Springing into Action: What’s Next for GrantCraft?

At 12:01 am February 1, we flipped the switch and GrantCraft officially began operation as a joint project of the Foundation Center in New York and the European Foundation Centre in Brussels.  Since then, you have been hearing news about GrantCraft’s transition from the Ford Foundation, making your voice heard in surveys, and learning about some of our long-term plans for the future. Now we’re eager to add to your “bricoleurs toolbox.” So what can GrantCraft fans expect to see next?

GrantCraft in Arabic! – More and more, GrantCraft is embracing a global perspective that reflects the diversity of the grantmaking community. GrantCraft materials were originally developed in English but have since been translated into German, French, Russian, Spanish, and Japanese.  In partnership with the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at the American University in Cairo, Arabic has now been added to the list. This is a part of the Arab Encyclopedia on Philanthropy, a joint initiative of the Gerhart Center and the Arab Foundations Forum to create an online resource dedicated to the principles and practice of effective philanthropy. Be on the lookout for these new guides – and an updated home for all our translations – in the coming weeks.

“Learning When There’s No Time to Learn” – This will be a short publication responding to the dilemma faced by foundation staff who frequently tell us that “the work” crowds out time that could be used for reflections and learning.  It will offer practical advice on how to build learning into the culture of a foundation in a way that makes best use of a grantmaker’s most precious commodity: time.

“Scanning the Landscape 2.0” – One of GrantCraft’s most popular guides has been “Scanning the Landscape:  Finding out what’s going on in your field.”  The original version was written at a time when “mapping” meant a consultant’s report, not Geographic Information Systems. The landscape has changed, and the GrantCraft community told us in a recent poll that they are ready for version 2.0.  This revised guide will discuss how foundations can get the information they need to launch new initiatives in the digital age by using tools like the Foundation Center’s own Philanthropy In/Sight®.  Reflecting the new transatlantic partnership that is GrantCraft, version 2.0 will also include insights gleaned from the practice of European foundations. Many of these operate programs rather than make grants, but still face the same challenges of getting the right information in the crucial scanning stage. These are a few of the things in the works at GrantCraft. Let us know what you think by adding your comment below, and stay tuned!