Grantmakers Information Technology Survey Report 

V. Challenges/Emerging Issues 

Overview 

Grantmakers continue to be challenged by technology issues. However, foundations have 

improved their use of technology dramatically since the last technology survey was 

conducted in December 1996.  

The area in which foundations have made the greatest strides is electronic 

communications. In 1996, while three out of four respondents (76%) had a definite or 

possible interest in expanding their electronic communications capacity, only 52 percent 

of grantmakers reported using e mail and 20 percent of foundations had a website. 

Today, 98 percent of grantmakers reported using e mail and 91 percent of foundations 

have a website.  

Email has become part of grantmakers regular daily communications and has become 

more widely used than fax machines for communicating with board members, grantees 

and peer foundations. When asked how they prefer to communicate, grantmakers 

indicated  by phone and e mail  for people they know and work with on matters related 

to their work. However, for communicating with the general public and the media 

(distributing annual report information, updating the media on organization activities) 

grantmakers indicated they prefer to communicate via their website.  

When asked how they prefer to receive communications from the Council, grantmakers 

indicated that e mail was the preferred method no matter the nature of the 

communications: 

E mail     LISTSERV  Mail      Website   Other* 

Legislative/public policy updates

    66%   

14%   15%   

4% 

  1% 

Notices of conferences/workshops

    60%   

13%   21%   

5% 

  1% 

Research results

  52%   

12%   22%            13% 

  1% 

Releases about new publications

    60%   

14%   15%            10% 

  1% 

Constituency specific information    

55%   

16%   19%   

8% 

  2% 

Media services information   

50%   

12%   15%            13% 

10% 

* Other includes fax and prefer not to receive. 

Most grantmakers indicated they are not yet taking advantage of more advanced 

technology communications systems, including video conferencing, online Web 

conferencing and the use of Intranets and Extranets.  

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