Offering demographics, case studies, strategic funding initiatives, theoretical analyses, and original research, Effective Philanthropy convincingly documents how stale conventions and old habits—what the authors call “Norm”—undermine innovation. By “Naming Norm” and institutionalizing what the book calls “deep diversity,” organizations can cut through the dead wood of unnamed assumptions and learn to tap “differences that divide us”—race, class, gender, sexual orientation, geography, age, religion, physical ability, and others—to become more effective. In turn, organizations gain access to a wider range of available resources, both inside and outside their doors.
The book describes detailed case studies of effective foundations and model programs that have moved beyond “doing the right thing” to become vital, healthy, learning organizations. Among organizations and programs featured are The California Wellness Foundation, the Otto Bremer Foundation, the Philadelphia Foundation, the Ms. Foundation for Women’s Collaborative Fund for Women’s Economic Development, and programs for women and girls funded by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay.