Funders Invited to Participate in Groundbreaking Research Project

April 7, 2022

Funders Invited to Participate in Groundbreaking Research Project

A partnership of funders and nonprofits are launching a national research project this spring to determine the state of strategic volunteer engagement in the social sector. Jane Leighty Justis, President of The Leighty Foundation and member of Philanthropy Colorado, is encouraging her foundation peers to participate in this groundbreaking endeavor.

The Leighty Foundation, the Lodestar Foundation, VolunteerMatch, The National Alliance for Volunteer Engagement and the UJA Federation of New York are sponsoring two surveys – one of funders and one of nonprofits. Independent Sector is providing technical assistance.

The partnership has engaged the Do Good Instituteat the University of Maryland to conduct the surveys. This study is breaking new ground by surveying funders as well as nonprofits, and providing unique data to compare and contrast both sectors. Sign up now to participate in the funders survey.

The partnership sees from experience and research that a nonprofit’s ability to mobilize volunteer resources effectively is critical to how organizations thrive and better fulfill their missions. Few funders, though, are focused on the importance of volunteer capacity and how it directly impacts the performance of their grant partners.

This research project will create baseline data about the gaps and disconnects in the field. The funding partners will use the research findings to propel a national conversation about philanthropic support and nonprofit adoption of strategic volunteer engagement. Sign up now to participate in the funders survey.

Please contact The Leighty Foundation’s co-initiative managers for more information about the surveys or the funding partnership – Betsy McFarland, betsy@theleightyfoundation.org, or Jeff Glebocki, jeff@strategyplusaction.com.