Bidder to Revive N.Y. City Opera Cedes Battle to Rival
One of the two groups mounting rival efforts to resurrect the New York City Opera has dropped its bid, ending a tangled court battle over a moribund company, reports The New York Times.
2 More Local Chapters Leave Alzheimer’s Association
Wary of losing control under a national consolidation plan, Orange County and San Diego chapters join New York in striking out on their own.
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
A Roundup of Views on the Zuckerberg Pledge
A Wall Street Journal column says the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative takes “a new approach to the kinds of problems with which philanthropy has long struggled.” Fast Company, The New York Times, and Politico, among others, have also weighed in.
Texas Sues Feds and Aid Group to Halt Settlement of Syrians
Texas officials are seeking a court order to block the International Rescue Committee from relocating Syrian refugees in the state, The Dallas Morning News writes.
Head of NYC Schools Fundraising Group Abruptly Resigns
Iris Chen stepped down this week as executive director of the Fund for Public Schools after a 16-month tenure that saw a decline in donations and heavy staff turnover, Politico and The New York Times report.
As Cash Reserve Grows, Wikipedia Rolls Out Yearly Fund Drive
As the Wikimedia Foundation launches its December fundraising campaign with large banners at the top of Wikipedia pages, The Washington Post looks at questions within the nonprofit encyclopedia’s volunteer-driven community about the tenor and size of the annual drive.
Tech Aids Help Food Banks Handle Holiday Surge
Food charities are taking technological cues from e-commerce to meet the spike in both donations and demand for their services during the holiday season, The Wall Street Journal writes.
JFK Library Foundation Leader Ends Stormy Tenure
CEO Heather P. Campion resigned Wednesday after a 20-month run marked by staff unrest and numerous departures from the nonprofit that helps operate the John F. Kennedy presidential library, writes The Boston Globe.
Donors Give $116.7 Million on Giving Tuesday
This year’s event brought in more than 1 million gifts, according to data from the 92nd Street Y. While the numbers are still being crunched, one measure shows a 40 percent increase over the amount raised last year.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Using For-Profits to Funnel Big Sums to Charities Raises Transparency Concerns
Critics say that by setting up a limited-liability company to oversee their philanthropy, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife can avoid disclosure rules and engage in activities that stretch the definition of charity.
By Alex Daniels and NICOLE WALLACE
Zuckerberg’s Previous Giving Focused on Health and Public Education
The Facebook co-founder, who signed the Giving Pledge in 2010 at age 26, has provided plenty of signals about where his philanthropic interests lie.
By Maria Di Mento and Megan O’Neil
Alzheimer’s Association May Lose More Chapters
With its New York chapter striking out on its own, the national organization faces the possibility that other departures could be imminent.
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
Newark to Create Community Schools With Zuckerberg Funds
The Foundation for Newark’s Future announced a $12.5 million plan Tuesday to develop new schools with significant community input and local service programs, one of the last investments from the philanthropic pot built upon Mark Zuckerberg’s $100 million donation five years ago to the New Jersey city’s school system, Associated Press writes.
10% of Big Nonprofits Seek Birth-Control Accommodation, Study Finds
A tenth of nonprofits with 1,000 or more employees elected for the compromise on contraceptive coverage carved out by the Obama administration for faith-affiliated organizations, The Washington Post reports, citing research by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Gates and JPMorgan Back White House Outreach to ‘Unbanked’
The Obama administration announced a set of programs Tuesday to expand financial services to the millions of low-income people in America and around the world who lack access to credit, savings accounts, and other fiscal essentials, reports The New York Times.
Calif. Attorney General Sues to Close Vehicle-Donation Charities
State Attorney General Kamala Harris filed civil lawsuits Tuesday seeking the shutdown of two Los Angeles-area nonprofits that solicit car donations, claiming they illegally profit from the practice and have underreported how much they passed on to partner charities, reports the Los Angeles Times.