"As Congress debates whether to kill the social innovation fund that the Obama administration called for; the fund's founder, Paul Carttar, says it is too hard for congress to get facts.

"In recent weeks, two key Congressional committees have voted to kill all spending on the Social Innovation Fund, a signature Obama administration program that seeks to mobilize government and philanthropic money to expand local programs that get proven results.

"These actions on Capitol Hill were a striking contrast to two other developments involving the fund.

"An independent analysis was released that offers a positive assessment of the fund’s first five years. What’s more, the Obama administration appointed a high-caliber leaderto become head of the agency: Damian Thorman, who worked as a program director at the Knight Foundation before becoming an adviser to donors and foundations."--Paul Cartter, The Chronicle of Philanthropy