Proposed Kalamazoo Foundation Raises Concerns
The Foundation for Excellence, which the Kalamazoo, Mich., government would establish with funds from two local philanthropists to fill a budget gap and cut property taxes, has some people worried that it would put too much power in the hands of wealthy donors, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Debate Flares Over Charity-Financed Surveillance Flights in Baltimore
Experts say it is unquestionably legal for philanthropy to fund police work, but they worry that the project’s secrecy will worsen tense police-community relations.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Building a $100 Million Proposal and Inviting the World to Listen In
A small Detroit charity going after the MacArthur Foundation’s big-idea 100&Change grant is tracking its progress in a weekly podcast.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
Book Details Foundation Influence on Obama Education Policy
Built on a researcher’s extensive interviews with insiders at the Gates, Broad, Ford, and Kellogg foundations, Policy Patrons reveals how the big grant makers operate in the spheres of advocacy and policy and helped shape the Education Department’s agenda, according to The Washington Post.
Bloomberg Gives Harvard $32 Million to Train Urban Leaders
The media mogul and ex-New York City mayor’s donation will launch a program based at the university to educate mayors and their aides on tackling major issues facing cities, reports The Washington Post.
Answers to Questions About Clinton’s and Trump’s Giving
With Clinton Foundation controversies dominating election coverage this week, The Washington Post offers a primer on what’s known and unknown about both major-party presidential candidates’ philanthropic efforts.
Obama Declares Donated Maine Woodlands a National Monument
The president on Wednesday established the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument on more than 87,000 acres of pristine territory that was formally transferred to the government this month by Burt’s Bees co-founder Roxanne Quimby as part of a gift worth $100 million, reports The Washington Post.
Grant Makers Can Point Journalists — and Others — to Solutions
Foundations should demonstrate the power of their ability to find proven projects that tackle vexing issues like homelessness.
By Funders Together
Contributor
Community Fund Slammed Over Gift to Baltimore Surveillance Program
Texas billionaires John and Laura Arnold provided money that helped launch a program that critics say infringes on civil rights and treats city residents “like war criminals.”
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
AP’s Report on Clinton Meetings Questioned
Vox and The Washington Monthly are taking the Associated Press to task for its reporting Wednesday on Hillary Clinton’s meetings with Clinton Foundation donors during her tenure as secretary of state, particularly over how the news service hyped its coverage on social media.
Burt’s Bees Founder Donates Maine Land for Preservation
Conservationist and natural-cosmetics entrepreneur Roxanne Quimby has formally ceded ownership of 87,500 acres in rural Maine from her charitable foundation to the federal government, which is considering a controversial proposal to designate the property a national monument, writes the Associated Press.
Grants Roundup: Chicago Groups Get $3 Million for College and Youth Programs
Also, the Solutions Project establishes a rapid-response grant fund to help grass-roots groups working on climate justice.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Foundation Investment Returns Fall, but Spending Rate Remains Steady
Private foundations saw zero growth on endowment investments in 2015 and community foundations lost 1.8 percent, according to a new study.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
Obituary: Peter Hero, Guided Growth of Silicon Valley Giving
Peter deCourcy Hero, who died of cancer Sunday at age 73, is credited with catalyzing a philanthropic culture in the tech industry while serving as president of a forerunner of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Palo Alto Weekly reports.
Network of Minorities Urges Foundations to Look in the Mirror
The newly renamed Change Philanthropy is working to make staffs, boards, and grant making more inclusive.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Los Angeles’s Powerful Broad Foundation Names New President
Bruce Reed, who formerly worked for Joe Biden, announced his departure a year ago, leaving an opening for longtime staff member Gerun Riley to take the role.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor