Bridging the information gap in philanthropy

A study from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in collaboration with McKinsey&Co, released in November 2008, is looking at the enduring question of how to strengthen the informational base upon which funders make their social investment decisions.

The study, titled "The Non-Profit Marketplace:Bridging the Information Gap in Philanthropy"  explores the issues of:

1. How can we help donors make smart philanthropic decisions?

2. How can we ensure that the strongest, most effective nonprofits get the resources they need?

The report complements the recommendations in Keystone's "Online Philanthropy Markets: From Feel-Good Giving to Effective Social Investing" for enabling donors to think as social investors, provide comparative data on the performance and impact of social purpose organisations, and work towards a common reporting framework. However, unlike Keystone's report, the Hewlett-McKinsey study puts the strategic focus on major donors.

To read the report and post your comments, visit http://www.givingmarketplaces.org