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Philanthropy in George Packer’s “four Americas”

Mostly in one of them, increasingly in another. But maybe it’s only “the terms of accreditation that have changed.” That would be bad.

Thoughts on philanthropy from books featured in The Giving Review in the first half of 2021

A mid-year collection of interesting and insightful passages.


Donald Rumsfeld, R.I.P.

Ivy League degree, military service, tough Midwesterner who could throw a punch when necessary.


Ceding focus, gathering attention

MacKenzie Scott is finding her way as a generous philanthropist, which is good to see. There are some wrinkles to iron out.

The liberal philanthropic establishment and the President’s anti-crime strategy

Some of biggest pillars of America’s liberal philanthropic establishment to not just financially support, but actually participate in project.


Philanthropy in Sasha Issenberg’s The Engagement

New book about successful gay-marriage movement highlights role of some grantmakers who supported it—prominently including the Haas Fund and Tim Gill—and suggesting some funding lessons to be drawn, including by others and in any context.


A conversation with Brent Haglund about environmentalism, property ownership, and civil society (Part 2 of 2)

The retired “civic environmentalist” talks to Michael E. Hartmann and Daniel P. Schmidt about the Green New Deal, some successes of conservative environmentalism, and the perils of polarized philanthropic funding of environmental activity.

A conversation with Brent Haglund about environmentalism, property ownership, and civil society (Part 1 of 2)

The retired “civic environmentalist” talks to Michael E. Hartmann and Daniel P. Schmidt about Aldo Leopold, the Land Ethic, and the Sand County Foundation he led for more than three decades.




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