Publications

Our Research on the Greater DC region.

Brief

Using Art to Promote a Healthy Community during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This essay uses an art-focused public health campaign in Washington DC’s North of Massachusetts avenue (NoMa) neighborhood to explore issues related to placemaking, public health, community and economic development, and art.
Research Report

Balancing Speed, Equity, and Impact during a Crisis

This report chronicles the genesis and evolution of the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s efforts to raise and coordinate funding from a wide range of individual and institutional donors to address the devast
Research Report

A Preliminary Study of Service Use across Colocated Providers

Human services organizations that share space or “colocate” often reap benefits in property management, administrative services, and opportunities for collaboration.
Research Report

Three Decades of Mary's Center's Social Change Model

This report tells the story of the first 30 years of Mary’s Center, documenting its evolution from a basement clinic to a nationally recognized federally qualified health center (FQHC) serving nearly 55,000 participants in 2018.
Research Report

Equitable Development and Urban Park Space

Results and insights from the first two years of implementation of the equitable development plan of DC’s 11th Street Bridge Park Project.
Research Report

Analyzing a Localized Giving Culture

A recent survey of charitable giving practices at the state, county, and metropolitan level published by the Chronicle of Philanthropy sparked questions about the nature of the disparities in giving patterns between various locales and a
Research Report

Analysis of the Giving Potential of High-Income Donors in the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Region

The recent Chronicle of Philanthropy How America Gives report highlighted the Washington, DC, metropolitan region as a place of exceptional giving—DC ranks high on the list of total charitable dollars given—and one of unmet “giv
Brief

Elevating Cultural Relevance and Racial Equity in Research and Evaluation

Interest in evidence-based programs is increasing—not just among policymakers, but among philanthropic organizations. Simultaneously, more foundations are interested in supporting efforts that advance racial equity in research and in the field.
Research Report

Voices of the Community: DC, Maryland, Virginia

Voices of the Community: DC, Maryland, Virginia (VoicesDMV), is a community engagement initiative from the Greater Washington Community Foundation, in partnership with the Urban Institute, designed to lift up residents’ stories and perceptions of
Brief

A New Model for Growing Impact

Essential to improving the services nonprofits provide is performance management—monitoring and learning activities that use information to shape programming.
Brief

Performance Measurement to Evaluation

Nonprofits are increasingly expected to use data and evidence to manage and improve their programs and to demonstrate that they are producing positive results for their clients.
Testimony

Social Impact Bonds

Social welfare problems in Maryland and elsewhere have remained intractable because their scale is beyond the ability of government to address alone, John Roman told the Appropriations Committee of the Maryland House of Delegates.
Brief

Nonprofit-Government Contracting in the Nation's Capital: Challenges and Opportunities

Findings from the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropys National Survey of Nonprofit-Government Contracting and Grants show that a majority of human service organizations in Washington, D.C.
Research Report

Rising Foreclosures Overwhelm Washington, DC Area Counseling Organizations

This report discusses the results from surveys of housing counseling and legal service organizations and interviews with social service organizations in the Washington, DC, area.
Research Report

D.C. Out-of-School Time Programs Tackle Outcome Measures

Funders and nonprofit leaders are increasingly looking for information that demonstrates the achievements of community-based programs. In this results-oriented environment, the Urban Institute, The Center for What Works, and the D.C.