Applied Research

The Forbes Funds invests in research — just as we invest in organizations and people.  The findings and outcomes help us to anticipate, interpret and forecast the needs of the nonprofit sector, guide discussions throughout the year and drive actions about how best to move the nonprofit sector forward. Research allows all of us who are concerned not only about “doing good” but also about “doing well” to act upon data and knowledge rather than anecdote and occurrence.

We emphasize the word “applied” in the research we support. We truly apply the research findings, implementing programs and even adjusting our grantmaking practices based upon what our researchers have uncovered. Though The Forbes Funds places strong emphasis on capacity building, our research is not limited to capacity building.

The Forbes Funds supports applied research on strategic issues that are likely to have profound effects on nonprofit management and governance, especially among human service and community development organizations. Our overall purpose is to enhance nonprofit sector effectiveness and create momentum for action by:

• Generating and distributing original research of high relevance to the regional nonprofit sector
• Serving as a neutral convener for the sector in planning, applying data and generating action
• Informing and influencing The Forbes Funds’ grantmaking and other grantmakers
• Enhancing The Forbes Funds’ role and reputation in the community
   

We are in a unique position to see trends and challenges facing the sector that can lead to a pertinent and timely research agenda because of our efforts on building management capacity, direct work with agencies and exposure to around 350 organizations through the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership. We channel the information provided by these active resources into a vehicle for identifying our Tropman agenda.

Click here to see a list of current and past Tropman Studies and other research activities.

In this section you’ll also find information about

• the annual Research Conference
• Current Research Agenda
• links to National Studies and Organizations, and
• management tools like Community Threads 
• Links to previous Tropman Reports