An organization dedicated to transforming our community for the common good is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and optimistic about its future.
What started out in 1992 as the Center on Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership was later renamed the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy in 1999. The Center’s namesake is considered a leader in the national philanthropy community and previously served as the president of the Council of Michigan Foundations for 25 years.
The Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy (JCP) is a part of the College of Community and Public Service at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and located in downtown Grand Rapids.
“We’re very proud of hitting the 20-year mark,” says JCP Executive Director James Edwards.
JCP is an academic center that serves nonprofits, foundations, and the entire community through a multidisciplinary approach of applied research, professional development, and by offering solutions that increase the efficiency and effectiveness of charitable organizations.
To put it simpler, Edwards says they “offer a coordinated response of research, development, and training.”
JCP offers a range of services to the nonprofit and philanthropy communities, such as:
- Providing tailored consultations, educational opportunities, and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations so they are better able to make a positive impact in the communities they serve.
- Giving the employees, board members, and trustees of foundations and philanthropic institutions resources to help them be more effective. JCP’s Grantmaking School,
The Foundation Review (a peer-reviewed journal of philanthropy), and The Frey Foundation Chair for Family Foundations are initiatives that support this sector.
For the entire community, JCP provides a valuable resource with its Community Research Institute (CRI). CRI gathers, analyzes, interprets, and shares national and local data obtained through partner organizations. This data helps with decision-making, grant writing, and program evaluation.
In November of this year, CRI released a “Giving Estimate Report” highlighting the estimated charitable giving in Kent County. With data gathered from 2010, CRI determined that donors gave a total of more than $601 million that year, with individuals donating 58 percent and foundations donating 30 percent of this amount.
Edwards says this report gives the community “a perspective on the ground, a total picture” of the nonprofit world and our region. A brown bag luncheon, to be announced soon, will give people a way to get more information about the report.
Another community resource JCP provides is the Johnson Center Philanthropy Archives and Special Collections (JCPA), which includes a library, archives, and reference material on philanthropy in Michigan. This is especially helpful to visiting scholars, GVSU faculty, and students in the School of Public, Nonprofit, and Health Administration program.
JCP will be celebrating its 20th anniversary throughout the 2012-2013 academic year. Already, they’ve hosted an informal golf outing this summer and a private formal dinner in November. Both offered the opportunity to say thank you to those who have shown their support to the Center.
A winter event is currently being planned with a focus on celebrating CRI and its supporters, with more information announced soon.
This June, JCP and its Frey Foundation Chair for Family Foundations and Philanthropy initiative will host the second Family Summit event in Chicago. This invitation-only event is exclusively for a mixture of high-income families and people involved in family giving.
Going forward, JCP will continue to strive to be a national leader in philanthropy and provide support to nonprofits and foundations across the country.
“Michigan is our home base, so we’re more saturated here, but we continue to partner with organizations across the country,” says Edwards. “We have a lot to offer locally and nationally -- we do things well.”
He also says the organization is experiencing a lot of growth right now, and he attributes much of that to his predecessor, Dr. Kathryn Agard, for work that she began. When Edwards started in 2009, there were 18 staff members and 10 students. Within a few short years, the organization has grown to include 39 staff members and 30 students.
One area the organization is focusing on is varying its funding methods. Right now, they receive income from training, research, subscriptions, and more, but they’re also trying to increase their endowment funding to give them greater flexibility with their projects.
“We want to focus on building this so we can be more independent thought leaders,” says Edwards.
He says that usually when an organization only has a fee-based revenue model, if no one pays for a project, it doesn’t get done. Instead, Edwards would like JCP to take on controversial projects that will better help the communities it serves.
“Ultimately, our goal is to transform the community for public good, working through foundations and nonprofits,” he says. “We believe in collaboration and partnership.”
Edwards adds that the staff at JCP is “always there to listen” and they want to partner with the community.
Here’s how you can get more involved with JCP:
- Visit the
Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy online to find out more.
- Visit the
Community Research Institute (CRI) online.
- Attend one of their
events.
- Partner with them on a project or sponsor their work. Contact them at 616-331-7585 or
via email for more information.
- Contribute financially or voluntarily.
- Like the Johnson Center for Philanthropy on
Facebook.
- Follow
@johnsoncenter on Twitter.
Source: James Edwards, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy
Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor