Surveys and Analysis
Fieldwide information related to community-based philanthropy in rural communities has been limited in both scope and availability. While annual statistics are collected to depict the giving of the 1000 foundations with the largest assets and grantmaking budgets, little effort has been expended to record smaller-scale (but no less meaningful) charitable and philanthropic giving.
This smaller-scale philanthropy often provides the seed capital for rural programs and sometimes serves to leverage grants from larger, national foundations. Most often, this type of organized philanthropy is conducted by community foundations—few of whom rank as one of the top 1000 givers, and thus, little data is available concerning where and what their philanthropic assets support.
The Learning Network surveys are designed to remedy that situation. Our surveys are the first of their kind to seek a "snapshot" of community foundations' rural development philanthropy efforts throughout the United States.
- RDP Baseline Survey—Disseminated to 685 rural and urban community foundations in 2001, this survey was an effort of the newly formed Learning Network to establish the first profile of community foundations surving rural America. It asked community foundations to consider their overall governance, grantmaking, endowment building and community economic development activities. Providing definitions based on the "rural continuum" established by the USDA's Economic Research Service, the survey then asked foundations to estimate the percentage of their total activities that served or represented "rural," "borderline rural/metro" and "metro" counties.
Read more on this survey's methodology and rationale. Review survey findings. Download a PDF document that includes all of the above material. - Growing Local Philanthropy:
The Role and Reach of Community Foundations—In recent years, observers have noted the emergence of geographic component funds (GCFs)—that is, funds within "lead" community foundations that are dedicated to serving specific geographic areas or communities, and that typically include local decision making and/or operating structures. At present, however, scant reliable nationwide data exists about these geographically targeted funds, and certainly no "roadmap" shows how to establish, organize and sustain them. This CSG survey represents a first step in documenting the current status and trends related to GCFs and, more broadly, assessing how these funds affect the culture of philanthropy in our communities. In addition, the survey updates information on community foundations' asset and endowment size, governance, and service area.
Read more on the survey methodology and rationale. Review the findings. Read the original survey questions and jump structure. Download a PDF document that includes all of the above material.
Rural Development Philanthropy Learning Learning Network
The Aspen Institute
One Dupont Circle NW
Suite 700Washington DC 20036
Ph. 202.736.5804Fx. 202.293.0525
rdpinfo@aspencsg.orgwww.aspencsg.org/rdp