3 people found this review helpful
GreatNonprofits
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April 16, 2010
3 people found this review helpful
I heard about GreatNonprofits today when I read a deliberately mis-leading review you published about the National Center for Public Policy Research. The reviewer claimed the National Center hounded her father, sent repeated junk mail and bankrupted him, and also said the Center wasted its money for personal use. I know from personal contact with the Center and some of its researchers that none of this is true. Their research is impeccable, and they will take the time to talk to me to answer questions. I'm a small donor and get 2 letters a year, at my request. GreatNonprofits makes a big mistake that threatens its own credibility when it does nothing to verify reviews and refuses to delete reviews after provable facts discrediting the review have been given to it.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
the unpleasant way of reading a dishonest review about an organization I admire
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How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
One time
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
4 people found this review helpful
April 15, 2010
4 people found this review helpful
Great Non-Profits does not appear to be committed to responsible philanthropy. It permits reviewers to post libelous statements about institutions. For example, one anonymous reviewer accuses the two top executives of an institution with which I am affiliated, The National Center for Public Policy Research, of keeping most of the money raised by the institution. Together, their compensation was roughly 3.5% of the expenditures and, according to an independent survey commissioned in 2007, their salaries were substantially below the mean. GreatNonprofits will not take down the numerous libelous statements. This does a tremendous disservice not only to my institution, but to GreatNonprofits as once it was informed of the false information, it incurred legal liability if it continued to post them. This suggests extremely poor judgment. Non-profit reviews from the public can be of great value to donors, if that are responsible. Reviews intended as malicious do not better inform prospective donors, nor, for that matter, do reviews from those with no experience with the institution in question. The reviewer in question was not a donor, but a relative of a donor. Those of us who have been in the non-profit field for a while recognize that there are those who object to charitable giving that will cut into
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
...harming the reputation of an independent, free market non-profit organization.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Monitor reviews for evidence of malicious intent and take such reviews down. Negative opinions are fine and can be helpful to donors, but deliberately false and misleading information does not help donors become better informed.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Though the response to my request for correction was completely inadequate, it was at least courteous.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Courteous, yet unhelpful. Lacked judgment.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
???
Ways to make it better...
GreatNonprofits would have exercised good judgement and, at minimum, taken down the libelous portions of the review.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Credibility and the risk of litigation for itself, its partners, its board members. It risks becoming the Wikipedia of non-profit reviews if it continues to permits posts that are anonymous and unmonitored.
One thing I'd also say is that...
This group is a great investment, if you've always wanted your charitable dollars to go to lawyers.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
One time
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
February 20, 2010
Your service is turning out to be such a wonderful opportunity. We've never had a good channel for feedback and suggestions before, and the outpouring of enthusiasm and constructive ideas has been priceless. A fringe benefit is that I now have quotes I can use in my next grant proposal!
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Is having a channel for communication with my patrons. I found out wonderful things and also some good suggestions.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Very responsive.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
One time
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2010
September 30, 2008
We're thrilled to have the opportunity to connect and communicate through GreatNonprofits. Just days after completing our profile, we were contacted by a local business that had some resources to give away. They used our GreatNonprofits profile and reviews to determine which organization they would donate to. GreatNonprofits provides an invaluable service and has created a lively, interactive way to spread the good news being done all around us.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
A donation we received as a result of our presence on GreatNonprofits.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
The passion of the staff.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Change the way we choose to give and work together.
Should this review be counted for a specific campaign?
Springboard Forward
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
March 28, 2008
GreatNonprofits has established itself as an innovator in the field in a very short timeframe. The Human Services Center is fortunate to have this new vehicle to promote our work to potential volunteers, interns, and donors. The value-add of this service has already been beneficial to our work as volunteers and prospective interns have found their way to our unique agency thanks to GreatNonprofits. Perla and Vivien have been responsive to the needs of agencies in the development stage.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
recruiting volunteers for our agency.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
go national.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
there is an immediate return on a modest investment.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
innovators in the field.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
market the nonprofit sector to all those who need to understand it better.
Ways to make it better...
I had more time to improve our site.
One thing I'd also say is that...
we are proud of the work of GreatNonprofits on behalf of agencies like ours and the nonprofit sector as a whole.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
My Role: General Member of the Public & I was thinking about doing some extra grant writing work to support my family and I saw a Great Nonprofit add for a Grant Writer on Craigslist. I checked out their website and it lead to me spend way more time doing this rating than I have.
