Philanthropy News Report

Rockefeller's $100-Million Pledge

2009-07-02T08:17:00.001-05:00

The Rockefeller Foundation has pledged $100-million over five years to help impoverished nations build better health-care systems.

Full-text article by Ian Wilhelm is available via The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 7.1.09.

News-Media Organizations Meet to Plan Nonprofit Investigative Network

2009-07-01T08:36:00.001-05:00

In a column that appeared on PoynterOnline, a former newspaper executive analyzes the prospects for foundation-supported journalism as more than two-dozen news-media organizations meet this week to discuss forming a national nonprofit investigative network.

Full-text article by David Westphal is available via PoynterOnline, 6.29.09.

Steering Clear of Hedge Funds, Small Universities' Endowments Are Losing Less

2009-07-01T08:25:00.001-05:00

Small universities’ endowments did significantly better in the just-ended fiscal year than their larger, higher-profile peers, which plunged more deeply into alternative investments such as hedge funds.

Full-text article by Craig Karmin is available via The Wall Street Journal, 7.1.09.

Donor pledges $6M to Marian University

2009-07-01T08:22:00.001-05:00

Marian University has received a $6 million pledge – the largest gift in the institution’s history – from a former trustee.

Full-text article by Kathleen McLaughlin is available via the Indianapolis Business Journal, 6.29.09.

2 New Surveys Confirm Charity Leaders' Perceptions: Recession's Impact Runs Deep

2009-06-30T08:36:00.000-05:00

Two surveys of charity officials released today show that 80 percent to 90 percent of nonprofit groups are under financial stress, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports.

Corporate Grant Making: The Chronicle's Annual Survey Predicts Decrease in 2009

2009-06-30T08:33:00.000-05:00

Many of the largest U.S. companies plan to decrease their charitable donations in 2009, or at least keep them level with last year’s, according to the latest Chronicle survey of corporate giving. Subscribers to The Chronicle have access to a searchable database with information on giving from many of the nation’s biggest companies.

Grandkids, Grandparents Have Grand Time at UNT

2009-06-30T08:29:00.002-05:00

One of many programs spreading through US colleges, a University of North Texas (Denton, TX) program – in which grandchildren between 7 and 12 and their grandparents attend classes, sleep in a dormitory and attend a "graduation" luncheon – was a first for Texas. About 85 people signed up.

Full-text article by David Flick is available via The Dallas Morning News, 6.27.09.

Microsoft Veterans Aim to Make Philanthropy More Personal

2009-06-29T09:12:00.001-05:00

Microsoft veterans are launching two separate Seattle nonprofits aimed at encouraging a new generation of philanthropists by using mobile phones, social networking and online connections between donors and people in need.

Full-text article by Kristi Heim is available via The Seattle Times, 6.29.09.

Audit Rocking Kansas Higher Ed

2009-06-29T09:02:00.001-05:00

The regents — with urging from Gov. Mark Parkinson — ordered audits of its universities, specifically to shine a light on the frequently shrouded workings of alumni associations, big-time sports corporations and inner-circle business deals.

Full-text article by Scott Rothschild is available via LJWorld.com, 6.28.09.

Corporate Philanthropy in a Changed Economy

2009-06-29T08:57:00.001-05:00

At this month’s 2009 CECP Corporate Philanthropy Summit, attendees from FORTUNE 500 CEOs to corporate foundation presidents rolled up their sleeves to talk frankly about the new realities they face as they continue to engage in their philanthropy.

Full-text article by Elisabeth Anderson, Shannon Bond, Erica Pagano is available via OnPhilanthropy.com, 6.26.09.

Capital Campaigns in the Recession

2009-06-26T08:28:00.001-05:00

The recession is particularly tough for nonprofit organizations that are conducting capital campaigns. Many donors are holding off on making big gifts. At the same time, access to credit is tight.

Read the transcript from The Chronicle of Philanthropy's online discussion, 6.25.09.

U. of Colorado Hopes to Raise Money by Text Message at Football Games

2009-06-26T08:24:00.001-05:00

The University of Colorado is looking at ways to solicit donations of $5 or so through text messages at football games or other events.

Full-text article by Brittany Anus is available via DailyCamera, 6.24.09.

Foundation Endowments Dipped in 2008, but Giving Rose

2009-06-25T08:43:00.002-05:00

Grant makers’ endowments plunged by 26 percent last year as the stock market fell to levels not seen in years, says a new report from the Commonfund Institute.

