use grantmaking as a community development tool, and how to make community grantmaking programs more accessible to ethnic communities.
Click here to read this article.

Seeing is Believing
Helping community groups learn from their neighbours
A Scottish government grants program is providing opportunities for community groups to learn from the good practice of others. The Scottish Centre for Regeneration, which works to help communities put regeneration ideas into practice, has adopted a two-headed approach - while one fund helps to incubate the ideas, another ensures they're spread around by providing grants for community groups to visit and learn from successful projects.
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Seeking Success
What constitutes "success" in a grantmaking program? We ask the grantmakers their view
Success is like beauty - it's often in the eye of the beholder. We asked a range of Australian grantmakers how they define success in their programs, and how their view of success has changed over time.
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How Diverse Are You?
Report looks at issues in foundation diversity
A new "quick and dirty" study out from the US aims to shine a spotlight on diversity issues and strategies for grantmaking foundations.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs, seminars and conferences, and our two new features:

The Best and the Rest - bright ideas and bad ideas for your grantmaking program

The Good Oil - providing a bite-sized summary of all the essentials from this edition of The Australian Best Practice Grantmaking Quarterly

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Edition 12

Taking it to the Streets
Using "Road Shows" and outreach projects to hit the grantmaking target
The inherent challenge of grants programs with a community development focus is that the people and groups that are most likely to benefit are usually the least likely to apply. The City of Melbourne's Jane Crawley speaks to Best Practice Grantmaking about how the council's arts grants program is working to overcome this problem through outreach projects, more diverse assessment panels, altered guidelines, "road shows", and a decision to allow grantseekers to bypass the application form and "pitch" their idea instead.
Click here to read this article.

Let the People Decide
SMS and online grantmaking introduced in the UK
UK television viewers will get the chance to vote on which good causes will receive 50 grants of up to £50,000 each as part of a bid to encourage more public involvement in the granting of lottery funds.The Big Lottery Fund (BLF) and broadcaster ITV have launched the People's Millions program, which will allow the public to decide which projects receive funding in their area through phone, text and online voting.

The Philanthropy of Changing Minds
Practical wisdom for advocacy funding
Advocacy funding, while often rewarding, can be a risky business. A new publication from the Ford Foundation's GrantCraft series provides a useful guide to successful advocacy funding, and spells out some of the risks involved.
Click here to read this article.

Change, Not Charity
Eschewing blankets, buses and beds for social change
The Reichstein Foundation has for many years been noted for its commitment to using its modest resources for maximum effect through social justice philanthropy - working on eliminating the causes of social problems, rather than alleviating the symptoms. That commitment has continued with a raft of changes to the Foundation's operations in recent years, including a difficult decision to narrow its focus, abolition of closing dates, increasing capacity building programs, introducing rural information sessions, and encouraging more donors to feel the buzz of social justice philanthropy. As a result of the changes, the Foundation has increased its donor list and is now getting fewer and better applications - but it hasn't all been plain sailing.
Click here to read this article.

A Tradition of Giving
Exploring Asia-Pacific philanthropy
A rich tradition of giving exists in every country of South-East Asia but very little is known about the size and scope of the philanthropic sector in most countries, pioneering Asian philanthropic expert Rory Tolentino has told a Melbourne gathering.
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Working Together
Tips for successful collaboration
Collaboration in grantmaking can have positive impacts - and seems to be on the rise. But the right conditions must also exist for such collaborations to be successful, according to two new reports.

Making an Informed Response
Analysis of needs drives Arts Queensland program review
When Arts Queensland began the process of redeveloping its Project Grants Program, foremost in the agency's mind was the need to produce a granting model that was aligned to the developing needs of the industry. The resulting review involved a rigorous evaluation of past grant applications, as well as the resources involved in administering the program, and industry feedback. As the agency's Deputy Director-General Leigh Tabrett writes, the changes have delivered a more targeted and responsive program, and greater freedom for staff to provide support for applicants.
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Wired Up … But where are the Funds?
New resources to aid grantmaking for technology
Advances in technology have presented challenges to grantmakers' funding priorities for the not-for-profit sector. New tools are now available to help grantmakers better meet the funding demands.

A Core Concern
Tackling the core cost conundrum
Finding money to pay for core costs remains one of the biggest bugbears for not-for-profit organisations everywhere - right up there with short-term grants and long-winded application forms. Many believe it's time grantmakers began to stump up more to help their grantees meet their essential costs but the solution is probably not that simple.
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Giving it Away
Encouraging wealthy Australians to be more philanthropic
Are rich Australians giving as generously as they could or should? Our regular columnist Michael Liffman reveals the results of the latest research into the issue.

Whose Money?
Protecting funds threatened by grant recipient insolvency
Risk management, grantmakers are always being told, is about guarding against the worst case scenario and, if all else fails, knowing that you did everything you could. So how do you plan for a scenario that involves a grant recipient going belly up before the grant money has been expended? Do you kiss the money goodbye, or is there some way it can be recovered? Lawyer Michael Will looks at how establishing a "trust" might offer grantmakers some protection.
Click here to read this article.

