Home-CEP | The Center for Effective Philanthropy Overview & Contact Data

The Center for Effective Philanthropy is a nonprofit research and advisory organization that helps foundations, major donors, and individual givers make more effective giving decisions. CEP focuses on philanthropic effectiveness by combining candid stakeholder feedback, data-backed reports, customized advisory services, events, and commentary on its blog. Its work is aimed at organizations that fund social change, including private foundations, family foundations, community funders, and high-net-worth donors seeking clearer evidence about how their grants perform. CEP’s assessment programs gather direct input from grantees, donors, funder staff, and other key stakeholders, then benchmark results against peer grantmakers. This approach gives funders practical insight into their grantmaking practices, communication, partnership quality, and impact on recipient organizations. The organization also publishes research on pressing sector issues, such as the 2025 political climate affecting U.S. foundations and nonprofits, the role of large transformative gifts, many-year grantmaking, and the use of artificial intelligence in nonprofit operations. Its State of Nonprofits report and companion studies on MacKenzie Scott grants provide funders with context about grantee needs, sector strain, and emerging funder strategies. For readers, CEP offers a mix of practical resources, expert commentary, and downloadable reports that support more thoughtful philanthropy. The site serves grantmaking teams looking for evaluation frameworks, nonprofit leaders comparing funder expectations, and individual donors interested in how to give with greater clarity and accountability. By centering evidence, stakeholder feedback, and sector-specific analysis, CEP positions itself as a trusted partner for philanthropic effectiveness and informed grantmaking practice. The website also connects visitors with programming contacts, blog posts, and featured resources that translate research into day-to-day funder decisions.