Being the Change: 12 ways foundations are transforming themselves to transform their impact

Published by: FSG Australia. April 2018. 80 pages.

Authors: Abigail Stevenson, Valerie Bockstette, Andria Seneviratne, Miya Cain, and Tracy Foster

To achieve meaningful impact at scale, many foundations are aiming to in influence the actions and investments of the public and private sectors, as well as address the complex and deeply entrenched conditions that hold social problems in place. To do so, foundations are not only offering grant funding, but are also expanding how they apply their assets, knowledge, skills, networks, and people in new ways.

There is a wealth of information on how to adapt strategies to create impact at scale and to change systems; however, less has been written about what internal practices are needed to make this happen. To find out, FSG interviewed 114 practitioners representing 50 funders and 8 philanthropic services organisations that have gone through or advised internal transformation. Regardless of the scale of budgets, it was agreed that new practices are needed in the areas of staffing, philosophy, structure and design, skill development, and supportive culture.