Youth Incentives
New fund attracts young people to philanthropy
A joint project between the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, the Foundation for Young Australians and the Myer Foundation is helping to encourage more young people to get involved in grantmaking.
Click here to read this article.

Letting them down Gently
Communicating Rejection: we ask the grantmakers their view
It is always a joy to tell a great group that they have made a winning application for grants funds. What is less joyful is the task of communicating failure. How do grantmakers handle the task of breaking the news to unsuccessful applicants? We asked four grantmakers to outline their processes.
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Setting Independent Standards
Council turns its eye to Independent Foundation Standards
Having finished work guiding standards for family foundations and corporate grantmakers, the US-based Council on Foundations is now tackling a similar project for independent foundations.

Reading the Crystal Ball
New report looks to the future of philanthropy
A new report out from the US looks at organised philanthropy today, how it has changed in the recent past, and how it might change in the near future - as well as how grantmakers can remain relevant and effective amidst the changes.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

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Edition 11

Early Learnings
New Australian report helps to share grantmaking wisdom
A new external evaluation report represents an important step forward in evaluation and dissemination of grantmaking results in Australia. The Telstra Foundation's "early learnings" research report examines projects funded through the foundation's Community Development Fund.
Click here to read this article.

Hoisting the Red Flag
Pre-grant assessment aided by new due diligence tool
Grantmaking program officers are faced with multiple challenges in assessing whether to recommend an application for funding. The new Grantmakers for Effective Organisations resource, A Due Diligence Tool for use in Pre-Grant Assessment takes grantmakers through a step-by-step process, including initial reading and assessment of the proposal to preliminary assessment of the applicant organisation and interviews.
Click here to read this article.

Many Grants, One Government
NSW grants website nears completion
An Australian-first "whole-of-government" grants website will be online in NSW by the middle of the year. We speak to the project manager Cathy Peters.

Doing Harm by Doing Good
Avoiding "unintended consequences" in grantmaking
Is all grantmaking good grantmaking? Or can giving out money actually do harm? In his first in a series of regular columns in Best Practice Grantmaking, academic Michael Liffman examines the arguments.
Click here to read this article.

Getting to the Art of the Matter
Arts Queensland revamp removes red tape
Arts Queensland has introduced an online application process, revamped its guidelines and reduced the number of grants rounds per year from 14 to three in response to feedback from the arts industry.
Click here to read this article.

Leaving Big Footprints
Grantmaking for social change - in line with corporate objectives
The devastating Boxing Day tsunami prompted a rash of public giving, as well as big and then even bigger corporate contributions. Then came the almost inevitable refrain: is this really the correct use of a public corporation's money? Shouldn't businesses concentrate on returning profits for shareholders - and let them play Santa Claus if they wish? Not so, argues, Canadian businessman and leading philanthropic thinker Alan Broadbent.

The Politics of Funding
Federal grants face greater scrutiny
An inquiry into the Federal Government's controversial Regional Partnerships grants program is continuing. The Government says the program is helping to invigorate local communities, but the Opposition says it is little more than a vote-buying exercise and should be axed. The Roads to Recovery program has also been in the headlines.

Passing the "Animal Test"
Examining the generosity factor
Media-driven preferences for popular or "deserving" causes, soft-edged corporate philanthropy and the prospect of making philanthropy an obligation rather than a choice were just some of the topics tackled during a wide-ranging program aired last month.

Back to Basics
Best Practice Guidelines: how do yours measure up?
In the search for program details, closing dates, eligibility criteria and funding priorities there are many mountains to climb, many hoops to jump through and many obstacles to overcome. Our Community "grants guru" Hammy Goonan takes us through the basics every grantmaking program should provide.
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After the Storm
Disaster grantmaking in a post-tsunami world
The Boxing Day tsunami challenged the sympathy of the world to an almost unprecedented degree. Raw footage of the giant wave helped to unleash a record-breaking flow of personal, corporate and government giving. Three months on from the tsunami, we take a look at the unique long-term role the grantmaking community is likely to play in the disaster response.
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Why This, Why Now, and Why Didn't We Know?
Arts Council wades into stormy waters, arts groups demand answers
Like all arts funders, the Arts Council is no stranger to controversy. In recent weeks, however, the Federal Government's arts funding and advisory body has faced controversy of a different type: this time the fuss is about its own actions, rather than those of a grant recipient.

Sow What You Know
Capturing and communicating knowledge
Leveraging your knowledge as a grantmaker can bring multiple benefits, but there are also obstacles. A new report outlines the hurdles - and the lessons.
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Making New Connections
Giving small-scale or remote organisations a new way to connect
In the world of big foundation funding, it's often a case of "big" is better and "big and well-known" is better still. But one large US foundation is going off the beaten track to reach smaller non-profit organisations usually overlooked by larger funders.

