For this report, ORS Impact interviewed co-funders that nominated nonprofits to participate in Listen4Good, examining the extent to which the feedback program may have led to changes in the funders’ thinking, organizational culture, and practices around feedback. Using data from a larger sample of funders, ORS also tested Fund for Shared Insight’s hypothesis that increased frequency of engagement with Listen4Good leads to more changes or to more meaningful changes among funders.
Among the key findings:
- More than three out of four funders overall reported making changes related to feedback.
- Returning funders, those that nominated nonprofits in more than one Listen4Good cohort, have different experiences than new funders, reporting more concrete changes in feedback practices and being more likely to say that Listen4Good contributed to changes.
- Both new and returning funders mentioned additional benefits of Listen4Good, including their organization’s increased buy-in into the power of feedback; the opportunity to participate in a new/better way of getting feedback; increased funder knowledge and understanding regarding feedback and the capacity needed to do it well: and more activity around closing the loop with clients.
- Most funders overall reported plans to continue their feedback work internally and with their grantees. Many also reported additional feedback work outside of Listen4Good.
- Most funders overall see a relationship between feedback practice and equity, diversity, and inclusion, with the largest share of those funders pointing to a link between feedback and consciously centering clients and valuing their experiences.
Other Insights
- Sarah Stachowiak
- ORS Impact
