Policy Development: Improving Social Policy and Strengthening NGOs @import "/files/css/3c18d6e519cef066f6e5efae9828873e.css";  HomeAbout UsOverviewMethodologyAdvantageClients and SponsorsBoard of DirectorsAdvisory BoardSteering CommitteeProjectsNewsResourcesContact Us Latest News  AMHERST SURVIVAL CENTER FINAL ASSESSMENT & RECOMMENDATIONS RELEASED February 07, 2007 Click Here for the Amherst Survival Center AssessmentMedia Release FIVE YEARS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH GRANTMAKING WITH THE GSK COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD December 07, 2006 Ten small community-based health organizations in the Philadelphia area were notified today that they are the 2006 winners of the GlaxoSmithKline Community Impact Awards. This completes Policy Development's fifth year administering this program. We congratulate the winners, and thank them for their critical work. And we commend GSK's determination to seek out underserved communities. THE SURVIVAL CENTER SELECTS POLICY DEVELOPMENT TO HELP REBUILD November 03, 2006 The Amherst Survival Center announced today that it has begun a process to rebuild itself from the ground up, and that Policy Development will be guiding this process. The process will involve a comprehensive organizational assessment (programs, administration, and finances), recommendations, and implementation. Meaningful participation and transparency will be prioritized.Click Here to visit the ASC File Archive PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE panel features PD model October 21, 2006 "Ask not what your member organizations can do for you (e.g., advance your legislative agenda), but what you can do for them (e.g., improve their real world effectiveness)." Adapting the words of America's thirty-fifth president, PD Executive Director Aron Goldman presented the PD model at the Independent Sector Annual Conference in Minneapolis. Drawing directly on the PD model, Goldman explained what national policy organizations can do to integrate public policy into the normal business of community-based organizations, thus contributing to mutually beneficial and durable relationships. ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION FUNDS SPRINGFIELD "BRIDGE PROJECT" December 01, 2005 An estimated 15% of residents in the North End of Springfield pass in and out of jail every year. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation selected the North End Outreach Network (NEON) to help create a continuity of care for inmates and their families during incarceration and re-entry. Policy Development helped develop the project, and now PD is funded through this grant to monitor and evaluate the project, and to continue its overall capacity-building efforts. MSI Engages Policy Development For West Africa NGO Training September 23, 2005 We are very pleased to announce a new relationship between Management Systems International (www.msiworldwide.com) and Policy Development. PD Executive Director Aron Goldman will be leaving on September 28th for Ghana to help run a training session for members of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (www.wanep.org) and representatives of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS). The training topics will include NGO evaluation and capacity-building tailored to environments affected by conflict. For further information, see www.ngoconnect.net. MSI Engages Policy Development for West Africa NGO Training September 23, 2005 We are very pleased to announce a new relationship between Management Systems International (www.msiworldwide.com) and Policy Development. PD Executive Director Aron Goldman will be leaving on September 28th for Ghana to help run a training session for members of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (www.wanep.org) and representatives of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS). The training topics will include NGO evaluation and capacity-building tailored to environments affected by conflict. For further information, see www.ngoconnect.net. Social Edge "Policy Portal" Getting Thousands of Hits Per Month September 16, 2005 (Hosted by the Skoll Foundation & Policy Development)Tracking developments in Corporate Social Responsibility, Philanthropy, and Social Sector Reform, the Social Edge "Policy Portal" considers the social impact implications of policy and decision-making. And we try to have a little fun along the way (e.g., 6/1/05 entry: "Separated At Birth: Shell & Halliburton Spokespeople"). Apparently the formula is a winner, because the Policy Portal is getting "thousands" of hits every month (according to the Socialedge technical crew)! In fairness, the number of "unique users" is actually less than that, but with the arrival of Social Edge's new Executive Director, Victor d'Allant, more exciting things can be expected. Visit the Portal at: www.socialedge.org/policy Solidago Foundation Awards Anti-Sprawl / Wal-Mart Grant to Policy Development September 16, 2005 The Solidago Foundation in Northampton, Massachusetts announced that Policy Development will receive a $10,000 grant to mobilize a regional response against sprawl in the Pioneer Valley. The campaign will focus on the infamous mega-mall developer, Pyramid Cos., and their plans to replace farmland and wetlands with a Wal-Mart "Supercenter." Recognizing the David and Goliath dynamic, Policy Development will draw on the expertise and influence of national and local groups to raise awareness and develop sustainable alternatives. We will draw on the wide range of offenses that Wal-Mart is already defending itself against around the world, including: environmental destruction, exploitative domestic and foreign labor practices, dying local and downtown economies, and diminished quality of life generally. It is our hope that this regional policy experiment can be repeated elsewhere. Visit our web site at: www.StopSprawlMart.org. Policy Development Helps the North End Outreach Network Grow September 16, 2005 The North End Outreach Network (NEON) is a small but vital community-based health organization in Springfield, Massachusetts. Rather than focus on a single social issue, NEON uses a holistic approach, responding to the wide variety of interrelated challenges that real families face. NEON has engaged Policy Development to help it expand. In just a few months, we have developed a new urban environmental health project, a criminal justice system and community health services "bridge project," and a health insurance enrollment project. Policy Development is also helping NEON plan increased institutional capacity that is needed to keep pace with additional programmatic activities. Policy Development Begins Fourth Year With GlaxoSmithKline Community Partnerships September 16, 2005 In October, Policy Development will begin its fourth year of administering the GlaxoSmithKline Community Health grantmaking program. We perform comprehensive organizational assessments and site visits with short-listed grant applicants. The work can be time consuming, but the end result is effective grantmaking and rewarding work. It has been our privilege to become acquainted with the stars of the nonprofit community in Philadelphia. Chronicle of Philanthropy Features PD on Charity Oversight and Reform March 14, 2005 The big news is that, well, we're in the news! The current issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy features an article by Aron Goldman and Stan Katz called "Encouraging Innovation: a Task for Congress" (pdf download). The article is based on PD's recent online panel discussion hosted by the Skoll Foundation's Social Edge folks, and incorporates the perspectives of Stephen Heintz, Jed Emerson, Sara Melendez, Mark Moore, Katrin Verclas, Mike Burns, and others. The article is a call for policy to catch up with the sophisticated reality of today's nonprofit sector. Goldman, Katz, and the Social Edge Panelists suggest six ways to go beyond the technical fixes being discussed by the Senate Finance Committee by supporting innovation, meaningful performance criteria, and systemic rethinking. For those who don't have the print version, an electronic version is available here. (And the original Social Edge discussion is also online.) Social Edge and PD Launch "Policy Portal" March 14, 2005 The Skoll Foundation's "Social Edge" has invited PD to host an ongoing and interactive blog, called "The Policy Portal," on the subject of nonprofit sector policy and social change. We will gather and briefly analyze pivotal ideas and perspectives as they emerge, while making sure to not be duplicative. The first round of posts cover Mark Rosenman's commentary on systemic change and Bush's budget, The Economist's refutation of "moral turpitude" of MBA degree programs, and Diana Aviv and Independent Sector. We look forward to your participation! PD Client, GlaxoSmithKline Community Partnerships, Announces 2005 IMPACT Award Winners February 08, 2005 We are very pleased to announce this year's winners of the GSK IMPACT Awards for outstanding community-based health services. This is the third year we have been helping to administer these awards, and we are very proud of the thorough and interactive process we have developed with our friends at GSK. The 2005 winners are: Berks Counseling Center, Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership, Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly, Eagles Youth Partnership, Family Service of Chester County, Healthlink Medical Center, Maternal and Child Health Consortium, National Nursing Centers Consortium, Victim Services Center of Montgomery County, Women's Therapy Center. The Skoll Foundation and Policy Development Launch Social Sector Policy Online Event Dec. 13 November 22, 2004 The current Congressional Hearing on Charity Oversight and Reform presents an historic opportunity to help shape the non-profit sector. But thus far, the Hearing has been driven by several recent scandals, legal loopholes, and a discussion of technical fixes. While we acknowledge the need to constantly increase vigilance, the more fundamental issues are not being addressed. The objective of this unique one-week online event is to start a national conversation about how public policy can evolve to support a vibrant, sophisticated, and innovative social sector, and to identify some of the current systemic obstacles that innovators face. The event will begin with the question: "What is 'the non-profit sector' today, and how well do policy and regulatory regimes reflect that reality?" The discussion will be kicked off by several prominent and thoughtful non-profit sector leaders, and everyone is encouraged to jump in. A dedicated link will be circulated as the date approaches, but it can also be accessed through Skoll's "Social Edge" home page (http://skoll.socialedge.org). Social Investing Research Initiative: Phase I Report Issued, Phase II Fundraising in Full Swing November 22, 2004 It's here! Continuing its commitment to research and analysis of innovation in the non-profit sector, PD has issued its State of the Social Investing Industry Report, titled "From Creative Chaos to Convergence." This industry report marks the end of Phase I of the Social Investment Research Initiative (SIRI), which was supported by Princeton Social Capital (www.princetonsc.com). Results include several (greatly needed) organizing themes for the industry, and one overarching recommendation for the field: The Social Investment Industry should aggressively engage foundations and the entire non-profit sector. Our research showed that the non-profit sector represents a virtually untapped source of new investors, investments, and social impact expertise. PD is actively raising funds to support Phase II of SIRI, which will be dedicated to finding practical ways for the non-profit sector to become more engaged in social investing. Many foundations and other non-profits have already expressed interest in showcasing their social investing activities, learning more about the field, assessing new investment options, and becoming social investments themselves. PD has augmented its network of non-profit clients and experts with a high-profile advisory board tailored to this initiative. Those who have already agreed to serve include: Stan Katz (Professor, Princeton University; President Emeritus, American Council of Learned Societies), Terry Mollner (Founder and Trustee, The Calvert Group; Executive Director, Trusteeship Institute),Terri Ludwig (President, Merrill Lynch Community Development Co.), and Mark Rosenman (Professor, Union Institute & University). The SIRI Phase I State of the Industry Report and the Phase II summary can both be downloaded directly from the PD home page (www.policydevelopment.org), or here: Download Phase I State of the Industry Report (500K PDF) Download Phase II summary (100K PDF) Benjamin Wolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Waterfront Media, joins Policy Development Board November 22, 2004 Policy Development (PD) is very pleased to announce the addition of Benjamin Wolin to the Policy Development Board of Trustees. Ben is a real, post-bubble dot com success story. Ben runs Waterfront Media (waterfrontmedia.com), a leading online subscription-based publisher of self-help products including the #1 New York Times Best Seller, The South Beach Diet (other clients include Dr. Andrew Weil, and Denise Austin). According to The Wall Street Journal, "What has helped keep the [South Beach Diet] book sales humming is a little-noticed deal Rodale cut last June with closely held Waterfront Media Inc." (WSJ, 6/30/04) Waterfront Media currently boasts 300,000 paid subscribers, and more than 4.4 million people receive newsletters from Waterfront's leading authorities. Prior to founding Waterfront Media, Wolin served as the Vice President of Production & Technology for Beliefnet, Inc (beliefnet.com). As Beliefnet's first employee, Ben helped raise $27 million and was responsible for the management of 8 email newsletter products across 5 million subscriptions. In addition to Beliefnet, Ben built and managed sites for PBS, Tribune Interactive, Warner Bros, and A&E. He has served as the Technology Director for the media arts company Global Action Project and created and taught at several community technology centers in New York City. As Ben puts it, "Now, more than ever, there is a need for effective social policy and sophisticated non-profits. PD responds to this need by helping high-quality organizations get more involved in the policy issues that affect them. The PD model is innovative, practical, and yields real results." We look forward to Ben's help in any and all areas of the organization. New PD Web Designer & Communications Consultant Refreshes PD Web Site November 22, 2004 Policy Development (PD) is pleased to announce that Natalie Diffloth will be joining the PD family as our new Web Designer and Communications Consultant. Working from her office near Hamburg, Germany, Natalie has already done a wonderful job refreshing the PD web site, and we look forward to her assistance in finding new ways to enhance our portfolio of services and connect with our diverse constituencies. (Check out what she's done for our site (www.policydevelopment.org), and see some of her other projects at www.diffloth.com.) Beyond Vigilance: Strengthening Charity Oversight and Reform June 22, 2004 The following testimony was presented by Policy Development Executive Director Aron Goldman, by mail, for the United States Senate Committee on Finance hearing, "Charity Oversight and Reform: Keeping Bad Things from Happening to Good Charities" on June 22, 2004.Senator Grassley, Senator Baucus, distinguished Members of the United States Senate Committee on Finance, thank you for giving representatives of non-profit organizations and concerned citizens across the country an opportunity to share our perspectives on charity oversight and reform.Much of the testimony presented today is concerned with closing the loopholes in the current system. All of us in the non-profit sector have a new sense of urgency to make changes in light of recent examples of fraud, embezzlement, and gross mismanagement in both the for- and non-profit sectors.While the economic and social impact of the Enron and Tyco scandals was huge, their correlates in the non-profit sector stand out because these organizations enjoy special tax status and many are entrusted with donations earmarked for critical humanitarian purposes. The misuse of funds at a non-profit organization is therefore equivalent to a diversion of tax dollars from their intended purpose, and a threat to social welfare. The closing of regulatory loopholes is clearly essential.But that's not new. There will always be attempts to subvert the spirit or letter of the law, and thus an ongoing need for vigilant oversight. While most funders are quite good at parsing out the legitimate and most effective non-profit organizations, and new ways to monitor and evaluate funders are emerging, government oversight will always be important.The new challenge for all of us concerned about the fate of the social sector, and the impact of the work we do, is to reform the system in such a way that, while abuses are reduced, the highest quality organizations are able to thrive. Federal and state regulatory regimes should not only prevent abuses, but they should also foster an environment where great ideas can come to fruition.Unfortunately, this is not our reality today. While interesting and effective cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral initiatives are proving themselves in the domestic and international arenas, the federal tax code is a burden rather than a catalyst. The most glaring example is the vast amount of untapped private sector capital that could be used — in the form of grants and investments — for social purposes. But the natural affinities among for-profit and non-profit entities go unrealized for fear that novel collaborations will be viewed as conflicts of interest, self-dealing, or abrogations of their commitment to social purposes. Again, conflicts of interest and self-dealing are real problems in the industry, but a more sophisticated understanding of the state of the industry could lead to win-win reforms: fewer loopholes and fewer burdens for innovators.I urge the Committee to continue to look for ways to thwart abuses, while understanding that this task is an ongoing one (and that media coverage of individual instances of abuses should be put in perspective). Simply being more vigilant is not the answer. Instead, regulators must revisit their long-held notions of what constitutes a social purpose organization and develop new rules which reflect the sophistication of the non-profit sector in its current, evolved state. Princeton Social Capital Awards Policy Development Grant for Social Investing Research Initiative (SIRI) May 24, 2004 Policy Development (PD) is pleased to announce that Princeton Social Capital (PSC) has made a grant to PD to conduct Phase I of a study that will raise awareness and contribute to the understanding of the still underdeveloped field of social investing. The study will be called the PSC Social Investing Research Initiative (PSC-SIRI) in recognition of PSC's contribution of both financial and intellectual capital. Social investing represents an enormous opportunity to marshal the resources of the private sector for social change. But there are many risks. Over the course of one year, PD will organize and evaluate existing social investing models according to social impact criteria, guide investors and philanthropists to the best approaches, and help create a policy context in which these approaches can thrive.Approaches to be considered include: socially responsible investing, social venture capital, social enterprise and entrepreneurship, program-related investing and mission-related investing, corporate social responsibility, community development corporations and financial institutions, fair trade, sustainable development, social capital markets and others.During Phase II, PD will select a handful of the most promising social investing trends for closer analysis. According to PD Executive Director Aron Goldman, "Market-based approaches to social problems have become so popular that the market mechanism often gets more attention than the social impact. PD will help correct that imbalance, and in doing so, help analysts uncover social investments with stronger financial and social bottom lines."Rather than wait for the final report to be issued, PD is inviting researchers, funders, investors, the corporate community, the policy community, practitioners, and others to get involved from the very beginning (see Social Edge discussion).PSC is already an active participant, lending the formidable social investing expertise of its staff and board. "We look for social investing opportunities with compelling financial and social returns," explains PSC President, Curt Bassett, "and collaborating with non-profits like PD is a great way to find those opportunities."To help mobilize support for Phase II, PSC has generously offered to repeat its contribution to this initiative if substantial additional funding commitments are made. Capacity-Building for Midwives in Latin America April 24, 2004 Policy Development (PD) has taken on a new client — a small organization based in Guatemala and New York called Midwives for Midwives (www.midwivesformidwives.org). MFM preserves traditional midwifery practices, and augments these practices with modern medicine where appropriate. Their approach is culturally sensitive and extremely practical given Latin America's unmet health care needs. We are helping them build their capacity to train more midwives and also to pursue systemic changes. Policy Development Awarded Tax-Exempt Non-Profit Status June 04, 2003 The Policy Development Board of Trustees is very pleased to announce that the organization has been awarded 501(c)3 federal tax-exempt status as "a non-profit corporation dedicated to strengthening non-profit organizations and improving the social policy context in which they operate.""Policy Development distinguishes itself as a mission-driven public policy and capacity-building model," explains Stephen Somers, President of the Center for Health Care Strategies, "And tax-exempt status is just another signal that Policy Development exists to serve the non-profit sector and the communities it represents." Policy Development imposes no proprietary restrictions, and fee structures are adjusted to each client's circumstances.Policy Development helps provide a "two-way street" between the policy community and service providers. According to New York City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Policy Director Amy Taylor, "Service providers become more engaged with the policy issues that affect them on a day-to-day basis, and the policy community becomes more connected to community-level trends." And all members of the Policy Development Network find the organizational development support they need to sustain their new activities.Tax-exempt status is the next step of an institution-building process which will allow Policy Development to become more than the sum of its project experiences. It will offer a sophisticated, practical, and cumulative knowledge base; and help to foster the kind of intellectual leadership that is so urgent right now.The PD Board of Trustees would like to thank the PD Steering Committee, the Advisory Board, and the entire Policy Development Network for their ongoing commitment.The PD Board of Trustees:Aron P. Goldman, Executive Director, Policy DevelopmentStanley M. Katz, The Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton UniversityManuel A. Mendez, Retired Deputy Commissioner,NYC Human Resources AdministrationNatan Shklyar, McKinsey & Co. Joint World Bank-Policy Development Paper Issued March 16, 2002 A joint World Bank-Policy Development Working Paper, researched and written during the summer of 2001, is now available in hard copy, and as a downloadable PDF file from the World Bank and Policy Development web sites. The paper is the result of a collaboration between Policy Development and the World Bank's Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Rural Development Sector Unit (ECSSD). This assessment of the impact of the knowledge economy on rural communities in North America and Europe shows that necessity is not always the mother of invention. Even in North America and Europe, remote and underdeveloped communities are struggling to adapt traditional activities--chiefly agriculture--to a globalized, service-oriented marketplace. Urgency is added by vanishing agriculture subsidy regimes and historically low commodity prices. The report looks at successes and failures of four rural communities in Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the United States.To view or download the paper as a PDF file, please reference the article on the World Bank's web site. Rockefeller Brothers Fund Announces President's Grant for joint Policy Development-Phipps CDC Project January 11, 2002 The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) announced a $25,000 President's Grant for a joint Policy Development-Phipps Community Development corporation project. The grant will support a test of Policy Development's (PD's) "Public Policy Capacity-Building" model, engaging the Phipps Community development Corporation (Phipps CDC) as the client organization"We find that the organizations that can benefit the most from our services are also the least able to afford them, and RBF understood this," PD's Aron Goldman explains. "The World Bank and the United Nations Association have been great clients, but community-based organizations are really where we want to deliver analytic capacity and new public policy involvement." Phipps CDC is one of the oldest and most well-regarded services providers in the city, but their policy engagement has historically been limited. As this RBF-funded pilot project increases Phipps CDC's impact externally, its core community services will also become more effective. For PD, this project is an opportunity to learn, and to ready the model for larger interventions with other domestic and international organizations. Policy Development and the World Bank to Issue Joint Paper on Rural Development and the Knowledge Economy September 08, 2001 The World Bank's Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Rural Development Sector Unit and Policy Development have completed a joint research project on the impact of the knowledge economy on rural economies in North America and Europe. The result of this project will be a paper, issued by the two organizations, revealing the struggles of rural communities to find their role in the knowledge economy. Researchers found that, even in modern industrial countries, remote and underdeveloped communities are having a hard time adapting traditional activities to a globalized marketplace and the service-oriented industries which have come to dominate their national economies. Urgency is added by vanishing agriculture subsidy regimes and rock bottom commodity prices. The report looks at successes and failures of four rural communities in Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the United States.  Mission A non-profit, mission-driven organization, Policy Development brings the first-hand experience of direct service organizations to the policy community, while bringing greater policy awareness to direct service program planning. More... featured policy link Moving Ideas: The Electronic Policy Network social policy research initiative • State of the Industry Report (500K PDF) • Phase II Summary (100K PDF) ..:':..:Developed by left-click.:..:':..© 2001-2008 Policy Development | Home | About Us | Projects | News | Resources | Contact |
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