Phineo Claim Page
Doing Good – Achieving The Best
Valuing Good Work – Phineo
Supporting civic engagement for the purpose of common welfare – this is the mission of PHINEO.
We make recommendations to social investors about non profit organisations and projects that suit their philanthropic plans. To do this, we identify projects with especially strong poten...
About Us
Strengthening Philanthropic Action – Our Goals
- We build bridges
Social investors want to support civic engagement. We provide them with information they need for setting up their commitment strategically.
- We showcase effective non-profit work
For us, highlighting good work means demonstrating which ideas and approaches have the greatest impact. This supports the activities of non-profit organisations and motivates social investors.
- We strengthen civic engagement in Germany
PHINEO offers information about the effectiveness of non-profit projects. In that way, we encourage more and more people to contribute – as volunteers and as donors.
We strive to maximise the impact of each donation
We provide information about non-profit sectors and identify suitable projects. This benefits everyone: social investors, non-profit organisations, and the people they both serve.
Doing Good And Achieving The Best – What We Offer
For foundations, individual donors and socially responsible companies that view their donations as an investment in society, we provide guidance for philanthropic decisions as well as independent evaluations of effective non-profit projects.
We help consultants who advise social investors focus on philanthropic activities with the potential to make a lasting impact.
The non-profit organisations we analyse (at no cost to them) also benefit from our evaluations. These PHINEO analyses provide them with information that helps them work even more effectively. For each project that we recommend, we identify strengths, challenges and projectspecific funding needs.
The majority of our services are free of charge.
Knowing What Works – Our Products
In sector reports, we describe the structures of non-profit engagement and highlight examples of good practice. We show how social investors can get involved. We help social investors decide where to target their resources and work with them to develop impact-oriented funding strategies.
We recommend outstanding projects that we highlight in distinctive profiles. Donors can find suitable projects and make direct contributions online.
We support consultants to social investors – such as banks and financial advisors – with workshops and presentations on topics such as (venture) philanthropy and impact-oriented investment.
Our guidebooks and tips provide donors with information about effective giving.
Because It Works – The Four Stages Of The Phineo Analysis
In the first stage, an organisation provides information about its activities and projects, as well as about its non-profit status. If this benchmark data is sufficient and the project meets the PHINEO criteria, the organisation then submits informational materials, including concept papers, bylaws and annual reports.
These are evaluated by our team of analysts. In the third stage, our analysts visit the non-profit organisation on site to complement desktop research by a personal impression.
If the team finds the organisation’s work effective, it submits its documentation to the recommendation committee. That panel of external experts makes the final decision about which organisations and projects PHINEO will profile and officially recommend.
Of all the organisations that have applied for a PHINEO analysis, so far only about 20 per cent have met our criteria. They receive the PHINEO impact-label.
Comprehensive Analysis – Our Criteria
PHINEO analyses non-profit organisations in terms of their effectiveness and their projects’ potential to make a lasting impact. Our special analytical method takes all of the components of philanthropic work into account. We focus on organisation-related and project-related criteria geared toward the needs and expectations of social investors.
We measure the non-profit’s overall organisational capacity using five criteria, assessing its financial structures and transparency, as well as its vision and strategy.
We assess the project’s potential impact using three criteria, including its concept, goals and evidence of results.
Ten Tips For Doing Good And Achieving The Best
Donate strategically to maximise the impact of your gift. For strategic giving:
- Plan your donation as an investment.
- Set goals and objectives in advance.
- Identify issues and concrete targets for support.
- Choose the right type of investment.
- Identify the action radius of your support.
- Establish an annual budget.
- Develop personal guidelines for giving.
- Select project ideas that deserve support.
- Compile information about projects and organisations.
- Stick with it! Strategic giving is a constant learning process.
Giving is a pleasure! The greater the impact, the greater the pleasure.
