Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers

By Krysta Oechsle

Graduate Student, Grand Valley State University

Definition

The Regional Association of Grantmakers (RAG) are nonprofit membership associations of private and community foundations, corporations, individuals and others who have made a commitment to strengthening philanthropy in the geographic areas in which they operate, within the United States (Giving Forum 2003).

The Forum of RAGs is a national network of local leaders and organizations across the United States that support effective philanthropic giving. The forum's network focuses on philanthropy in cities, states and multi-state areas, encompassing twenty-eight separate regional associations of grantmakers. These associations represent over 4,000 grantmaking organizations and others who are interested in philanthropy (Ibid.). The forum is legally structured as a supporting organization to the nonprofit Council on Foundations. The forum helps to leverage its collective knowledge and resources to serve the public good and to "enhance, expand and explain philanthropy in (its) regions” (GuideStar 2003).

Historic Roots

While the Forum was officially formed by the Council on Foundations in 1995, its roots date back to 1990. At that time, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation funded a study grant to the Council on Foundations to “assess needs and study ways to increase the organizational capacity of regional associations, and to develop services and materials useful to and needed by all regions” (Giving Forum 2003). That study resulted in a recommendation for a multi-year initiative, focusing on regional infrastructure and enhanced organizational capacity. From this early work came a formal, four-year collaboration called The Regional Initiative. During the initiative, the Council on Foundations worked with twenty-four regional associations and received funding from sixteen foundations and corporations.

Due to the benefits to all regional associations during the initiative, as well as the support it provided, initiative members decided to start a new organization. This became the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers. It was started as a three-year test in 1995 and, in those three years, the forum became highly valued for the resources and services it delivered to the regional associations – making a “permanent future the only goal” (Ibid.). In 1998, the boards of both the forum and the Council on Foundations agreed to approve the formation of the forum as a separate nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For legal purposes, the forum has continued its structure as a supporting organization to the Council on Foundations. While it continues to receive some of its support for general operations from the Council, the forum now has its own board, audits, president, staff, and policies.

Importance

The forum provides a vast array of services to its member regional associations and grantees of New Ventures in Philanthropy (see Key Related Ideas for more on the New Ventures project). Those services include:

• An annual meeting
• Yearly convening of New Ventures grantees
• Monthly conference calls for member associations staff to learn from each other on topics of their choice
• Listservs with quick access to news and information
• Opportunities to collectively benefit from national initiatives and grantmaking projects

They also offer group discount rates on products and services, such as:

• Memberships with national colleague organizations
• Cost savings on publications and other products via the forum’s partnership with the Council on Foundations

In addition, the forum provides funding for strategic assistance to grow new philanthropy in given regions. It also gives support for RAG staff or volunteer travel for organizational development or information-sharing purposes.

Ties to the Philanthropic Sector

The forum links together private philanthropy and government institutions in the United States who share the mission of “improving the lives of people in their communities, states, regions, and country” (Giving Forum 2003). Regional associations play a key role in the process of learning from each other and joining forces to strengthen their communities. Meanwhile they serve in three key capacities: 1) resources for information about philanthropy in their areas; 2) connectors to funders working on public Interest issues; and, conveners of private and public leaders in their regions.

Key Related Ideas

New Ventures in Philanthropy is a multi-year, national initiative of the forum, and aims to “increase permanent philanthropic resources in the United States” (Ibid.). It encourages the creation and growth of philanthropic institutions and grantmaking programs, while developing tools and approaches that can be used by both individuals and organization to promote philanthropy. New Ventures also makes grants to local and regional coalitions who explore “innovative ways to encourage giving” (Ibid.).

Additional related ideas: Associations, grantmaking, regional needs.

Related Nonprofit Organizations

The Aspen Institute seeks to improve the conditions for human well-being by fostering enlightened, responsible leadership and by convening leaders and policymakers to address the structural changes of the new century (Aspen Institute 2003).

The Association of Fundraising Professionals is the professional association for individuals who generate philanthropic support for a wide variety of nonprofit, charitable organizations (Giving Forum 2003).

The Foundation Center is an independent nonprofit information clearinghouse, fostering public understanding of the field of foundations. It does so through collecting, organizing, analyzing and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving and other related subjects (Ibid.).

The Philanthropic Initiative is a nonprofit organization formed to promote the growth of strategic philanthropy (a systematic approach to giving). It provides research and educational programming, as well as practicing strategic philanthropy through consulting services (Ibid.).

Urban Institute is a nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization established in Washington, D.C. The institute’s goals are to sharpen thinking about society's problems and efforts to solve them, improving government decisions and implementation, and increasing the awareness of important public choices for citizens (Ibid.).

Related Web Sites

The Council on Foundations Web site, at http://www.cof.org/, provides a wealth of information through one-on-one technical assistance, research, publications, conferences and workshops, legal services, and a wide array of other services (The Council on Foundations 2003). The council is a nonprofit membership association of grantmaking foundations and corporations.

INDEPENDENT SECTOR Web site, at http://www.independentsector.org/, provides access to information on its publications, members, events, awards, and annual conference, as well as on public policy and issues relevant to the nonprofit sector. IS developed Nonprofit Pathfinder, an online research tool for nonprofits (similar to GuideStar).

The National Council of Nonprofit Associations Web site is located at http://www.ncna.org. NCNA serves as the “eyes, ears and voice” of the state associations, assuring that key national information is disseminated at the local level and local concerns are raised at the national level (NCNA 2003).

National Network of Grantmakers Web site, at http://www.nng.org/, provides information on its services for both funders and practitioners (specifically, grantseekers). The site also informs about available conferences and gatherings. The national network is an organization of individuals involved in funding social and economic justice; they are committed to the goal of increasing resources, financial and otherwise, to organizations working for social change (National Network of Grantmakers 2003).

Bibliography

Aspen Institute. Home Page. [cited 12 May 2003]. Available from http://www.aspeninstitute.org/.

Council on Foundations. Home Page. [cited 12 May 2003]. Available from http://www.cof.org/.

The Giving Forum. Home Page. [cited 10 May 2003]. Available from http://www.givingforum.org/.

GuideStar. Home Page. [cited 2 May 2003]. Available from http://www.guidestar.org/.

INDEPENDENT SECTOR. Home Page. [cited 3 May 2003]. Available from http://www.independentsector.org/.

National Council of Nonprofit Associations. Home Page. [cited 12 May 2003]. Available from http://www.ncna.org/.

The National Network of Grantmakers. Home Page. [cited 12 May 2003]. Available from http://www.nng.org/.

Wiley, Alison. “Community Building and Philanthropy: the Regional Community,” National Civic Review 86 (Winter 1997): 315-324.