January 04, 2023 Backed by a Broad Swath of Patient Funders, Early Ed Advocates Scored a Major Win in New Mexico January 04, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen As support for early childhood education stalls in Washington, advocates and funders are focusing on the states. In New Mexico, a range of funders providing both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) support contributed to a big win.Read More
November 03, 2022 In the Climate Fight, Who’s Funding the Eco-Right? More Big Names Than You Might Expect November 03, 2022/ Michael Kavate There’s a relatively small list of conservative groups calling for climate action, and they have not drawn a lot of funding. But they do count some big, perhaps surprising names among their backers. Here’s a list.Read More
October 27, 2022 How the American Indian College Fund is Strengthening Early Ed in Native Communities October 27, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen The Bezos Family Foundation is the latest funder to throw its support behind an effort to strengthen early education in Native American communities. The place-based approach emphasizes local strengths and traditions. Read More
June 02, 2022 “Avenues for Hope” in Gun Violence Prevention — and a Major Role for Philanthropy June 02, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen The Fund for a Safer Future is working to end the epidemic of gun violence in the U.S., and has grown significantly since it started a decade ago. FSF’s David Brotherton says there’s reason for hope outside of Congress.Read More
April 06, 2022 Why Funders Are Rallying Behind Some Unusual Suspects Advocating for Early Childcare April 06, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Education advocates are making a big push for early care, but the cause has a long list of supporters, including police, military and business leaders. Here’s why some big ed funders are backing their work on the issue.Read More
March 18, 2022 Renaissance Philanthropy: The Many Major Donors to Emerge From a Single Hedge Fund March 18, 2022/ Philip Rojc Renaissance Technologies is one of the most successful hedge funds in Wall Street history, yielding one of philanthropy’s most prolific clans. Including the Simonses, well over a dozen donors draw from Renaissance wealth.Read More
January 19, 2022 The Most Powerful Heirs in Philanthropy January 19, 2022/ David Callahan As the rich get richer, the descendants of the uber-wealthy will shape the world of philanthropy for decades to come. As such, we’ve compiled our first extensive list of the heirs to family wealth who are making waves in the sector. Read More
December 02, 2021 The American Billionaires Most Engaged in the Climate Fight December 02, 2021/ Michael Kavate Climate change was a relatively small niche in philanthropy for years, but has been gaining traction among the country’s wealthiest donors. Here are some of the billionaires who are most involved in the issue. Read More
November 02, 2021 Seven Questions for Deanna Gomby, President and CEO of the Heising-Simons Foundation November 02, 2021/ Mike Scutari Deanna Gomby, president and CEO of the Heising-Simons Foundation, has more than 30 years of experience in philanthropy and early childhood issues. We discuss her influences, her outlook on the field and more.Read More
October 26, 2021 A Three-Year Initiative Sought to Increase Local Giving in Silicon Valley. Here's What It Learned October 26, 2021/ Martha Ramirez Magnify Community was established as an “innovation lab,” designed to spur historically low local giving in Silicon Valley. Having sunset, Magnify is sharing its results, including what worked and what didn’t.Read More
June 23, 2021 Why Major Funders Are Teaming Up to Support Early Childhood Educators June 23, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen The Early Childhood Investment Collaborative is supporting six programs that aim to improve early educator preparation and pay. It’s part of larger push by some major philanthropic players to make early education the norm.Read More
May 12, 2021 With a $50 Million Launch, a Pooled Fund Looks to Build Caregiving Infrastructure May 12, 2021/ Martha Ramirez The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear how much the nation’s economy relies on caregivers. Backed by Ford, OSF, Kellogg and more, a new fund looks to create more comprehensive and equitable care infrastructure.Read More
August 31, 2020 A Healthcare Giant in California Gives Big to Expand Contact Tracing August 31, 2020/ Paul Karon Healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente pledged $63 million to launch an expanded COVID-19 contact tracing program in California communities with greatest need.Read More
August 20, 2020 A Growing Climate Funder Works to Change the “Rules of the Road” Through Energy Policy August 20, 2020/ Paul Karon The Heising-Simons Foundation, established in 2007 with climate as a key interest, has steadily increased funding as the global problem grows more urgent and potentially catastrophic. Its climate program director fills us in. Read More
June 11, 2020 Child Care and Early Education Providers Are in Crisis. How Are Funders Responding? June 11, 2020/ Caroline Bermudez Early childhood programs can foster upward mobility and serve as critical lifelines for working parents. But they have long scrambled for funding and many may not survive the pandemic. Here’s what philanthropy is doing to help. Read More
February 26, 2020 “Humanize the World.” Cultivating Empathy is a Key Goal for This Journalism Funder February 26, 2020/ Mike Scutari The Heising-Simons Foundation is among a growing list of funders working to close society’s empathy deficit. One of its strategies is backing journalists who seek to provide a deeper understanding of underrepresented groups.Read More
November 01, 2018 Undocumented on Campus: California Funders Come Together for Immigrant Students November 01, 2018/ Alyssa Ochs Undocumented students often face all the same challenges as other first-generation kids on campus. But they also live in growing fear. A group of California foundations is stepping forward to support them. Read More
August 16, 2018 Laser-Focused: A Foundation's Effort to Boost Women in Physics August 16, 2018/ Tate Williams The Heising-Simons Foundation has emerged as a leader in supporting women in physics and astronomy. A program it’s backing at MIT is funding young researchers, including coaching them on landing more funding. Read More
February 22, 2018 A Journalism Golden Age? Not Just Yet: Behind a Funder's Critical Support for Freelancers February 22, 2018/ Mike Scutari More than ever, the fate of nonprofit journalism hinges on its underpaid and overworked freelancers. We dig into one funder's surprisingly generous support for this "vulnerable and valuable" demographic.Read More
October 02, 2017 Progress Is Possible: How These Funders Are Tackling Gun Violence October 02, 2017/ David Callahan and Alyssa Ochs While yet another mass shooting is unlikely to bring a strong federal response, the good news is that funders and advocates are doing more to tackle gun violence at the local level, including in California. Read More