Soros Foundation Closes in Turkey: Daily News Roundup
Days before the shutdown, President Tayyip Erdogan said George Soros “assigns people to divide nations and shatter them.” Plus, Chef Jose Andres has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize; the Trump Foundation made no donations last year; the Trump Organization gave more than $500,000 to the Trump Foundation in 2017, according to a tax return; an effort to encourage people to include charities in their estate planning aims to raise $1 trillion; plus, articles about Giving Tuesday and more.
Lawsuit Against Trump and His Nonprofit Allowed to Proceed: Daily News Roundup
A judge in New York State denied President Trump’s lawyers’ request to dismiss a suit against the Trump Foundation brought by the state attorney general. In other articles, after Facebook admitted using a controversial public-relations firm to research George Soros, his philanthropy says lawmakers should scrutinize the social-media site more closely; Phil Knight gave $109 million to his foundation; Jeff Bezos donated $97.5 million to groups that aid the homeless; and much more.
Trump Foundation, Soros and Facebook, Whitaker and DAFs: Daily News Roundup
The N.Y. attorney general filed the lawsuit in June accusing Trump and three of his children of misusing the grant maker to advance his presidential campaign. In other articles, Nike’s Phil Knight gave $109 million to his foundation; Jeff Bezos gave $97.5 million to help the homeless; House Republicans plan to hear testimony on whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in improper activities; a nonprofit with obscure origins and source of funds gave Matthew Whitaker $1.2 million. Plus much more.
Ford Foundation’s 2-Year, $205 Million Headquarters Makeover Is Complete: Daily News Roundup
The building has a soaring atrium and a saw-tooth skylight but also a smaller footprint with room for other foundations, plus a public art gallery and a touch-and-feel garden for the blind. Plus, the Trump administration’s Opportunity Zones could be a boon to distressed areas; Michael Bloomberg’s $1.8 billion gift to Johns Hopkins has prompted a variety of responses; Rhode Island prisons are working to get opioid treatment for inmates; and more about innovation and cultural groups.
Foundation Leaders Call for Protecting the Special-Counsel Investigation
An unusual letter, backed by the heads of more than 40 foundations and charities, expressed concerns about the appointment of the Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, saying President Trump is not above the law.
By Julian Wyllie
Contributor
Trump Administration Urged 4H Youth Group to Drop LGBT Policy: Daily News Roundup
The move helped lead to the CEO’s firing. Plus, housing units for homeless people provided by a New York City nonprofit are unsafe for children, according to a city review, and the group fails to see that residents get social services; a foundation CEO gets about $40,000 a year for working there two hours a week, according to a foundation report; giving circles account for a small fraction of charitable giving, but they’ve been on the rise; and much more.
Nonprofit Provides Legal Help to People in Developing Countries (Podcast)
Namati helps some of the most vulnerable people in the world achieve basic rights.
Soros Says Facebook Campaign Was ‘Reprehensible’: Daily News Roundup
The president of Soros’s Open Society Foundations said he was “shocked to learn" that the social-media site had allegedly promoted a Soros conspiracy to discredit is critics. Plus, a former Google executive has started a nonprofit to fight sexism in the tech industry; the Baltimore Symphony has suspended its concertmaster, who was accused of inappropriate behavior; Brandeis gets $10 million to help Japanese students; and more about ideas and opinion.
Philanthropy Puts a ‘Chokehold’ on Innovation, Says Nonprofit Veteran
Robert Egger, a nationally known nonprofit founder, says he’s quitting his own work to help a new generation of leaders battle problems that hobble the ability of organizations to make a difference, including lack of political power and close-minded thinking of grant makers.
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
$200 Million Gift Goes to Mayo Clinic for Medical Education: Daily News Roundup
Among other things, the money will fund scholarships and educational programs for artificial intelligence and other new technologies. Plus, after San Francisco voters passed a new tax on big businesses to fight homelessness, Airbnb is giving $5 million to the cause; the CEO of Citadel is giving $10 million to open Success Academy middle schools in Brooklyn and Queens; Forbes magazine releases a list of 30 social entrepreneurs under age 30. See read more on ideas, opinion, and innovation.
Fostering Civic Engagement Can Help Close Nation’s Divides, Say Nonprofit Officials
Local communities suffer less from division than the nation as a whole, providing an avenue for unifying people, said a panel of philanthropic leaders at the National Press Club.
By Timothy Sandoval
Contributor
Money From Sale of Seattle Seahawks Will Go to Paul Allen Foundation: Daily News Roundup
No sale is imminent, but a report says that potential buyers are preparing to bid on the team and the sale “could set a record.” In other articles, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has given $200 million to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation; contributions to the Clinton Foundation have dropped for the third year in a row; the Washington Post looks at how the Southern Poverty Law Center defines hate; and more news and articles about big donors and gifts as well as ideas and innovation.
Harvard Medical School Gets $200 Million to Speed Up Research: Daily News Roundup
The money will go, in part, for data science and a lab space for biotech startups. In other articles, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s new CEO has been an executive with Arizona State and Stanford universities; and the Catholic Church has a history of moving priests accused of sex abuse into non-English-speaking immigrant communities, according to legal documents from child-abuse settlements that took place decades ago. Plus, more news.
Fighting Poverty With Fingerprint Technology (Podcast)
Toby Norman, co-founder of Simprints, explains how the organization’s biometric fingerprint technology is increasing the effectiveness and transparency of delivering aid.
Ex-Congressman Gets 10 Years for Stealing Charity Gifts: Daily News Roundup
Steve Stockman of Texas was found guilty of stealing hundreds of thousands and using it for personal expenses and his political campaigns. In other articles, a donor has withdrawn $25 million from a performing-arts center because its plans for expansion didn’t fit with his philanthropic priorities; a longtime CEO of a Louisiana hospital foundation has been fired after a third-party investigation found “a pattern of forgery and embezzlement of funds”; and more nonprofit news.
Home Depot Foundation Commits Additional $250 Million to Aid Veterans
The foundation has already spent $250 million since 2011 to help veterans facing homelessness, fund efforts to build and improve ex-warrior’s houses, and other programs.
By Timothy Sandoval
Contributor