by Mike Gallagher for the CMF
NewsWire Posted 7/12/10

A recently released 2010 assessment of the Office of Foundation Liaison (OFL) finds it is scoring high marks among government officials and philanthropic leaders for its increasing success at identifying opportunities to benefit society and fostering effective partnerships with state government.

The assessment is the third conducted by the Community Research Institute (CRI) at Grand Valley State University since the OFL’s founding in April 2003.

“It is quite clear that the OFL has evolved into an important networking agent for government and philanthropy,” says lead CRI Evaluator Teresa R. Behrens. “We found it has an outstanding level of support and respect by leaders in those sectors and is viewed as a positive facilitator that gets results.”

Behrens says she used information from two previous assessments (2005 and 2007) along with 2009-2010 data gathered from one-on-one interviews, a web-based survey and a database that tracks the time OFL staff spends on various activities and projects as part of her research.

The primary focus, she notes, was comparing the percentage of time the OFL spent on six critical areas: administrative, networking, facilitation, outreach, prospecting and research and the OFL's success in meeting its mission and goals.

The findings reveal a dramatic shift from an emphasis on administrative duties during the OFL’s early years to today’s focus on networking.

According to the assessment report, for example, the percentage of time spent on bringing together state policymakers with foundation and other nonprofit leaders on various projects jumped from 10% in 2007 to almost 85% in 2009-2010.

Another measure of success noted in the report is that since its inception, the OFL has secured more than $86 million in funding for foundation/government partnership projects.

Robert S. Collier, president/CEO of the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF), says the 2010 assessment “gives us a very clear picture of the important role this office continues to play as our liaison with state government and identifies the many successful public/private projects and initiatives that would not exist without the strategic and convening expertise of the OFL.”

Assessment Details OFL’s Importance

The OFL was created at the suggestion of Michigan foundations with the support of CMF and then-newly elected Governor Jennifer Granholm. The office enjoys a cabinet-level position that is unique in the nation. It does not serve as a fundraiser for state government, but works to attract philanthropic dollars in support of its initiatives.

Foundation Liaison Karen Aldridge-Eason heads the office with the assistance of Program Associate Maura Dewan. Aldridge-Eason is on loan from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and has previously worked as a budget director in both state and local government and as a legislative assistant in the Michigan State Senate.

“The OFL’s main goals center on brokering strategic partnerships between the state and foundations likely to result in policy reforms that will improve the lives of children and families in Michigan,” says Aldridge-Eason. “I am extremely pleased with this newest report as it validates the work we are doing and identifies the impact we are having through our efforts.”

The 2010 assessment report identifies many of the OFL’s successes, including enhancing economic and workforce development in Michigan through such efforts as helping vulnerable citizens gain easier access to federal and state benefits.

“Together with the state, we are working to map existing programs and services to provide better outreach and to maximize resources for benefit access,” says Aldridge-Eason.

In education, according to the assessment, the OFL is working with CMF and the state and local school officials on reform initiatives. This includes review of Michigan’s round one Race to the Top application in preparation for a second submission for about $400 million in federal grants.

Additionally, the OFL has worked with The Kresge Foundation to leverage funding and expand the number of community colleges in Michigan participating in the national Achieve the Dream initiative to help more community college students achieve success.

In the area of health and early childhood development, the assessment finds that the OFL is successfully identifying partnership opportunities on health care reform by coordinating briefing opportunities for funders on the work of the Health Insurance Reform Coordinating Council. The OFL is also examining the implications of health care reform for Michigan and analyzing the role the consumer voice can play in making that reform a success.

Additionally, the OFL is counseling state health agencies about potential private funding to help educate citizens on such topics as male responsibility and unintended pregnancies; school-based health clinics; and youth mental health services. David O. Egner, president/CEO of The Hudson-Webber Foundation and chair of the OFL Advisory Committee, says the new assessment reveals key factors that make the office efficient and effective.

“TheOFL’s ability to play a connecting role between public and private groups, the staff's ability to build trust among all participants regardless of the project, and the fact that it is non-partisan and has regular access to the governor, are all reasons for its incredible track record of success,” says Egner.

CRI researchers, in a web-based survey, asked state government and foundation leaders what role the OFL plays in initiating and/or building relationships or helps them in their work.

According to the assessment report, 33% of those surveyed say the OFL provides them information or research; 30% credit it with connecting them with critical and valuable resources; 27% note its expertise in facilitating meetings and communications; and 10% say it introduced them to important players that helped them move their respective projects forward.

When asked whether the OFL has increased partnerships in the past four years, 87% say they “strongly agree" or "agree" with that statement.

The assessment report also provides suggestions on how the OFL can be an even more effective player in its liaison role with state government.

During CRI interviews with those state officials and/or philanthropic leaders who have worked with the OFL, all were asked: “How can the office most effectively support the upcoming new governor’s administration after the November elections?”

The responses included:

• Before the election, meet all candidates;
• Continue working with (state) deputies below the appointed level;
• Be the source of stability and continuity in relationships with funders;
• Be aggressive in the new administration’s first couple of months about meeting and introducing new staff to foundations;
• Use the OFL Advisory Committee and nonprofits who have benefitted from the office’s work to convey the importance of the OFL.

Diana R. Sieger, president of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation and a member of the OFL Advisory Committee, says she was “very pleased” with the recent CRI assessment of the OFL.

“It lends more support to how important the OFL is in our efforts to create positive social change through policy reform in state government,” says Sieger. “The OFL is doing a wonderful job and is making a difference by bringing people together to benefit our state and communities. That is how you measure success.”

Click here to read the complete OFL 2010 assessment report.

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