Confluence Philanthropy is a network of foundations, individual donors, and investment advisors representing $123 billion of philanthropic assets slotted for mission-driven investments. As Confluence Philanthropy approaches its fifth-year anniversary, it sought the support of a Capstone team to improve its services and inform its strategic growth by conducting a membership assessment. Methodologies for the membership assessment included surveying and interviewing members, a SWOT analysis, and a review of best practices. The team also conducted an evaluation that analyzed the client’s strategic position and competitive advantage. The team used this analysis to inform its recommendations for enhancing client services.

Concerned that the full impact of the 2008 financial crisis has not yet been felt in the field of social justice philanthropy, Cricket Island Foundation (CIF), a New York­based foundation supporting youth­led social change, partnered with the Social Justice Philanthropy Collaborative (SJPC), a net­work of national philanthropic organiza­tions that calls on grantmakers and donors to deepen their commitment to funding social change. Together they requested a Capstone team to assess the current asset value, spending rate, and investment strategies of national social justice funders and to project what those might look like through 2015. The Capstone team designed criteria to determine which foundations to study, created an interview tool, conducted background research and financial modeling on the study popula­tion, interviewed a subset of foundations, and highlighted emerging trends. The Capstone team presented its findings to the clients who will use this research to publish a report for national social justice funders and their grantees. The clients will use this data to drive long­term funding strategies and educate grantees about the financial health of the field.

The New York Community Trust is a public, not-for-profit organization that administers over 1,500 individual, family or business charitable funds totaling almost $2 billion in assets. The Capstone team was tasked with developing specific recommendations on how private philanthropy can maximize the effectiveness of its grant-making efforts. The Capstone team completed an extensive literature review and conducted interviews with industry leaders to identify and evaluate opportunities for the Trust to allocate funds to: (1) improve access to primary health care services and (2) assist primary care providers (e.g. community health centers and safety net providers) to remain a financially viable mode for health care service delivery.