With a strategy focused on disadvantaged children, The Atlantic Philanthropies has partnered with MetisNet on a project surrounding the youth development field. On behalf of Atlantic, Chris Sturgis studied how to strengthen the field, identifying ways in which funders can work more effectively with intermediaries and what the real implications are of strategic grantmaking.
Specifically, the work concluded that foundations engaged in strategic grantmaking should consider supporting strategic alliances rather than individual national organizations. Funders attempting to shape policies at the state and federal levels must 1) fund two or more cities per state, and 2) include base-building in the initial stages of local investments. As a result, Atlantic — and the youth development community as a whole — has a better understanding of strategic grantmaking.
Review a paper on the subject written by C. Sturgis (MetisNet) and J.D. Hoye (Keep the Change):
