Appealing to a Donor’s Heart Matters in Tough Times
While nonprofit leaders have spent a lot of time worrying about how their work will change because of the current economic climate, another important shift has been overlooked: The way nonprofit organizations articulate their role in society — and their claim to support from government and private…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor
The world of philanthropy is largely quiet, secure, and comforting. Unlike almost any other enterprise, it is possible to be applauded and embraced regardless of merit or performance. While no one is in a position to ask tough questions about philanthropic choices, some donors and grant makers —…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor
The Ironies of Foundation Regulation
As Congress gets back to work, legislation on charitable giving will struggle to command attention from lawmakers focused on the 2004 elections. But few members of Congress remain focused on reining in foundation spending on administrative expenses and seeking ways to encourage grant makers to…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor
Museum’s $10-Million Lesson: Stewardship Matters
The art world is all abuzz with the news that a vacationing Scottish museum director, searching through boxes of drawings at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, in New York, came upon what everyone now seems to agree is undeniably a work by Michelangelo. The drawing represents one of only a…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor
Good Performance Is Not Measured by Financial Data Alone
I recently interviewed a foundation trustee about her institution’s payout policy. In explaining why her foundation never strayed very far from the legally required minimum disbursement, she made a telling observation. It went something like this: The charitable world has few good measurements of…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor
Sex Scandal Puts Onus on Catholic Donors to Demand Change
Who should pay for misconduct in a charity? That is the question that the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston faces as it continues to reel under the ever-darkening cloud of sexual misconduct by a significant number of its priests. After the recent conviction of the archdiocese’s most notorious…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor
Nonprofit Groups Should Lead Debate on Rights, Safety
The effect of the war against terrorism on civil liberties presents one of the most important challenges facing nonprofit leaders. On issues ranging from profiling at airports to the use of national identity cards to new limits on Internet privacy, difficult choices await a thoughtful resolution.…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor
Nonprofit Groups Must Meet the Challenges of a World in Tumult
RETHINKING ROLES In the wake of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, donations of ALSO SEE:Picking Up the PiecesCharities Brace for Lean Fund-Raising Season in Tragedy’s WakeHow Charitable Giving Fared During Crises in U.S. HistoryHundreds of Displaced N.Y. Charities Face Financial,…
By Peter Frumkin
Contributor