Jennifer Astone advises donors and foundations on international giving programs, organizational development, and effective networks and collaborations.
International Giving
Jennifer works with her clients to create or revise grantmaking systems including application solicitation, proposal review, site visit protocols, funding recommendations and grant monitoring and evaluation. She brings extensive experience in participatory approaches to community-based development.
Organizational Development
With her background in different roles at foundations, Jennifer is acutely aware of the need for effective systems and communications to meet the changing needs of a foundation from a variety of perspectives. In particular, enabling staff, executives and boards to define foundation strategies and outcomes is critical. She facilitates improved communication, strategy setting and outcomes setting.
Networking and Collaborations
One of her key strengths is helping foundations to add value to their missions and programs through effective, targeted networking and collaborations. She has experience with myriad forms and purposes of networks and formal collaborations to meet goals such as: enhancing staff skills, strengthening programmatic work, creating co-funding partnerships or developing an advocacy agenda.
Africa Expertise
Jennifer has over twenty years experience working in fifteen different English and French-speaking countries of Africa. She has conducted and led in-country assessment studies, site visits, grantee meetings, study tours, video production, and capacity building trainings. Her experience includes working with a variety of stakeholders including: grassroots leaders, NGO representatives, foundation leaders, government officials and activists. Her cultural knowledge and ability to work with a wide range of people on sensitive and crucial topics has made her an effective bridge maker.
