The Frustration with Innovation

Bright Shiny Object Syndrome and its effect on the nonprofit sector.

Vu Le

The Frustration with Innovation

Bright Shiny Object Syndrome and its effect on the nonprofit sector.

Vu Le
5 min read
Philanthropy is power — for better and worse

Considering the principle of “subsidiarity” as a way to untangle the complex relationship between philanthropy, power, and justice.

Anthony M. Barr
Anthony M. Barr
4 min read
Direct Mail Vendors: the used car salesmen of nonprofit fundraising?

Is your direct mail vendor ripping you off?

Matthew Gerken
Matthew Gerken
4 min read
Legal battle over Kurtis Froedtert's wishes, a warning to donors everywhere

A legal battle developing in Milwaukee over the wishes of philanthropist Kurtis Froedtert ought to remind donors everywhere to be very careful in how their wills are phrased.

Martin Morse Wooster
3 min read

Spotlight
Martin Morse Wooster
3 min read
The achievements behind America’s great philanthropist

We should remember Julius Rosenwald’s philanthropy and his accomplishments at Sears, Roebuck if we are to properly assess his place in American history.
Travis LaCouter
2 min read
Religious schools show civil society at work

NPR’s Tom Gjelten recently reported on two separate but related stories of faith-based schools that are explicit about their goal of educating students in an observant religious environment.

Latest Articles

400 years of black giving: From the days of slavery to the 2019 Morehouse graduation

Billionaire Robert F. Smith made a big splash when he told Morehouse grads he would pay off their student debt. Yet his generosity adheres to a long African American tradition.

Tyrone Freeman / 5 min read
Making generous children: a review of "The Gift Inside the Box" by Adam and Allison Grant

With increasing wealth inequality, more parents are more concerned to foster generosity in their kids. A new children’s book from Adam and Allison Grant seeks to teach children about gift-giving.

Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill / 3 min read
3 professional development tips for every fundraiser
Rachel Short / 3 min read
Beyond left and right in politics

The political right and left are intellectually bankrupt, uninspiring, and unnuanced. We must rely on—and promote—philanthropy and the nonprofit sector to advance a healthy society.

Austin Detwiler / 5 min read
Teach for America and charter schools: an unholy alliance?

Do funders supporting Teach for America and charter schools wield too much power to determine where teachers are placed?

Martin Morse Wooster / 4 min read
NIO summit philanthropy fundraising
NextAfter’s NIO Summit: a recap

The 2019 Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit hosted by NextAfter had a lot of extremely useful tips for fundraisers. At the same time, it had a major blind spot for providing comprehensive advice for nonprofit organizations.

Austin Detwiler / 3 min read
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Giving Review Blog

A conversation with the Hewlett Foundation’s Daniel Stid (Part 1 of 2)

The Madison Initiative director talks about his early career, management consulting, and philanthropy.

A conversation with Jay Greene of the University of Arkansas (Part 2 of 2)

The Department of Education Reform chair talks about philanthropic education-reform strategies—including the Gates Foundation’s—and learning from failure, or not.

A conversation with Jay Greene of the University of Arkansas (Part 1 of 2)

The Department of Education Reform chair talks about education-reform philanthropy and that which animates it, as well as Teach for America.

Giving Review Blog

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