Fund Raisers Rethink Scope of ‘Big’ Contributions
Very large gifts are a lot harder to come by thanks to the troubled economy. The Nature Conservancy (No. 14), in Arlington, Va., received 53 donations of $1-million or more during its 2009 fiscal year, down from 84 in 2008. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (No. 89), in Boston, met the $1-billion…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
As More Donors Offer Real-Estate Gifts, Charities Are Urged to Take Caution
As the prices of homes and property plummeted during the past year, charities began to see an uptick in offers of real-estate gifts, according to people who advise organizations on donations of property. But those gifts sometimes come with entangled strings attached. Many offers are made by…
By Michael Anft
Contributor
Fees Vary Greatly at Organizations That Operate Donor-Advised Funds
Mutual funds have long been closely connected to donor-advised funds, with the investment behemoths Fidelity Investments, the Vanguard Group, and Charles Schwab running three of the largest donor-advised funds. The two industries also have something in common when it comes to fees: Just as the cost…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
Giving from donor-advised funds remained strong in 2008, but early results for 2009 paint a bleaker picture.
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
Philanthropy’s Prime-Time Player
Teddy Rist is having a tough time. The playboy businessman lost his son a year ago, his wife divorced him, and an isolated act of heroism has left him questioning what he’s doing with his life. The solution to his malaise? Philanthropy. Mr. Rist, the lead character in NBC’s new drama The…
By Caroline Preston
Contributor
Charities in Asia Work to Keep Donors Engaged During the Recession
For the past 10 years or so, China and parts of East Asia have been seen as burgeoning philanthropy powerhouses. But with the economic crisis hitting Hong Kong, Shanghai, and the region’s other financial centers, some observers worry the wealthy, corporations, and other donors will be more cautious…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Scottish billionaire carves out a philanthropic legacy Dundonald, Scotland When Scotland’s richest man, Tom Hunter, made his first major charitable commitment — $100-million to ALSO SEE: Text: The Hunter Foundation help sub-Saharan Africa in 2005 — he said philanthropy was better than “any buzz…
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Donors Increasingly Make Their Big Gifts Anonymously, Chronicle Analysis Finds
Big anonymous gifts rising sharply in number
By Sam Kean
Contributor
An Edgy Filmmaker’s Surprising Crusade for Inner Peace
The “Evening With David Lynch,” held here several weeks ago in a rented conference room at the American-Scandinavian Foundation headquarters, had little to do with the enigmatic director’s 30-year film career.
By BRENNEN JENSEN
Contributor