Rodger and Paula Riney Give Dana-Farber $40 Million
Plus, the ACLU, Brandeis, and UC San Diego’s Shiley Eye Institute all receive large gifts.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Disabled People Are Not Invisible — Even if Grant Makers Too Often Overlook Us
A disabled woman working in philanthropy says a Chronicle opinion piece on advancing equity in “invisible” communities “perpetuates the very invisibility it pushes against.”
To Save American Democracy, Donors Should Trade Tax Breaks for Political Wins
One year after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, grant makers need a much more powerful response to the continuing spread of right-wing extremism. That should include more direct funding of political organizations and candidates — and a less exclusive focus on organizations with charity status.
By PAMELA SHIFMAN and Lateefah Simon
Vibrant local libraries, community centers, parks, and other forms of civic infrastructure foster a sense of pride and connection to one’s community — and help shut down polarized politics and anti-democratic impulses.
By Stephen Heintz
Contributor
Saving our democracy will require remaking a civil society that not only reckons with the legacy and harms caused by racism but intentionally brings together workers of all races, unites urban and rural communities, and creates opportunity for all Americans.
By Loren McArthur
Contributor
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Lands $100 Million From Vera Guerin
Plus, the Juilliard School, Mercy Ships, and four universities received big gifts at the end of the year.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates’s $15 Billion Pledge Tops the List for 2021
See the rest of the top 10, including George Soros and Jeff Bezos.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
MacKenzie Scott’s Trust in Grantees Should Be a Model for Philanthropy — Not a Cause for Criticism
The leader of a nonprofit group that received a game-changing gift from the philanthropist says solving tough challenges will require more people to give with fewer strings, as Scott has done.
My Organization Is a Testament to Why Unrestricted Funding Matters
Eight years ago, the Vera Institute of Justice embarked on a strategy to attract more unrestricted giving. Now a majority of its funds are unrestricted, allowing the nonprofit to move quickly to address unexpected needs, expand staff, and bring more diverse voices to its work.
By Nicholas Turner
Contributor
Philanthropy Buzzwords 2022: For Good or Bad, Technology Will Rule
Certainties for the coming year, including the continuing pandemic and ongoing racial inequities, will combine with explosive growth in technological innovations — and the techno-lingo that comes with it.
By Lucy Bernholz
Contributor
Nonprofits That Benefited From Michael Steinhardt’s Dirty Money Need to Own Up to Their Complicity
The Manhattan District Attorney’s finding that the philanthropist illegally purchased cultural artifacts offers a stark reminder to nonprofits about the importance of demanding greater accountability and transparency from donors.
By Lila Corwin Berman
Contributor
U. of Wisconsin at Eau Claire Receives $60 Million for New Event Center
Plus, four other universities received big gifts.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
MacKenzie Scott Is Criticized for Not Providing Details in Latest Round of Gifts
Philanthropy experts expressed concern about the lack of transparency by Scott but said they appreciated signs that she is open to sharing more information about her philanthropy’s results in the future.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
More Civil-Rights Lawyers Are Needed to Fight Racial-Justice Battles. Philanthropy Can Help.
As the racial reckoning of 2020 plays out in courtrooms and state legislatures, grant makers should embrace a range of strategies, including funding law-school scholarship programs and public-interest centers, to help build a well-trained army of civil-rights attorneys.
Bezos Earth Fund Announces Recipients of Nearly $450 Million
The grants will go to nonprofits that work on climate justice here in the United States and organizations around the world that support forest conservation by local and Indigenous communities.
By Jim Rendon
Executive Editor
Metropolitan Museum of Art Receives $125 Million From Trustee
Plus, Cornell University lands $30 million for its canine health center, and an animal hospital receives $25 million from financier Stephen Schwarzman.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor