This is a very thought provoking book. It is a series of essays written by a variety of people on how influential grant giving foundations can be on determining the course of a nonprofit organization. The bottom line is that if a nonprofit does not measure up to the agenda of the foundation, they often risk losing their funding. The argument that runs through the essays is that any nonprofit that seeks to do something completely radical does not have much of a chance in being funded by conservative foundations.
I found most of the essayists expectations of receiving funding from sources whom they seek to undermine a bit perplexing. Obviously, any foundation has a set of objectives they wish to see fulfilled, so for them to not fund a nonprofit that does not fit their model seems reasonable to me. The radical nonprofit needs to seek monies elsewhere, possibly through a grassroots campaign.
That being said, it is a bit scary to realize just how much influence the major grant providing foundations can have on the general course of nonprofits. Many nonprofits are so strapped for cash that they are often willing to distort themselves, conforming to the foundation’s agenda, in order to get the grant. Thus, they lose their independence and become mere employees of the foundations. This, obviously is not a good situation for it tends to stifle radical program ingenuity.
There are lots of good ideas presented in this book, although beware — it is very densely and academically written — but well worth the pain.
It is edited by INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence; published by South End Press, Cambridge, MA; 2007.
