“Wallace has expanded its reach to key audiences by using a wider range of communications strategies – including our upgraded website, speaking engagements, conferences that were more knowledge-focused and a growing number of partnerships – to share our ideas. Downloads from our website have risen from 3,000 in 2003 to 190,000 in 2009, propelled by print and online advertising, promotional brochures, email alerts, search engine optimization and topical web landing pages.”
Field leaders’ awareness of foundations of similar asset size
Source: Academy for Educational Development Survey / The Wallace Foundation
Academy for Educational Development (Survey, 2004)
“In 2000, Wallace already had a solid reputation as a major funder and for being ‘smart and strategic’ in its fields of interest. But in our annual report essay that year, titled ‘Beyond Money,’ we signaled our intention to radically reshape that reputation: from a foundation whose chief asset was the money we had to give away to one dedicated to using the power of ideas to help leaders in particular fields bring about beneficial changes. Three years later, that redefinition of our role was given more tangible expression when – in a step highly unusual at the time for any foundation – we developed a unified brand system positioning us as a source of effective ideas and practices.
Overall assessment:
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We have greatly increased both the number and variety of Wallace publications and annual downloads have risen more than 60-fold since 2003 to nearly 200,000.
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We have become much more effective at sharing our ideas with key audiences by using an updated website and a range of other communications strategies.
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We have greatly extended our reputation and reach to both grantees and non-grantees in our chosen fields of education, the arts and out-of-school learning – and field leaders now compare us favorably with other information sources, including other foundations.”
Academy for Educational Development (Survey of non-grantees); Grantee Perception Report by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (2008); Wallace staff analyses
