Articles about Giving
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"It’s time for new ways to give"
As Silicon Valley Community Foundation unveils a study on corporate philanthropy in its home region, the organization’s CEO and President, Dr. Emmett Carson, states that businesses can and should be doing more to bring about positive changes in their own backyards. Praising the Valley for its legacy of innovation, Dr. Carson suggests that when it comes to making major improvements in the community, the spirit of ingenuity is lacking, creating a disconnect between corporations’ capacity for improving their neighborhoods and the reality for the residents.
San Francisco Chronicle – Emmett D. Carson, October 9, 2007
www.sfgate.com
"Congressional Philanthropy Caucus Ready to Take Off"
Having announced plans earlier this year to form a committee that would address issues connecting the United States government and the philanthropic community, the House of Representatives is now poised to launch the Congressional Philanthropy Caucus. The bi-partisan caucus is currently made up of 25 legislators from across the country. Its goal, according to co-chairs Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH) and Representative Robin Hayes (R-NC), is to “1) inform members of Congress and congressional staff about the important role that foundations play in our communities and around the world; 2) identify issues of mutual interest to the philanthropic sector and lawmakers; and 3) raise awareness about legislative issues affecting foundations, such as the recent changes to donor-advised funds and supporting organizations.”
The Chronicle of Philanthropy – Suzanne Perry, September 27, 2007
www.philanthropy.com
"Liberating women, one grant at a time"
For 20 years, the Global Fund For Women (GFW) has worked with and on behalf of women all over the world, using grantmaking as a tool to create social change and improve lives. For 11 of those years, Kavita Ramdas has been at the helm of GFW, guiding its mission and growing its reach and influence to over 150 countries.
India Post – Srirekha N. Chakravarty, September 19, 2007
www.indiapost.com
"22nd Century Philanthropy: High Efficiency, High Leverage"
The popularity of venture philanthropy has proven that there is a way to apply traditional business practices in the nonprofit world. Now another business model – the incentive prize – is finding its way into philanthropy, and some see potential for significant impact.
The Huffington Post – Peter H. Diamandis, September 3, 2007
www.huffingtonpost.com
"Squaring local issues with giving circles"
Everyone who engages in philanthropy has their preferred approach to giving. Some open a donor-advised fund, others start their own foundations, and as this article illustrates, many prefer the group dynamic offered by giving circles. Particularly popular among women, giving circles allow like-minded donors to make a big impact by operating collectively.
Financial Times – Lauren Foster, September 7, 2007
www.ft.com
"After $131.8 Million, Donors Cite Slow Katrina Work"
It has been two years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast, and those organizations engaged in long-term efforts to rebuild and revitalize the region are facing ongoing challenges. In particular, four large foundations which have donated a combined $131.8 million and remain committed to and involved in the recovery have run into obstacles based on the lack of prior familiarity with the communities they are trying to aid.
Bloomberg.com – Laurence Arnold, August 27, 2007
www.bloomberg.com
"Advisors and Clients in the Brave New World of Philanthropy"
Philanthropy is enjoying a golden age right now, with more Americans seeking outlets for charitable giving. For those wealthy citizens who have a substantial amount to give away, figuring out how to best go about it can be daunting. This in-depth article deals with how financial planners can work with potential donors to see if they want to engage in philanthropy, and if so, how to help guide them through the process.
Journal of Financial Planning – Jim Grote, CFP, June 2007
www.fpanet.org/journal/
"California’s rich keep on giving"
Some got it through show business, others through the technology industry and still others through real estate. However they got it, they are connected by a desire to give it away. Many Californians have acquired significant wealth during their professional lives, and their wish to use that wealth for good has helped give the state the second-highest number of foundations in the U.S. Starting a family foundation can be an effective way for philanthropists to target their giving toward the subjects about which they are most passionate, and there are numerous resources available to help get them get started.
Los Angeles Times – Evelyn Iritani, June 4, 2007
www.latimes.com
"Spend/Thrift: Checking out your charity"
Donating money to a worthy cause may make you feel good, but you might not always feel the same if you knew what your money was actually being used for. Most people would prefer to think that their contribution is actually directly impacting a cause or initiative, rather than helping purchase office supplies for the organization dispersing the funds. With some basic detective work, you can verify the legitimacy and practices of your chosen charity in order to ensure that your money is being used the way you see fit.
International Herald Tribune – Roxana Popescu, June 8, 2007
www.iht.com
"Giving as a Family"
One of the challenges facing families engaged in philanthropy is how to maintain consistency in their giving as money passes from one generation to the next. Those who study philanthropy as well as those personally engaged in it seem to agree that the key is for families to get children involved at an early age, so that discussion of charitable giving is common and comfortable. As the children become adults, their history of involvement will allow for meaningful discussion if there is disagreement from one generation to the next as to where the dollars should go.
Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice
www.gulfcoastcf.org
"16 Cities to Get Financing to 'Go Green'"
Former President Clinton announced that his foundation will partner with a group of energy companies and global banks to fund an extensive environmentally-friendly project in sixteen major cities spanning the globe. Through this landmark operation, municipal buildings will undergo a retrofitting that will significantly decrease their carbon emissions by utilizing “green” technology. New York, San Paulo, Tokyo, Rome, Melbourne and Johannesburg are among the participating cities.
The Washington DC Examiner – Sara Kugler, May 16, 2007
www.examiner.com/dc
"Diversity, the strength of U.S. giving"
Just before the start of the Council on Foundation’s Annual Conference in Seattle, Ford Foundation President Susan V. Berresford wrote an op-ed for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in which she spoke of the numerous approaches to philanthropy that foundation work encompasses. She decried the recent trend that casts “established” foundations as outdated in their practices while placing higher value on venture philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. Berresford warns that such a characterization is both inaccurate and dangerous.
Susan V. Berresford, April 27, 2007
www.fordfound.org
"Global Philanthropy Forum explores new way of giving"
Representatives from some of the nation’s most prominent foundations recently gathered at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California. alongside luminaries including former President Bill Clinton and AOL co-founder Steve Case. The occasion for this meeting of philanthropic minds was the Global Philanthropy Forum, and the article points out that Google was an appropriate host for this year’s event, given the Forum’s focus on applying the innovation of Silicon Valley businesses to nonprofits around the world.
San Jose Mercury News – Mary Anne Ostrom, April 12, 2007
www.mercurynews.com
"Global Philanthropy: Jeff Skoll’s Changing World"
Leaders of the social entrepreneurship movement gathered at Oxford in late March for the fourth annual Skoll World Forum, where they had the opportunity to share stories, examine practices, discuss challenges, and look to the future of this developing branch of philanthropy.
The Huffington Post – Tom Watson, April 4, 2007
www.huffingtonpost.com
"Foundations’ Giving Is Said to Have Set Record in '06"
In a sign of the continually increasing force of philanthropy, the Foundation Center reports that over $40 billion was given away last year by foundations in the United States. Among the contributing factors were an increase in the number of foundations, as well as the results-oriented attitudes of so many donors who are taking an active role in their own philanthropy.
The New York Times – Stephanie Strom, April 3, 2007
www.nytimes.com
"Social Entrepreneurship: The Case for Definition"
Social entrepreneurship is a term that has gained visibility and popularity of late in the philanthropic community, but what does it really mean? Roger L. Martin, dean of University of Toronto’s Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, and Sally Osberg, President and CEO of The Skoll Foundation, offer a definition of the term partly by stripping away what it isn’t. Using examples as varied as microcredit creator Muhammad Yunus, Sundance architect Robert Redford, and FedEx founder Fred Smith, Martin and Osberg examine entrepreneurship itself, and how it both differs from and intersects with its younger cousin.
Stanford Social Innovation Review – Roger L. Martin and Sally Osberg, Spring 2007
www.ssireview.com
"With a Charity for Soldiers, Youths Make Recycling Pay"
Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, teenage siblings from Massachusetts, started a modest nonprofit a few years ago which has since grown into a major, international operation that is about to partner with AT&T. “Cell Phones for Soldiers” collects people’s old cell phones and hands them over to a recycling plant, using the revenue to purchase international calling cards which are then sent to troops stationed overseas. It’s an unusual extracurricular activity for the typical high-school student, but one demonstrating that anyone can make a difference with a little ingenuity and generosity of spirit.
The New York Times – Ariel Sabar, March 29, 2007
www.nytimes.com
"Write a Check? The New Philanthropist Goes Further"
Modern day philanthropists, unlike their predecessors from a generation ago, do not want to wait until death to bequeath their wealth, nor do they want the money they donate to disappear into a nonprofit, never to be seen again. They want to know exactly where their money is going, how it is being used, and what results it is helping to achieve. As this desire has become the norm, a support network has developed to help donors accomplish their philanthropic goals, especially when they are novices to the field. From attending intensive workshops to working with professional advisers, today’s philanthropists are learning how to maximize their charitable efforts.
The New York Times – Julie Bick, March 18, 2007
www.nytimes.com
"Congress to create new caucus on philanthropy"
It was recently announced that the United States House of Representatives will form a Congressional Philanthropy Caucus, with hopes that a sister group will be created in the Senate. It could be an important step in an effort by nonprofits and foundations to educate the government about its needs and the potential to work together, while also helping elected officials connect to a portion of their constituency that they perhaps haven’t known how best to assist.
The Washington Examiner – Frank Sietzen, March 5, 2007
www.examiner.com
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