Grantee Reseach & Portfolio Development
Grantee Research & Portfolio Development
Paragon Philanthropy helps grantmakers build resilient, mission-aligned portfolios by combining deep domain knowledge with targeted sourcing tools and an unparalleled global network. We work closely with foundations, corporations, DAF sponsors, and philanthropic institutions to surface high-potential partners and support strategic alignment with today’s most urgent philanthropic agendas. Whether clients are focused on climate action, equity and social justice, digital inclusion, health systems, or the localization of development funding, Paragon brings the strategic insight and technical tools needed to build issue-aligned portfolios grounded in both current realities and emerging global trends.
Grantee Discovery and Landscape Mapping
Grantee Discovery and Landscape Mapping is the foundational phase of our portfolio development process. We surface promising nonprofit partners through customized research, ecosystem scanning, and curated referrals. Critically, we draw not only on Paragon’s database of over 4,000 pre-vetted nonprofits operating across more than 100 countries, but also on our trusted grantee network and the extensive field knowledge of our regional and senior advisors. Their on-the-ground insight enhances our ability to scan for emerging organizations, promising models, and issue-area leaders that might otherwise be missed. This approach supports both broad opportunity scanning and finely tuned identification of mission-relevant actors, especially in contexts where localization, thematic alignment, or reputational risk must be carefully managed.
Mission Fit and Capacity Pre-Screening
Mission Fit and Capacity Pre-Screening follows once a preliminary cohort has been surfaced. In this phase, we assess prospective grantees for alignment with your mission, strategic priorities, and funding criteria. We evaluate organizational capacity, leadership strength, and programmatic integrity—flagging high-potential partners and filtering out candidates with structural gaps or signals of misalignment before advancing them into full due diligence. Across issue areas such as health equity and pandemic preparedness, digital equity and technology for good, environmental sustainability, and others, Paragon supports its clients by bringing insight into where the sector is heading—providing a forward-looking perspective on the organizations most likely to deliver meaningful, sustained impact.
Portfolio Structuring and Strategic Recommendations
Portfolio Structuring and Strategic Recommendations completes the process by translating research and assessments into an actionable investment strategy. We help clients organize grantees into tailored portfolios aligned with the client’s geographic, thematic, and operational priorities—including, where relevant, alignment with frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), localization goals, or collaborative funding agendas. We also support integration of approaches like impact investing, innovative finance, and collective impact strategies. This phase includes delivery of a clearly articulated recommendation set, often accompanied by custom summaries, risk indicators, and partnership considerations for each candidate. Where requested, Paragon can provide broader strategic advisory support to help clients refine their goals, weigh trade-offs, and develop multi-year philanthropic strategies that incorporate their assembled portfolio and other contextual variables.
Selected Clients
Greater Houston Community Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation
Chicago Community Trust
Zoetis Foundation
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
Marin Community Foundation
Douglas B. Marshall, Jr. Family Foundation
Rodan + Fields Prescription for Change Foundation
Whittier Trust
Communities Foundation of Texas