Financial Leaders at America’s Foundations Have the Power to Reshape Philanthropy
A hotter planet, increased gun violence, America’s crippled democracy, and an ever-precarious economy are stretching our households and communities to the breaking point. That’s why we need financial executives to join forces with grant-making colleagues to ensure all of a foundation’s assets advance social-justice missions.
By TYLER NICKERSON
Contributor
How a Foundation Tackles Diversity Issues by Providing Access to Higher Education
Posse leader Deborah Bial says the foundation tries to expand the pool from which top colleges recruit, increase diversity on college campuses, and ensure that Posse Scholars graduate.
Jeff Bezos’s $10 Billion Climate Pledge Sparks Praise and Criticism
Hewlett Foundation President Larry Kramer was among those heaping praise on the pledge as a game-changer, while others cited Amazon’s role in contributing to carbon emissions.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
How Laurene Powell Jobs’s Emerson Collective Decides Where to Give
The organization often makes multiyear general operating grants that give leaders more flexibility.
Art Classes That Foster Creativity and Expression
ProjectArt offers free after-school classes for kids living in historically underserved neighborhoods across the United States.
By Ariella Phillips
Contributor
Writer’s Notebook: What Big Gifts Accomplish
To mark the 20th anniversary of the Philanthropy 50 annual rankings of the donors who give the most, the Chronicle looked at how large donations from past lists have worked out.
In other news about people in philanthropy, the Southern Poverty Law Center taps an Amnesty International executive as it head, and the Packard Foundation appoints a new CEO.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
Fidelity Charitable Leader on the Most Popular Causes for Donor-Advised-Fund Gifts
Pam Norley says the money goes mostly to charities that focus on religion, education, or health and human services.
Leader Discusses Potential and Pitfalls of Efforts to Boost Equity in Grant Making
Marcus Walton, who recently took the helm of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, talks about the “growth trajectory” for groups trying change basic attitudes.
By Alex Daniels
Contributor
A Nonprofit Fights Poverty by Helping Small Producers Grow Their Business
TechnoServe currently works in 29 countries to connect small farmers and entrepreneurs with large corporations.
How the Rockefeller Foundation Is Pivoting to Big Bets
President Rajiv Shah discusses how the foundation has reduced the number of program areas is focusing on fewer, more impactful “big bets.”
Ascend Fund Aims to Elect More Women, With a Boost From Melinda Gates
The collaborative dedicated to helping women get elected to public office, called the Ascend Fund, announced it first grants to two organizations that recruit and train candidates.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
‘Animals, After All, Are Just Other Cultures’
Ingrid Newkirk, the co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, talks about the changes the organization has brought in its 40 years of existence.
How Participant Media Tries to Spark Social Change Through Film
The production company’s films include An Inconvenient Truth, Roma, Human Flow, and the recent Dark Waters.
Editor’s Notebook: Marking a New Decade
Race. The economy. Capitalism. Generational change. Those are among the big issues that philanthropy will grapple with in the year — and decade — ahead, as you’ll read more about digging into our January issue.
New Tool to Fight Climate Change — Ancient Trees
The Archangel Ancient Tree Archive developed a way to propagate the world’s largest and oldest trees and is starting to use their offspring in forest replantings.
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor