Mandating co-dependency and inefficiency: Rob Bluey on BP’s imbalanced, uncharitable funding.
NEWS & NOTES
Election drama: Do advocacy ads violate nonprofit tax law?
All in the family: Congresswoman runs afoul of nepotism rules in awarding scholarships.
With alumni giving on the decline, colleges are hitting up their alumni-to-be.
Stem cell research: Will private philanthropy pick up where government left off?
Loony for loony: Canadian government to match citizens’ donations to Pakistan flood victims.
BOOKS & IDEAS
Celebrity charities: Good for images, but what about good works?
Crisis on campus: A bold plan for reforming our colleges and universities.
The Clapham Sect looks at “the collection of philanthropic families” who spearheaded abolitionism.
Lock up or spend down: Are some foundations “self-perpetuating,” too concerned with endowments?
Mistaken is better than wrong, says Richard Marker re: private philanthropy.
PEOPLE & PROJECTS
Aging philanthropist is Pakistan’s Mother Teresa.
Domino’s delivers: Tom Monaghan joins the giving pledge.
A “business that happens to be a nonprofit”: Detroit Goodwill, where revenue sources are changing.
Alumna’s $1 million pledge contingent on college staff losing 250 pounds by 1/1/11.
“Hiding” in plain sight: The New Yorker discovers the Koch brothers.
Going nonprofit: Creative solution to budgetary issues for VA’s Heritage Farm museum.
Suspicions run higher than praise as Tony Blair pledges £4.6 million book advance to charity.
Whether idealistic or self-serving, the shift in pro sports is toward philanthropy.
Will 1 million screaming fans follow in the footsteps of budding philanthropist Justin Bieber?
Litigating for the cure: Are some popular nonprofits too aggressive in protecting their “brands”?
Little-known fact about chart-topper Usher: “Philanthropy is my passion.”
“The charitable class has disappeared”: Cofounder of Sun Microsystems starts nonprofit.
Philanthropy Daily Now
Spread the political wealth around
Naomi Schaefer Riley recently laughed at the claim that only the Right uses its philanthropy to influence the nation’s politics. She quoted the New Yorker’s... more
Naomi Schaefer Riley recently laughed at the claim that only the Right uses its philanthropy to influence the nation’s politics. She quoted the New Yorker’s... more
Federal court nominee stumps for Greenlining
Maybe you’ve been wondering what Goodwin Liu, President Obama’s nominee to the 9th Circuit court, has been doing since Senate Republicans blocked his nomination a... more
Maybe you’ve been wondering what Goodwin Liu, President Obama’s nominee to the 9th Circuit court, has been doing since Senate Republicans blocked his nomination a... more
Government stifling of science
Any time the federal government has more money for grants, that’s great for private charities, deserving individuals, and society at large, right? No. The world... more
Any time the federal government has more money for grants, that’s great for private charities, deserving individuals, and society at large, right? No. The world... more
What is philanthropy and what is not?
Reading Jane Mayer’s piece in the August 30 New Yorker piece on the Koch brothers got me thinking about how we decide what is philanthropy... more
Reading Jane Mayer’s piece in the August 30 New Yorker piece on the Koch brothers got me thinking about how we decide what is philanthropy... more
Pork barrel philanthropy
I finally saw The Art of the Steal, a terrific 2009 documentary film on how politicians and foundations seized control of the famous Barnes collection... more
I finally saw The Art of the Steal, a terrific 2009 documentary film on how politicians and foundations seized control of the famous Barnes collection... more
Recent Stories
Billionaires before the “pledge”“Hiding” in plain sight: The New Yorker discovers the Koch brothers.
A pledge that just keeps givingThe pledge billionaires: Kimberly Dennis and others ask, why the “need to give back”; why wait; why the fanfare?
A mysterious processThe aptly named Paul Light calls for transparency regarding the SIF selection process. (More here.)
Learning from the Giving PledgeRange of billionaire signers shows consensus: Private action more effective than government
OPINION
Higher education: “the for-profits have kicked our butts.”
Points of light: Communities look to themselves in time on need.
Billions poorly spent: Obama’s Race to the Top program earns poor grades from both sides of the aisle.
Mr. Beck goes to Washington: Ross Douthat on radio host’s three-hour jamboree.
The pledge billionaires: Kimberly Dennis and others ask, why the “need to give back”; why wait; why the fanfare?
GIVING & POLITICS
Golden State Democrats seek to limit nonprofit group’s speech and expose donors.
Land of Lincoln: Nonprofit must disclose donors in Illinois, unions remain exempt.
Tough pill to swallow: Governments abandoning hospitals as budgets shrink.
Range of billionaire signers shows consensus: Private action more effective than government
RESEARCH & REPORTS
New philanthropic studies program at Indiana University is unique in the US.
Reduction in individual giving behind drop in nonprofit contributions.
Why the poor give more: Research on the “compassion deficit” at UC-Berkeley.
Cash contributions may be down, but trend in corporate philanthropy is donating employee time.
No surprise: Social Security dips back into the red in 2011; stays there permanently by 2015.
Latest Washington Legal Foundation “Conversations” is on threats to philanthropic freedom.
“Measuring What Matters”: Think-tank report says teacher-preparation programs fall short.
UPenn report directs donors to the best “high-impact opportunities” for helping Haiti.
Echoing Green survey shows “fewer social entrepreneurs come from nonprofit sector.”
Fidelity report polled financial advisors on wealth management and charitable planning.
Today’s donors “follow their passion” when giving; will college endowments suffer?
