January 24, 2002 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Human-service organizations don’t fare as well as other types of nonprofit groups when it comes to securing information-technology grants, according to a new report. “Beyond Access: A Foundation Guide to Ending the Organizational Divide” also found that grant makers were much more likely to make grants for equipment than for other costs associated with using technology, such as training, technical support, or maintenance.
Conducted for the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, a foundation watchdog organization in Washington, the study analyzed a random sample of 767 grants taken from a Foundation Center list of 2,708 technology grants of $10,000 or more awarded in 1998 and 1999.
The study found that while human-service groups received 16.2 percent of the total grant dollars awarded in those years, they received only 9.3 percent of the technology grant dollars. Health groups and organizations that deal with environmental issues or animals also received a percentage of technology grant dollars that was smaller than their share of total grant dollars.
On the other hand, schools and education groups received 36.7 percent of technology grants, compared with 24.4 percent of all grant dollars. Science and technology groups received 10.7 percent of technology-grant dollars versus 3.6 percent of all grant dollars.
The study also looked at what the grants were supporting. It found that approximately 45 percent were designated for computer equipment and facilities and for information systems. A smaller proportion of foundation grants went to support the other costs associated with using technology: Upgrading existing systems accounted for 6 percent of the grants; technology training for staff members, 5 percent; and technology planning, 2 percent.
The report recommends a number of steps grant makers can take to improve the use of information technology among nonprofit organizations. Some of its advice for foundations that have identified technology as one of their grant-making priorities: Increase the amount of technology money going to human-service groups, provide more money for technology costs other than equipment, and continue to award grants to projects that explore innovative uses of information technology in delivering services.
“Beyond Access” also advises grant makers that do not consider technology to be one of their priorities to consider how technology is part of the operating expenses of the programs they do support.
Copies of the report, “Beyond Access: A Foundation Guide to Ending the Organizational Divide,” are available for $25 each, prepaid, from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, 2001 S Street, N.W., Suite 620, Washington, D.C. 20009; (202) 387-9177.
