Tech Money Gets Behind ‘Accelerator’ for Nonprofit Startups
Fast Forward, which assists nonprofits developing products and data analytics to address social problems, has drawn $1.25 million in philanthropic funding from a roster of tech and venture-capital heavyweights that includes Google.org and the Omidyar Network, TechCrunch writes.
L.A. Voters to Decide on $1.2 Billion Fund to Help Homeless
The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to put a bond measure aimed at financing a decade’s worth of programs to combat the city’s homelessness crisis on the November ballot, reports the Associated Press.
U. of Maryland Foundation Joins Fossil-Fuel Divestment Push
The university affiliate that oversees the system’s $1 billion endowment will withdraw all direct investments in coal, oil, and natural gas and appoint a staff member to focus on financial opportunities in renewables, The Baltimore Sun reports.
Study Gives Top Human-Rights Groups Low Marks on Transparency
Human Rights Watch, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Open Society Foundations ranked near the bottom in the study by watchdog group Transparify, which rated 200 think tanks and advocacy nonprofits on their level and quality of donor disclosure, the Thomson Reuters Foundation writes.
How a Nonprofit Earned Big by Charging for Memberships
Immigrant-rights group CASA brings in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year by charging a membership fee for services.
By Timothy Sandoval
Contributor
PayPal Adding Donation Option to Its Mobile App
Responding to the rapid growth in mobile giving, the digital-payments firm is updating its mobile application to include a button that allows users to make charitable gifts within the app, TechCrunch writes.
Minn. Charity Leader’s Son Convicted in Fraud Conspiracy
A federal jury found Minneapolis police officer Jordan Davis guilty Friday of participating in a theft scheme to which his father, longtime Community Action of Minneapolis CEO Bill Davis, admitted in court earlier this month, the Star Tribune reports.
Market Turmoil Calls for Reviewing Fundraising Strategy, Experts Say
The economic fallout of the Brexit vote is likely to have a small negative impact on fundraising for U.S. charities.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Founder of Schools Nonprofit Enters 2017 Race for L.A. Mayor
The candidacy of Steve Barr, former leader of charter-school network Green Dot, raises the potential for education to take center stage in next year’s city election, the Los Angeles Times writes.
Mo. Firm Goes Bankrupt With $22 Million Outstanding on Gift
A hotel company that filed for bankruptcy protection Sunday still owes most of a $30 million pledge by its late founder to help build an arena at Missouri State University, reports the Springfield News-Leader.
Charity Loophole Opens Way for Import of Endangered Animals
Hunters, breeders, and attractions like zoos, circuses, and theme parks have been able to get around federal restrictions on the import of endangered species by making donations of a few thousand dollars to conservation charities, Reuters reports.
Obituary: Gerald Walpin, Ex-Watchdog of U.S. Service Agency
The former Corporation for National and Community Service inspector general, whose tenure ended in controversy over an investigation of AmeriCorps grants, died Friday after being struck by a vehicle in a Manhattan crosswalk, writes The New York Times. He was 84.
Philanthropy in a Time of Turmoil: 3 Cheers for the Establishment
While impatient populists demand immediate change, the incremental approach of the nonprofit “establishment” has been a major driver of grass-roots movements and social good.
By TOM WATSON
Contributor
For Muslim Charities and Donors, Peak Giving Season Is Now
The holy month of Ramadan, which concludes July 5, means a flurry of giving by the 3.3 million American Muslims — a donor market largely untapped by non-Islamic nonprofits.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Podcast: Fine-Tuning Fundraising to Draw Female Donors
Andrea Pactor of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy talks about what nonprofits can do to draw support from a growing class of wealthy women.
By TONY MARTIGNETTI
Contributor
Opinion: Nonprofit Work Can Pay for Retiring Baby Boomers
Nonprofit work is a good option for baby boomers seeking a source of income, and of purpose, as they reach retirement age, a New York Times financial columnist writes.