Smithsonian Museum Launches Program on U.S. Philanthropy
Funded by the Gates Foundation and David M. Rubenstein, the Museum of American History’s “Giving in America” effort will collect, research, and display artifacts documenting the legacy of American philanthropy, the Associated Press writes.
Venerable NYC Charities Trading Old Names for New Branding
Dozens of social-service nonprofits are shedding longstanding but unwieldy or ambiguous names and rebranding themselves for a new era of viral campaigns and search-engine optimization, writes The New York Times.
Obituary: David Cohen, Former Common Cause Leader
Mr. Cohen, who died Sunday at age 79, served as president of the government watchdog group from 1975 to 1981 and spent decades in Washington advocating for greater transparency and accountability in conducting the public’s business, The Washington Post writes.
Zuckerberg and Chan Pledge Nearly $45 Billion to ‘Improving This World’
The couple promised to give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares, with a focus on advancing human potential and promoting equality.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Fidelity Charitable’s Executive Pay Strategy Shows Arrogance — and an IRS Flaw
Paying a third party to compensate its top leaders is a blatantly transparent attempt by the nonprofit to avoid disclosure and a sign of the organization’s Wall Street culture.
By Alan M. Cantor
Reporter
Human Services Assembly Chief Resigns Abruptly After Short Tenure
Gloria Johnson-Cusack stepped down as president and chief executive of the association of human-service nonprofits, which offered little explanation for her brief tenure.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Gates Scholarship Program Aims to Boost Minority Leadership
The successor to Millennium Scholars will distribute $417 million to provide tuition support for 3,000 undergraduate students.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
NYC Alzheimer’s Association Chapter Leaving National Group
The New York City affiliate is splitting off from the national disease charity after rejecting a proposal to formally consolidate the association’s independent chapters into a single legal and financial entity, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Controversial Coke-Backed Anti-Obesity Nonprofit to Close
The Global Energy Balance Network, which came under fire over its Coca-Cola-funded research on obesity, announced Monday that it is disbanding, writes the Associated Press.
Senate Confirms New Head for U.S. Humanitarian Agency
The nomination of Gayle E. Smith, an Africa expert and former national security aide to President Obama, to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development was overwhelmingly approved Monday, The New York Times reports.
Boom Time for Endowment Giving
Big charities aren’t the only ones bouncing back. The Chronicle’s survey of endowments shows that this is a great time for smaller groups as well.
By Peter Olsen-Phillips and Ben Gose
College Endowments Are Flourishing Again — and Critics Are Taking Note
Some in Congress want more money to go to scholarships and less to private-equity managers. But nonprofits worry that restrictions could have a spillover effect on other groups.
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
Investment Returns: Time to Lower Expectations
The bull market of the past six years may have grant makers counting on 8 or 9 percent gains; longer-term trends suggest those expectations are unrealistic.
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
How The Chronicle Compiled Its 2015 Report on Nonprofit Endowments
Find information on 298 nonprofit organizations, including how 233 of those endowments are invested across eight asset classes.
By Peter Olsen-Phillips
Contributor
Beer, Church, and Charity: Portland’s Nonprofits Find Ways to Thrive Amid Declining Religiosity
One of America’s most secular cities offers answers to how nonprofits that have long relied on church-based giving can find new ways to connect with donors and volunteers.
By Drew Lindsay
Senior Editor, Special Projects
World Vision Maintains Religious Identity as It Broadens Its Mission
America’s largest Christian humanitarian nonprofit initially refused to accept government grants or to work with secular groups. Today it works with government, Muslim imams, Buddhist priests, and the famously agnostic Bill Gates.
By Drew Lindsay
Senior Editor, Special Projects