Ice-Bucket Money to Fund Gene-Mapping of ALS Patients
The ALS Association will invest $3.5 million of the $115 million it raised in last year’s ice-bucket challenge in a project to map the genes and clinical traits of 1,500 people with the degenerative nerve disorder, Bloomberg reports.
Opinion: Fund Managers Win Big in College Endowment Gains
Growing university endowments have benefited financial managers far more than students, paying out hundreds of millions of dollars a year in compensation and fees, a law professor writes in a New York Times column proposing minimum-spend requirements for colleges’ investment funds.
Graham’s $880,000 Pay Raises Eyebrows at Christian Groups
Religion News Service looks at the issue of pay for megachurch pastors and Christian nonprofit leaders in the wake of media reports that Samaritan’s Purse CEO Franklin Graham earns $880,000 a year from the Christian aid group and his separate ministry.
Planned Parenthood Pushes Back as States Target Funding
While several Republican-controlled states seek to cut off government funding for Planned Parenthood, the organization appears to be gaining legal and regulatory traction in the controversy over its provision of fetal tissue for medical research, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
N.Y. Court to Hear College’s Bid to Rename Itself for Donor
An upstate New York judge was set to hear arguments Tuesday on a proposal by Paul Smith’s College to set aside a naming provision in its original benefactor’s will and add philanthropist Joan Weill’s name to the institution in exchange for a $20-million gift, writes The New York Times.
Cities Scrap With Mass. Nonprofit Over Clothes Donation Bins
The Los Angeles Times looks at battles by cities in California and elsewhere to more strictly regulate collection bins for recycling used clothes, shoes, and textiles, particularly those placed by Planet Aid, a controversial Massachusetts charity.
$800-Million Campaign in Works for Obama After Presidency
Close associates of President Obama have set a fundraising target of at least $800 million to establish the infrastructure for his post-White House life, centering on a tech-minded “digital-first” presidential library and an anticipated global foundation, writes The New York Times.
Opinion: ‘Effective Altruism’ Promotes Analytical Giving
The New York Times’ Economic View column examines the burgeoning “effective altruism” movement, which encourages donors to take a more scientific, less emotional approach to philanthropy.
Baltimore Groups Seek Coordinated Approach to City’s Recovery
Since riots convulsed the city in April, local nonprofits have steered $7 million to $10 million into programs aimed at addressing unemployment, poverty, and other problems underlying the unrest, reports The Baltimore Sun.
States Warned on Pulling Planned Parenthood Medicaid Funds
The Obama administration has notified Alabama and Louisiana that they may be breaching federal law by moving to block Medicaid money for Planned Parenthood, reports The Wall Street Journal.
D.C.’s Hirshhorn Defends Holding Anniversary Gala in NYC
Leaders at the Smithsonian’s contemporary-art museum tell The Washington Post that their decision to hold its 40th-anniversary gala in New York is part of an effort to broaden the museum’s audience and donor base and is not a snub of its hometown.
Microsoft Official Chosen to Head Charity Navigator
Michael Thatcher, an expert on public-sector technology, is expected to expand the organization’s online presence.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
Study: Nonprofits and For-Profits Spend About the Same for Charity Care
The study, which looked at 264 California hospitals, found that the nonprofits dedicated an average of 1.9 percent of total operating expenses to free care, whereas for-profits dedicated an average of 1.4 percent for such care, The Washington Post reports.
Ads That Plug Your Nonprofit … Again … and Again …
The technology for “remarketing” to a targeted audience of supporters has never been easier to use, and it’s catching on with at many charities.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
$30 Million Program to Expand Mental-Health Care for Low-Income New Yorkers
Connections to Care will help train workers at organizations that already deal with low-income populations to identify and help individuals facing depression, substance abuse, and other mental-health issues, The New York Times reports.
How to Benefit From Consumer Demand for Companies Doing Social Good
When you promote your nonprofit, think about the value your organization holds for those who support it — even if that value is indirect.
By perry yeatman
Contributor