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Member Survey Results

2012—2015 Strategic Planning

Prepared for:

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The Full Spectrum

How important to you is MCF’s role in: VerySomewha

tNot

Keeping members up to date on current issues and trends, new resources and other information about philanthropy and the community.

81% 18% 2%

Creating networking opportunities with philanthropy peers. 75% 23% 2%

Providing grantmaker education and learning opportunities to build skills and enhance grantmaker effectiveness.

74% 24% 2%

Conducting and disseminating research about grantmaking in Minnesota.

73% 24% 2%

Maintaining principles and practices that build public trust and accountability.

72% 27% 2%

Convening members with nonprofits, government and other public and private sector representatives to discuss community issues.

67% 31% 2%

Engaging in government relations activities that defend the field of philanthropy and create a positive charitable giving climate.

61% 37% 2%

Promoting the expansion of philanthropy in Minnesota. 58% 39% 3%

Promoting diversity and the adoption of inclusive practices to enhance grantmaker impact and effectiveness.

57% 38% 5%

Educating grantmakers about ways to engage in public policy activities to influence societal issues.

51% 41% 8%

Providing grantseeking information and services to nonprofits. 51% 38% 11%

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Top 5 Member Priorities

Role %

1. Keeping members up to date on current issues and trends, new resources and other information about philanthropy and the community.

69%

2. Creating networking opportunities with philanthropy peers. 67%

3. Providing grantmaker education and learning opportunities to build skills and enhance grantmaker effectiveness. 62%

4. Conducting and disseminating research about grantmaking in Minnesota. 50%

5. Convening members with nonprofits, government and other public and private sector representatives to discuss community issues.

44%

Noteworthy: When asked to select no more than 5 most-valued roles, 1 additional role made its way into the top 5: “Convening members with nonprofits, government and other public and private sector representatives to discuss community issues” displaced “Maintaining principles and practices that build public trust and accountability,” which ranked number 5 when measured by proportion of “very important” ratings.

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The Service—Leadership Continuum:

Where Members Fall

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How We Asked the Question

Respondents were told that during strategic planning, MCF’s Board of Directors will explore several strategic priorities, including:

1. deeper engagement in state and federal public policy.

2. promotion of increased diversity/inclusion in philanthropy.

We then asked for respondents’ opinion about how MCF can most effectively serve individual member interests and/or provide field leadership within each of these strategic priorities.

Respondents were asked to review and check all the activities within the defined service—leadership continuum in which they believed MCF should be involved. They were also asked to suggest other ideas, if any.

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The Service—Leadership Continuum

ServiceLeadershi

p

Although respondents were able to select any activities along the service—leadership continuum, their selections favored service over leadership within each of the two strategic priorities.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%Deeper engagement in state and federal public policy

Promotion of increased diversity/inclusivity in phi-lanthropy

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Public Policy

Role %

Strengthen relationships with government officials so the role of philanthropy is well understood. 69%

Continue to defend the field by promoting a positive policy climate that protects the work and growth of the sector. 67%

Serve as a convener and facilitator of member-led, issue-specific coalitions of grantmakers to move their positions forward in the public arena. 59%

Educate and encourage MCF members to explore and actively participate in public policy engagement as the law allows. 57%

Work to initiate state legislation that provides incentives for charitable giving in Minnesota. 49%

Identify and select one or more important broad societal issues (such as education reform, the state budget, etc.) in which the philanthropic field has a vested interest and lead initiatives to advance these issues through advocacy, lobbying, and introduction of legislation.

34%

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Community/Public Foundation

Corporate Foundation or Giving Program

Private Family Foundation

Private Independent Foundation

Public Policy – By Organization Type

Strengthen relationships

with government

officials

Continue to defend the

field

Serve as a convener and

facilitator

Educate and encourage

public policy engagement

Initiate state legislation to

incent philanthropy

Identify and select one or more

important broad societal issues

and lead initiatives to

advance these issues

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Public Policy – By Respondent Role

Strengthen relationships

with government

officials

Continue to defend the

field

Serve as a convener and

facilitator

Educate and encourage

public policy engagement

Initiate state legislation to

incent philanthropy

Identify and select one or more

important broad societal issues

and lead initiatives to

advance these issues

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Additional Strategic Priorities

“Become more accessible and

relevant to younger sector

of the population.”

“The current strategic priorities are ambitious and will keep MCF fully engaged.”

“Expand program access to include individual philanthropists and donor advisors.”

“Convening and imagining around how philanthropy can play an effective role in resolving the challenging social

issues we are facing, especially as government funds become less available for services citizens need and expect. In big or small ways, can we be part of redesign of nonprofit

service delivery, government service delivery, etc.”

“Your plate is full!

Good job.”

“How does MCF activate its member base to promote democratic philanthropy or democratizing the field of philanthropy? How does MCF promote community giving beyond philanthropic institutions i.e. giving circles that present models of philanthropy that are democratic, inclusive, and transforming of power and privilege related to wealth. MCF needs to push philanthropy beyond its own conservatism within the field.”

“I think any work that helps grantmakers understand the value of systems, policy, and environmental change (versus programmatic efforts) will help us achieve greater sustainability of efforts. I also feel that many foundations fear "policy," not realizing that there are many ways to advocate without jeopardizing their status as a foundation. Some education and comfort building is needed here.”

“What has been outlined in the survey will fill the plate. It is better to take the chosen foci and develop a plan of action that can be measured as it is implemented than to do a smattering of activities around various issues.”

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Implications for Strategic Planning

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Implications for Strategic Planning 1. Although public policy involvement and promotion of diversity and

inclusivity are areas of great interest to the board, both are near the bottom of the list in terms of what MCF roles members value most. In light of this, the strategic planning committee may want to consider the following:

a. Integrate diversity and inclusion into all of MCF's practices instead of making it a "special strategic initiative." MCF has been a leader in this area for years and is also currently involved in D5, a field-wide initiative related to this.

b. If MCF decides to champion a particular issue related to public policy, it may want to sequence its activities in a way that "brings the field along," i.e. starting with educating, convening, and networking, roles of MCF favored by members, and then moving into more proactive lobbying and/or introduction of legislation, which are less supported and likely less understood by MCF members.