The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, a private organization that is dedicated to assisting individuals and families who are financially vulnerable, recently announced the preliminary findings of its Caregiver Initiative, which began in 2009. So far, the foundation has granted $8.1 million to 14 nonprofits in the United States -  a total that has been bolstered with $3.3 million in matching funds. 

The initiative aims to learn more about the types of services and support that actually help informal caregivers, who are mostly family members or friends of chronically ill or disabled individuals. This responsibility can burden those who are charged with long-term care, the Weinberg Foundation explains, citing research that shows people often miss work, suffer from depression and feel overwhelmed. 

Some of the initial results of the research paint a better picture about the people who are most often given these responsibilities - women, middle-aged individuals and caregivers who say they are under a great deal of stress. In fact, 40 percent of informal caregivers are daughters and 74 percent are women. Those between the ages of 36 and 64 make up 62 percent of caregivers.

The goal of the effort is to identify strategies that will cut down on stress, making it easier for caregivers to fulfill their responsibilities and cut back on long-term treatment costs. 

 Foundations and organizations that provide annual funding might benefit from nonprofit accounting software, which can help board members audit funds and make sure the correct amounts are being distributed to various programs each year.