Learning
At Arcus, we view listening and learning as the first step toward strategic grantmaking, and when appropriate, leading. It is only by listening to stakeholders like our grantee and funder partners that we can create impact through our grantmaking and through other activities. With humility as one of the organization’s core values, we aim to periodically engage colleagues and partners in ways that help us question our assumptions, develop new insights, and adjust our approaches. By gathering and analyzing relevant data and information, and seeking input from a broad range of perspectives, we are better able to identify opportunities, understand the impact we are having, and make course corrections when the need arises. Read and download our social justice and apes reports here.The Arcus Approach to Learning
At the Arcus Foundation, we learn in a variety of ways:- Internally, we meet regularly across departments to share information with one another so that everyone is aware of current work plans, activities, accomplishments, and learnings.
- We learn from our grantee partners through convenings, conferences, one-to-one meetings, and through biennial surveys that provide us with feedback about how our grantees view their relationship with us as well as how our processes and levels of support are helping them advance their missions.
- We learn through a rigorous process of setting goals and outcomes for ourselves, establishing baseline measures and assessing our progress. In this way, we work together to revisit our initial assumptions and adjust our strategies as necessary.