Closing the Gates
Grantmaking requirements and exclusions: we ask the grantmakers their view
Every grantmaking organisation has some sort of minimum requirement dictating who will be eligible to receive funds. Some exclusions are mandated by law, some are put in place to reflect the focus of the program and others are there to make a funding decision easier by narrowing the field of applicants. We asked a range of grantmakers to tell us what mandatory requirements and exclusions they have in place - and why.
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Keeping on the Straight and Narrow
Accountability initiative sets the bar for grantmakers
New principles and best practices designed to help grantmakers and not-for-profit organisations adhere to high standards of ethics and governance have been released in the US as part of the landmark Preserving the Public Trust Initiative.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

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Edition 10

Speaking a Common Language
Landmark project puts grantmakers and grantseekers on the same page
A groundbreaking project that could result in a long-awaited common financial language among grantmakers and grantees is nearing completion in Queensland. It is hoped that the Nonprofit Accounts Project could eventually be applied nationally.
Click here to read this article.

Just what impact are we having anyway?
Turning the evaluation microscope from the grant recipient to the grantmaker
Despite the increasing emphasis in the not-for-profit world on transparency and accountability, relatively few grantmaking foundations ever pause to assess the impacts of their own work. The Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales is one grantmaking organisation that has risen to the challenge of finding out what difference it is making in the areas it has chosen to fund. The Foundation's award-winning work has helped it understand a range of issues about its grantmaking work: are small grants better than big grants? Are grants to big organisations more effective than those given to small groups? Is project funding better at achieving impacts than funding for core costs? Just how effective is funding for collaborative projects?
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Setting a "Gold Standard"
New program launched to encourage greater grantmaker accountability
The debate over non-profit accountability continues to rage in the US, while at the same time some local non-profit experts are predicting a similar battle in store for the Australian sector in the not-too-distant future. Some US grantmakers are now urging their colleagues to put in place their own ethics and accountability standards - before they are forced upon them.

Letting the Machines do the Work
Computerised grant decisions could aid transparency: Ombudsman
Computerising processes such as grants decisions could improve transparency and accountability, Australia's chief government watchdog, Commonwealth Ombudsman John McMullen says.

Challenging Times
Finding funds the biggest challenge for community foundations: report
The old chestnut for most not-for-profit organisations - finding money for operational costs - is proving a major stumbling block for the fledgling Australian community foundation movement, a new report reveals.
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Slow, Not Sexy
Revisiting the Foundation role in Social Change
Foundations have to accept that they cannot take more than a "tiny bit of credit" for the change their grants help to achieve says Steven Burkeman.

Getting it in Writing
Considerations for grantmakers in using funding agreements
The use of funding agreements has become increasingly widespread in Australian - and particularly government - grantmaking circles. In many cases, the use of such legally enforceable contracts signals a departure from the more consultative approaches traditionally employed by grantmakers seeking to achieve policy outcomes. So what are the practical considerations for grantmakers moving to the more legalistic system? Lawyer Joseph Siracusa takes us through some of the issues.
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Grantmakers Going Back to School
Fuelling the drive to greater grantmaker professionalism
It is a long-held view that all philanthropy is good and that grantmaking should be done with your gut, not your head. But as the calls for greater grant recipient efficiency and effectiveness become increasingly louder, it is perhaps inevitable that many grantmakers are beginning to turn the spotlight on themselves, questioning if an how they can become better at what they do. One way grantmakers are finding of improving their own performance is by heading back to school.
Click here to read this article.

Unlocking the Keys to Innovation
New research looks at new ways forward for philanthropy
Visiting philanthropy expert Prof. Helmut Anheier says endowed foundations should concentrate on innovation and creativity and do only those things they can do better than other organisations.

"So What?"
Answering the big grantmaking question through better evaluation
Your individual approach to evaluation may be formal or informal, costly or cost-free, analytical or intuitive, writes The Philanthropy Initiative Vice President Ellen Remmer. In the end it is all about learning from the giving experience, gaining a better understanding of the difference you are making and improving the effectiveness of your future investments.

Lending a Helping Hand
Posing the Questions: We ask the grantmakers their view
What support, if any, do you provide for grantseekers wishing to apply to your grants program? How much is enough help?
Click here to read this article.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

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Edition 9

Beware the White Knight
The quest for an electronic grants management solution
There is little doubt that online grants management systems can bring great rewards for grantmakers. But merely getting online does not an electronic grants management system make.
Click here to read this article.

Slicing the Red Tape
NSW grants review strides forward
The ongoing process to implement a "One Government" grants administration process in NSW has taken some further steps forward. In the latest development a dozen NSW human services agencies are set to trial a new standard grants application form that is designed to cut red tap, reduce duplication and save grantseekers time and frustration.

Researching the Third Sector
New philanthropy research project launched
A collaborative Australian research project has been launched to evaluate relevant government tax changes and provide more accurate measures of volunteering, giving and philanthropy in Australia.

Strategic Communications
Employing a "communications arsenal" to further your grantmaking aims
At the California Wellness Foundation, communications is definitely not an after-thought, nor merely a department established to support the needs of the programs. Rather, the Foundation seeks to weave communications into its very fabric. Its "strategic communications" program boils down to a simple concept: telling a good story.
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A Sting in the Tail
Australian community foundations warned on myth of 'American Dream'
The American experience has had some positive functions in the growth of community foundations in Australia but could have a damaging sting in its tail if not fully understood, according to a new report.
Click here to read this article.

