Alliance of Two Major Philanthropic Organizations Announced

The Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and the Council on Foundations, two of the largest membership organizations in philanthropy, announce a breakthrough strategic alliance to better serve the nation’s foundations and other philanthropic donors.

We believe our alliance will bring far-reaching benefits to the philanthropic field, enabling all of us to further the common good more effectively. The alliance reflects our shared conviction that today’s rapidly changing world calls on us as leaders to do all that we can to reduce duplication in philanthropic infrastructure, leverage our core competencies, and provide better, more seamless, more targeted and more cost effective services to grantmakers and other donors.

The initial focus of the alliance will be on education. In the coming weeks, the Forum’s Education Committee and the Council’s Professional Development Committee will meet to design, develop, and deliver a comprehensive education system that meets the changing learning needs of the 5000+ foundations we collectively serve.

Creating and implementing this shared education framework enables each organization to expand upon its strengths – the Council’s scope and unique role in providing sector-wide leadership and perspective and the Forum’s broad and diverse membership base and on-the-ground presence and relationships, as achieved through the 32 regional associations that comprise the Forum network.

We want to underscore that the primary basis for the Forum and Council creating this alliance is our commitment to aiding our sector through collaboration and cooperation. Foundations and corporate giving programs will benefit significantly through our collaboration in ridding redundancies and providing focused program offerings. In addition to education, the alliance also gives emphasis to enhancing knowledge management and government relations.

To facilitate the close working relationship that both organizations envision, the Forum will move its offices to co-locate with the Council on Foundations in January 2009.

We launch this new alliance with the same high expectations we have of all our programs and activities – that our efforts significantly enhance your work and those you serve.

For more information on the Joint Alliance between the Council and the Forum, please see the official press release at: http://www.givingforum.org/alliance.