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

The sustainable nonprofit: It’s about impact over output

Talking about outcomes, not outputs: How nonprofits can shift donors’ mindsets on funding Consider these two scenarios and pay attention to your initial reaction to each: Scenario 1: You’re making a $50 donation on a nonprofit’s website. Before you check... read more

The sustainable nonprofit: The world is not black and white

Pro vs. con, or can you find a home in the middle of a social issue? When you perform qualitative interviews with the general public, you realize two things very quickly: The world is not black and white, and people... read more

We need an integrated approach to serving homeless youth: A commentary by Melissa MacDonnell

Falling through systemic gaps: The invisible plight of youth experiencing homelessness Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, 4.2 million young people in the United States were homeless. According to the Voices of Youth Count initiative at the University of Chicago’s Chapin... read more

Centering Black women and their lived experiences: A commentary by Stacey D. Stewart

Want to advance racial equity? Prioritize the needs of Black women This year, as we turn to philanthropic giving and think about how we can better invest in our communities, it is crucial that we center Black women and their... read more

'All that we hold sacred hung in the balance': A Q&A with Allie Young, Founder, Protect the Sacred

Allie Young is a citizen of the Diné Navajo Nation from the Northern Agency of the reservation in Northern New Mexico. She is founder of Protect the Sacred, which educates and empowers the next generation of Navajo and Indian Country... read more

'Start from the values and causes you care about': A commentary by Anne Welsh McNulty

Three end-of-year giving tips from someone who gives for a living Americans are incredibly generous. Individuals in this country donate more than $300 billion a year to charitable organizations — and more than 30 percent of that giving occurs between... read more

Support for first-generation college students beyond scholarships: A commentary by Andrew Davis and Sam Ritter

The power of private scholarships to fuel systemic change for first-generation college students The challenge Each year philanthropists invest $6.1 billion in private scholarships for more than 1.6 million students on their way to earning a college degree. Many of... read more

'A new platform for funding collaborative research': A Q&A with Margaret Goldberg, President and CEO, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

The newly appointed president and CEO of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Maggie Goldberg, has spent twenty years with the foundation, providing leadership, management, and vision to help establish the only national paralysis-focused organization centered around a dual mission... read more

Rethinking traditional models, committing to an equity lens: A commentary by Amy Klement

Leading with learning: How we’re reimagining philanthropic impact in 2022 and beyond For those who work in philanthropy, the chaos that began in early 2020 have propelled more much-needed critical introspection than the field has ever faced. The inequities laid... read more

The sustainable nonprofit: NGOs and nonprofits are easy targets for cybercrimes

It’s time or NGOs and nonprofits to tighten their cybersecurity standards “We do not attack health care, education, charitable organizations, [and] social services,” said a representative of LockBit 2.0 (a prominent cybercrime gang) in an interview with the Russian YouTube... read more

'Working with the wider community to support teachers': A commentary by Richard Bernstein

Nonprofits must step up to support teachers There is a nationwide teacher shortage. This is as catastrophic for today's youth as it is for society's future success. Not all the issues teachers face can be fixed instantaneously, but we must... read more

'Philanthropic capital must play a bigger role in driving the systems shift we need': A commentary by Leslie Johnston

All hands on deck: Philanthropy's extraordinary moment Pressure is on here in Glasgow. Governments are rebalancing commitments so that they are on the right trajectory for alignment with the 2015 Paris agreement's targets. Business and industry are stepping up to... read more

Addressing global hunger — the equity challenge of our lifetime: A commentary by Barron Segar

Why global food security is the equity challenge of our lifetime For more than half a century, the global food system operated with a singular mantra: Produce more food.  At the time of the Green Revolution in the 1950s, much... read more

'Grounded in anger and in love': A Q&A with Richard R. Buery, Jr., CEO, Robin Hood

Richard R. Buery, Jr. succeeded Wes Moore as CEO of New York City-based Robin Hood in September, after serving as CEO of Robin Hood's community partner Achievement First, a network of thirty-seven charter schools in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode... read more

An urgent wake-up call for global biodiversity: A commentary by Jim Angell and Lee Crockett

Preserving ocean biodiversity begins with sharks In 2014, the first and most comprehensive survey ever conducted of world shark populations concluded that, as a result of overfishing, habitat destruction, illegal trade, and climate change, 16 percent of the ocean's most... read more

A unique opportunity for governments and place-based funders: A commentary by Darius Graham

ARPA's $350 billion opportunity and what philanthropy can do In March 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which provides $1.9 trillion in funds across federal, state, and local governments. The funding streams are numerous and... read more

'The greatest opportunity to develop jobs in a generation': An interview with Paula DiPerna, Special Advisor, CDP North America

Author Paula DiPerna is a strategic global environmental and philanthropic policy advisor who has consulted with numerous environmentally focused nonprofit organizations, including WorkingNation, with which she is collaborating on a report that examines green jobs potential and workforce needs. She... read more

The sustainable nonprofit: Post-pandemic fundraising

The 'virtual' reality of post-pandemic fundraising events: Suggestions for the future In spring 2020, like so many in the nonprofit fundraising space, the organization I then worked for refashioned our large-scale luncheon to a virtual experience. A year later, with... read more

'Elements of a strong and sustainable funder-grantee relationship': A commentary by Susan Olivo and Brad Turner

Building long-term partnerships with nonprofits to scale impact: Lessons from sustained funding relationships Every foundation wants a nonprofit partner that shares in and will deliver on its mission. Every nonprofit wants to engage a funder that is willing to collaborate... read more

Health justice and participatory democracy: An interview with Hanh Cao Yu, Chief Learning Officer, California Endowment

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the California Endowment (TCE) had been working to move from Building Healthy Communities, its place-based initiative, to an effort that provides more flexible funding to the organizations and communities it works with to build... read more

Review: The American Experiment: Dialogues on a Dream

At seventy-two years old, David M. Rubenstein remains curious and keeps asking questions. The billionaire co-founder of the Carlyle Group, the world's third largest private equity firm, is curious about American history and how that history helps define what being... read more

As COVID persists, New York's youth need nonprofits now more than ever

This was not the "return-to-normal" back-to-school season many of us had hoped for. Remote learning and isolation for more than a year have left many students, especially the most vulnerable, behind. On average, K-12 students are now an estimated five... read more

The sustainable nonprofit: Amplifying and validating your message and mission

GivingTuesday, together In the face of global uncertainty and turmoil during the last eighteen months, many of us came together to find strength and solace in various forms of "community." Around the world, people wrote, logged in, and marched, connecting in... read more

'The ability to connect more deeply': A Q&A with Eric Pannese

Eric Pannese, senior vice president of product management and design for the giving platform Classy, has more than twenty years of experience in the technology sector. He joined Classy after two years at Medallia, a SaaS-based customer experience management platform,... read more

'Tips for rapid grantmaking during a global pandemic': A commentary by Sierra Fox-Woods

Five tips for rapid grantmaking during a global pandemic: Lessons learned supporting adolescent mental health organizations during COVID-19 In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread losses people have suffered — of loved ones, jobs, safety, and a... read more