One of the nation’s most significant funders of K-12 education, the Walton Family Foundation pursues a practice of strategic philanthropy incorporating a theory of change, foundation investments consistent with that theory, developing performance metrics as to what would constitute successful outcomes, and collecting evidence based on those metrics for continuous organizational learning. This article explains WFF’s distinctive approach.
The Coalition for an Affordable City opposes San Francisco’s proposed tax on sugary soda drinks. It may be more concerned about the profitability of sodas than the affordability of the City by the Bay.
A move to increase PILOTs gains traction in Pittsburgh while a tax increase proposal fails in the New Hampshire legislature.
An upside to nonprofit journalism is the great chance to do what much of the mainstream media isn’t doing, especially in the realm of “accountability journalism.” Do we live up to the standard of accountability journalism in coverage of nonprofits and philanthropy?
Nonprofits gathered for Philanthropy Week in Washington primarily to take on tiny issues such as floors and caps on charitable deductions as contained in the President’s FY 2015 Budget and in Congressman Dave Camp’s comprehensive tax reform framework. But the president’s budget contains much more in its 1,656 pages with specific reference to nonprofits and foundations.
We hope that the Philanthropy Week lobbying won’t lead to a dumbed down vision of the roles and potentials of foundations in American society. Foundations have important roles to play as counterweights to government and to corporations and as instruments for addressing our society’s social and economic inequities. These roles should be celebrated and underscored, not hidden behind a strategy of selling simplistic “good news” stories.
Maryland’s pending law to increase the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 by 2017 is getting nicked and chipped by the efforts of business lobbyists. The biggest hole is the General Assembly’s support for exempting theme parks from the state’s higher minimum wage.
Looking forward to $400 a week in unemployment benefits is hardly Easy Street for the long-term unemployed. Since December, two million long-term unemployed don’t have even that.
If you’ve tried using the popular Uber car service app and been stymied by sky-high temporary surge prices, you can at least take comfort in the knowledge that some of that money is going to some very good causes.
Adolph Reed has written about themes of liberalism before, but he brings them together in the March 2014 edition of Harper’s in a devastating critique of the politics of the left and the politics of President Barack Obama.
I have noticed lately that a lot of small organizations are closing. Granted, this is mere observation, for the theme among them is that most started having problems during the recession.
Over his two decades at the helm of the California Community Foundation, which lasted until around 2004, Jack Shakely probably had plenty of opportunities to go head-to-head with members of Congress about nonprofits, philanthropy, and charity. Do you think the experience might have made Shakely just a little jaded?