February 14, 2023 Frontline 360° Is Helping Grassroots Groups Land Federal Dollars — and Building a Movement February 14, 2023/ Laurie Mazur, Guest Contributor With backing from several major funders, this partnership is helping community-based environmental and climate groups secure government funding. It’s also helping such groups link up and build power. Read More
December 21, 2022 Green Heavyweights: The Nation’s 25 Largest Environmental Grantmakers December 21, 2022/ Michael Kavate We compiled a list of the top green funders in the U.S., based on the most recent full year of giving data available. One big takeaway: Living billionaires now dominate the list.Read More
August 30, 2022 How Is Philanthropy Backing Science Journalism? August 30, 2022/ Paul Karon The pandemic drove home the need for quality science journalism, but the field has struggled along with the rest of the industry. Here are a few ways key funders are supporting training and coverage.Read More
August 11, 2022 Why the Walton Family Foundation, a K-12 Funding Leader, Is Focusing on Career Pathways August 11, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen The Walton Family Foundation is a giant in the ed funding world, and its priorities are worth keeping an eye on. Here’s the story behind its expanding support for job and career pathways.Read More
June 14, 2022 The U.S. Billionaires Funding Work to Keep the Planet Green and Clean June 14, 2022/ Michael Kavate Philanthropy is one of several forces that works to preserve landscapes, fight pollution and improve agricultural practices. Find out who among America’s wealthiest is putting the most toward such causes.Read More
March 30, 2022 IP Briefing: What's Going on With Philanthropy for Theater? March 30, 2022/ IP Staff Like all the performing arts, theater has been hit hard by the pandemic, and funders are making moves to bolster the nonprofit theater world now and into the future. Here’s our rundown of who’s doing what.Read More
March 29, 2022 A Funder’s COVID-Era Effort to Support Black Principals Finds a Permanent Home, New Leader March 29, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen During COVID, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies created an innovative network to provide support and community for Black school principals. Now, that network has a new home and brand new leadership.Read More
March 08, 2022 What Happens When Environmental Movement Leaders Make Funding Decisions? March 08, 2022/ Michael Kavate One year in, participatory grantmaking project Mosaic offers insights into what it looks like when environmental groups direct funding. Leaders point to powerful collaborative projects and new movement infrastructure.Read More
March 01, 2022 Big Grants for Topic-Specific Journalism Bring Opportunity, Concerns Over Independence March 01, 2022/ Mike Scutari Funders usually shy away from providing substantial topic-specific support to media outlets. But a huge climate change grant to the Associated Press underscores the promise and pitfalls of such giving.Read More
February 22, 2022 Getting the Call: A Look at MacKenzie Scott’s Recent Ed Giving February 22, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen What’s it like to get a bolt-from-the-blue gift from MacKenzie Scott? We talk to some recent recipients from the world of K-12 education and explore what this latest round of funding tells us.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
November 22, 2021 Who’s Backing a Campaign to Bring the Internet to Millions of U.S. Households That Still Lack Access? November 22, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen With philanthropic backing, EducationSuperHighway helped get the majority of U.S. classrooms online. Now, it’s working to close the wider broadband gap, with funding from Laurene Powell Jobs, Ken Griffin and others.Read More
October 27, 2021 Walton Made DEI a Top Priority. So Why Is It Funding a Group that Opposes Anti-Racism Work? October 27, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen This year, the Walton Family Foundation made diversity, equity and inclusion one of its top three priorities across all program areas. So why does it fund the Independent Women’s Forum, which rails against DEI and anti-racist work?Read More
October 26, 2021 A Walton Heir Goes Public With a Sizable Philanthropy and Investment Operation October 26, 2021/ Michael Kavate After years of off-the-radar funding, a Walton heir worth roughly $17 billion launched a series of websites for his joint business and philanthropic vehicle, Builders Vision. It’s doing some exciting things—but details remain hazy.Read More
October 14, 2021 The Future of Climate Action Is Collaborative. Both Water and Philanthropy Are at the Center October 14, 2021/ Allison Harvey Turner and Ted Kowalski, Guest Contributors The shifts needed to adapt our water systems during climate change will require a huge, multi-sector approach. In this guest post, leaders from the Walton Family Foundation and the Water Foundation offer a path forward.Read More
October 07, 2021 The Giving of America’s Richest Family Can Be Hard to Track. Here Are 12 Foundations of Walton Heirs October 07, 2021/ Michael Kavate So many Waltons, so much money. Aside from the big foundation, several heirs have their own philanthropies, and they can be hard to keep track of. Here’s a list of 12 Walton family foundations, with brief summaries of their giving.Read More
September 22, 2021 As Classrooms Reopen, a Tech Company Extends its Unique Commitment to Public Schools September 22, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen Salesforce stands apart from many K-12 funders in that it’s heavily focused on direct support for public school districts. As schools face daunting challenges while reopening, the tech giant made another $19 million in grants.Read More
August 30, 2021 These 3 Walton Heirs’ Foundations Are Growing, but Still Mostly Off the Radar. We Take a Closer Look August 30, 2021/ Michael Kavate The Walton Family Foundation is the best-known philanthropy of America’s richest family. But the clan maintains many other grantmaking funds. Here’s what we know about these third-generation heirs’ low-profile foundations.Read More
July 22, 2021 Why Three Leading K-12 Funders Are Lining Up Behind Education R&D July 22, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen Gates, CZI and Walton are all backing a new initiative that will enhance research into some of education’s thorniest problems. We take a look at why they’re betting big on R&D and who’s getting the first funding.Read More
May 04, 2021 An Emotional Celebration and Million-Dollar Grants for Black Educators May 04, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen The 1954 Project, seeded by the Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education and the Walton Family Foundation, recognizes innovative Black educators. The project recently announced its first grantees in a festive virtual event. Read More