|
Upcoming Deadline
The Knott Foundation's next letter of inquiry deadline is
June 11, 2012.
If you are interested in applying, please review our
Eligibility Guidelines and
Grant Application Process, and take note of the online submission process.
|
What We're Reading
Our Grants and Information Technology Manager, Kathleen McCarthy, shares her reflections on Leap of Reason by Mario Marino.
In the field of philanthropy, as in any industry, buzzwords come and go. One year a needle is moved and the next, an impact is leveraged. Most recently the buzz is loudest around the word "outcomes" and, based upon a reading of Leap of Reason, the buzz is here to stay... and for good reason.
I will admit that I approached the book with an arched brow and a pit in my stomach, as I was imagining a treatise on expensive IT systems and the need to collect granular levels of quantitative data. By the end of this collection of essays, however, I was reassured by Marino and the other authors' honesty and willingness to clearly convey why this work is so important to the communities we seek to serve. Without the hard work of managing to outcomes, how can we say if our work is smart work -- work that is truly impacting our missions?
The book emphasizes that this work does not demand expensive data collection systems and complicated logarithms to be meaningful; in fact, small may not only be beautiful, but if carefully designed and clearly articulated, it can be impactful as well. An organization's ability to manage to outcomes largely rests on its willingness to do the hard work required, ask the tough questions, and commit to understanding just why we are doing what we are doing.
|
|
Reminder Note for Archdiocesan Catholic Schools
We ask that all Archdiocesan Catholic schools submitting a letter of inquiry to the Foundation continue to share the letter with the Division of Catholic Schools at least two weeks in advance of the deadline. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page for more background information on this process. Thank you!
|
|
Grants Database
Have you checked out the Knott Foundation's searchable grants database? You can see all the grants we've given based on the year and/or program area. Click here to begin your search.
|
|
Join us and our occasional newsletters to keep updated on the Knott Foundation's activities, funding opportunities, and more. |
|
|
Greetings!
This month we are pleased to highlight Catholic Community at Relay as a grant recipient under the Knott Foundation's focus on Catholic activities. In addition, Kelly Medinger, Program and Communications Associate, recently blogged about how we at the Knott Foundation are measuring our work inside and out. Finally, we highlight recent research and publications pertinent to board member giving in the nonprofit sector and technology in education.
Thank you for your continued readership, and we look forward to staying in touch!
Sincerely,
The Knott Foundation
|
|
|
Grant Spotlight: Catholic Community at Relay
Throughout 2012, we are sharing stories about our grants and grantees. This is the third story in a series of six and features Catholic Community at Relay, the recent recipient of a Catholic activities grant from the Knott Foundation.
Click here to read our story about Catholic Community at Relay. And stay tuned throughout the year for more stories about Knott Foundation grant recipients!
|
|
Measurement Inside and Out
Kelly Medinger, our Program and Communications Associate, recently contributed to the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers "Adventures in Philanthropy" blog about ways the Knott Foundation measures its success.
We often talk about the importance of measuring success in philanthropy.
"If it doesn't get measured, it doesn't get done," is a mantra I learned some time ago. And because grantmaking is such a large part of what we do, we naturally focus on how to measure the impact of our grants in the communities we serve.
Yet my perception is that family philanthropy is somewhat unique in this realm of measurement. Specifically, as a family foundation, we measure ourselves not only on our grantmaking, but also on our family membership and engagement.
Read the rest of the blog post by clicking here.
|
|
Board Member Giving
As a funder, we place a high level of importance on seeing 100% of board members contribute personally to a nonprofit.
Board members' involvement in fundraising plays a significant role in a nonprofit's fundraising success. In a recent article entitled "Majority of Nonprofits Reached Fundraising Goals in 2011," the Chronicle of Philanthropy's Raymund Flandez reports how charities were able to increase their funding in 2011: "Most nonprofits attributed their success to taking advantage of online fundraising tools, relying on diverse sources of money, and encouraging their board members to take their role as fundraisers more seriously."
Part of being a serious fundraiser is committing personally to a cause. Consequently, it is interesting to note that an April 2012 report published by the Nonprofit Research Collaborative found that:
- 35% of nonprofits set a minimum figure for a required donation by board members. The average amount required was $5,000.
- Arts and culture groups were most likely to require a minimum gift (57% did so), whereas religious groups were the least likely to impose such a requirement.
- Education groups requested the highest gift amount from board members, while human service groups requested the lowest.
|
|
DoesTechnology Keep You Up At Night?
A look at the Speak Up 2011 national findings
A recent survey asked school administrators what keeps them up at night. The top responses were "adequate funding" and "staff morale." But the next response, above even "communication with parents," was "the use of technology in instruction."
Does technology keep you up at night? Do you have the data you need to create and inform technology initiatives for 21st century learning that meet students' expectations and needs? Enter Project Tomorrow and the Speak Up National Research Project.
In fall 2011, over 416,000 K-12 students, parents, teachers, and administrators participated in the online Speak Up survey administered by Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit group. The data from this survey is used to inform policy leaders at the national and state levels while also providing individual schools and school systems with a better understanding of issues important to students, parents, and educators about the role of technology for learning in and out of school.
Of particular interest in the Speak Up 2011 National Findings:
- 1 in 10 students in grades 6-12 have sent out a Tweet about an academic topic that interests them.
- 30% of middle school students and 46% of high school students have used Facebook as an impromptu collaboration tool for classroom projects.
- Almost two-thirds of parents (62%) say that if their child's school allowed the use of mobile devices for instructional purposes, it is likely that they would purchase such a device for their child to use at school. This view was nearly identical in low-income (Title 1) and non-Title 1 schools.
Click here to read a full copy of the report. And, if your school is interested in participating in the next Speak Up survey and receiving free access to the findings, please check the Speak Up website this fall when new survey data will again be collected.
|
|
|
|
|
