HIRI’s key areas of work are defined briefly below, and relevant publications are cited for those who want more specific information (please click on Publications to obtain copies - in some cases they can be downloaded directly).

Nonprofit Capacity Building - For the last decade HIRI has been a national leader in research and interventions concerning nonprofit capacity building, including some of the first studies about the role of philanthropy in this area. The Institute also has supported the development of local infrastructure for capacity building in Los Angeles, South Florida, Upstate New York and North Carolina. This work is summarized in:

• HIRI’s Nonprofit Capacity Building Projects. download (23KB)
• Backer, T.E. & Barbell, I. “Models for Local Infrastructure” (H-120)
• Backer, T.E., Bleeg, J.E. & Groves, K. “The Expanding Universe: New Directions in Nonprofit Capacity Building” (B-30) Contact www.allianceonline.org
• Backer, T.E. & Bare, J. “Going to the Next Level” (H-101)
• “Helping Nonprofits Handle Innovation & Change” (B-24)
• Backer, T.E., Bleeg, J.E. & Groves, K. “Exploring Foundation Financial Investments in Nonprofit Capacity Building” (B-33) download

Community Collaborations - The Institute has explored many dimensions of how partnerships or coalitions contribute to the cycle of innovation and change in communities, including strategies for evaluating collaborations and related work on philanthropic partnerships. This work is summarized in:

• HIRI’s Community Collaboration Projects. download (22KB)
• Backer, T.E. & Norman, A.J. “Partnerships and Community Change” (H-99) download (40KB)
• Backer, T.E. (Ed.) “Evaluating Community Collaborations” (Fall 2003, Springer Publishing Company, Edited book) B-29. To obtain a copy: Contact www.springerpub.com or call (877) 687-7476.

Philanthropy - Over the last 15 years, HIRI has studied and intervened with numerous aspects of how foundations and individual donors contribute to change in communities. The Institute’s portfolio of philanthropy studies has focused on how foundations contribute to dissemination of innovations, and on philanthropic trends in capacity building. Current work also is exploring foundation collaborations, learning networks in philanthropy, how foundations and individual donors interact, and transformational change in foundations. This work is summarized in:

• HIRI’s Philanthropy Projects. download (22KB)
• Backer, T.E. “Capacity Building for Smaller Foundations: Shoes for the Cobbler’s Children” (H-122) download
• Backer, T.E. “Collaboration Approaches for Smaller Foundations: Partnering to Focus on Results for Communities” (H-128) download
• Backer, T.E. “The Psychology of Philanthropy and Community Change”
  (H-119) download
• Backer, T.E., Miller, A.M. & Bleeg, J. “Donor Perspectives on Nonprofit Capacity Building” (H-124) download
• Backer, T.E., Miller, A.M. & Bleeg, J. “Donor Perspectives on Place-Based Philanthropy” (H-125) download
• Backer, T.E., Smith R. & Barbell, I. (2004). “Who Comes to the Table? Stakeholder Interactions in Philanthropy” (H-127) download
• Sampson, A. “Capacity Building for Smaller Foundations: Making an Investment in Ourselves” (H-123) download
• Backer, T.E. “Nurturing High Impact Philanthropists: Learning Groups for Donors and Small Foundations” (H-138) download
• Backer, T.E. “Building to Grow: Internal Capacity Building for Small Foundations.” (H-139) download
• Backer, T.E & Barbell, I. “Keeping a Good Program Going: Five Steps to Engage Local Philanthropy.” (H-140) download

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Dissemination & Utilization - From its inception in 1961, HIRI has explored the challenges and opportunities of promoting wider spread and adoption of innovations, highlighting the complex human dynamics of this process. This work is summarized in:

• Backer, T.E. “Knowledge Utilization: The Third Wave” H-50
• Backer, T.E. “Dissemination in a Time of Great Change” H-93
• Backer, T.E. “The Failure of Success...” H-94

Health Communication - HIRI has specialized in the study and facilitation of behavioral approaches to changing individual and group behavior concerning public health issues like substance abuse and HIV prevention. This work is summarized in:

• Backer, T.E. “Mass Media Campaigns for Drug Abuse Prevention” H-73

Health & Human Services - HIRI’s long-time research interests concerning innovation and change in the health and human service fields, especially regarding services for vulnerable populations, are presented in:

• Backer, T.E. “Managing the Human Side of Change...” H-86
• Sechrest, L., Backer T.E. & Rogers, E.M. “Effective Dissemination of Clinical and Health Information” H-82

Arts & Culture - HIRI’s research and interventions have many applications to the arts and culture realm. Projects have included national and regional research on arts programming, and technical assistance consultation on a foundation’s national grantmaking in this realm. This work is summarized in:

• Backer, T.E. “Partnerships As An Art Form; What Works and What Doesn't in Nonprofit Arts Partnerships” B-25. download (387 KB - 73 pages)
• Backer, T.E. “Cultural Participation Means...” H-102
• Backer, T.E. “Human Side of Implementing...” H-103