Giving in 2006 Wasn’t ‘Stuck in Low Gear’
LETTERS TO THE EDITORTo the Editor: Philanthropy in America is healthy, thriving, and strong. In fact, “Giving USA 2007" reports that in 2006, giving in the United States increased for the third consecutive year, reaching a record high of $295.02-billion. I believe it unfortunate that The Chronicle…
Smithsonian’s Recovery From Governance Scandal Has Been Too Slow
Four months after Lawrence Small, secretary of the Smithsonian, resigned in disgrace, nothing much seems to have changed at the institution, despite last month’s release of two reports that were supposed to provide a road map for change. The Smithsonian’s Board of Regents is still intact. Two…
By PABLO EISENBERG
Contributor
Business Ventures Are Realistic for Many Charities
LETTERS TO THE EDITORTo the Editor: News coverage of the recent report by Seedco titled “The Limits of Social Enterprise: A Field Study and Case Analysis,” (“Charities’ Business Ventures Hard to Sustain, Study Finds,” June 14) suggests that nonprofits have been sold a bill of goods when it comes to…
Supreme Court Ruling Upholds White House Office on Religious Charities
Charity leaders and legal experts who oppose giving federal money to religious groups for social services say last month’s Supreme Court’s ruling is causing them to rethink their strategies. The case, Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation, centered on whether average citizens and watchdog groups…
By BRENNEN JENSEN
Contributor
Marketing Techniques Alone Won’t Advance a Charity’s Cause, Experts Say
When it comes to marketing, nonprofit groups should not simply try to raise awareness or reach small segments of their intended audience, but rather focus on spurring collective action, a brand and marketing expert said at an American Marketing Association meeting here this month. To do that,…
By Sue Hoye
Contributor
Online popularity contests drive philanthropic decisionsAn increasing number of grant makers are asking everyday citizens to vote on proposals from organizations seeking money — a process not unlike how the American Idol television show vets aspiring singers to find potential superstars.…
By Sam Kean
Contributor
Columnist Calls High-Profile Philanthropists ‘Yawns’
Columnist calls high-profile donors ‘yawns’
Charities Should Remain Nonpolitical
As the campaigns for the 2008 elections are getting into gear, the debate over the proper role of nonprofit organizations in the political sphere has intensified. Some nonprofit leaders are arguing that the laws prohibiting political activity are archaic and should be dropped. But doing so would…
By PABLO EISENBERG
Contributor
Charities and Politics: How Much Should They Mix?
To the Editor: In his opinion article “Charities Must Challenge Politicians” (My View, May 31), Robert Egger of the D.C. Central Kitchen argues that nonprofits should be permitted to intervene in political campaigns. He and those who agree with him should be careful what they wish for. True,…
Philanthropy’s Misguided Focus on ‘Root Causes’
Most foundations are driven by the conviction that they must not waste money on charity, which simply puts Band-Aids on society’s problems. Rather, they must try to get to the problems’ root causes, thereby solving them once and for all. After a full century of efforts to follow this rule, it’s…
By WILLIAM SCHAMBRA
Contributor