Grants Can Create Dysfunction at Charities. Here’s a Solution.
Donors who listen, ask good questions, and get out of their offices to learn what nonprofits need will be more effective than those who just impose their own ideas of what matters.
By HAL HARVEY
Contributor
What Andrew Carnegie Would Tell Jeff Bezos About Where to Give
Don’t give to universities, imagine what the libraries of today are, and be sure to give virtually all your money to organizations that promote the common good.
By Richard LeBaron
Contributor
How the IRS’s Stance on Donor Disclosure Corrupts the Nonprofit World
Charities still must tell the tax agency who provided major support, But the move to let all other nonprofits keep donors secret harms every nonprofit by allowing foreign nationals, influence peddlers, and outright crooks to take over tax-exempt groups.
By ROGER COLINVAUX
Contributor
Producing Change Agents: How One Foundation Is Transforming Health Care
The Josiah Macy Foundation started funding midcareer professionals who had strong ideas and the clout to devise better ways to serve patients and society.
By PETER GOODWIN
Contributor
Pressure to Win Big Donors Is a Problem for Many Community Funds, Not Just Silicon Valley
What makes community foundations special is that they focus on the needs of specific regions, not just those of wealthy supporters.
By Diana Aviv
Contributor
Philanthropy’s Racism Problem Stems From Too Little Data
A small sliver of charitable giving goes to groups that specifically serve people of color. Collecting concrete numbers is the first step to setting things right.
By MELISSA SINES and Program Manager
A Proven Way to Battle Rural America’s Poverty
A special type of nonprofit — community financial-development institutions — is combining local expertise and capital to build creative approaches to support communities hurt most by wealth inequality.
By Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
Contributor
Reinventing Cities Means Fixing Neglected Public Places
As parks, libraries, community centers, and other places fall into disrepair, it’s harder for urban residents to connect and build the ties they need to push for change.
By DANA BOURLAND
Contributor
Why Foundations Need an ‘Ensemble Cast’ to Tackle Complex Challenges
Grant makers are building new organizational structures and creating new roles to elevate the voices and talents of all staff members in program and spending decisions.
Bots Might Help Fundraising Focus on What Matters: Engaging Donors
By freeing up staff, advanced technology could give humans more time to build personal ties with supporters.
By Beth Kanter and Allison Fine