Forget just telling success stories: Admitting mistakes has grown just as important in managing a foundation, said speakers at the Philanthropy Roundtable’s annual conference, in Scottsdale, Ariz., which concluded on Saturday.

Part of the new expectation of openness, said speakers, comes from tighter economic times and from the influence of corporate executives moving into foundation jobs, bringing with them a penchant for innovation and candor about what does and doesn’t work.

To get results, it’s important, “to go beyond the happy talk” between philanthropists and grantees, said Thomas Tierney, chairman of the Bridgespan Group, a consultancy that advises donors and nonprofits. In a presentation at the conference, he advised donors to ask grant recipients not only about their successes but also about their least effective programs—then work with organizations to set…

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