What’s the right relationship between philanthropy and government?
(5-19-10) In a recent survey, GrantCraft shared reflections from eight foundation leaders on this question, then asked others to weigh in. Over 1,500 of you responded, including many stakeholders in philanthropy, nonprofits, and government. A report is now available outlining the results. From GrantCraft:
It’s practically a given these days that philanthropy and government ought to work together. But what should the relationship look like? How can grantmakers collaborate formally or informally with partners in government to advance the common good? And does everyone think this is such a good idea?
To explore those questions, we invited eight foundation leaders to reflect on the current state of foundation-government collaboration and asked GrantCraft readers to say which statements resonated for them. Well over 1,500 people completed the online survey — and a majority took the time to write substantive responses. That fact alone confirms our view that collaborating with government is very much on the minds of grantmakers in all kinds of foundations.
The quotations from foundation leaders clearly got people thinking, so we’ve decided to share them again in the next few pages. We’ve also attempted to distill the outpouring of advice and practical wisdom that came back — mainly from grantmakers, but from experienced government and nonprofit partners, as well.