Evaluating the difference your nonprofit is making
The National Council of Nonprofits encourages nonprofits to embrace a culture that supports evaluating the difference your nonprofit is making. This requires first identifying “what does success look like?” Then making a plan that will get you there, and collecting information along the way to evaluate whether your nonprofit’s progress is actually getting you closer […]
Basic Guide to Program Evaluation
Adapted from Carter McNamara’s Field Guide to Nonprofit Program Design, Marketing and Evaluation, this is an excellent introduction to evaluation.
Causes Count: The Economic Power of California’s Nonprofit Sector
CalNonprofits report Causes Count is the first report of its kind to examine the nonprofit sector’s scope, activities and economic impact in the state of California. While some regional research about nonprofits has been conducted, the present state of knowledge about the California nonprofit sector as a whole is extremely limited at best. This study […]
Nonprofit Explorer
Research tool developed by ProPublica In April 2013, the IRS released structured data culled from the tax returns of almost 616,000 tax-exempt organizations. ProPublica has created this database which you can use to find organizations and see details like their executive compensation, revenue and expenses, as well as download their tax filings going back as […]
Science of Philanthropy Initiative
Evidence-based research on charitable giving The Science of Philanthropy Initiative (SPI) is a research and outreach project that utilizes rigorous quantitative methods and partnerships with the philanthropic community to explore the motivations behind charitable giving. Funded by a generous grant from The John Templeton Foundation, the overarching goal of SPI is to develop a deeper […]
A History of Modern Philanthropy
500 years of philanthropic history Philanthropy has a global history that goes back centuries. The National Philanthropic Trust has created a website A History of Modern Philanthropy to illuminate that history. The site categorizes giving in five separate time periods between 1500 and the present and uses more than 200 audio and visual files to […]
California Foundation Stats
California Foundation Stats database This online dashboard of statewide foundation giving offers key statistics for California institutional philanthropy. Using this tool you can review the overall philanthropic landscape, identify the top funders in a particular field or region and discover the major funders in your area.
The Human Needs Index
The Human Needs Index (HNI), offers a multidimensional way to measure poverty and its effects. Prepared quarterly by The Salvation Army in partnership with Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy using data amassed since 2004, the HNI provides the clearest illumination yet of trends in poverty and vulnerability. It is a critical tool for […]
