Buteau, E., Marotta, S., Martin, H., Orensten, N., & Gehling, K. (2020). New Attitudes, Old Practices: The Provision of Multiyear General Operating Support. Cambridge, MA: Center for Effective Philanthropy. https://cep.org/portfolio/new-attitudes-old-practices/
From the website of the Center for Effective Philanthropy:
“Multiyear general operating support (GOS) provides nonprofits with the flexibility to use funds to fulfill their missions and the ability to plan for the long-term sustainability of their organizations, programs, and services. Nonprofit leaders have long called for multiyear GOS grants, and advocates in philanthropy have increasingly argued that providing multiyear GOS constitutes good grantmaking practice.
So why is it, then, that so few foundations provide this type of support?
New Attitudes, Old Practices: The Provision of Multiyear General Operating Support examines the state of practice in philanthropy regarding multiyear GOS. Findings of this study reveal a sobering disconnect between attitudes of foundation leaders and the experience of nonprofits, as well as a similar disconnect between the attitudes of foundation CEOs themselves and their foundations’ practices.
Findings in the report are based on survey responses from 168 foundation CEOs and 105 program officers of private and community foundations giving at least $5 million annually; survey responses from 212 nonprofit leaders; and 24 in-depth interviews with leaders at foundations that provide more multiyear GOS than typical, have significantly increased the proportion of grantees receiving multiyear GOS over time, or both. The data for this study was collected prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Read the report (external link)
Also, see the companion pieces:
- Making the Case(external link), featuring profiles of five foundations in this research project;
- Making it Happen (external link), a conversation guide for foundation leaders to start thinking about general operating grants
