Andy Mendez, MBA Core Fellow, conducts literature review

Andy, an MBA student and Research Fellow with SIF, has been conducting a literature review on the concepts SIF’s peer-learning cohort, CORE, has been exploring over the length of their 18 month initiative. Andy's research has helped uncover evidence and examples which highlight the gaps in the national conversation about place-based social impact work. 

Cardona, C. C., Reich, K. R., & Smith Milway, K. S. M. (2019). What It Really Takes to Influence Funder Practice. Ford Foundation. https://doi.org/10.15868/socialsector.35895

• In this paper from the Ford Foundation, the authors suggest that funder education efforts have successfully led to increased awareness of more equitable practices. Unfortunately, in many cases, this awareness has not translated into tangible changes in grant-making practices. Through an examination of six case studies, the authors identify four elements of funder-influence initiatives that have successfully increased adoption of equitable funding practices. 

Roadblock Analysis Report: An Analysis of What Goes Wrong in Impact-Focused Projects. (2018). Open Road Alliance. https://openroadalliance.org/wp content/uploads/2020/07/ORA-RoadblockAnalysis-DigitalPDF-Final-4.23.18.pdf 

• This report is, to my knowledge, the first comprehensive evaluation of factors impeding the success of projects led by social impact organizations. Of the many findings discussed in this report, the finding of most interest is this one: funder-created obstacles account for 46% of roadblocks, with rare exceptions. This finding suggests that funder behavior is directly contributing to the disruption of social impact initiatives, making the work of funder education all the more urgent. 

Kim, C. D., Jeff Bradach, Peter. (2022). Racial Equity and Philanthropy: Disparities in Funding for Leaders of Color Leave Impact on the Table. The Bridgespan Group. https://www.bridgespan.org/insights/library/philanthropy/disparities-nonprofit-funding-for-leaders-of-color

• The article not only highlights important statistics in regards to the funding gap between white and black leaders, but makes the case that philanthropic dollars cannot effectively address social issues without properly taking the effects of structural racism into account.