Drowning in Paperwork, Distracted from Purpose
June 25, 2009
Our sector faces an effectiveness paradox. Funders, striving to be strategic and diligent, adopt what seem like sensible application and reporting requirements. But these practices - multiplied by thousands of grantmakers - place a heavy burden on organizations seeking funding, hampering their ability to be efficient with their time and effective in their missions.
Project Streamline, a collaboration of eight prominent grantmaking and grant seeking organizations, has, for the last two years, been exploring ways to improve grant application and reporting practices. Their research suggests four core principles that grantmakers can adopt to relieve the burden on nonprofits. Based on feedback from funders and grantees across the country, Project Streamline participants are in the process of developing a range of concrete practices that funders may want to adopt.
This session provided an opportunity for funders and nonprofits to learn more about these core principles and recommended practices and then to discuss in small groups the challenges and opportunities for streamlining grantee application, monitoring and reporting requirements here in Arizona.
Facilitator: Catherine Downs is a senior consultant with The Crescent Group, a New Orleans based firm that focuses on non-profit governance and management. Her company provides administrative support to the Grants Management Network. Prior to her work as a consultant, Catherine was an associate at the law firm of Lord, Bissell & Brook in Chicago, IL where she practiced corporate law.
Click here to view the PowerPoint that accompanied this presentation.
Thanks to 
for sponsoring this program.
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