Stalled Climate Effort Has Grant Makers Rethinking Approach
After spending some $500-million in recent years to press for federal legislation and international agreements on global warming, grant makers and other wealthy donors are rethinking their giving as the White House push on the issue sputters, according to Politico.
Is Charity Status Becoming Irrelevant?
If groups like the ones promoting the Rapture or manhandling NPR are gaining tax-exempt status—no matter how little they do to advance society—then perhaps IRS approval now signals nothing.
By DOUG WHITE
Contributor
Setting an End Date Focuses Foundation Giving
Diane Feeney, a daughter of the billionaire philanthropist Charles Feeney, explains why her family foundation chose to operate for a limited time—and how that decision made the organization’s grant making more creative and effective.
By DIANE FEENEY
Contributor
More Charities Need to Open Themselves Up to Learning Opportunities
Creating strong incentives for sharing what works and making it easy to capture knowledge can help nonprofits become more efficient and effective.
By Katie Smith Milway and Amy Saxton
Designating a ‘Lead Trustee’ Can Help Boards Improve Their Operations
Nonprofits should borrow a page from the corporate playbook and appoint one trustee whose job is to help the chairman and the chief executive on governance matters.
By Eugene H. Fram
Contributor
Setting CEO Pay Must be Done With Care to Avoid Donors’ Wrath
With the economy still struggling to rebound, board members need to think carefully about whether chief executives should get raises.
By Frederick S. Lane
Contributor
Don’t Judge a Charity by Its Founder’s Fame
The Livestrong Foundation, founded by Lance Armstrong, faces a major challenge that could be a cautionary tale for donors as well as organizations that count on a celebrity’s charisma.
By Rich Polt
Contributor
Robert Payton’s Legacy: How to Educate Nonprofit Leaders
The former head of the Exxon Education Foundation urged nonprofit leaders to gain a broad education, not just technical skills—and often asked them to ponder whether they lived for philanthropy or off philanthropy.
By LESLIE LENKOWSKY
Contributor
In the Arts: Abandoning Lincoln Center Raises Questions for City Opera
New York City Opera veterans and opera-world leaders expressed regret Monday over the organization’s decision to leave Lincoln Center, with many blaming the opera’s board for its financial woes, says The New York Times.
Mass. Explores ‘Social-Impact Bonds’ to Finance Projects
Massachusetts is considering a financing approach for social-service projects that would require charities and philanthropists to obtain private financing and show results before getting state money, Reuters writes.