East Coast Snowfall Makes Life Hard for Social-Service Groups, Plus More: Friday’s Roundup

* As residents of Washington and other East Coast cities dig out from a massive snowfall, Terri Lee Freeman, president of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, urges them to support social-service groups, which are busy helping homeless people and others who could be at-risk in the cold and snow. Her views appear on the Web site of the Washington public-radio station.

* While there is much discussion about social-justice philanthropy, which seeks to reduce economic disparities and racial inequality, “far too many philanthropic organizations don’t get much beyond the exploratory, let’s-have-a-discussion stage,” says Steven E. Mayer, a nonprofit consultant, on JustPhilanthropy.org, which seeks to promote social-justice efforts.

* Allison Fine, author of a book on social change in the digital age and a Chronicle contributor, discusses the Foundation Center’s new Web site, Glass Pockets, which encourages grant makers to be more open. Ms. Fine says the Web site is a good start, but that it would be more fitting to call it “Transparency 1.0,” not “Transparency 2.0,” because the efforts it highlights don’t go far enough.

* Writing on the Foundation Center’s Philantopic blog, Marilyn Hoyt, a consultant to charities, says there may be a shakeup in leadership at many nonprofit groups this year.

* Developing a solid relationship with a foundation or other donor is much like courting, says April Northstrom, a fund-raising consultant, on her blog. “You want your partner to value what you have to offer and see the potential in your growth,” she writes.