‘Barron’s’: A Look at Charity

A special section of Barron’s, published in the December 18 issue, focused on philanthropy.

Among the topics covered in the articles:

• The growing demands by donors for measurable results.
• The World Wildlife Fund’s $270-million project to save 100 million acres of the Brazilian Amazon. The project is unusual, Barron’s says, because it is trying to offer donors the same financial and managerial standards as Wall Street blue-chip investors would require.
• Jim and Sally Barksdale’s $100-million effort to fight illiteracy in Mississippi. Mr. Barksdale received $700-million in America Online stock when the company he headed — Netscape — was acquired by AOL, and the Barksdales tell the magazine they plan to give away all of their fortune before they die.
• Paul Newman’s efforts, through his Committee to Encourage Philanthropy, to get corporations to give more. The organization’s goal is to increase corporate philanthropy from the $9-billion donated in 1998 to $14-billion by 2004.