ORS Impact interviewed representatives from the 14 organizations that received grants from Fund for Shared Insight in 2014. The purpose was to capture insights from our grantees to help inform our work. Nearly one year into their grants, our grantee partners were candid about their experiences, challenges, and progress.
Key findings from grantee interviews
- Grantees are making valuable connections with other Shared Insight grantees, particularly those implementing and helping others implement feedback loops
- Rising sense of momentum around the idea of feedback loops, but less so about actual implementation
- Ideas about how to change philanthropic practice around openness are varied — for some, it is top-down, focusing on leadership; for others, it is focusing on program staff
- One noted headwind was that many communications staff at foundations are reluctant to engage in openness conversations
- Some grantees cautioned against a tone that suggests the work around feedback loops are “new” and to avoid appearing exclusive
Some challenging aspects of implementing feedback loops for our grantees are:
- Maintaining quality implementation (including training and prioritizing among staff and volunteers)
- Closing the loop in a meaningful way
- Making sense of feedback
- Ensuring feedback is candid and varied enough to be constructive
- Getting quality information at scale
Other Insights
- Sarah Stachowiak
- ORS Impact