To Market, To Market
Carrying the grantmaking message beyond your four walls
While organising and administering grants is often hard enough, many grantmakers face an even tougher battle when it comes to marketing their programs and outcomes effectively. Our feature article takes a look at some of the marketing "basics".
Click here to read this article.

Natural Selection
Maximising outcomes through effective selection and management processes
All grantmakers are under constant pressure to maximise value for money - and nowhere is this pressure more evident than in government grantmaking circles. As Department of Family and Community Services Director Gordon McCormick writes, it can involve a fine balancing act, but the challenges can be overcome if care is taken in the selection and monitoring of funding recipients.
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The Grantmaking Tango
Helping funders and the funded dance to the same tune
Community groups and their advocates believe that current funding arrangements are time consuming and operate largely in opposition to their health and long-term survival. Grantmakers are struggling to find the tools that will allow them to understand the impact they are having. The music may be playing but those dancing to the "grantmaking tango" are still a long way from finding the beat.
Click here to read this article.

The Process of Change
Changing direction without breaking stride: The City of Yarra
The City of Yarra inherited 27 different community funding programs when it was formed in 1994 - and a range of funding shortcomings, including difficulty in funding new organisations, rigid timelines and significant "double dipping" among funded organisations. In an effort to tackle these limitations, the Council launched a significant, two-year review of its funding programs - a process that is now complete.
Click here to read this article.

All Ears
Does feedback from grantseekers inform how grantmaking programs are run?
Grantseekers and recipients are instinctively reluctant about providing feedback to grantmakers; after all, it is rarely wise to bite the hand that feeds you. So what methods do grantmakers have for finding out how their programs are being received and what problems their "customers" are experiencing?
Click here to read this article.

Lighting Fires without Matches
Funding shortcomings weaken not-for-profit organisations: report
The manner in which not-for-profit organisations are funded is preventing them from scaling up their services and reaching their full potential, a new report says.
Click here to read this article.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

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Edition 8

Singular Simplicity
Achieving results by moving to a single grants administration system
It has long been accepted that government grantmaking will always involve a certain degree of fragmentation and duplication. This is no surprise, given the way most grants programs have evolved - piecemeal and tucked behind opaque silo walls. But as Department for Victorian Communities secretary Yehudi Blacher writes, it doesn't have to be that way.
Click here to read this article.

The Power of Celebrity
How fame and fortune are making their mark on the world of giving
In an age where your five minutes of fame may be only as far away as the next reality TV show, celebrity foundations are becoming all the rage.

Everyone's a winner
How a revamped application process is helping UK community groups win the grants lottery
A new UK grantmaking approach is cutting application turnaround times, improving administrative efficiency and encouraging better quality applications. And early results are indicating big benefits for both sides: the Fund is spending less time on ineligible or inappropriate applications and the applicant spends less time waiting in hope.

Corporate Strategies
New models for 21st Century corporate philanthropy
The airwaves are abuzz with it, courses are springing up that are dedicated to it, consumers are demanding it - there is no doubt that corporate philanthropy is on the rise in Australia. And as Allan Fels writes, the trend is likely to gather momentum in response to mounting societal and government pressure.

Getting Wired
Revealing the trends in grantmakers' use of the internet
The internet has reshaped the way foundations communicate and disseminate information and grantmakers need to learn new ways to capitalise on the web to increase their effectiveness, a new report contends.

Passing Judgement
Application assessment methods
Which methods of assessing grants applications provide for the most objectivity and transparency? Which allow for the greatest administrative savings? Is it possible to achieve both? We ask the grantmakers how they manage their assessment processes.

Lucky for Some
13 tips for wise grantmaking
The collective wisdom of more than 1000 not-for-profit leaders is drawn together to produce a list of 13 tips for wise grantmaking.

A Calculated Risk
Integrating risk management into grant planning
Formalised, documented risk assessments should not be dismissed as bureaucratic clap-trap, says the Department of Education, Science and Training's Steven Lee. In fact, risk assessments are an imperative part of the grantmaking process, providing a tool for clarifying problems, finding solutions, reducing uncertainty, retaining corporate knowledge and - if all else fails - providing a defence that you did all that you could.

On Strong Foundations
Why capital grants can be a good investment
Almost every not-for-profit organisation needs a place to call home - yet Australian and US grantmakers do not like providing funds for buildings. One US foundation that does provide capital funding has conducted a review to find out if these grants are in fact having an impact. The answer is a most definite yes.

Do as I say, not as I do
Grantmaking foundations neglect their own advice: report
Many grantmaking foundations are failing to engage in practices their own standards dictate as important to effectiveness, a new study has revealed.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

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Edition 7

Online and On Time
How introducing online applications can save your organisation time and money
Online forms can help save time, keep down costs and improve accessibility. While more than half of Australian grantmakers now make their application forms available on their websites, a small but growing number are taking a further step and moving to full interactivity.

Grants Rage
Sometimes the message is the machinery
Grantseekers love electronic forms but new technology has brought with it the need for a range of new skills that go well beyond the art of persuasive writing. Modern day grant applicants need to be highly adept at negotiating what can sometimes be seen as a technological minefield - and sloppy grantmakers can make that process all the more complicated.

