ISTPP researcher Dr. Bryce Hannibal recently coauthored a paper with Dr. Laurie Paarlberg of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Dr. Jasmine McGinnis Johnson of George Washington University on the influence of board network connections on grant making in public foundations. Their work titled “Examining the Mediating Influence of Interlocking Board Networks on Grant Making in Public Foundations” was published in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.
Their research examined the impact of board interlocks between public foundations and whether these relationships were associated with receiving larger grants. To conduct their analysis, Paarlberg, Hannibal, and McGinnis Johnson collected data reported on the Form 990 reports for the public foundations located in two metropolitan areas with over one million residents. The authors then compared financial data from the Form 990 with board membership connections.
Paarlberg, Hannibal, and McGinnis Johnson find the size of an organization is not a predictor of grant allocation when controlling for network characteristics. They also find larger organizations have larger, well-connected boards of directors which is associated with larger grants. They conclude their work by suggesting future research should examine relationships between board members of private foundations.
Paarlberg, Laurie E., Bryce Hannibal, and Jasmine McGinnis Johnson. 2020. “Examining the Mediating Influence of Interlocking Board Networks on Grant Making in Public Foundations.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 1−23. DOI: 10.1177/0899764019897845
