Opinion: Some Wealthy Families Take Giving Local
A New York Times financial writer looks at heirs to business fortunes who are steering their philanthropy into the communities where their forebears amassed their riches and applying the results-focused rigor of impact investing to local causes.
How an Awesome Foundation Chapter Does Giving Differently
The New York Times reports on the unusual philanthropy of the Awesome Foundation, through which a rotating cast of mostly young trustees pool funds to provide $1,000 no-strings grants to applicants pursuing often-quirky cultural or community projects.
Paul Newman’s Children Feuding With Head of Late Actor’s Charity
The late Hollywood icon’s children are at odds with a longtime friend of the actor’s who now heads the Newman’s Own food company and the foundation that gives away the firm’s proceeds, according to an article in the August issue of Vanity Fair magazine.
Smart Donors Are Putting Nonprofits Back in Charge
Big changes in civil rights, poverty, or climate change won’t happen without strong — and well-financed — nonprofits.
By TOM WATSON
Contributor
Donors Collaborate to End Homelessness in Conn.
Clear mission and regional outlook brought together more than two dozen grant makers in the state.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Grants Roundup: $200,000 to San Diego Zoo Supports Rhino Conservation and More
Other awards include $1 million to expand a nationwide housing program for LGBT seniors.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Ford Freezes $4 Million in India Funding Amid Clampdown
The Ford Foundation is holding up aid to organizations in India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government scrutinizes foreign donors viewed as meddling in domestic affairs, Reuters reports.
Grant Maker Pushes to Make Donor-Advised Funds Pay Out Faster
The Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation has created a video encouraging donors to give to charities pursing its mission.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Gifts Roundup: $60 Million to U. of Michigan for Entrepreneurship
Also included: a $1 million gift to Rutgers Law School to start a summer fellowship for public-interest law.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Starbucks CEO Commits $30 Million to Youth Jobs Effort
Howard Schultz is spearheading an effort by major corporations to hire 100,000 young workers from minority and low-income communities over the next three years, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times write.
$65 Million Gift to Create Endowment for Park Avenue Armory
The donation from the foundation of a late armory patron, Airstream trailer mogul Wade Thompson, will establish an endowment for programming and educational efforts at the New York City arts center, reports The New York Times.
Russian Science Foundation Closes Over ‘Foreign Agent’ Law
Russian mogul Dmitry Zimin has followed through on a threat to shutter his science charity, the Dynasty Foundation, rather than accede to a Kremlin demand that it register as a foreign agent, The Guardian and Nature write.
MacArthur, Mott, and Open Society Foundations Are Under Scrutiny in Russia
The three are on a list of a dozen organizations that Putin is sending to Russian officials to determine whether they pose a threat to the country.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
Robin Hood Foundation to Train Donors for Nonprofit Posts
The foundation, which annually raises tens of millions of dollars from Wall Street for anti-poverty programs, is launching an effort to train experienced finance professionals for full-time work at charities it supports, Bloomberg writes.
Opinion: Philanthropy Not the Cure for What Ails Higher Ed
High-profile philanthropic efforts to increase college access for low- and middle-income students serve to reinforce rather than resolve a system that creates inequality in higher education, according to a writer for liberal magazine The Nation.
Grants Roundup: Mich. Community College Receives $1 Million for New Campus
Other notable awards include $500,000 for a group that helps children with developmental disabilities and $240,000 for nonprofits that work with public schools in needy areas of Silicon Valley.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor