The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Post

The July 2024 issue is out! Fundraisers, this issue is for you. Our cover story by Ben Gose and Rasheeda Childress looks at how everyday donors are feeling overlooked as an overreliance on big donors evolved during the pandemic. Also in this issue: - How the Fearless Fund Ruling Distorts Charity, History — and Law - Giving Continues Its Decline. Can Fundraisers Turn the Tide in 2024? - Tips to Reach More Small-Dollar Donors - How 3 Charities Are Trying to Attract Everyday Donors - An Award That Honors Master Craftspeople - Civil Rights Are Under Siege. DEI 2.0 Is the Answer - and more! Read the issue online 👉 https://bit.ly/4aNOyz6 Not a subscriber yet? 🌟 Sign up today: https://bit.ly/3UN69ST #philanthropy #nonprofits #fundraisers #nonprofit

Michael Bloomberg's $1 billion gift to The Johns Hopkins University's Medical School continues a pattern of donations that seek to increase accessibility to medical school. The Conversation US spoke with Amir Pasic, dean of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, about this gift and its significance. https://bit.ly/4cXXFhT

Sherrie Westin will be the first woman to serve as CEO of the Sesame Workshop since its co-founder Joan Ganz Cooney stepped down from the helm in 1990. https://bit.ly/4dgGrg7

Only a fourth of charitable nonprofits have ever formally lobbied the government — far fewer than the three-fourths that did in 2000. https://bit.ly/4eX2Osv

The Chronicle of Philanthropy's new project, #TheCommons, is a digital space exploring how America’s nonprofits and foundations are working to build community and heal the nation’s divides. Through deeply-reported stories and guest opinion essays we're sharing the work organizations, big and small, are doing nationwide to bring communities together and get things done. We named our new project The Commons to reflect our goal: to create a place where people come together to learn, share ideas, and gain new perspective. Join the conversation! Visit philanthropy.com/commons for our latest content, subscribe to The Commons LinkedIn newsletter (https://bit.ly/3zKHB4I) and join our Commons LinkedIn group (https://bit.ly/4cC16Lo). We look forward to hearing from you.

With historically Black colleges and universities often overlooked by mainstream funders, the institutions gathered last week to discuss ways to boost philanthropic investment at their schools. Among the key topics were planned giving, federal funding, and examples of successful fundraising programs at different #HBCUs, such as Dillard University. Rasheeda Childress reports. https://bit.ly/3WgDuGA

How can fundraisers create a year-end giving campaign that captures donors’ attention — and gets them to give — during the most competitive fundraising time of the year? Join us on July 18th for a #philwebinar for pro tips to help you build a smart strategy despite the tricky climate. Listen in to hear pro tips from Skyler Reep, Director of Development at KSPS PBS, and Seth Rosen, Chief Development Officer at The American LGBTQ+ Museum. What will you learn? - Creative marketing messages and tactics that resonate - How to map out year-end communications — and meet your budget goals — amid uncertainty - Ways to build strong ties with donors and share the impact of their gifts Senior Editor Emily Haynes will host the conversation. Sign up today! 👉 https://bit.ly/3zBQkpK

The battle against disinformation is becoming more turbulent than ever. This new article by Alex Daniels in The Chronicle of Philanthropy highlights several key factors, including a new $7 million from the Knight Foundation to fight misinformation in states crucial in determining the results in November. https://bit.ly/3VSoXiI

Fundraising guru Allison Fine argues in #TheCommons this week that relentless solicitation for gifts is contributing to the decline in trust in nonprofits.  “Conventional wisdom encourages fundraisers to ask and ask and ask for donations, and then ask again. With this mindset, every interaction with someone is also an opportunity to solicit a gift,” Fine writes. Determining the appropriate frequency of gift solicitations is not easy, so we thought we’d survey readers what they thought about their own group’s approach. And check out Fine's essay here: https://bit.ly/3LkpaGC

Embracing the word “solidarity” alongside “justice” and “equity” will help philanthropy rethink what it means to do good, argues Leah Hunt-Hendrix in a guest essay for #TheCommons. "Philanthropy is often motivated by semblances of solidarity — concepts such as charity, benevolence, and altruism," she writes. "These ideas differ from solidarity in that they focus on the intention of the giver, who is over and above the recipient. Philanthropy-in-solidarity imagines donors as interconnected with their grantee partners." Hunt-Hendrix is co-founder of the Solidaire Network and Way to Rise, and co-author of “Solidarity: The Past, Present and Future of a World Changing Idea.” Read the full essay at: https://bit.ly/4cSrKzx