Venture-Capital-Backed Start-Ups Factor Altruism Into Next Steps
For-profit university operator Laureate Education is seeking to become a public-benefit corporation in conjunction with its stock offering, becoming the latest in a line of high-profile start-ups embracing structures that allow them to pursue social and environmental goals as well as shareholder returns, reports The New York Times.
Google.org Grants Back Grassroots Racial-Justice Groups
Google’s charity arm has awarded $2.35 million in grants to Bay Area community organizations tackling systemic discrimination in education and law enforcement. This is the Silicon Valley giant’s first foray into the burgeoning racial-justice movement, reports USA Today.
Pro Sports Teams Bring Fans Onto the Philanthropic Field
The New York Times looks at how some major-league sports franchises are involving fans directly in their community work as part of a special section of articles about giving.
Some Nonprofits Are Now More Open to Donations From Marijuana Businesses
The industry’s profitability and the fact that people served by some charities use marijuana for medical problems have encouraged the trend, according to Associated Press.
Pope’s U.S. Visit Was a ‘Shot in the Arm’ for Catholic Charities, Says Group’s Leader
Sister Donna Markham, the head of Catholic Charities USA, tells The Wall Street Journal she is hoping to build on the momentum created by Pope Francis’s recent visit to further serve the poor.
Boise State U. Gets $25-Million Gift for Science Program
The donation from Micron Foundation will cover nearly half the cost of a new building for the university’s materials science program, reports the Idaho Statesman.
In Oil States, Tumbling Crude Prices Hit College Giving
The oil bust that has seen crude prices fall by more than half since last year is putting a financial squeeze on universities in states such as Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Alaska where the energy sector is a major source of higher-education donations, reports the Associated Press.
Vodka, Dogs, and a Nonprofit Love Story
As the founder of Tito’s Handmade Vodka has raised money and awareness for a veterinary nonprofit in Texas, the groups have discovered they are bound by their ideals as well as their devotion to canines.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Corporate Responsibility Impresses Millennials, Survey Finds
Survey participants also said they thought social media was better for raising awareness than for raising money.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Grants Roundup: Lilly Endowment Awards $50 Million to United Negro College Fund
Other awards include a total of $3.28 million from the John A. Hartford Foundation to three groups to improve health care for older adults.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Borrowed From Business: Nonprofits Try Their Own Version of Wall Street-Style Earnings Reports
Some charity leaders are bullish on quarterly updates like those that businesses are required to do but acknowledge the risks involved with flinging open the books.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
Brookings Scholar Resigns in Flap Over Corporate Funding
An economist long affiliated with the Brookings Institution has resigned from the Democrat-leaning think tank after being assailed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren for research she contends was influenced by a corporate sponsor, writes The Washington Post.
Grants Roundup: GE Foundation Gives $25 Million for Safe-Surgery Effort
Other awards include $3 million from the Mary Kay Foundation to 150 domestic-violence shelters around the country.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Coke Cuts Financial Ties With Dietetics Organization
Coca-Cola, which has come under fire for financing research that critics contend aims to downplay the role of sugary drinks in fostering obesity, is ending its sponsorship of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Many Big-Name Invitees Skipped Clinton Global Initiative Event
Pope Francis, Elton John, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Federal Reserve head Janet Yellen were among dozens of leaders, celebrities, and donors who said no to invitations to participate in this year’s Clinton Global Initiative, Politico writes, citing sources familiar with the planning of the Clinton Foundation’s annual marquee event.
Aid Groups Say Silicon Valley Is Sitting Out Refugee Crisis
Tech companies that have recently touted their efforts to help victims of natural disasters such as the Nepal earthquakes are declining to offer similar programs for hundreds of thousands of migrants seeking refuge in Europe, according to The Washington Post.