At 50, the Foundation Center Transforms Itself
for the Future of Philanthropy
With a new strategic plan and a new image, Foundation Center aims to be
“anytime, anywhere” service hub for the sector
NEW YORK, NY – March 15, 2006. As nonprofits face funding difficulties and foundations strive to demonstrate their value to society, the Foundation Center has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform itself into a next-generation service provider for what it calls a new era of U.S. philanthropy. Having established itself over the past five decades as the nation’s leading authority on grantmakers and their grants, the Center has embarked on a new strategic plan that will position it to be responsive to the rapidly changing needs of groups engaged in serving the public good.
“Simply put, we are transforming the Foundation Center to meet the challenges facing the philanthropic sector in the 21st Century,” said Sara Engelhardt, the organization’s president. “If we are to help our field advance, we must become more agile, more accessible, and more connected to our diverse audiences.”
The Center’s plan is now available at its newly redesigned web site, which launches today at foundationcenter.org. The new site makes it easier for visitors to find funders, download the latest philanthropy news and research, register for classes, and much more. It embodies the Center’s new brand identity, a creative concept built around the tagline, Knowledge to build on. The new identity gives the Foundation Center—a nonprofit organization with its roots in reference books and libraries—a fresh platform for its web-based offerings and a springboard for launching new services this year in conjunction with its 50th anniversary.
Next-generation services
Government cutbacks have intensified competition for shrinking resources among an expanding universe of nonprofits. Increased scrutiny of foundation effectiveness by the media and policymakers has elevated issues of transparency and accountability. And an Internet-driven marketplace is demanding direct access to information and analysis. These and other developments have spurred the Foundation Center’s new strategic plan to meet philanthropy’s future needs. Three “next-generation” initiatives will expand the breadth, depth, and accessibility of the Foundation Center’s services:
21st Century Information Services. A new, multi-faceted service bureau will collect and distribute more in-depth and timely information on all types of grantmaking organizations and on the nonprofits they support. Information will be available in a wider range of formats and more accessible to a variety of audiences through new licensing, data-on-demand, and data management services.
New Knowledge for the Field. Building on its extensive data and its valued role as an objective interpreter of the field, the Center will expand its research capabilities by undertaking new trend analyses, research studies, and surveys on more facets of organized philanthropy—to fill gaps in knowledge, provide insights into future directions, and shed light on matters of practice, policy, and other emerging issues.
Expanded Services for Nonprofits. The Center will expand its network of information and education services to enhance the effectiveness of the nation’s nonprofits, particularly those that are under-resourced. Building on its base of five regional learning centers, nearly 250 Cooperating Collections nationwide, and a web site that serves more than 37,000 daily visitors, the Center will extend “anytime, anywhere” access to new learning tools, forums for grantseekers and grantmakers, and 24/7 online reference services.
In addition, the Foundation Center will conduct wide outreach to promote its next-generation services and to raise awareness of how its information, research, and education services can foster greater understanding of philanthropy and its impact on people and communities in the U.S. and around the world.
Knowledge to build on
The Foundation Center’s new brand identity represents a significant milestone in the organization’s history, further signifying its evolution as a next-generation service provider for the field. The new identity, developed by Bemporad Baranowski Marketing Group, updates and unifies the look and feel of the organization’s wide array of products and service offerings. “What we have affirmed in talking to our customers, our partners, and our employees is that we are not simply a data provider,” said Ms. Engelhardt. “We are a hub, connecting people, helping them build skill sets, stimulating a dialogue about the issues. Our new tagline, Knowledge to build on, captures our unique promise and declares what drives us,” she continued. “Our mission has always been to advance knowledge about U.S. philanthropy—through authoritative information, leading research, educational programs, and bringing people together. It’s about helping foundations and the nonprofits they support increase the impact of their good work. Our new brand identity will not only help us promote our services and connect with our audiences, it will help us advance our vision for philanthropy’s future.”
Celebrating 50 years of service to the field
The release of the Center’s new strategic plan, redesigned web site, and new brand identity kicks off a momentous year for the organization as it gears up to celebrate its 50th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the Center has mounted a year-long outreach campaign featuring new products and reports, a commemorative publication, and special interviews in its daily online news service, Philanthropy News Digest. A series of events at each of the Center’s regional learning centers will culminate this November with a gala at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in New York City.
Over the 50-year period since the Center was founded, U.S. philanthropy has evolved into a large, sophisticated, influential segment of the economy. Today it comprises 80,000+ grantmaking organizations that help support the work of over 837,000 nonprofits with combined assets of over $1.7 trillion. As a source of accurate, useful information about U.S. grantmakers, the Center has played a pivotal role in the sector’s evolution to date. With the development of its next-generation services now under way, the organization is poised to help philanthropy meet the challenges of the next half-century.
AT A GLANCE
At 50: Next-Generation Foundation Center
The Foundation Center, the nation’s leading authority on U.S. grantmaking, today unveiled a plan to create next-generation “anytime, anywhere” services to advance philanthropy over the next 50 years. Highlights include:
- 21st Century Information Services. A new customer-focused service bureau makes it easier for the Foundation Center to provide more in-depth and timely information on grantmakers and the nonprofits they fund. New services, including data-on-demand and content licensing, extend access to diverse audiences.
- New Knowledge for the Field. To shed light on organized philanthropy, the Center will greatly expand its research capabilities, issuing new trend analyses, studies, and surveys on many facets of the field, including matters of practice, policy, and other emerging issues.
- Expanded Services for Nonprofits. Whether on-site or online, the Foundation Center is making it easier for the nation’s nonprofits, particularly under-resourced groups, to increase their effectiveness with “anytime, anywhere” access to new learning tools and reference services.
- New Web Site. A design overhaul plus a streamlined navigation system make the Center’s new web site a more inviting place to visit. To learn more, visit: foundationcenter.org.
- New Brand Identity. A new visual identity and a new tagline, Knowledge to build on, serve to update and unify the Foundation Center’s image as it launches its new services and initiatives.
- 50th Anniversary. A year-long celebration of the organization’s 50 years of service to philanthropy will feature new products and reports, online interviews in Philanthropy News Digest, and special events, culminating in a gala in November at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City.
EDITOR’S NOTE: HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES AND LOGO ART FILES OF THE FOUNDATION CENTER’S NEW IDENTITY ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
About the Foundation Center
Established in 1956, and today supported by more
than 600 foundations, the Foundation Center is the nation’s leading authority on philanthropy, connecting nonprofits and the grantmakers supporting them to tools they can use and information they can trust. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. grantmakers and their grants—a
robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research,
education, and training programs designed to advance philanthropy at every
level. More than 37,000 people visit its web site each day, and thousands
more are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its national
network of nearly 250 Cooperating Collections. For more information, please
visit foundationcenter.org or call 212-620-4230.
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