Performance Art
They are always in the spotlight but do arts funder need to smarten up their act?
There are few grantmaking subjects guaranteed to provoke more of a response, suffer more scrutiny or produce less forgiving reactions than that of funding the arts. So what do grantmakers do to avoid or address these issues?
Click here to read this article.

Introducing the Multiplier Effect
How developing an effective communications strategy can significantly increase the value of your grants
Rule number one in the grantmaking world is that there will always be more need than there are funds. So how do you ensure that you are making best use of the limited amount of money available? One ways, says the Bernard van Leer Foundation's Peter Laugharn, is to make sure you share what you have learned by developing a robust communications and dissemination strategy.

Access All Areas
How grantmakers can achieve results and policy outcomes through greater accessibility
Only through true accessibility can grantmaking programs build community support and achieve policy outcomes. There are a range of relatively easy steps all grantmakers can take to make their programs more accessible. But as Our Community CEO Rhonda Galbally outlines, many are still getting it wrong.
Click here to read this article.

Knowing Right from Wrong
Grantmakers urged to adopt or adapt new code of ethics
In the wake of greater donor, government and public scrutiny, all philanthropic foundations and not-for-profit organisations should adopt a code of ethics to guide their governance and operations, a not-for-profit coalition has advised.

A Brighter Future
New local government grants program aims to ease community events into sustainability
It has been a bugbear of locally funded community events for decades. Across Australia, great events are conceived, funded and launched, only to fall over and disappear after the money runs out. But a new local government grants program aims to put an end to that scenario.

Practice Makes Perfect (…well better anyway)
Creative grantmakers reveal their secrets
A new report describes how creative grantmakers work, the skills that go into imaginative, effective grantmaking and the personal and institutional qualities that nurture or inhibit innovative grantmaking.

Good Deeds, Good Business
How a private corporate is using bank profits for social profit
The IMB Community Foundation was formed in late 1999 amid a degree of nervousness about how a private corporation would be received by a somewhat skeptical community sector. Four years on, the Foundation is breathing a sigh of relief, having found its entry into the world of philanthropy a thoroughly positive experience.

Spreading the Word
Publicising your grants program
Grantmakers must ensure that they make every effort to ensure that all relevant people and groups are given the opportunity to apply for their grants - and that can mean taking a more lateral view of how they publicise their programs. We asked a range of grantmakers to outline their approach.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

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Edition 6

Advocating for Change
Why one foundation believes we should swap "feel-good" campaigns for projects and voices that confront and challenge
With a full-time staff of just four and a grants budget of $200,000 a year, the Sydney-based Mercy Foundation is proving you don't need to be big to be effective. The Foundation's determination to resist the lure of "feel-good" grants and to instead focus on projects with the potential to bring about social change can make for slow and painstaking work. However the rewards are immeasurable.
Click here to read this article.

Mobilising Money, Knowledge and Networks
How foundations can use their resources to sway hearts and minds
Attempting to influence how the government sets its goals and procedures for managing public affairs can offer opportunities for foundations to have a greater impact on public problem solving.

Beyond the Bottom Line
Corporate grantmaking … Paying dividends?
Corporate social responsibility, the triple bottom line, social impact reports, best practice governance - it's a brave new world for companies responding to increasingly louder demands for a more community-friendly corporate world. And many corporates have begun exploring grantmaking as one way of fulfilling those responsibilities.

Regional Partnerships
Bridging the distance between Canberra and the regions
One size does not fit all and Canberra does not know best. That's the thinking behind the Australian Government's new Regional Partnerships program, an initiative that is expected to deliver wide ranging benefits to the regional communities it funds.

The Joy of Discovery
Why grantmakers need to rethink their approach to funding community development
The "obsession with outcomes" has led to some alarming developments in the field of community development, argues human rights professor and community development expert Jim Ife. By setting rigid requirements for outcomes and moving control from the community to themselves, grantmakers are in danger of eroding the very cornerstone of community development - self-determination.
Click here to read this article.

Hired, Housed, Healthy and Happy
Examining the benefits - and stumbling blocks - of investing in social capital
Social capital can bring a wide range of economic and social benefits - but it is difficult to measure and can sometimes have perverse effects, a Federal Government advisory body has reported.
Click here to read this article.

Managing Failures
When a grant goes awry
Not all funded projects or programs work out the way grantseekers intended. So what should the grantmaker to do when it all goes wrong? We asked the grantmakers to outline their approach.

The View from Over the Fence
Standardised funding agreements: a grantseeker's perspective
Word of the Commonwealth Government's move to replace grants with legally binding funding agreements is beginning to spread in government and non-government sectors - and it has been enthusiastically welcomed by at least one grantseeker, who believes the agreements should be embraced by all Commonwealth Government grantmakers - and even those from other tiers.

"Micro Grants" have Maxi Effect
How one grantmaker's "trickle up" model is giving a hand up to the poorest of the poor
Whether to give a little to a lot or a lot to a few is a question most grantmakers ask themselves from time to time. For New York grantmaker Mildred Robbins Leet, the answer is clear: give little but give it to those who can use it best.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

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Edition 5

Grassroots Grantmaking
How a government grants program is using local networks to hit its target
Governments are often accused of being out of touch with the grassroots. Community groups may be in touch with the grassroots but they often don't have the expertise or resources to compete for a share of the national funding purse. It is a quandary that has vexed governments and community groups for years. But an innovative UK Government grants program may have come up with a solution.

New Kids on the Block
Applying a systematic approach to assessing start-up grantseekers
While on the one hand new organisations can hold unique promise for bringing about innovative and high-impact results, they can also produce special concerns for grantmakers. What do you do when a fund-seeking group doesn't have an established record and reputation, the board has only just been formed and the staff leaders have little or no management experience?

Regional Grantmaking
How grantmakers can bridge the distance between the city and the bush
Equality of access is a key aim of most grantmaking programs. Yet when it comes to ensuring rural and regional grantseekers have equal access to funds, there is still a lot of room for improvement.
Click here to read this article.

Grant Rage
Regional groups nominate barriers to accessing grants funding
So how do rural and regional organisations rate their level of access to Australian grants programs? We spoke to a number of regional groups - and those that work with them - to find out what grantmakers could do to make their programs more accessible.

Navigating the Mirror Maze
Confusion preventing small businesses from accessing grants information: report
Small businesses are confused about where they can get access to information about grants and other government assistance programs and many are failing to access those services as a result, a new survey has found.

Risky Business
Why foundations need to return to their missions, take more risks and fund more innovation
Allegations of excess to rival the corporate world, public mistrust, a tough regulatory climate and a retreating government all spell hard times for the American foundation community. But that does not give foundations an excuse to step back from their traditional role of funding innovation - quite the contrary, says US foundation leader Emmett Carson.
Click here to read this article.

From Outputs to Outcomes
Getting lasting value from grants programs through outcomes-based evaluation
Grantmakers can derive far-reaching benefits from replacing "bean counting" with a real assessment of the short or long-term impacts of their grants - but there are many challenges inherent to the process, says UK-based consultant and leading philanthropic thinker David Carrington.

The Process of Change
How grantmakers change direction without changing stride - In Review: Brisbane City Council
Changing community needs and expectations, outmoded and complicated internal processes and the lure of new technologies all added up to one thing for Brisbane City Council - a need for change. After an extensive review, Brisbane's Community Grants program has emerged leaner, more efficient and, the Council hopes, more responsive to community needs.

Grain or Grumble
Why government silos must be broken down - and how it can be done
The segmentation of government services into separate program frameworks - or "silos" - helps to ensure manageability and accountability of government funds. However the practicalities of human service delivery means there is rarely a time when different areas don't - or shouldn't - overlap. Breaking down the silo walls is no easy task. The structure is simply not designed to respond to the practical demands of integrated service delivery.

Posing the Questions
Funding Innovation - we ask the grantmakers their views
Finding innovative solutions to difficult problems may be the aim of many grantmakers but it can also involve a good deal of risk - both to funds and to reputations. It's a balancing act and the methods for ensuring risks are minimised but funds are actually helping to achieve systemic changes are varied.

Core Values
Why grantmakers should fund core costs - and why so many do not
Foundations should step up their core operating support for non-profit organisations to as much as 50 per cent of their grant dollars, according to a new campaign.
Click here to read this article.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

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Edition 4

Surviving the media storm
How preparation can help to fend off a media frenzy ... or avoid it altogether
If a story contains even a whiff of scandal, tragedy or injustice, it is almost certain to make the news somewhere, sometime. The clear warning for grantmaking organisations is to be prepared.
Click here to read this article.

Painting the philanthropic picture
New report provides a snapshot of Australia's Trusts and Foundations
In a philanthropic climate renowned for its secrecy, it has often been difficult to gain a good overall picture of the Australian grantmaking community. Philanthropy Australia has taken the first step towards shining a light on the sector through a groundbreaking survey.

Foundation Effectiveness
The drive to turn best practice into standard practice
Collective action and sharing of knowledge are the keys to "foundation effectiveness,' a new report concludes.

From Grants to Funding Agreements
Examining the benefits for government grantmakers of developing standardised funding agreements
In recent years, the Federal Government has been gradually moving towards replacing grants with funding agreements, a move it says will provide greater accountability in the allocation of taxpayer funds. At the same time, the government has been working to standardise its funding agreements in what senior executive lawyer Russell Wilson describes as a "significant whole of government initiative."

A Tick in Time
A good application checklist can save both grantmakers and grantseekers a lot of grief
You've provided an application form and some guidelines - that should be enough, right? Wrong. Grants Management Quarterly outlines why grantmakers should consider including an application checklist and outlines some of the items you might want to include.
Click here to read this article.

Generation Next
Why our youth are transforming the Australian grantmaking landscape
If you thought young people were to be seen but not heard, better think again. The youth grantmaking movement has well and truly arrived in Australia, breathing fresh air into the once cloistered world of philanthropy. In grantmaking quarters across the country, runners and backpacks are taking their place alongside business suits and briefcases in a trend some believe will transform the landscape forever.