Full-text article by Caroline Preston is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6.25.09. [Subscription required.]

Study Ties Madoff Loss to Charity’s Board Size

2009-06-25T08:40:00.002-05:00

A majority of more than 100 foundations that lost 30 percent to all of their assets in the Madoff scandal had four or fewer board members, according an analysis by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, a charity watchdog organization.

Full-text article by Stephanie Strom is available via The New York Times, 6.24.09.

Harvard to Lay Off 275

2009-06-24T16:45:00.001-05:00

Harvard University has announced that it plans to lay off 275 staff members as the college grapples with budget pressures caused by the school's precipitous endowment decline.

Full-text article is available via Boston.com, 6.23.09.

MetroMonitor: Tracking Economic Recession and Recovery in America’s 100 Largest Metropolitan Areas

2009-06-23T15:37:00.002-05:00

A new study by the Brookings Institution examines the economic recovery of the major metropolitan areas in the U.S.

More information is available via The Brookings Institution, 6.23.09.

For Colleges Needing Cash, Summer’s No Longer a Quiet Season

2009-06-22T12:05:00.001-05:00

In recent years, empty campuses have been recognized as potential cash cows, and colleges have tried to fill those once-sleepy weeks with enrichment workshops, for-credit courses, day camps, conferences, private parties and film shoots.

Full-text article by Lisa W. Foderaro is available via The New York Times, 6.21.09.

The First Longitudinal Study of Usage by the Largest US Charities

2009-06-22T08:23:00.001-05:00

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research recently completed one of the first statistically significant, longitudinal studies on the usage of social media by United States charities.

The new study compares organizational adoption of social media in 2007 and 2008 by the 200 largest charities in the United States as compiled annually by Forbes Magazine. For complete details on Forbes Magazine's list of the largest charities, please visit their website at Forbes.com.

For more information, please visit The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research.

Why Non-Profits Are So Good at Social Media

2009-06-18T12:44:00.001-05:00

Online community and social media are hot areas for business these days, as companies recognize the Internet's potential to deepen customer relationships, share knowledge and strengthen teams. In the nonprofit sector, relationships have always been the key currency: the relationships with the members, donors and supporters that NGOs depend on for volunteer labor, financial support and advocacy muscle.

Full-text blog post by Alexandra Samuel is available via HarvardBusiness.org, 6.16.09.

New Business for US News

2009-06-17T15:44:00.001-05:00

US News & World Report is on the verge of officially announcing a major expansion of its rankings website. The announcement will focus on the new "University Directory" that has been in beta. The directory has a broader focus than the rankings - with extensive listings in distance education and adult continuing education, not just the four-year residential colleges that are the focus of the rankings.

Full-text article by Scott Jaschik is available via InsideHigherEd, 6.17.09.

Studies Show Art Audience Decline

2009-06-17T10:35:00.000-05:00

Attendance at art museums is in decline, according to separate national surveys of participation in cultural activities, The Washington Post reports.

Report Finds Most Nonprofit Web Sites Lack Information Donors Want

2009-06-17T10:31:00.001-05:00

Want to increase the number of online donations you get and the amount given through them? Make it easy for Web visitors to find out who you are, what you do and how you spend donated funds.

This was a key finding from the recently released report "Donation Usability: Design Guidelines for Improving the Donation Process and the Usability of Essential Information on Charity and Non-Profit Websites" from the Nielsen Norman Group.

The report is available via the Nielsen Norman Group, 6.17.09.

Changing Demographics Could Be More of a Challenge to Charities Than the Recession

2009-06-16T08:30:00.001-05:00

Fund raisers might want to be more concerned about shifting demographics than economic swings, Judith E. Nichols, deputy director for external affairs at the Brooklyn Public Library, told fund raisers recently.

Full-text blog post is available via The Chronicle's Prospecting Blog, 6.14.09.

Dartmouth College Receives $50-Million Gift

2009-06-16T08:26:00.002-05:00

Dartmouth College has received a $50-million donation from a family that wants to keep anonymous, the college reports. The gift is the largest in Dartmouth’s history.

Full-text press release is available via The Dartmouth News, 6.12.09.

Salvation Army Struggles to Fulfill Terms of a $1.8-Billion Bequest

2009-06-16T08:24:00.001-05:00

The Salvation Army’s plans to honor a donor’s $1.8-billion bequest for the organization to build 30 elaborate community centers throughout the country is proving to be nearly impossible.

Full-text article by Stephanie Strom is available via The New York Times, 6.14.09.