Resistance and opposition to Putin’s assault on democracy: A commentary by Viorel Ursu

Supporting civil society and democracy in Ukraine and beyond The Open Society Foundations have been funding civil society groups in Ukraine since our founder, George Soros, launched the Kyiv-based International Renaissance Foundation (IRF) in 1990. Today, in the face of...read more

Civic Alliance: A commentary by Natalie Tran

Working together to strengthen civic engagement At the CAA Foundation, we work to activate popular culture to create sustainable social change. Alongside our colleagues, clients, and industry peers, we mobilize timely initiatives to raise awareness and catalyze action and forge... read more

Helping Ukraine: How philanthropists and foundations can take action

The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine is both heart wrenching and complex. While it’s similar to a natural disaster in many respects, it also poses distinct challenges that require both immediate and long-term support. Philanthropists, especially those with private foundations,... read more

Achieving health equity for all Americans: A commentary by Matthew DeCamara

Racial inequities and health disparities continue to profoundly affect the lives and futures of tens of millions of Americans every day. Societal fault lines based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, and other factors run through virtually every aspect... read more

Review: The Tyranny of Generosity

From discussions about philanthropy’s ties to wealth generation and capitalism to its role in perpetuating systems of racial inequality, many important critiques have recently surfaced about the intervention of philanthropic giving in, and its impact on, society. In The Tyranny... read more

How organizations are responding to the Ukraine crisis

According to UNHCR, between February 24 and March 8, 2022, an estimated 2,011,312 refugees left Ukraine. The vast majority (1,204,403) fled to Poland, while others went to Hungary (191,348), Slovakia (140,745), the Russian Fedeartion (99,300), Moldova (82,762), Romania (82,062), Belarus... read more

Strategies to help nonprofits not only survive, but thrive: A commentary by Donna Kennedy-Glans

Not only is the not-for-profit sector expected to address the disparities and fill the gaps exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, nonprofit leaders are not exempt from the calls for greater accountability, equality, fairness, and sustainability—from the public as... read more

Review: In Defence of Philanthropy

Does philanthropy really need defending? While never explicitly asked, it’s the question that’s implied throughout Beth Breeze’s treatise In Defence of Philanthropy. You might wonder why this fundraiser-turned-academic feels the need to state, once and for all, what philanthropy is... read more

Corporate America’s philanthropy model doesn’t work. It’s time for a better one.

Corporate America is exceedingly generous. With nearly $17 billion in donations in 2020 alone, businesses are working hard to address everything from equity to education to addiction. Yet while it’s undeniable that corporate America is philanthropically minded, it’s highly questionable... read more

Child mental health and social risks: A Q&A with Andrea E. Spencer, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine

A study led by researchers at Boston Medical Center found that the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic saw increased depression, anxiety, and social risks among urban children of color between the ages of 5 and 11. Based on surveys... read more

‘How do the humanities figure in a socially just world?’: A Q&A with Phillip Brian Harper, Program Director for Higher Learning, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Phillip Brian Harper joined the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in October 2020 as program director for the new Higher Education grantmamking area. As part of the foundation’s new strategy to prioritize social justice in all of its grantmaking, the program... read more

Career insights: Four strategies for retaining top talent

Retaining employees during the ‘Great Resignation’ We are in the midst of an extraordinary period of change in the talent market. The “Great Resignation” is a phenomenon that is impacting every sector and level of talent and is leading to... read more

Philanthropy must support students who learn differently—where they are: A commentary by Marcus Soutra

To fund anti-ableism solutions, listen to students I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia in the third grade, but it wasn’t until I misspelled “Wednesday” at my first teaching job that people outside my inner circle knew. One in five... read more

Integrating a focus on equity into our processes: A Q&A with Katy Knight, Executive Director and President, Siegel Family Endowment

Katy Knight is executive director and president of Siegel Family Endowment, a foundation focused on understanding and shaping the impact of technology on society. Knight joined the foundation in 2017 as deputy executive director. Her earlier career included working on... read more

Equitable application processes in the social innovation space: A commentary by Sarah Gass, Noam Lindenbaum, and Emily Lezin

Creating more equitable application processes Social entrepreneurs who apply to a program, fellowship, or funding opportunity are essentially raising their hands to say, “I have a vision for the future, and I want to take my best shot at making... read more

The sustainable nonprofit: 'Influencing Young Americans to Act: 2021 Year in Review'