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7 people found this review helpful
February 4, 2008
7 people found this review helpful
In theory I like the idea of Great Nonprofits. Good, more focus on quality and accountability! But in practice I question if charitable organizations need another entity to comply with. As a development director for a community health center with over 90 grants, I am struck by the amount of justifying we must do in order to get (or stay) funded for something as vital as health care for poor people. I am also struck by how much pressure our staff are under to provide high quality care to our patients. This has been the same for all of the service-oriented nonprofits that I have worked for in the past, or am doing pro-bono work for now, regardless of whether they were well-established with large operating budgets, or small startups. What is the mission of Great Nonprofits? the best I could glean from the website is that they want to set up a website like Yelp for nonprofits...'You already know that reviews by other people who have gone to a restaurant or tried out a doctor are the best way to find out about the quality of those services..' The first question I ask is how many people who are targeted by people who access, let's just say safety-net services, have the time or resources to bother to register to this website and then write a review for a nonprofit? Most are too busy trying to get health insurance or pay the rent. I looked at some of the reviews and the only one I found that was negative was from someone who appeared to be trying to get a job and was disgruntled that the nonprofit only seemed to hire from within. So the website implies that this is a community service...For who's community? The second question is actually for anyone who has dedicated their life to working in the nonprofit sector. Not as an academic or for a foundation -- who seem to be the people that are controlling the public discourse about what we should "do" with the nonprofit sector (Stanford Social Innovation Review is a good example). If you've never actually had a personal connection with a grant/donation funded nonprofit program budget--i.e. it feeds you or sustains the program you care about-- than I don't think your opinion counts for much. Getting back to the question...Do YOU think it's appropriate for another nonprofit, and the people who frequent its website (who may or may not be your patients/clients), to represent the programs that you work to sustain with little stars on their web page, when it is most likely that donors--not patients/clients-- will be judging your program by the little stars? Based on the cast of characters that make up the board and management of Great Nonprofits I am wondering if the organization's core concept was not just a half-baked idea cooked up in some well-funded, good-meaning "community forum" with token nonprofits in attendance. Nonprofits that were actually only there to meet foundation people so they could fund their nonprofit programs that are expected to cover their overhead at no more than 15%...And are very amenable to the bright ideas of the people who give them money. Looking at the Board and staff bios, *very impressive*, with the exception of Bill Jackson and Tom Reis, none of them make any mention of actually working for a nonprofit. They are all either donors or academics. So does internet-based rating of nonprofits hold any value? I guess we'll find out, looking at the kind of backing the organization attests to have on its website. I'm a little concerned that it could just end up creating more barriers for people like me to help nonprofits succeed by creating another bogus way for funders to screen who they give money to. If the method by which Great Nonprofits appears to be attempting to transform accountability and improve quality for nonprofits is suspect, and I would contest that nonprofits ARE NOT LIKE RESTAURANTS (which is a whole other rant), why do it? I don't get it. By the way, I appreciate that Great Nonprofits put itself out there to be rated.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
On it's website
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Want to learn more and hope they proved my assessment to be incorrect.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
I like thinking about this kind of stuff because people who compose the board and staff of this organization are the kinds of people who impact, for better or worse, my ability to help my organization achieve its mission.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Not particularly aware of what it means to have your feet on the ground at a nonprofit. Or at least that's how it appears from their bios.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Totally destroy the reputation of many good nonprofits. Or, if I'm wrong, and the people who developed it and fund it aren't just on an ego trip, make a positive impact in terms of driving quality and accountability in the nonprofit sector.
Ways to make it better...
They focused on what they could do to help nonprofits achieve their missions, instead of giving funders another potentially flawed tool to judge them by
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Messing up the chances of good nonprofits getting foundation funding because disgruntled staff and job candidates that know Great Nonprofit's website decide to write a bad review (or two or three or four...)
One thing I'd also say is that...
Post your mission statement. Or if you have already, put in plain site (like on your "About Us" page.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
3 people found this review helpful
December 4, 2007
3 people found this review helpful
Finally - a way to gain feedback from the people who interact with a nonprofit! GreatNonProfits.org solves provides solutions in so many ways -- (1) listening to those served by a nonprofit's services or products, (2) helping volunteers and staff find a great place to work, and (3) assisting donors with a truthful look at the good and the bad. Each of these is a breakthrough on its own. So glad that GNP is growing fast - this sector needs more information, more ratings and more two-way communications that are honest, direct and spur ideas for efficiency as well as effectiveness. Bravo!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Scores less than 5 stars - for someone to not rate a perfect score for a non-profit is real progress.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Design a competition that rewarded the most honest feedback - a la "wisdom of the crowd." To be clear, not the best score, but the most accurate -- like Mo Ibrahim's contest for African leaders to be transparent and truthful.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Learning about new and diverse organizations, that have all levels of impact, and seeing the photos of the participants - it's like a free tour of optimism and tenacity to improve your life.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Entrepreneurial, honest, truthful, and seeking to learn.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Be the JD Power, ePininons or Yelp of the social sector!
Ways to make it better...
As with any new idea, attracting user input to build a critical mass is a core goal. If existing investors like foundations and individuals would participate, then all the knowledge learned so far could be shared.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
The typical human concerrn to not say something negative about a service that delivers good. Sharing openly about experiences good and bad will help everyone get better. But, also need to be crafty about how not to scare away those readers who want a fast, easy answer.
One thing I'd also say is that...
GreatNonProfits.org provides more information about a very diverse group of social organizations that benefit society -- it will help find the best ways to improve life and increase high-impact donations.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2007
3 people found this review helpful
December 4, 2007
3 people found this review helpful
I LOVE this organization. Both the idea of having independent, transparent reviews of nonprofits, and the tool itself. Great Nonprofits is well thought out and easy to use. I know from my own work in the nonprofit sector that it is really hard to get objective information on how a nonprofit or its projects are actually performing without investing in lots of research. This is one simple way of capturing that information, that leverages a trend of greater openness. It is an idea and organization whose time has come!!!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
They are gathering momentum toward a critical mass of helpful reviews.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Simple idea that doesn't require a massive organization and a bazillion dollars to run.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2007
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