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Abstracts of up to 250 words are invited for Volume 19, Issue 1 of The Foundation Review. This will be an open (unthemed) issue. Papers on any topic relevant to organized philanthropy are invited. Submit abstracts to by April 17, 2026. If a full paper is invited, it will be due June 19, 2026, for publication in early 2027.

Abstracts are solicited in four categories (authors do not need to specify a category for their submission):

• Results: Papers in this category generally report on findings from evaluations of foundation-funded work. Papers should include a description of the theory of change (logic model, program theory), a description of the grantmaking strategy, the evaluation methodology, the results, and a narrative discussion. The discussion should focus on what has been learned both about the content (e.g., what has been learned about communications strategies) and about grantmaking and other foundation roles (convening, etc.). We especially seek papers that describe “hard lessons” – efforts that were not successful in achieving the intended outcomes in the timeframe envisioned.
• Tools: Papers in this category should describe tools useful for foundation staff or boards. By “tool” we mean a systematic, replicable methodology intended for a specific purpose. For example, a protocol to assess community or organizational readiness or standardized facilitation methods would be considered tools. The actual tool should be included in the article whenever practical. The paper should describe the rationale for the tool, how it was developed, and available evidence of its usefulness.
• Sector: Papers in this category address issues confronted by the philanthropic sector as a whole, such as diversity, accountability, etc.
• Reflective Practice: Papers in this category rely on the knowledge and experience of the authors, rather than on formal evaluation methods or designs. In these cases, it is because of their perspective about broader issues, rather than specific initiatives, that the article is valuable.

Papers should emphasize the practical applications of the findings. Reviewers will be evaluation professionals, foundation program and evaluation staff and board members, and other experts in the content area. Reviews of the full paper will be double blind. Authors can view full manuscript specifications and standards before submitting an abstract at https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/tfr/for_authors.html.

Book Reviews: The Foundation Review publishes reviews of relevant books. Please contact the editor to discuss submitting a review. Reviewers must be free of conflicts of interest.