By Abby Rolland As I’ve worked on harp-weaver LLC client projects over the years, I've become particularly interested in embedding data-related questions within grant applications and follow-up reports. We’ve published a number of blog posts about data, measurement, and evaluation on the harp-weaver blog, including this recent one  by Dr. Samantha Matlin on how data informs philanthropy. But as we consider the more theoretical aspects of these ideas and how they apply, we’re also examining...

Top two images: Greenfield Foundation Trustees and playwright Martyna Majok. Bottom image: The 2024 Hermitage Greenfield Prize dinner at the Hermitage Artist Retreat. By Jill Greenfield Feldman, Trustee & Foundation Manager The Hermitage Greenfield Prize is sponsored by Greenfield Foundation, a client of harp-weaver LLC. What better place to spark an artist’s creativity than a week’s stay on a beautiful tranquil beach? Professionals working in all sorts of media can relax, work, collaborate...

By Samantha Matlin, PhD In today's environment, with limited dollars and increased demand for resources, effective grantmaking requires more than just good intentions. To make a meaningful and lasting impact, grantmakers must not only leverage data to guide their decisions but also recognize and build upon the existing strengths and assets within the communities they aim to serve. A strengths-based, data-informed approach helps ensure that funding decisions build community capacity and foster...