Through the Looking Glass: Foundation Evaluation and Learning and the Quest for Strategic Learning

Challenges and Opportunities in Philanthropic Organizational Learning: Reflections From Fellow Grantmakers

“…In their quest to understand strategic learning in philanthropy, Kennedy Leahy, Wegmann, and Nolen (2016) Sector emerged as a clear example of how foundations could best structure these functions" (p. 28). They added that "foundation leaders were seeking an adaptive culture that allowed organizational staff to move beyond structure, whatever form it assumed, to develop strategy that fully leveraged the collective knowledge of the foundation" (p. 34).…”

Evaluating for the Bigger Picture: Breaking Through the Learning and Evaluation Barriers to Advancing Community Systems-Change Field Knowledge

“…Much attention has been given to improving the ability of stakeholders, particularly foundation funders, to be proactive in their learning, including the sharing of failures (Hamilton, et al, 2005;Leahy, Wegmann, & Nolen, 2016). Funders and implementers hold optimistic and ambitious goals for community change -optimism and ambition that often do not make room for planning for failure and unintended consequences.…”

Full Issue #11.2 on Collaborative Learning

“…Much attention has been given to improving the ability of stakeholders, particularly foundation funders, to be proactive in their learning, including the sharing of failures Leahy, Wegmann, & Nolen, 2016). Funders and implementers hold optimistic and ambitious goals for community change -optimism and ambition that often do not make room for planning for failure and unintended consequences.…”