Philanthropy and Public Problem Solving

Increasingly, philanthropists and philanthropic institutions are becoming more strategic in their efforts, working to leverage their assets - money, knowledge and networks - to achieve greater results. The Center studies the structures and networks that enable philanthropy to work better together to extend its impact as a field, and the alliances that enable philanthropic organizations and individuals to work with partners in nonprofits, government and business to solve public problems. The Center's Distinguished Speakers Series also provides a venue for nationally recognized leaders to stimulate a conversation on the role that philanthropy can and should play in public problem solving.

The Center's work to date in this area includes the following:

Nonprofit Mergers
Paper: "Why do Nonprofits Merge?" (PDF)

Funding for Capital
Paper: "Foundation Support for Nonprofit Capital Needs in Southern California" (PDF)

Foundations and Public Policymaking
Report (PDF)
Highlights (PDF)
Roundtable on Philanthropy and Health Policymaking - November 10-11, 2003 (PDF)
Papers:

• "Philanthropic Strategies for School Reform: An Analysis of Foundation Choices in Education Policy" (PDF)
• "Elitism, Pluralism, or Resource Dependency: Patterns of Environmental Philanthropy Among Private Foundations in California" (PDF)
• "Strategic Philanthropy, Land Conservation Governance, and the Packard Foundation's Conserving California Landscape Initiative" (PDF)
• "Foundation Engagement in Education Policymaking: Assessing Philanthropic Support of School Choice Initiatives" (PDF)
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• "Looking for High Leverage: The Changing Context of Foundation Engagement in Wetlands and Habitat Protection" (PDF)
• "The Role of Foundations in Shaping Health Policy: Lessons from Efforts to Expand and Preserve Health Insurance Coverage" (PDF)
• "Critical Junctures: Philanthropic Associations as Policy Actors" (PDF)
• "Private Foundations and Policymaking: Latitude Under Federal Tax Law" (PDF)
• "Foundations and Public Policymaking: A Historical Perspective" (PDF)
• "Foundations and Public Policymaking: A Conceptual Framework" (PDF)

Leveraging Assets for Public Problem Solving
Forum - May 13-14, 2002 (PDF)
Paper: "Foundation Collaborations: Incubators for Change?" (PDF)