Criteria for Philanthropy at Its Best: Benchmarks to Assess & Enhance Grantmaker Impact

March 2009 The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) sought to develop criteria and benchmarks to help grantmaking institutions develop meaningful self-regulation to preserve their freedom to address social issues without increased federal regulation. The criteria were developed following research and a literature review. Over a period of 15 months, NCRP held discussions with a small group of 50 people ? including the NCRP board of directors, research advisory committee, staff, and about 12 external advisors ? to develop criteria more specific than ?least-common denominator? criteria that already exist. NCRP also analyzed a group of 809 foundations that consistently provided . . .