Billions of dollars have been committed, but more attention needs to be paid to communities that lack the ability to advocate to ensure that their neighborhoods benefit.
By dan.parks
Contributor
Disabled People Are Not Invisible — Even if Grant Makers Too Often Overlook Us
A disabled woman working in philanthropy says a Chronicle opinion piece on advancing equity in “invisible” communities “perpetuates the very invisibility it pushes against.”
To Save American Democracy, Donors Should Trade Tax Breaks for Political Wins
One year after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, grant makers need a much more powerful response to the continuing spread of right-wing extremism. That should include more direct funding of political organizations and candidates — and a less exclusive focus on organizations with charity status.
By PAMELA SHIFMAN and Lateefah Simon
Vibrant local libraries, community centers, parks, and other forms of civic infrastructure foster a sense of pride and connection to one’s community — and help shut down polarized politics and anti-democratic impulses.
By Stephen Heintz
Contributor
$1 Billion in Gifts Attracts New Attention to the Rules on Charities and Political Giving
The New Venture Fund doubled its donations last year, becoming what some see as a liberal powerhouse to counter Charles Koch’s support of conservatives charities and advocacy groups.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Saving our democracy will require remaking a civil society that not only reckons with the legacy and harms caused by racism but intentionally brings together workers of all races, unites urban and rural communities, and creates opportunity for all Americans.
By Loren McArthur
Contributor
St. David’s Foundation Awards $51 Million to Boost Health Equity in Tex.
Also, Continental Resources gave $25 million to Oklahoma State University to establish an energy institute named for its founder and chairman, and the natural-gas company Tellurian pledged $25 million to the National Forest Foundation.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
As 2022 Dawns, Economy Bodes Well for Giving
The stock market’s strength and growth in GDP mean that even with the Covid concerns upending the globe again, philanthropy is likely to grow. Inflation and decreasing confidence among the wealthiest are worrisome, however.
By Michael Theis
Contributor
Grant Makers Can Advance Equity by Revealing ‘Invisible’ Communities
Too often grant makers stay on the beaten path, missing opportunities to help in “blind spots” that lack resources and visibility. Here’s how one foundation made it possible for under-resourced nonprofits to get attention.
By Bob Atkins
Contributor
Franklin Thomas’s Legacy at the Ford Foundation Permeates Philanthropy Today
As the first leader of color to head a major philanthropy, Thomas averted the foundation’s financial dissolution, looked out for grantees, and made diversity a core part of the institution’s work, writes Susan Berresford, who succeeded him as president.
By Susan Berresford
Contributor
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Lands $100 Million From Vera Guerin
Plus, the Juilliard School, Mercy Ships, and four universities received big gifts at the end of the year.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates’s $15 Billion Pledge Tops the List for 2021
See the rest of the top 10, including George Soros and Jeff Bezos.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Most Voters Favor Extending Tax Breaks for People Who Don’t Itemize
In a survey, 88 percent of people who are registered to vote said they somewhat or strongly support extending that tax deduction.
By dan.parks
Contributor
MacKenzie Scott’s Trust in Grantees Should Be a Model for Philanthropy — Not a Cause for Criticism
The leader of a nonprofit group that received a game-changing gift from the philanthropist says solving tough challenges will require more people to give with fewer strings, as Scott has done.
My Organization Is a Testament to Why Unrestricted Funding Matters
Eight years ago, the Vera Institute of Justice embarked on a strategy to attract more unrestricted giving. Now a majority of its funds are unrestricted, allowing the nonprofit to move quickly to address unexpected needs, expand staff, and bring more diverse voices to its work.
By Nicholas Turner
Contributor
‘We Want to Give People Hope’: Americans Aid Tornado Victims
Americans across the country are pitching in to help after last week’s tornadoes ravaged the South and Midwest, killing at least 90 people and displacing hundreds.