Center for Effective Philanthropy

The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) is a nonprofit organization that provides data and insights to improve the effectiveness and impact of philanthropic donations.  CEP was initially founded in 2001, and has since produced research reports focusing on foundations’ performance assessments, strategies, governance, and grantee relationships.  CEP has developed several assessment tools used by over 180 foundations to better improve their impact.  CEP also offers programming for foundation trustees, CEOs, senior executives, and program staff and also hosts national seminars bi-annually.  CEP has offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and San Francisco, California, and receives its funding through earned revenue from its assessment tools and programming and from various foundation grants.  Notable organizations that provide funding for CEP include the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 

Recently, CEP partnered with the Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation to create the YouthTruth Survey, an initiative in which beneficiaries of grants, in this case primarily school children, are directly asked whether or not a foundation’s approach to giving is having a positive impact on their lives.