Some donors, from individuals to the larger institutional funders, are also benefiting from the growing ranks of professionals and professional services aimed at their needs. Beyond the traditional sources that donors have turned to for practical advice (lawyers, accountants, and investment professionals), general assistance (national associations like the Council on Foundations or Independent Sector), or program advice (issue experts and consultants), donors can now turn to many other sources as well.
Specialized entities (some for-profit, some nonprofit) like The Philanthropic Initiative, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Blueprint R&D, The Foundation Incubator, and The Philanthropy Workshop have emerged, often customizing and tailoring their knowledge about giving to the specific needs of their clients.
Other ventures, like the Association of Small Foundation’s Foundation in a Box, the Ford Foundation’s GrantCraft, and the Practice Matters: The Improving Philanthropy Project at the Foundation Center, have attempted to take this information online, making knowledge about grantmaking more accessible in less customized ways.
These efforts have been joined by consulting firms that apply business concepts and tools to social problem solving, such as Bridgespan Group, McKinsey & Co., Foundation Strategy Group, and the organization undertaking this project, the Monitor Institute.
The are also a growing number of programs sponsored by banks for their wealthiest clients, such as The Citigroup Private Bank’s Philanthropic Advisory Service.
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