TL;DR

The next round of AIM’s Grantmaking Program kicks off in September. We’ll be taking a small cohort of funders and grantmakers through a free 9-week course designed to strengthen your grantmaking skills and network. If you are a funder giving over ~$1M annually and want to increase your impact, get in touch by August 1st to join us.   

About the program

Boiled down to 3 things, we focus on:

• Strategic thinking: identifying your values and goals; developing an evidence-based approach; and mitigating common biases and logical errors in grantmaking 
• Methodical impact: using tools like cost-effectiveness analyses and weighted factor models to define impact and pursue positive outcomes, irrespective of who benefits from them
• Engaged community: connecting committed funders so they can learn from each other, better coordinate funding, and network with subject matter experts

Program structure

• Duration: 9 weeks (September 23rd  to November 22nd)
• Format: 8 weeks of interactive online sessions + 1 week in-person in London (October 21-26)
• Time commitment: 4-6 hours per week, with 1 full-time week in person
• Cost: free

What you will gain

• Effective strategies: a wide range of grantmaking practices to maximize the effectiveness of your funding
• Impact assessment skills: tools for tracking and evaluating your impact 
• Sector development insights: ideas for improving philanthropic norms by sharing your learning with others and leveraging your impact by working with others
• Practical application: an individual final project that applies your new skills to a real-world grantmaking challenge of your choice (e.g., developing a grantmaking strategy for a specific cause area, conducting in-depth research on a promising charity, or collaborating on a joint funding initiative)

Why join?

Grantmaking is hard, as Scott Alexander summed up in this pretty astute post. To be an effective grantmaker long-term, and not just make a few good grants when the stars align, you need a solid skillset and an engaged community. Whether you're brand new to grantmaking or a seasoned philanthropist looking to hone your skills, our program can offer valuable resources and a supportive network to help you advance your philanthropic goals. It’s a flexible course in terms of time demands and workload, and the content can be easily personalized to your individual interests and needs.

Schedule a chat to learn more

For more information or to explore joining the program, please visit our website or shoot us an email. We’re always happy to chat.