The $260 Million Pivot: A Top Animal-Care Funder Recasts Its Mission
A strategy switch at Maddie’s Fund isn’t just about finding better ways to help pets and their owners. It provides lessons about funders’ hopes — and hurdles — when trying to fix the root causes of long-standing problems.
By George Anders
Contributor
UC Irvine Lands $50 million to Launch Population and Public Health School
Plus, the billionaire novelist Mackenzie Scott gave $20 million to Opportunity@Work to improve pay for people who gained skills on-the-job through military service, community college, workforce training programs, and other routes.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Political Violence, Threats to Civic Society, and a Game Plan for Philanthropy
Increasing attacks on pro-democracy advocates show that politicians aren’t the only ones at risk from violent political rhetoric.
By Joe Goldman
Contributor
The Good, Bad, and Boring of Bloomberg’s $1 Billion Hopkins Gift
While making medical school free is a worthy endeavor, to truly transform health care, Bloomberg needs to think bigger.
By Amy Schiller
Contributor
Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco Awards $61.8 Million for Affordable Housing
Also, the Open Society Foundations committed $400 million through its new Economic and Climate Prosperity program, and the George Gund Foundation gave $12.5 million to strengthen democracy through nonpartisan groups.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
Recent Article on Nonprofits’ Gaza Statements Draws Ire
The piece failed to acknowledge funders’ justifiable objections to language they view as antisemitic, readers say.
University of Tulsa Scores $38 Million for Athletics
Plus, Eric and Wendy Schmidt pledged $5.5 million to NPR to bolster collaborative journalism nationwide, and a couple gave $4 million to expand the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
As ‘Pro-Democracy’ Philanthropy Grows, Experts Warn of Many Obstacles to Combating Misinformation
The Knight Foundation just pledged $7 million to fight election misinformation in swing states. But recipients of grants to bolster accurate political information say their work is being thwarted by social media platforms, A.I., and escalating partisanship.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Conference: Fundraising Strategies and Successes at Often-Overlooked HBCUs
Historically Black colleges and universities should build up their planned-giving programs and focus more on seeking federally funded grants, according to a panel discussion at the conference, which also described successful fundraising drives.
By Rasheeda Childress
Senior Editor, Fundraising
Harold Alfond Foundation Commits $75.5 Million for Maine’s Community Colleges
Also, Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded $1 billion to eliminate tuition at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Home Depot Foundation gave $9 million to build and repair 500 housing units for more than 3,400 homeless military veterans.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
How One Word Could Change Philanthropy
Embracing the word “solidarity” alongside “justice” and “equity” will help philanthropy rethink what it means to do good.
By Leah Hunt-Hendrix
Contributor
After 30 Years of Environmental Grant Making, Lois DeBacker Remains Optimistic About the Future
A pioneer in supporting environmental-justice groups, DeBacker will retire from the Kresge Foundation in September.
By Jim Rendon
Executive Editor
Denny Sanford Commits $35 Million for Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium
Also, Karen and William Davis gave $10 million to establish the Davis Family Center for Preventive Genomics at Endeavor Health, and Robert Kraft gave $1 million to Yeshiva U. to support students transferring to the Jewish university.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
Michael Bloomberg’s New $1 Billion Gift to Johns Hopkins Matches the Year’s Biggest So Far
The media mogul’s donation is the latest aimed at making medical school tuition-free.
By Drew Lindsay
Senior Editor, Special Projects
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Awards $33.5 Million to Protect Longleaf Pine Forests
Also, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation granted $25 million for a global pediatric cancer program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Google.org gave $5 million to offer training to government workers worldwide in the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
NVIDIA Executive Gives $20 Million to Fight Cancer With A.I. Tools
Plus, contemporary ballet company BalletX received a $7.4 million bequest from an influential scholar of 17th- and 18th-century literature, and a Texas oil magnate gave Baylor Athletics $10 million.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor