Looking Through a Multidimensional Philanthropic Lens
/After 21 years at The AVI CHAI Foundation, I am excited to begin the next stage of my career as the Mayberg Foundation Senior Advisor for Education Grants and Programs. It’s wonderful to be able to bring my experience to a new milieu, while at the same time have the opportunity to learn from and about different philanthropic models. After only a few weeks, I can already point to noteworthy variations in approaches.
“What creates the highest leverage? What is the right fit for the vision and mission of the funder? What impact is the approach having on operating partners?”
Both AVI CHAI and the Mayberg Foundation believe that Jewish literacy is key to sustaining the next generation of Jews. It’s no surprise then that both foundations view Jewish day schools as an essential vehicle for imparting deep Jewish knowledge. Each focuses on acting as an agitating force for the improvement of the instruction of Jewish studies. Additionally, the Mayberg Foundation and AVI CHAI both demonstrate a respect for Jewish unity and Jews across the spectrum. It’s striking that despite these similarities in funding priorities, there are numerous differences in philanthropic practices:
Value of Partnership: The Mayberg Foundation often partners with other foundations and philanthropic families in order to deepen thinking and maximize impact. Only over the last ten years did AVI CHAI embrace the benefits of partnerships and co-creating projects. Whether in the form of local/national partnerships or alliances among multiple foundations, a larger number of invested stakeholders can be better, both for creativity and for sustainability. The power of collective effort is undeniable. Funding alone, however, often allows for faster progress, as there is less need to build agreement among multiple voices. The goals of the project can be more easily aligned with the particular funder when there is a solitary supporter.
Jewish Education at Different Ages and Stages: While AVI CHAI funded youth and teen programming almost exclusively, the Mayberg Foundation partners with organizations who have programs for different ages and stages. There are multiple entry points into Jewish learning throughout the lifespan. Many people begin their Jewish journeys as young children or teens, and others initiate that journey later on. In fact, many begin to inquire about meaningful Judaism in college or as adults. The impact of Jewish engagement can also vary with different populations. Influencing parents or grandparents affects both the adults and the next generations. The Jewish community requires funding to support multiple means for transmitting Jewish knowledge at all stages of life. There are no shortage of opportunities or interest areas for funders to explore in support of Jewish learning.
Applications or Ideas: Many funders set their own agenda by researching the field to determine which organizations they believe can facilitate the change they hope to create. In that framework, which AVI CHAI followed, a foundation invites organizations to apply for a grant. Another approach is to continuously be learning about fields of interest with an open opportunity for organizations to share about their work. In this model, embraced by the Mayberg Foundation, the grantmaking team discusses together brief submissions from nonprofits to learn about new projects, paradigms and people working in the field. This method prevents learning and research from being too narrow because the foundation’s body of knowledge is being enriched by multiple pipelines of information from a variety of nonprofits doing work aligned with the foundation’s mission. While this strategy yields only a limited number of organizations being invited to submit a full grant application, it does broaden the staff’s understanding about the field at large and introduces them to a number of professionals and organizations they may not have otherwise known.
Directed vs. Operating Funds: Funders sometimes want their support to go toward “additive” work, and they direct their funds to a specific part of the non-profit’s work or to new programming. This practice requires many organizations to fundraise for their core activities. Increasingly common today, philanthropic experts (such as Grantmakers for Effective Organizations) advise funders to provide general operating support to trusted nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits can use unrestricted funding as they see fit, which is an important way to help nonprofits succeed in all their work. One challenge with this approach is deciding how to assess impact, which might be done by measuring if the organization has reached certain overall target goals. Some funders identify the most prudent approach on a case-by-case basis and others use one consistent approach across their entire funding portfolio.
Grantmaking and operating programs: Donors can support organizations with grants of various sizes. Even more modest grants can be helpful to a nonprofit, and can be impactful as well. Smaller gifts can encourage piloting and innovation and are also good ways to begin a partnership with a new organization. In addition to supporting existing projects, a philanthropist might decide to create a program on their own to fill a need in exactly the way they believe will be effective. As an example, the Mayberg Foundation created the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge (JEIC) to execute its vision for catalyzing radical improvement in Jewish day schools. In this way, JEIC can remain laser focused on the Foundation’s ultimate goal for change. Operating your own program requires more work, but may provide better results.
Both The AVI CHAI and Mayberg Foundations create impact and successful outcomes through their own approaches. Considering varied philanthropic styles is important for funders and foundation professionals. What creates the highest leverage? What is the right fit for the vision and mission of the funder? What impact is the approach having on operating partners? I look forward to continuing to think about these issues as I expand both my areas of expertise and my skill set as a grantmaker.