I read with great interest Amy Luckey’s (of Blueprint R+D) article, Grantmaking 2.0: Using New Technology to Enhance Grantmaker Practices, published this month on the Grantmaker’s for Effective Organization’s website. And not just because I am one of the experts she interviewed—I admit to being in good company and, as usual, feeling like I learn more from our interaction than I contributed.

Amy is spot on with her examples and themes:

1. Facilitate communication among grantees
2. Connect grantees with external experts
3. Serve as information resources to the wider community – not only grantees

1. Improve communication with grantees and increase transparency

I will note that with the exception of Number 4 — any nonprofit — not just foundations—can use the ideas of these new tools to increase communications, learning and knowledge sharing.

What this implies to me that there is an idea of collective intelligence, of grants as seeds for processes and knowledge, rather than as a contract for work to be completed. Foundations that are willing to learn with grantees can really effectively leverage their investments.

CTF is exploring how social networking platforms such as Facebook or Ning can be interesting tools for CTF relationships to grow beyond just funder and grantee. The Omidyar Network’s online community—which they have just made a decision to sunset —seemed like a very vibrant example of this as well. Their lessons learned would be extremely useful to the field too.