Facebook Arm’s Program Promotes Virtual Reality for a Cause
The VR for Good effort by Facebook-owned virtual-reality company Oculus is aimed in part at helping nonprofits showcase their social missions using 360-degree video technology, reports USA Today.
Gates Fund Commits $80 Million to Close Gender ‘Data Gap’
Announcing the three-year funding program Tuesday at the Women Deliver conference in Copenhagen, Melinda Gates aligned the data effort with the United Nations goal to achieve gender equality worldwide by 2030, reports bdnews24.com, a Bangladeshi news website.
Sacramento Giving Day Beats Record Despite Tech Meltdown
With extended hours, the California capital’s Big Day of Giving overcame the web failure that crippled online-fundraising events nationwide earlier this month to collect a record $7.1 million, reports The Sacramento Bee.
Simons Fund Gives $40 Million to Study Origins of Universe
The foundation led by mathematician, hedge-fund billionaire, and science donor James Simons is funding a telescope to search for signs of gravitational waves physicists believe may hold clues to the beginnings of space and time, Scientific American writes.
Powell Jobs Heads Magazine’s List of Philanthropy Leaders
Town & Country named its top 50 philanthropists of 2016, citing celebrities, tech moguls, nonprofit leaders, and others the wealth and lifestyle magazine says “are using money, influence, and family name to change the game in big ways.”
Gates Foundation Funds Polio Vaccine in Eradication Effort
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $38 million to Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals to develop a low-cost polio vaccine, Reuters reports.
Dream of Using Drones for Good Takes Flight in Rwanda
With help from UPS and other partners, the African nation hopes to make blood and vaccines quickly available to all of its 11 million residents.
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
New Nonprofit Promotes Gender Diversity in Silicon Valley
Created by prominent Silicon Valley women who’ve held posts at firms such as Google, Pinterest, and Reddit, Project Include aims to diversify technology companies, reports The New York Times.
Technology Failure Cripples Give Local America Event
Kimbia, the main software provider for the event, issues an apology as nonprofits scramble to recoup losses and frustrated donors vent on social media.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Facebook Facing Lawsuit Over Zuckerberg Stock Move
A shareholder filed suit Friday over the company’s plan to issue a new class of stock that would allow CEO Mark Zuckerberg to retain control of the social-media giant while plowing a huge chunk of his holdings into a $45 billion philanthropic venture, Reuters reports.
Philanthropy Is Problem-Solving, Not ‘Giving Away Money,’ Says Sean Parker
The billionaire tech investor delves into his philosophy of “hacker philanthropy” and discusses his $250 million pledge to advance cancer immunology in an interview with the Financial Times.
The Best of Online Fundraising 2016
Online fundraising is hard, but smart charities have shown that it can done successfully with innovative thinking and smart planning.
Follow the Leaders: Learn From Charities Making the Most of Digital Giving
The Chronicle asked experts and readers to identify charities that stand out in their use of the Internet to gain support and sell their causes.
Some charities like the Audubon Society have found ways to further their mission by creating an app, but experts say most nonprofits should focus on building a better mobile site.
By Heather Joslyn
Contributor
Howard Buffett Touts ‘Brown Revolution’ to Tackle Hunger
The Atlantic magazine profiles the billionaire farmer and philanthropist and his work to reduce global hunger and preserve vast swaths of African wilderness.
New App Aims to Help Charities Cut Through Online Chatter
LetsAllDoGood, a mobile application unveiled this week by charity-auction site BiddingForGood, is designed to let nonprofits send push notifications directly to supporters, bypassing the clutter of email and social media, writes The Boston Globe.