The Project vs Organisation
We ask the grantmakers - what counts more?
Is it worth taking a risk on a great idea generated by an organisation that lacks experience, or is a proven track record more important than the project? We asked grantmakers their view.
Click here to read this article.

Quality versus Quantity
How the search for greater accountability is driving less activity, better results
There is no precise answer and no magic pill in the quest to provide greater value for money in government grantmaking - only a constant struggle to get better, says Consulting and Audit Canada Director General Fred Jaakson. One way is through moving away from activities-based assessments to a results-based focus.

The Process of Change
How grantmakers change direction without changing stride - In Review: Arts Victoria
As all grantmakers know, a grants program that is not reviewed from time to time can become unresponsive and ineffective. General manager of policy and industry development at Arts Victoria, Sue Silberberg, talks about the organisation's recent grantmaking program review, a move designed to realign it with the State Government's new arts policy.

Charities in the Spotlight
What the new Charities Bill means to grantmakers
In releasing its draft Charities Bill 2003 the Federal Government has taken one step towards clearing up the confusion that surrounds its relationship with the not-for-profit sector - in particular, the relationship between the sector and the tax office. Chris Borthwick examines the implications for grantmakers.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

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Edition 3

Performance Measurement in Grants Programs
Establishing a proper framework for improved grantmaking
Accountability and the ability to judge the effectiveness of what your program is doing continues to grow in importance. Jane Breaden, Senior Manager at Ernst & Young, talks about the fundamentals for grantmakers wanting to know how their program is performing.

Feast or Famine
Research: How much information grantmakers are REALLY providing online?
A study of the online information performance of grantmakers has found that many grants funding bodies are still running websites on a "need to know" basis.

Grants Funding
Are multicultural groups getting their fair share of your funds?
Overseas research over the past few years indicates that ethnic community groups are at a significant disadvantage in accessing grants funding. Grantmakers want to make their programs accessible but there is still little recognition by many Australian programs of the difficulties ethnic communities face in successfully applying for funding.
Click here to read this article.

Grant Rage
Multicultural groups nominate the barriers in accessing grants funding
So how do grantseekers from multicultural groups rate the level of access to Australian grants programs? Not very highly, according to a survey of multicultural group leaders.
Click here to read this article.

Innovate. Evaluate. Disseminate.
A guide to sowing the seeds of a good idea in new fields
Supporting an innovative project is one thing. Trying to take the knowledge gained and then spread it to other areas or groups is another challenge altogether. One organisation at the vanguard in trying to create a greater emphasis on disseminating knowledge is The Ian Potter Foundation.

Pay now or Save for the Future
Debate continues on the amount Foundations should pay out in funding
The debate over whether foundations should spend more now rather than building endowments for the future has intensified in the US, as the US Government prepares to examine legislation on the issue.

Building Community on a Strong Foundation
Local money for local projects - the challenges of setting up a community fund
Community foundations have been lauded as the next big thing in Australian grassroots philanthropy. But the opportunity to "give where you live" is being hampered by the bane of Australia's 700,000 community groups - the complex and restrictive Deductible Gift Recipient tax requirements.

The Final Report
What information do you require from grant recipients and what do you do with it?
For some grantmakers, final reporting involves a detailed process that can take as much time - if not more - than the application. For others, it may be as simple as a phone call. We ask the grantmakers what they required and how the final report is used.

Look before you Leap
How a careful scan of the horizon can ensure grantmakers make the most of their funding opportunities
How many grantmakers announce a new funding direction only to have the decision greeted by a round of groans and cries of "here we go again" rather than hearty applause from the targeted sector? Ellen Arrick and Felicia Khan spoke to dozens of grantmakers to draw out some of the advantages and characteristics of a successful scan of the target funding landscape.

Getting to the Core of the Issue
Measuring the impact of core and project funding
The Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales, one of the UK's largest grantmaking trusts, is also one of the growing numbers of trusts and foundations that now believe that support for organisational core funding is as important as funding projects.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

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Edition 2

For Good Measure
Good. Better. Best. How independent evaluation lifts the bar for grantmakers
Evaluation of grantmaking is important. It can also be expensive and the challenge for many grantmakers is deciding whether to spend limited funds on programs or on evaluating the success of the programs. PEW Charitable Trusts Director of Planning & Evaluation, Michael J Dahl, discusses the benefits of establishing a separate, independent and objective evaluation unit.

Click here to read this article.

A Social (Ad)Venture
Taking a grantmaking idea from conception to completion
The mission was to set up a new grantmaking organisation to assist Australian social ventures in accessing commercial expertise, knowledge and funding. Social Ventures Australia CEO Michael Traill talks about the lessons learned during the frenetic first 12 months, the competition used to launch SVA and the challenges for supporting social ventures in the future.

Point, Click and Grant
Putting application forms online
Getting online application forms right not only saves money, but frustration for those applying for grants. Chris Borthwick looks at some of the Federal Government's National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE) departmental guidelines and the lessons they might hold for other grantmakers.
Click here to read this article.

