How Can Nonprofits Access the Fortune Sitting in Community Foundation DAF Accounts?

How Can Nonprofits Access the Fortune Sitting in Community Foundation DAF Accounts?

Donors are pouring money into DAFs managed by community foundations at a furious clip. Three community foundation leaders share tips on how nonprofits can put their work in front of philanthropic advisors and donors.

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What We Learned From a Deep Dive into Neuroscience Research Giving

What We Learned From a Deep Dive into Neuroscience Research Giving

We recently published an in-depth paper on trends in neuroscience research funding as part of IP’s State of American Philanthropy project. Author Mike Scutari takes a look at some of the report’s key findings.

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Funders Don’t Often Back Volunteer Engagement. Can Nonprofits Convince Them It’s Worthwhile?

Funders Don’t Often Back Volunteer Engagement. Can Nonprofits Convince Them It’s Worthwhile?

Three years after the pandemic forced nonprofits to send volunteers home, many remain disengaged. A new initiative aims to help organizations secure funder support to replenish the ranks.

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What Can We Learn from That Surprise $100 Million Gift to the San Diego Foundation?

What Can We Learn from That Surprise $100 Million Gift to the San Diego Foundation?

Leaders at the community foundation recently faced a rare, but very welcome, conundrum: What do you do when a donor you never met gives you an unrestricted $100 million gift?

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“Aligning to a North Star of Health Equity.” Five Things to Know About Texas’ St. David’s Foundation

“Aligning to a North Star of Health Equity.” Five Things to Know About Texas’ St. David’s Foundation

This Central Texas foundation is a prime example of a regional health funder doubling down on equity as it serves booming Austin and several rural communities. Here are a few noteworthy steps it’s taking.

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“Part of the Solution.” How the American Journalism Project Is Galvanizing Support from Local Funders

“Part of the Solution.” How the American Journalism Project Is Galvanizing Support from Local Funders

Philanthropic funding has emerged as a key revenue source for the revitalization of local journalism. The American Journalism Project is on the front lines, making a case for trusted news to local funders.

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"It's a False Dichotomy." Questioning Perpetuity and Spend Down with Clara Miller

"It's a False Dichotomy." Questioning Perpetuity and Spend Down with Clara Miller

Former Heron Foundation President Clara Miller says funders should move beyond dogmatic adherence to both perpetuity and spend-down, toward a more nuanced understanding of aligning money to mission.

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This Community Foundation Went All In on Trust-Based Philanthropy. Here’s What It Has Learned

This Community Foundation Went All In on Trust-Based Philanthropy. Here’s What It Has Learned

Beginning in 2018, Patricia Mejia oversaw the San Antonio Area Foundation’s adoption of trust-based philanthropy practices. It wasn’t always easy, but the move is paying off for grantees and the foundation.

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Journalists Are Questioning the Idea of Objectivity. What’s Philanthropy’s Role in the Conversation?

Journalists Are Questioning the Idea of Objectivity. What’s Philanthropy’s Role in the Conversation?

A new report argues that newsrooms should ditch the conventional idea of journalistic objectivity. Meanwhile, a lot of philanthropy-backed nonprofit media has already moved on to different paradigms.

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“Community Knows What Community Needs.” Inside CZI’s Participatory Grantmaking Program

“Community Knows What Community Needs.” Inside CZI’s Participatory Grantmaking Program

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative just wrapped up its second year of grantmaking led in part by community members. CZI’s Curtis Yancy explains the program’s mechanics, lessons learned and what’s next.

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Seven Questions for Cate Fox, Director of the Center for Cultural Innovation's AmbitioUS Program

Seven Questions for Cate Fox, Director of the Center for Cultural Innovation's AmbitioUS Program

Cate Fox, formerly of MacArthur, leads AmbitioUS, which invests in alternative economic models for creative communities. We chatted with her about her work, the limits of philanthropy’s self-examination, and more.

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“Small Can Be Effective.” Five Things to Know About Richmond Memorial Health Foundation

“Small Can Be Effective.” Five Things to Know About Richmond Memorial Health Foundation

The Richmond Memorial Health Foundation is committed to fostering an equitable and healthy Richmond region. We check in with President Mark Constantine to explore its strategic framework, upcoming initiatives and more.

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Older Americans Rarely Have Access to Arts Education. This Funder is Working to Change That

Older Americans Rarely Have Access to Arts Education. This Funder is Working to Change That

Philanthropist Ellen Michelson has been a tireless proponent of “creative aging,” an arts education program model geared toward individuals 55 and over. We check in with her about the field, her work with museums, and more.

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“It Is Not a Panacea.” A Conversation About Philanthropy With ChatGPT

“It Is Not a Panacea.” A Conversation About Philanthropy With ChatGPT

AI can now write fairly convincingly on any topic a human throws at it, including philanthropy. So we naturally checked in with OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT to see if it could provide us with some hot takes on the state of the field.

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Four Years After Launch, Here’s How MacArthur’s Lever for Change Is Galvanizing Big Giving

Four Years After Launch, Here’s How MacArthur’s Lever for Change Is Galvanizing Big Giving

In 2019, the MacArthur Foundation launched Lever for Change, enabling funders to run their own prize competitions. We check in with CEO Cecilia Conrad to discuss how it came together, lessons learned and what’s next.

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“A Desire for Change.” Here are Five Ideas Animating an Evolving Museum Field

“A Desire for Change.” Here are Five Ideas Animating an Evolving Museum Field

The Arts Funders Forum recently held a virtual panel to discuss how museums can respond to calls for change and achieve greater social impact. Here are five compelling perspectives gleaned from the call’s esteemed participants.

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What Books Are Philanthropic Leaders Reading? Here Are 21 Great Picks From IP Interviews

What Books Are Philanthropic Leaders Reading? Here Are 21 Great Picks From IP Interviews

We’ve interviewed dozens of funding leaders, and we often ask for the last great book they read. Here, we compile their responses into one handy and fascinating list.

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Four Increasingly Dubious Reasons Funders Are Still Not Giving Unrestricted Support

Four Increasingly Dubious Reasons Funders Are Still Not Giving Unrestricted Support

Almost three years into the pandemic, unrestricted support hasn’t caught on the way nonprofit leaders hoped it would. We theorize as to why this remains the case — and why funders’ reticence is becoming harder to explain away.

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Nine Questions for Lourdes J. Rodríguez, the David Rockefeller Fund’s New CEO

Nine Questions for Lourdes J. Rodríguez, the David Rockefeller Fund’s New CEO

Dr. Lourdes J. Rodríguez recently took the helm at the David Rockefeller Fund, which is undergoing a “generational evolution.” We spoke about how she’s approaching the job, changes at the fund, and great science fiction.

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Literary Arts Groups Weathered a Pandemic, but Finances Remain Just as Precarious

Literary Arts Groups Weathered a Pandemic, but Finances Remain Just as Precarious

A new report based on data from 410 literary arts nonprofits that applied to Mellon Foundation-funded Literary Arts Emergency Fund provides a concerning snapshot of the state of the field. We explore some key takeaways.

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