National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) “Criteria for Philanthropy at its Best”

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) has recently prepared a report entitled “Criteria for Philanthropy at Its Best: Benchmarks to Assess and Enhance Grantmaker Impact”.  The report is geared towards US foundations but is equally relevant to Canadian foundations.  It will no doubt be controversial. 

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) has recently prepared a report entitled “Criteria for Philanthropy at its Best”.
The report covers in the first section values.  Then secondly effectiveness and thirdly ethics.  Here are some of the the suggestions from the report:

Criterion II: Effectiveness
A grantmaker practicing Philanthropy at Its Best serves the public good by investing in the health, growth and effectiveness of its nonprofit partners.
a) Provides at least 50 percent of its grant dollars for general operating support
b) Provides at least 50 percent of its grant dollars as multi-year grants
c) Ensures that the time to apply for and report on the grant is commensurate with grant size

Criterion III: Ethics — At A Glance
A grantmaker practicing Philanthropy at Its Best serves the public good by demonstrating accountability and transparency to the public, its grantees and constituents.
a) Maintains an engaged board of at least five people who include among them a diversity of perspectives—including of the communities it serves—and who serve without compensation
b) Maintains policies and practices that support ethical behavior
c) Discloses information freely

The full report is located at http://www.ncrp.org/files/paib-fulldoc_lowres.pdf