The Minnesota Council on Foundations publishes a “Philanthropy and the Public Trust” series to offer insight into a variety of concerns in the nonprofit sector. In one of its recent publications, Principles for Grantmakers, the Council issued a list of guidelines for public policy engagement, especially as it applies to grantmakers. The list of guidelines includes: We advocate publicly for issues that relate to our mission and values, or to support such efforts, or advocate for the interests of the charitable sector, within the limits of the law. (If we are a public foundation): We are able to participate in activities that private foundations may engage in, but we may also be engaged in proposed legislation or other public policies affecting the communities and constituencies we serve through grantmaking or other programs, within the limits of the law. We convene community leaders, nonprofits, government and other funders doing similar work to learn from each other and identify promising ideas. We provide technical assistance to grantees and other nonprofits, taking care to balance potential ethical dilemmas. We acknowledge and work with grant applicants to minimize the effects of the imbalance of power in grantee/grantor relationships. We seek candid feedback on our organization’s performance from current and former grantees and denied applicants. We respond to and act promptly on complaints. We use program and grant evaluation information to improve community outcomes. We share successes, failures and lessons learned internally and externally, as appropriate.
Posted in Political Organizing
