In my last two posts, I explored why funders should evaluate their portfolios and how to identify structure barriers that prevent grantees from seeking funding. A strong portfolio reflects the role a funder plays in helping grantee organizations succeed.
This raises an important question for program officers:
Why would a strong organization want to be part of our portfolio?
The answer may seem obvious: Funding.
But the strongest funder-grantee relationships shape strategy, absorb risk, convene partners, influence the field, and create the conditions for learning and adaptation.
This month’s Try This activity is designed to help program officers clarify what their organization contributes beyond the check.
Objective:
To help program officers and senior program officers articulate the unique value their foundation brings to grantees and the broader ecosystem.
This activity is ideal for:
- Program officers
- Philanthropy staff responsible for funding portfolio strategy
- Evaluation and learning staff
What you’ll need:
- 90 minutes of uninterrupted time
- Copies of your funding strategy, theory of change, or strategic plan
- Recent grantee feedback (if available)
- Sticky notes or a shared virtual whiteboard
- Flip chart paper or a document for capturing reflections
- Markers for sticky notes and flip chart paper
The steps:
Step 1: Individual Reflection (15 minutes)
Ask each participant to complete the following sentence:
Organizations want to be part of our portfolio because we ______________________.
Encourage participants to write down as many responses as possible.
Step 2: Share and Cluster Responses (20 minutes)
Invite participants to share their responses.
Group similar ideas into themes, such as:
- Strategic guidance
- Convening power
- Credibility and visibility
- Field influence
- Learning support
- Risk tolerance
- Focus on general operating funding vs project-based funding
Step 3: Examine the Evidence (20 minutes)
For each theme, ask:
- What evidence supports this claim?
- How do we know grantees experience us this way?
- Where have grantees explicitly said this?
- What examples demonstrate this value?
This step helps distinguish assumptions from evidence.
Step 4: Identify Gaps and Tensions (20 minutes)
Next, discuss:
- Which claims feel strongest?
- Which feel aspirational?
- Where do our practices contradict our intentions?
- What barriers might undermine the value we believe we offer?
This is often where important insights emerge.
Step 5: Prioritize Opportunities for Action (10 minutes)
Ask the group to identify:
- One aspect of your value-add to strengthen
- One structural barrier to address
- One question to explore with grantees
Capture these priorities for future planning.
Let’s Process (5 minutes)
As you close out this activity, reflect on this question: “What did we learn about how we show up as a funder?”
Program officers and senior program officers sit at the intersection of strategy and relationships. They hear directly from grantees, manage day-to-day implementation, and often notice where funding practices help or hinder progress.
Key Takeaway
This activity creates space to reflect on what your organization contributes beyond financial resources. It also helps surface a deeper truth: If your value-add is difficult to articulate, your portfolio may be relying more on financial power than strategic partnership.
A strong philanthropy portfolio reflects more than what a funder supports. It also reflects how the funder shows up.
When program officers can clearly articulate their organization’s value-add, they are better positioned to strengthen grantee relationships, refine strategy, and build portfolios that create lasting impact.
Raise Your Voice: Why would a potential grantee choose to be part of your funding portfolio (and what evidence supports your answer)? Share below in the comments section.
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