New CEP Study Looks at How U.S. Foundations Are Responding to Shift in Presidential Administration
Many questions have been asked about what is changing for foundations and their work in the context of a new U.S. presidential administration. A new CEP study tries to answer these questions involving the CEOs of the largest US grantmaking foundations
26 April 2017
How does a shift in national political context affect foundations and their areas of focus? Have new challenges or opportunities arisen? Should foundations be making changes in their goals, strategies, and grantmaking budgets in response?
Given the volume and prevalence of these conversations, the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) decided to survey foundation leaders about how they are reacting to the new administration, and the degree to which they are making changes as a result. Based on survey responses from 162 CEOs of U.S. independent and community foundations making at least $5 million in grants annually, CEP is releasing today a new report titled Shifting Winds: Foundations Respond to a New Political Context.
Among the data points in the report:
- 48% of respondents believe the change in presidential administration will have a negative effect on their ability to achieve their goals
- Almost three-quarters of foundation CEOs responding to the survey report making, or planning to make, some change in their work as a result of last year’s election
- About two-thirds of CEOs report planning to increase their emphasis on at least one practice in response, the most frequently cited being collaborating with other funders, and advocacy/public policy at the state and/or local level