2022 CEP Results

 
Dear Community Partner,

I am a firm believer in the power of listening to community and making data-driven decisions. Most often, foundations focus on analyzing grantee data regarding the efficacy and impact of nonprofit organizations' work in community. Yet, we too must pause and take stock of the effectiveness of our organization.

When I joined Moses Taylor Foundation earlier this year, I was excited to learn that data from a second Grantee Perception Survey was being analyzed by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP). The purpose of the survey was to assess the Foundation’s impact, communications, and processes to help us improve our effectiveness. The survey captured anonymous data from 55 active grantees and compared that data to results from the initial 2017 survey, as well as a comparison group of similar foundations from across the country.

I am proud to be part of an organization focused on continuous improvement and to share with you a brief summary of the findings from the most recent survey. A copy of the full report can be accessed below.

Areas of Significant Improvement

  • Grant selection process that strengthens the organization/program funded
  • Understanding of the local community
  • Straightforward, relevant reporting process that gives grantees an opportunity to reflect and learn
  • Advanced the state of knowledge in the fields in which our grantees focus

Areas of Continued Strength

  • Openness to ideas from grantees
  • Transparency and candor
  • Impact on local community and understanding of beneficiaries’ needs
  • Awareness of challenges faced by organizations, including social, cultural, and socioeconomic factors; and funding priorities that reflect understanding of these challenges

Areas of Potential Opportunity

  • Deepen contributions to discussions related to evaluating the work funded
  • Increase unrestricted and/or multi-year funding
  • Make space for proactive and/or more consistent outreach and communications

Whether or not you participated in the survey or have ever received funding from the Foundation, I am always eager to hear your feedback regarding how Moses Taylor Foundation can further advance our mission to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me any time at dbreslin@mosestaylorfoundation.org.

With gratitude,

 
 
 
Danielle Breslin
President and CEO
Moses Taylor Foundation
 

2022

Click here to read our full 2022 report from
The Center for Effective Philanthropy  

2018

Click here to read our full 2018 report from
The Center for Effective Philanthropy

Listen for Good Gathering

We're proud to be representing Scranton at Fund for Shared Insight's 2018 Listen for Good Gathering in Houston, Texas. Moses Taylor Foundation nominated these 5 local organizations, who are now the first (and only!) Listen for Good grantees in the state of Pennsylvania. Read more here: https://conta.cc/2EsHOLK #FeedbackEmpowers

Pictured above: Stig Fromm, United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties; Jane Augustine, EOTC; Ryan Zarkesh, United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Gus Fahey, United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Nancy Perri, Women's Resource Center; Jeff Smith, Moses Taylor Foundation; Anna Faramelli, Women's Resource Center. Kneeling: Tiffany Elkins, The Wright Center For Primary Care; Linda Ciampi, EOTC; Kellen Kraky, The Wright Center For Primary Care

 

CEP Results

Good morning,
Last fall we engaged The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) to survey the 90 organizations we have funded to date and an additional 85 organizations that have applied to the Foundation. We were eager to hear your feedback on the Foundation’s grantmaking approach, impact and your interactions with our team. An amazing 82% of our grantees and 48% of applicants responded—some of the highest results CEP has received. Thank you!
Our board and staff have taken time to carefully review your feedback to understand what we are doing well and what we can improve. Below is a summary of the feedback you provided and changes we’re making in response.
Your feedback comes at a critical time. We are in the process of creating our first strategic plan. While we are still determining our future direction, we’d like to share where we are and how we’re using your feedback to help us determine what’s next. If you’re interested in learning more, please join us for a webinar to continue the conversation.
In a few years we will repeat the CEP survey to gauge our progress. However, we always welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how we can work better together. We can only achieve our mission through authentic partnerships with organizations like yours. Thank you for working with us to improve our region’s health.
In partnership,
 
What you said we're doing well:
What you encouraged us to improve:
Some recommendations are not feasible at this time given our grantmaking priorities. Here are the changes we are implementing in response to your feedback:
Interested in continuing the discussion? Register for one of our upcoming webinars:
Click here to read our full report from The Center for Effective Philanthropy

Listen for Good

Five local nonprofits have put Northeast Pennsylvania on the map! Through the national Listen for Good Initiative, EOTC, The Wright Center for Primary Care, United Neighborhood Centers, United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties and Women’s Resource Center will each receive technical assistance and a $45,000 grant over two years to improve methods for collecting and incorporating feedback from their clients to enhance service delivery.
As the local sponsor, Moses Taylor Foundation will award each grantee $15,000 with the remaining $30,000 funded by Listen for Good. In its 3rd year of operation, Listen for Good has awarded over $4.7 million to 159 partners. These five NEPA grantees are the first in Pennsylvania!
          
Listen for Good is the signature feedback initiative of The Fund for Shared Insight. Administered by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the Fund is a collaborative of 12 core funders including Ford Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
In partnership with local foundations across the country, the Fund works to improve foundation practice and nonprofit results. 

159 organizations nationwide have received Listen for Good grants.

The Scranton area now has the only 5 recipients in Pennsylvania.

Listen for Good was designed to build the practice of feedback loops in the social sector and philanthropy, especially aiming to amplify the voices of those least heard. Closing feedback loops is a wide-spread practice in business. It drives product development and adjustment in services offered in almost every industry, including healthcare. With finite resources and escalating need, mission-driven nonprofits can incorporate these vital practices to determine how to best serve their communities.

Feedback loop:
provides information about your work in real time; identifies opportunities to change, improve, and enhance; pushes toward improved outcomes
"We are excited to leverage our resources to bring this national funding in support of nonprofits to our region. We look forward to sharing what our partners learn over the next two years."
--LaTida Smith, President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation