Growth or Mission? The Silicon Valley Community Foundation Made the Wrong Choice.
It started raising money from all over for causes everywhere — and lost its way.
By Strategy, Governance and Alan M. Cantor
What to Do If a Grant Maker Won’t Call You Back
Be persistent but don’t be a pest, let your reputation speak for itself, and be gracious with grant makers — they’re human, too.
By TYLER NICKERSON
Contributor
Daily News Roundup: New $3.2 Billion Health Foundation Will Focus on N.Y. State
The Catholic Church created the charity from the sale of its nonprofit health plan, Fidelis Care. In other articles, the Mormon Church has cut all ties with the Boy Scouts; increasingly the top jobs at museums are held by people other than wealthy white men; the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s after-school music program has ballooned in size and achieved success; and much more about giving and the arts and other news.
Grants Roundup: Barr Foundation Awards $30 Million for the Arts in Mass.
Also, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative gives $14 million for personalized-learning programs in Chicago public schools, and the University of California at San Diego gets $4.7 million to study a chemical found in marijuana as a potential treatment for autism.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
Companies Say Tax Cut Will Boost Their Giving, but Some Experts Are Skeptical
Best Buy, U.S. Bancorp, and Altria are among the corporations touting millions of dollars in higher donations in 2018, but the new law may have the reverse effect in future years.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Daily News Roundup: Eyeglasses Could Improve a Billion Lives
Poor eyesight can be devastating, but it is often overlooked as a public health issue. In other articles, Stephen Schwarzman’s gifts often spark controversy, but that doesn’t stop him; comments by a prominent Baptist church leader are seen as demeaning to women; the head of a U.N. sexual-harassment committee was promoted while the subject of a sexual-harassment inquiry; the Kennedy Center honor for Bill Cosby has been rescinded; and more news and opinions.
Foundations Push Census Turnout in Worrisome Times
Grant makers are concerned that a new citizenship question, combined with growing anti-immigrant sentiment, could suppress response to the 2020 population count.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Private Foundations Are Increasingly Critical to Metro Governance, New Book Argues
Authors Bruce Katz and Jeremy Nowak say power has devolved from Washington to public-private coalitions emerging in metro areas nationwide, with foundations taking on a starring role.
By Drew Lindsay
Senior Editor, Special Projects
Daily News Roundup: Planned Parenthood Sues to Block Change In Family-Planning Program
Three groups are suing the Trump administration over “radical” changes to a family-planning program. In other articles, Boy Scouts is changing the name of its flagship program to Scouts BSA now that girls are joining; a Kenyan health group that rejected the Trump administration’s abortion policy lost $2 million in aid; a Missouri committee investigating Gov. Greitens says he lied to the state ethics commission about a donor list; and more news and Bill Gates and the Koch Industries.
Opinion: Foundations Would Do More Good if They Embraced the Unknown
Grant makers and nonprofits are so programmed to reduce risk that they miss finding the ideal solutions.
Gates Announces $158 Million Effort to Address Poverty in the United States
The foundation says it hopes the data-driven effort will attract experts and other heavyweight grant makers to join in a collaboration to address an issue that affects 40 million Americans.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Daily News Roundup: Koch Gifts Bought Influence and Prompted Query
A gift agreement allowed the Charles Koch Foundation to have a say in hiring and firing of professors at George Mason University. In other articles, the problems at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation appear to run deep; Mark Zuckerberg donates $14 million to Chicago schools; the Obama Foundation has announced plans to open a public library branch at his presidential center; and much more, including how to increase endowments and Jeff Bezos’s philanthropy.
Grants Roundup: Citi Foundation Gives $20 Million for Urban Economic Renewal
Also, a diabetes-research network gets a $15 million boost, and Heifer International receives $3 million from Walmart to help Mexican farmers get top dollar for sustainably sourced food.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
New Resource Aims to Help Foundations Assess Power Inequities
The guide produced by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy with help from a broad-based advisory committee invites grant makers to examine their relationship with the communities they serve and their commitment to social justice and systemic change.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Build Trust in Democracy by Supporting the Arts
Knight Foundation leader Alberto Ibargüen says a mix of grants to cultural institutions and grass-roots groups can help people connect to one another and to their communities.
By Alberto Ibargüen
Contributor
After amassing a fortune in software and giving away $40 million of it, tech entrepreneur Mario Morino established an invitation-only group of experts dedicated to improving nonprofit management.
By Marc Gunther
Contributor