Click here to listen to the recent KQED program on youth and Adventure Education.
The Stewardship Council develops it annual grantmaking plan based on research available and from feedback we receive from our grantseekers and grantees. In 2007, we conducted our first Grantseeker Survey to understand lessons learned in our first three years of grantmaking and from feedback provided by our grantseekers and grant award winners as expressed in the 2007 Grantseeker Survey. A summary of the survey is available below.
On the Right Track
Grant applicants overwhelmingly agree—90%—that the Stewardship Council is on the right track with its grantmaking strategy. Ninety-two percent indicated that they believe the Council is addressing an important need in their community.
Council’s Outreach is Effective
The Stewardship Council has devoted significant resources to its outreach to potential applicants, and survey findings indicate that this attention has paid off. One applicant described the Council’s success in outreach as the reason the grantmaking is as competitive as it is – approximately six applications for every grant made. The survey found that the most common way applicants learned of the Council was through communications from the Stewardship Council itself. Fifty-nine percent of the 142 respondents originally learned about the Council through outreach meetings (21%), electronic communications (23%) or a physical mailing (16%). Thirty-five percent reported learning about the Council through a colleague in the environmental/outdoor education field. Seven respondents (5%) found the Council through the Foundation Center.
High Ratings on Responsiveness
A strong majority of applicants agree that the Council is clear in communicating its grant program guidelines and agree that the Council was responsive to their questions and requests (92% and 90% respectively). Ninety-four percent (94%) felt comfortable approaching the Council if they had a problem.
More Communication Desired
Although high numbers of applicants believe that the Council communicates well, a smaller majority agree that the Council kept their organization informed of the progress of their grant request— 78%. Although Council’s outreach and communication is on the whole positive, this less effusive response to the Council is in line with the unusually high number of comments made regarding unsuccessful attempts to contact Council staff, via both email and phone. Many unsuccessful applicants wanted feedback on their proposals and were frustrated that they could not get this. Due to the high number of applications received, the Council is not in a position to confer with each applicant about their proposal. However, steps to be more transparent about the decision-making process could help remedy some frustration.
Applicants Feel Process is Fair
Survey findings indicate that the grantee selection process works well. Eighty two percent (82%) of all respondents were satisfied with the application process, and 87% agree that the Council treated their organization fairly. Even 86% of those that were denied grants believed that they were treated fairly (while 92% of those receiving grants believed so). It is also worth pointing out (although not surprising) that those applicants who were denied funding were less agreeable in general about the Council’s responsiveness and communications than those that received grants.
Simple Application Process, but Dissatisfaction with Cybergrants
Survey respondents reported many glitches and frustrations with the online application process such as losing data, problems uploading documents, inability to save input, or word limitations (some reported improvements from their first time applying however). Interestingly, applicants agreed that the process was easy to navigate and was simple (87% and 85% respectively), but comments about the glitches and limitations pervaded nonetheless.
A large majority (81%) also agreed that the process was about the same or just as simple as applying to other foundations.
Cultural Relevance is a Priority for Many Applicants
The Council has been grappling with what it should expect of its grantees and their cultural relevance to the populations they serve and work with. The survey findings indicate that the Council’s expectations about what organizations can do about cultural relevancy are realistic and at the same time indicate the Council has an opportunity to help organizations become more culturally relevant. Of the activities related to increasing cultural relevancy, at least half of the respondents are currently undertaking most of the practices with one exception: reflective board composition. Other less widely implemented practices include: reflective staff composition, staff diversity training, and community listening sessions (all currently addressed by less than 60% of respondents). For most practices, approximately half of those that are not currently implementing them intend to do so in the upcoming year. For each practice, an average of about 20% of respondents reported that they are not currently undertaking the specific measures nor have plans to do so. Overall, it appears that the Council is on the right track in making cultural relevance a priority.
(Click here to read the full 2007 Grantseeker Survey Summary Report)