Date of Award

4-1994

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Leadership Studies

Abstract

Founded in 1968, the Community Foundation is a philanthropic endowment serving the Greater Richmond and Central Virginia community. ...in the Foundation's 1992 Annual Report they write, "We exist to help individuals, corporations, and other foundations achieve their own unique ideas about community philanthropy. We provide permanent stewardship, efficient administration, and the opportunity for our benefactors to remain active in their giving." ...over 400 localities across the nation have created similar foundations that cumulatively manage $8 billion in assets. In 1992, The Community Foundation made grant commitments totalling $1,352,232 to 193 agencies in Greater Richmond and Central Virginia and has approximately $15 million in total assets.

My specific project with The Community Foundation involved assessing their grant-making policies and procedures through input from recent grant applicants. It was decided that an evaluative grant applicant survey would serve as the best means to this end, and the Foundation staff obtained a copy of a similar survey from The Chicago Community Trust to refine and adapt to their specific needs. Through questions covering the pre-application, application, and post-application periods as well as overall perceptions of the Foundation, it was felt that the Foundation could not only gain a more realistic view of their perceived effectiveness and responsiveness in the Greater Richmond and Central Virginia community, but also take the information gained from this inquiry for future policy formulation and strategic planning purposes.

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