Ice-Bucket Money to Fund Gene-Mapping of ALS Patients
The ALS Association will invest $3.5 million of the $115 million it raised in last year’s ice-bucket challenge in a project to map the genes and clinical traits of 1,500 people with the degenerative nerve disorder, Bloomberg reports.
Opinion: Fund Managers Win Big in College Endowment Gains
Growing university endowments have benefited financial managers far more than students, paying out hundreds of millions of dollars a year in compensation and fees, a law professor writes in a New York Times column proposing minimum-spend requirements for colleges’ investment funds.
Graham’s $880,000 Pay Raises Eyebrows at Christian Groups
Religion News Service looks at the issue of pay for megachurch pastors and Christian nonprofit leaders in the wake of media reports that Samaritan’s Purse CEO Franklin Graham earns $880,000 a year from the Christian aid group and his separate ministry.
8 Steps for Stronger Nonprofit Video Production
A multimedia director who works with many nonprofit clients explains how to plan and carry out storytelling through video.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Turkish Mogul Donates $20 Million to Aid Syrian Children
Investor Sezgin Baran Korkmaz pledged funds to support a five-year program to expand Relief International’s work on behalf of children affected by Syria’s civil conflict, the humanitarian agency announced.
Planned Parenthood Pushes Back as States Target Funding
While several Republican-controlled states seek to cut off government funding for Planned Parenthood, the organization appears to be gaining legal and regulatory traction in the controversy over its provision of fetal tissue for medical research, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
Cities Scrap With Mass. Nonprofit Over Clothes Donation Bins
The Los Angeles Times looks at battles by cities in California and elsewhere to more strictly regulate collection bins for recycling used clothes, shoes, and textiles, particularly those placed by Planet Aid, a controversial Massachusetts charity.
Car Crash Kills Md. Man Who Portrayed Batman for Charity
A charity volunteer who gained national attention for visiting sick children in full Caped Crusader regalia died Sunday night when a car slammed into his replica Batmobile by the side of a Maryland highway, The Washington Post and the Associated Press report.
MacArthur and Ford Foundations Diverge on Strategy
While both say they will focus on a narrower set of issues, one favors quick action and the other features a more patient approach to change.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
$800-Million Campaign in Works for Obama After Presidency
Close associates of President Obama have set a fundraising target of at least $800 million to establish the infrastructure for his post-White House life, centering on a tech-minded “digital-first” presidential library and an anticipated global foundation, writes The New York Times.
Obituary: Julian Bond, Civil Rights Giant and Ex-NAACP Chair
A figure on the national stage for more than a half-century who co-founded of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Poverty Law Center, Mr. Bond died Saturday at age 75 in a Florida hospital, The Washington Post reports.
LeBron James Teams with U. of Akron on Scholarship Program
The basketball superstar announced a partnership with the university and the financial firm JP Morgan Chase to provide full scholarships to hundreds of at-risk children from his hometown of Akron, Ohio, reports The Plain Dealer.
10 Years After Katrina, New Orleans Nonprofits Say ‘Thank You’
Four major New Orleans organizations decide to share their appreciation for the flood of volunteers who aided the region.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
DOJ Advises Against Banning Homeless From Sleeping Outdoors
Tthe Department of Justice has filed a statement of interest saying that local ordinances that ban homeless people from camping or sleeping outside are unconstitutional and violate Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment, The Washington Post reports.
States Warned on Pulling Planned Parenthood Medicaid Funds
The Obama administration has notified Alabama and Louisiana that they may be breaching federal law by moving to block Medicaid money for Planned Parenthood, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Recovering Economy Not Stemming Demand at U.S. Food Banks
Food charities continue to see rising demand for their services despite the growing economy and a steep drop in unemployment since the recession, leaving many organizations struggling to secure sufficient food supplies, the Associated Press writes.