Why Glasspockets?

Writing for PhilanTopic blog, Foundation Center President Brad Smith asks: Where do those of us who care about philanthropic freedom and diversity fit in an increasingly polarized debate that tries to impose a false choice between the two?

• Diversity vs. Philanthropic Freedom?
  6/25/10
• Philanthropy's Digital Divide
  5/3/10
• Transparency: One Size Does Not Fit All
  2/9/10
• Foundations Need to Be More Transparent
  1/29/10

Writing for PhilanTopic blog, Janet Camarena, director of the Foundation Center's San Francisco office and project lead for the Glasspockets initiative, discusses the importance of working with partners in the development and continuing evolution of Glasspockets.

• Transparency, Partnership, and Glasspockets
  3/2/10

With Glasspockets, the Foundation Center and its partners are working to:

• Inspire private foundations to greater openness in their communications.
• Increase understanding of best practices in foundation transparency and accountability in an online world.
• Illustrate how institutional philanthropy is relevant to the critical issues of our time.
• Highlight the many stories of philanthropy that show how private wealth is serving the public good.
• Illuminate successes, failures, and ongoing experimentation so foundations can build on each other's ideas to increase impact.

About our partners:

Center for Effective Philanthropy: The mission of the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) is to provide data and create insight so philanthropic funders can better define, assess, and improve their effectiveness and impact.

Communications Network: Formed nearly 20 years ago as a volunteer group, the Network today operates as a stand-alone 501(c)(3), dedicated to helping advance, promote, and encourage the adoption of effective communications practices in philanthropy.

Global Philanthropy Forum: The Global Philanthropy Forum aims to build a community of donors and social investors committed to international causes, and to inform, enable and enhance the strategic nature of their giving and social investing.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations: Understanding that grantmakers are successful only to the extent that their grantees achieve meaningful results, GEO promotes strategies and practices that contribute to grantee success.

One World Trust: The One World Trust is an independent think tank that conducts research, develops recommendations and advocates for reform to make policy and decision-making processes in global governance more accountable to the people they affect now and in the future, and to ensure that international laws are strengthened and applied equally to all.

About the Foundation Center:

Established in 1956 and today supported by close to 550 foundations, the Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants - a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit the Center's web site each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 450 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230.

Contact us:

For information on Glasspockets, please contact:

Janet Camarena
Director, San Francisco Office
The Foundation Center
jfc@foundationcenter.org

New at Glasspockets

Eye on the Giving Pledge
8/1/2012
Glasspockets has launched the "Eye on the Giving Pledge," a resource designed to bring greater transparency to the Giving Pledge, which is an effort spearheaded by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates that encourages the wealthiest Americans to commit the majority of their assets to philanthropic causes.

"Eye on the Giving Pledge" combines the Foundation Center's authoritative data on philanthropy with public information to offer an in-depth picture of Giving Pledge participants (81 currently), their charitable activities, and the potential impact of this collective effort.

Read the press release»

Explore the Eye on the Giving Pledge»

Additional Transparency and
Accountability Resources

• The Association of Small Foundations
  The Association publishes the Primer Series to help foundations establish best practices and efficient operations.
• BoardSource The organization's web site includes resources on nonprofit boards, such as Ten Essential Responsibilities of Foundation Board Chairs and Conflicts of Interest at Foundations.
• The Center for Effective Philanthropy The organization has developed the Grantee Perception Report to help foundations compare their performance.
• Council on Foundations The Council has developed resources related to accountability and governance issues as part of its Building Strong and Ethical Foundations program.
• Forum of Regional Association
  of Grantmakers The Forum’s Web site provides accountability education resources and lists regional associations that have adopted guiding principles for grantmakers.
• One World Trust The organization has developed a database of more than 300 civil society self-regulatory initiatives across the globe.