Mission:
To maximize philanthropy's impact by advancing the effectiveness of grantmakers and their grantees.

Background:
In 1997, representatives from the James Irvine, Ewing Marion Kauffman, and David and Lucile Packard foundations saw a need and created Grantmakers for Effective Organizations. Dedicated to promoting learning and encouraging dialogue among funders committed to building strong and effective nonprofit organizations, it became an affinity group of the Council on Foundations. In 2001, GEO hired its first executive director, Kathleen Enright, and in 2002, it became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and merged with Grantmakers Evaluation Network. GEO staff work with a board of directors and task groups to develop new content, programs, and services for its more than six hundred individual members representing more than four hundred grantmaking organizations.

Outstanding Features:
The GEO Web site houses a repository where members who register for special access can post their latest report, research, policy, or evaluation form; the documents are categorized into a searchable database, from which they may be uploaded or downloaded. Members may also share ideas and questions on the site, and post their organization's upcoming events. The GEO Picks resource list is accessible to all visitors.