Donors Forum continues to move forward with our Real Costs Strategic Initiative. Over 50 Member representatives — from operating nonprofits, grantmakers, and advisors — are working together to establish tangible goals and ensure the real costs of desired outcomes are covered.

> What are "real costs?" Watch and share our video.

Since the Strategic Initiatives Summit in January, the Real Costs Working Group has divided into three subgroups to move this initiative forward. These groups –- Survey, Toolkit, and Training -– are rolling up their sleeves and developing action plans.

• In July, Donors Forum will send a survey to grantmakers and nonprofits to gauge their attitudes and practices regarding overhead costs, and to identify what tools and trainings would be most valuable to them as they look to change their business practices.
• By the end of 2015, Donors Forum hopes to release a toolkit that provides practical tools to help funders expand how they cover the real costs of doing the work, and that helps nonprofits better articulate their real costs for achieving outcomes.
• Complimenting the toolkit will be a series of trainings.

In addition, Donors Forum is working on a pledge that will enhance our Commitment to Full Cost Funding, so grantmakers and nonprofits can publicly declare their commitment to real costs. Our goal is to have 100 organizations sign the pledge in the first year, and to work with national partners to bring the pledge to grantmakers and nonprofits throughout the country.

Donors Forum is considered a national leader on the important issue of real costs. Donors Forum staff have recently spoken to groups in New Jersey, Washington, California, and Washington, D.C. about our efforts.

We need your engagement and voice to move this initiative forward. If you'd like to become involved in our Real Costs Strategic Initiative, please contact me!

— Doug Schenkelberg, Vice President, Strategy + Policy | dschenkelberg@donorsforum.org | 312-327-8942