We just published our final research report for 2021 on the social issues, movements, and causes sparking interest in young Americans (ages 18-30) as reflected by their actions and who influenced their behaviors. We saw three major themes emerge over... read more

Climate change adaptation networks and collaboratives: A commentary by Melissa Ocana

Climate adaptation networks drive resilience and transformation The challenges local governments and nonprofits face today are almost absurdly daunting. Setting aside the perennial struggle to reconcile ever-growing needs and ever-shrinking budgets, the pandemic has devastated community health and local economies.... read more

Ensuring vaccine justice for countries in the Global South: A Q&A with Rosalind McKenna

In October 2021, the Global Alliance of Foundations issued an open letter to the leaders of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund calling for measures to ensure a fair and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In... read more

‘Nonprofits must “live into” their missions both externally and internally’: A commentary by Anika Rahman

Renewing nonprofits: Aligning power, money, and vision In the nonprofit world, power and money can be uncomfortable topics. While we are focused on doing good, questions of power and how it manifests inevitably arise. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has... read more

‘Trust is critical in a gender-responsive approach’: A Q&A with Mary Marx, President and CEO, Pace Center for Girls

Founded in 1985 in Jacksonville, Florida, Pace Center for Girls works to provide girls and young women who are experiencing challenges in their home or school environment with opportunities for a better future through education, counseling, training, and advocacy. Today... read more

We have good tools to address the pandemic in youth mental health. Let’s use them.

We are just beginning to appreciate the long-term impact of the past two years on mental health—and especially for children and adolescents. But we already know that lockdowns, isolation, and uncertainty have contributed to increases in anxiety and depressive symptoms... read more

How funders can assess nonprofit effectiveness for investment

As with any investment, the decision to support a nonprofit should be grounded in empirical evidence. An organization is worthy of investment if it’s having a concrete, positive impact in the community and it’s run well enough to maintain operations... read more

Funding nonprofits’ cybersecurity, protecting donors’ investment: A commentary by Michael Tanji

Protecting donor impact by funding cybersecurity Consider this scenario: A nonprofit organization known for its ability to deliver lifesaving resources mobilizes in response to a natural disaster, but supplies do not arrive as scheduled. Attempts to remedy the situation are... read more

Going beyond community engagement, building community power: A commentary by Aditi Vaidya

Why does the country’s largest foundation dedicated to health and health equity care about community power? I get that question a lot when discussing our support of Lead Local, a collaboration funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to advance... read more

The connection between charitable tax benefits and benefits to charities has been broken: A commentary by Thomas Vozzo

Stalling charitable dollars hurts marginalized Angelenos ...As a former corporate executive and current CEO of Homeboy Industries, I have witnessed the impact of investing in the most marginalized members of our communities and helping them reenter society with the wraparound... read more

Funding international dialogue, peace, and security: A commentary by Frank Giustra

The cost of peace War is expensive. Bloody and expensive. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, conflict violence cost the world $519 billion in economic activity in 2019 alone. Add to that the human cost — some seventy-six... read more

Supporting artists in a time of crisis: A commentary by Maurine Knighton and Kerry McCarthy

Performing artists are in crisis due to COVID-19: Here’s how to help The arts play an essential role in American society — bringing joy to audiences, provoking thought and ideas, giving voice to those who are otherwise overlooked, teaching us... read more

The top ten philanthropy stories of 2021

For our final newsletter (subscribe here for our newsletters and alerts) of 2021, the editors at Philanthropy News Digest shared (in chronological order) the ten stories that we felt were particularly significant for philanthropy — both in the moment and... read more

Striking a balance in education philanthropy: A commentary by Annie W. Bezbatchenko and Tamara Mann Tweel

Achieving both breadth and depth in education philanthropy Picture a one-room schoolhouse. Ten children ranging in age from 6 to 12 years old are seated in front of a teacher who lives in their community. Now picture the Khan Academy.... read more

Improving higher education outcomes for single mothers: A commentary by Jennifer Zeisler

Investing in higher education for single mothers to transform the U.S. economy Before it’s too late, we must address a critical gap in this country’s economic recovery strategy: help for single mothers in college. These determined mothers understand the connection... read more

Building the political and civic power of historically excluded communities: A commentary by Christine White

Donating to civic engagement organizations is an investment in a thriving democracy As the nation approaches yet another midterm election cycle, we cannot emphasize enough how important it is to invest in civic engagement year-round. This is perhaps some of... read more