Riding to the Rescue
Identifying when a grant is in trouble and tips on what to do next
How do you know when a grant project is sliding into trouble and what options do you have in intervening to bring it back on track? William Ryan of the Ford Foundation quizzed dozens of grantmakers on issues with dealing with troublesome grants and found the themes were remarkably consistent.

Grants Review Strikes Good Form
"One Government" grantmaking moves a step closer to reality
Bob Costello from the NSW Premier's Department and Alan Kirkland from the NSW Forum of Non-Government Agencies outline the latest moves and proposed developments in the NSW Government's "One Government" grants review process.

Guarding against the Threat of Fraud
How clear policies and procedures help grantmakers prevent abuse
It is the one accusation that any grantmaker or program officer fears - an allegation of fraud concerning their funding program. Manager of Corruption Prevention at the NSW Independent Commission against Corruption, Dominic Riordan, argues that while the instances of grants funding fraud to date remain low, the risks remain high.
Click here to read this article.

Small or large grants and How to Say No nicely
We ask the grantmakers how it's done
What works best - providing a small number of groups with a substantial sized grant or spreading smaller amounts around to a larger number of groups? And how can you deliver a knock-back and still leave unsuccessful applicants happy with the process? We ask the grantmakers their view.
Click here to read this article.

Drawing the lines on grassroots grantmaking
Local councils find improved results through improving the process
In recent times, more and more of Australia's local councils are revamping their community grants funding programs to ensure greater equity, accountability and transparency. Our feature article takes a snapshot of local government grantmaking developments from Brimbank to Fremantle.

Overcoming the Relationship Hurdle
How can a grant recipient turn a payment into a meaningful partnership?
Funding bodies are constantly talking about building better relationships with their grant recipients, but is it as easy as it sounds? Not always, says Warren Price, Development Manager for Technical Aid to the Disabled.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

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Edition 1

Communities in Control
Real democracy and the grantmaking process
American philanthropist and donor activist Tracy Gary argues that it's time community groups had a louder voice in deciding just how and where the money should be spent.

Government Grants and Charitable Giving
Public funding draws more private support, new ground-breaking research finds
A new Australian study, Government Grants and Charitable Giving: the Crowding out Effect, finds that the leverage effect of government grants helps increase the pot for grant recipients.

Passing the Probity Test
The seven steps to an open, accountable grants program
How can government grantmakers ensure their programs rise above the rough and tumble of politics and any perceptions of bias? Bob Sendt, NSW Auditor-General and a strong supporter of open and publicly accountable government, argues that the key can be found in establishing clear processes and constant transparency.

Grant Rage
What are the biggest bugbears for grantseekers trying to find grants information and apply for funding?
See how your grantmaking program lines up against the most common responses, comments and complaints from Australian grantseekers.

A Catalyst for Change
Case Study: The Foundation for Young Australians
Foundation for Young Australians CEO Mary Wooldridge details how the Foundation managed the process of changing direction, focus, structure and grantmaking.

Managing Grants
Finding the right formula
The latest summary of best practice grants administration released by the Australian National Audit Office

Ensuring the money achieves the mission
We ask grantmakers how it should be done
What are the most important steps grantmakers can take to ensure the money they provide is successful in achieving the stated aims and mission of the program? How do you measure that success? What systems or reviews do you have in place to monitor the success? We ask the grantmakers their view.

Finding the Right Tools to Build Capacity
For many grantmakers the question over whether to support one-off projects or greater capacity building is an ongoing debate. So what are the guiding principles that could enable funding providers to most effectively assist communities and non-profit groups?

Talking Technology
It's a great looking website but does it work?
Some grantmakers spend millions of dollars developing their website. Others spend as little as possible but all want the same outcome - a site that works. We look at one of the best websites for grantseekers in Australia and explain why it works.

Family Ties
One foundation looks to the next generation of grantmakers
Since its establishment in 1959, four generations have worked with the Myer Foundation to support projects that strive to make measurable improvements to society. We talk to Myer Foundation CEO Charles Lane about the Foundation's current focus and future directions.

Spreading the word
Marketing your grantmaking program
Some grantmakers shy away from publicity but marketing a grants program can be an effective tool in focusing attention on the issue being tackled, not just the recipient or the grantmaker.

Plus news, resources, emerging grantmaking programs and seminars and conferences.

Buy it now! $80 email version, $100 hard copy. Email the edition number you would like to purchase to service@ourcommunity.com.au or telephone (03) 9320 6800.

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Grants Management Knowledge Bank

Edition 2, 2010

Edition 1, 2010

Edition 4, 2009

Edition 3, 2009

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Edition 25

Edition 24

Edition 23

Edition 22

Edition 21

Edition 20

Edition 19 (Including all the highlights from the 2007 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference)

Edition 18

Edition 17

Edition 16

Edition 15 (Including all the highlights from the 2006 Best Practice in Grantmaking Conference)

Edition 14

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Edition 9

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Edition 7

Edition 6

Edition 5

Edition 4

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Edition 2

Edition 1

Edition 19
(Including all the highlights from the 2007 Best Practice in Grants Management Conference)

Edition 15
(Including all the highlights from the 2006 Best Practice in Grantmaking Conference)