Giving Compass' Take:

• Innovative grantmaking can happen as long as funders stay open to diverse perspectives and new ideas.

• Who are donors known for innovative grantmaking methods? What can we learn from them?

• Read about participatory grantmaking: shifting power to community-led funding. 

A colleague of mine recently forwarded a query from a funder that was looking to be more innovative in its grantmaking. This funder asked several questions of colleagues, such as:

  • How many grantmaking staff do you have?
  • How many grant cycles do you conduct each year?
  • Do you offer grants for programs? Operations? Capacity building?

As I considered this list, I confess I grew a bit frustrated. The person asking the questions was truly interested in being innovative, but the questions were all wrong. They were confined to the realm of what’s “normal” and what’s currently happening, rather than what was possible or wildly different. In addition, he’d only asked other funders, not anyone outside the field. Not surprisingly, the answers he received were all pretty much what you’d expect.

By asking provocative questions to a wide variety of people, you’ll get a broader range of answers, experiences and perspectives. They won’t all align with your mission and strategy, but they will absolutely get you thinking about your work in new and different ways. And that is the seed of all things innovative.

Read the full article about grantmaking by Kris Putnam-Walkerly at Putnam Consulting Group.