Last year, the Foundation received a number of recommendations 来自有效慈善中心(CEP)，旨在帮助我们的资助产生更大的影响. CEP的建议是受资助者感知报告的一部分，这是我们通过资助增加影响力的重要数据点.
Many of the recommendations were aligned with changes that were underway, or being developed, by our leadership team. For example, 这些建议指导我们作为工作人员和团队与我们资助的受助人进行不同的接触. 他们还呼吁我们对赠款所服务的领域和社区有更深入的了解, work and live in. Finally, CEP建议更强有力的沟通——从更明确的接触点到更定期的沟通和对受资助者工作的评估数据的积极讨论.
As we near the end of 2017, we wanted to share updates on how we’re addressing the CEP recommendations:
CEP recommendation: 寻求机会让受资助者参与进来，推动和展示对他们的领域有更深的理解，并将受资助者的想法和关注纳入未来的资助策略和方法.
Here’s how we’re doing today: In 2016, we went on a listening tour across the state. That tour, along with other data sources we draw from, prompted us to step back and reflect on how and what we do in grantmaking. 它重新启发了我们如何思考“倾听”向科罗拉多人学习，包括受资助人. In January 2017, we shared how we have changed the program officer role. Now, program officers are spending more time on the ground than ever before, focused in specific geographic regions of the state. We hope that by listening and being present in communities, 科罗拉多州的每个人(尤其是受赠人)都能在我们的工作和组织精神中找到自己的声音.
CEP recommendation: 考虑基金会在哪些方面可以对受赠人的当地社区和背景有更深入的了解, particularly for those working in rural areas.
Here’s how we’re doing today: Our mantra today is that community engagement is both a process and an outcome. We see engaging residents as vital for communities to thrive. 引入新的声音，支持当地的拥护者，挖掘社区的内在力量，有助于创造公平, sustainable and healthy communities. In October, 我们的投资组合主管写了一篇365bet如何努力更深入地了解该州每个地区的社区的最新情况.
CEP recommendation: 确保员工有机会与受资助者接触，以加深对受资助者目标的共同理解, strategies and the challenges their organizations face.
Here’s how we’re doing today: 基金会对我们如何在社区中出现和工作有了全新的理念. 新的理念对拨款产生了深刻的影响:我们从根本上改变了项目官员在全州的工作和运作方式. In a blog post we published back in February, we shared our thought process behind our philosophy: “This is a fundamental shift in who we are, how we show up, who we talk to and who we pay attention to. The shift happens far beyond philanthropy. This is not just a grantmaking strategy. It’s about us changing our DNA, changing our fingerprints.”
CEP recommendation: 促进员工就阻碍的障碍以及如何促进与受资助者建立更牢固的关系进行定期对话, and how these challenges might be addressed.
Here’s how we’re doing today: Throughout 2017, 我们的项目官员参加了一系列学习，重点是帮助我们继续改进我们作为领导者的参与方式和我们的合作方式. 这使工作人员能够花更多的时间考虑如何改进我们的知识基础，以及如何利用我们所学到的知识产生更大的影响. 我们的工作人员也一直在参加各种以政治为重点的培训和教育, economic and cultural aspects in different parts of the state, as well as building content knowledge in our new focus areas.
CEP recommendation: 审查和完善我们的流程，以增加员工过渡期间的连续性和强有力的知识转移.
Here’s how we’re doing today: 今年早些时候，我们重新审视了我们的过渡过程，以确保每一次拨款或投资组合的过渡都是完全清晰的. 员工们也花了更多的时间和精力在他们之间的过渡上，在学习新的工作主体或他们被要求承担的问题上.
CEP recommendation: 努力以可理解和及时的信息与受助人就组织变化进行清晰的沟通.
Here’s how we’re doing today: Timing was in our favor this year, 因为我们的通信团队已经致力于重新设计我们的几个主要通信工具. 我们推出了一个新网站，为那些试图在网上了解我们的人提供了更清晰的沟通. 它包括一个博客，帮助我们更方便、更直接地从我们这些管理某些类型工作的人那里分享信息. 我们还推出了一个互动地图，旨在帮助您按州的区域与项目官员联系. Most importantly, 新的项目官员角色概述了我们如何更清晰、更有规律地沟通. Being available to grantees in their own communities is integral to this.
CEP recommendation: Discuss reports/evaluations with grantees.
Here’s how we’re doing today: 我们致力于及时审查报告，并与受资助者就他们提交的报告进行沟通. 我们也希望尽可能多地在资助过程中分享我们更广泛的成果. Fortunately, 自从我们推出了一个新的网站，专门为组织提供见解，这就变得容易多了. 看看我们是如何分享今年早些时候获得的一个融资机会的.
CEP recommendation: 考虑如何减轻修改计划或项目的压力，以便通过当前的机会获得资金.
Here’s how we’re doing today: 我们正在努力开发更能满足社区需求的融资机会. For example, based on what we heard from Colorado communities, we opened two new funding opportunities 2017年6月截止日期，重点关注行为健康以及移民和难民社区.
While we know there is more to do, 我们仍然致力于分享我们在机遇和改进领域取得的进展. 我们期待着这种持续的进步，也期待着你在此过程中可能产生的任何想法.