Give to end racism; Foundations give more; Grant Maker focuses on the South

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW

Strong ROIs Enabled One-Third of Foundations to Increase Donations Last Year

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The annual Council on Foundations-Commonfund study found that private foundations reported an average return of 13.1 percent on their investment assets last year, reports Michael Theis.

Combined with the urgent needs following the Covid crisis and the racial justice calculation, these investment gains persuaded 33% of foundations to increase their donations compared to 2019. This is a substantial increase in the year Previously, only a quarter of philanthropists increased the amount they donated.

A large foundation plans to increase its donations in the South and attract other foundations there

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Fay Twersky, the new chairman of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, said the funder intends to make more than tens of millions of dollars in annual grants to nonprofits focused on democracy, environment and youth development and that its grants will increase dramatically over the next decade. Much of the money will go to charities in Georgia, where Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank made his fortune.

Twersky also hopes to use its reputation as a leading donor and its extensive network of contacts to attract other foundations to the South.

How one of the country’s largest community funds expanded its support to local leaders

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To find out who the movers and shakers are in a particular neighborhood, not necessarily people with official titles, the San Francisco Foundation asks local residents who they call if they have a problem, writes Alex Daniels. The foundation then chooses 12 leaders in this neighborhood and provides $ 300,000 to design and implement a program to improve life in the area. In Mission District, where huge increases in rental housing costs have made it difficult for low-income immigrant residents to stay in the area, fellows created a program to train people from all walks of life to become better people. defenders.

These informal leaders set the agenda, the foundation’s chairman, Fred Blackwell, told Alex. Its completely driven by them.

More: Check out the rest of our special report on How a turbulent year shapes grantmaking.

Now is the time for the Gates Foundation to change the balance of power in the awarding of its grants

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That’s according to Meg Massey and Ben Wrobel, authors of a book on crowdfunding, who are calling on Gates to abandon his insular and opaque process in favor of a process involving activists and others facing the issues. that the foundation is trying to solve. It is not enough to seek advice from others, they write. Too often, it’s little more than optics. With the impending divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates and recent changes to the board of directors, the resignation of Warren Buffetts and the passing of Bill Gates Sr., a transition to a system that brings more diverse perspectives and expertise to the world. conversation would also create accountability and transparency that the foundation sorely lacks, the authors write.

MORE THINGS TO NOTE

Robyn Beck, AFP, Getty Images

And as colleges across the country begin the fall term, you’ll want to read Emily Hayness about a UCLA course that teaches students how to give, including a hands-on assignment for handing out $ 80,000. UCLA is one of 26 universities that received a grant to create such a course and found it so important that they are now paying for it themselves.

Jennifer Lindholm, a UCLA marshal who teaches the course, told Emily that the philanthropy program is especially important given the crises students have been surrounded in as they reach adulthood. They have a weight of responsibility that they face, she says. It could be overwhelming, and it is our responsibility as educators to truly help them learn to lead and thrive.

We were very concerned about academia this week for another reason: We learned of the death of nonprofit scholar Lester Salamon on Monday from his colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Centers for Civil Society Studies. Salamon appeared on our pages frequently, helping us to give important context to our stories, especially when it comes to nonprofit finances, hiring, and government relations.

In an article he wrote for us ten years ago about the death of another influential actor in the nonprofit world, Peter Goldberg, he described a generous and thoughtful innovator. Perfect words to describe Salamon himself.

Future prospects: fundraising briefing advised by donors. Join Stacy Palmer on September 9 as she hosts a briefing on a Senate bill designed to accelerate giving from donor-advised funds and foundations. Be clear about what you need to know about supporting and opposing the legislation and you’ll hear from a Giving Pledge donor to find out what she thinks about the policy changes. Registration details are below.

Many nonprofits and foundations are taking a hiatus next week before the busy fall season, so they were doing the same. Be back in your inbox on September 11th and keep our site up to date with news as they arise. Our new September issue will be available on September 8.

Stay strong and be well.

Marilyn Dickey and Stacy Palmer

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