2019 Center for Effective Philanthropy Grantee Perception Report

The 2019 Grantee Perception Report (GPR) finds that, overall, grantees remain very satisfied with their experiences with the Foundation, allowing us to build on those recognized strengths.

Success in the efforts of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWFJ) to build a Culture of Health depends significantly on our collaborators. To help accomplish this vision, it is important to gather relevant information from our grantees.

On many measures in 2019, grantee perceptions have declined compared to 2017 and 2015 findings, which provide opportunities for improvement.

The Issue

Since 2004, we have partnered with the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) to conduct a biennial survey of grantees about their perceptions of, and experiences with, the Foundation. CEP fielded the survey in spring 2019 in which 776 grantees responded, yielding a response rate of 56 percent, which is similar to the median of our peer comparison cohort. The responses result in CEP’s Grantee Perception Report (GPR), which assists RWJF in confirming stronger areas and to focus on those that require attention in order to achieve our vision of a Culture of Health that provides everyone in America a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being.

Key Findings

• Ratings on core survey items related to the Foundation’s leadership in knowledge and policy are declining.
• The Foundation continues to be distinctive from other funders for its provision of intensive support beyond the grant to a large number of its grantees.
• Among the lower ratings compared to previous years and to our peer funder cohort is how well RWJF understands the social, cultural, or socioeconomic factors that affect our grantees’ work.
• Grantees believe that the Foundation’s efforts to advance a Culture of Health are relevant to their work and that their work is relevant to this vision, but grantees require greater clarity on how this vision is being operationalized through programmatic strategies.
• Grantees’ perceptions of the reporting processes are similar to 2017, but their feedback reveals concerns around the utility of interim and annual reports and a desire to be further incorporated in the design and implementation of evaluations.

About the Study

The participating grantees of more than 275 philanthropies respond to a range of survey questions, as well as some questions that are asked only of RWJF’s grantees. Responses to the survey are anonymously aggregated in CEP’s GPR, which provides comprehensive, actionable feedback for the Foundation.