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September 2020

Friends in Philanthropy: September 2020 Issue

“It’s a lot more fun to give while you live.”
–Chuck Feeney, founder of the recently shuttered Atlantic Philanthropies

Forty years is a long time. But Chuck Feeney is a dogged guy. Feeney never gave up on a goal that no other billionaire had even attempted before: give away his entire fortune during his lifetime. The Giving While Living concept he pioneered wasn’t just talk. Eight billion dollars later, Feeney’s put his money where his mantra was. Let this month’s issue be a reminder of how much is possible when your heart is in the right place and your eyes stay on the prize.

The Billionaire Who Wanted to Die Broke Is Now Officially Broke (Forbes) – Eight billion dollars. A four-decade quest. Chuck Feeney, a personal hero to both Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, finally did it.

The 10 Countries That Accept the Most Refugees (U.S. News & World Report) – When people flee their home countries, where do they go? Not where you might guess, according to this eye-opening list based on U.N. data.

6 Ways to Expand the Impact of Your COVID-19 Giving (Charity Navigator) – Read a brief summary of recommendations based on an in-depth new report from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

VIDEO: A Lesson in Turning Adversaries Into Allies (TED Talks) – What we can all learn from animal rights activist Leah Garcés’s experience working with a chicken farmer to create change.

India’s Biggest Slum Contained COVID-19. Can It Survive the Economic Collapse? (Time) – Even with a million people packed into one square mile, the Dharavi section of Mumbai managed to control its outbreak. But what are residents supposed to do now?

Photos from Unsplash

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August 2020

Friends in Philanthropy: August 2020 Issue

“I remember it feeling unbelievable, like a Hollywood movie—not something that happens in my backyard.”
–Dr. Noël Busch-Armendariz on the shocking human trafficking case that inspired her work

Philanthropy is inherently cooperative: you don’t solve big problems without attacking them from all angles. This month’s stories are about how drawing on different approaches can help us address major challenges—and how tunnel vision can get us in trouble.

What a Big Empty Concrete Hole Can Teach Us About Effective Giving (NCF) – A crumbling swimming pool in a struggling Latin American community shows how donors’ good intentions can sometimes go awry.

How Kenyans Are Fighting Off A Locust Plague Of Biblical Proportions (BBC) – Facing its worst swarms of locusts in decades, East Africa is scrambling to respond however it can.

One Way to Fight Human Trafficking: Teach How It Works (UT News) – Dr. Noël Busch-Armendariz was stunned by a personal experience with a human trafficking case. Her groundbreaking textbook was her way of fighting back.

19 Ways to Help Your Church Thrive During COVID-19 (NCF) – With challenges mounting, churches need your help with everything from navigating tech issues to looking out for the lonely.

Young Artists Drew a World Where Kindness Defeats COVID-19. Animators Brought It to Life. (UNHCR) – See 7 uplifting animations from a U.N. art contest meant to show solidarity with refugees during the pandemic.

Photos from Unsplash

July 2020

Friends in Philanthropy: July 2020 Issue

“Every time I met with a group I came away thinking: This group does an amazing thing, but they’re not the only group out there. So what is it that they’re missing that we could help with?”
–I Am ALS founder Brian Wallach

The most effective philanthropists don’t wait around for problems to come find them. They’re alert to opportunities to make a difference, and when they see them, they seize them. Several stories in this month’s issue spotlight people doing just that, from a nonprofit startup helping cash-only restaurants survive the downturn to an attorney who responded to his ALS diagnosis by starting his own advocacy group.

He Was Struck by ALS. To Fight Back, He Built a Movement. (Wired) – Attorney Brian Wallach tapped a lifetime of connections to build the nonprofit I Am ALS—while grappling with his own mortality. (Also available as audio.)

In Burkina Faso, the Best Medicine May Be Information (Christian Science Monitor) – How Dr. Moumini Niaoné is fighting coronavirus myths in a country facing major challenges with literacy and public trust.

Here’s the Good News: Positive Trends in Philanthropy (Giving USA) – On the heels of Giving USA’s major annual philanthropy report, the CEO of a fundraising consulting firm highlights reasons for optimism.

How Can Cash-Only Restaurants Fundraise Online? A New Nonprofit Knows. (Nonprofit Quarterly) – When the founders of Send Chinatown Love realized many Chinatown restaurants lack an online presence, they stepped in to help them survive.

Is Requiring Foundations to Give More a Mistake? (Chronicle of Philanthropy) – Given the urgency of the moment, some want to force foundations to distribute more of their endowments. But the author argues philanthropy would suffer in the long run.

Photos from Unsplash

The content in this material is informational and not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult with your own professional financial or legal advisor before making a gift.

June 2020

Friends in Philanthropy: June 2020 Issue

“This is unprecedented for us, but these are unprecedented times.”
–MacArthur Foundation president John Palfrey on plans
to issue $125 million in bonds to fund more giving

Like so many other sectors, philanthropy is rethinking its assumptions in light of the crises facing the country. This month’s stories show what it looks like when the nonprofit world puts solving problems ahead of preserving the status quo.

Major Foundations Are Borrowing Millions—Then Giving Them Away (New York Times) – Grantmakers like the Ford Foundation are upending philanthropy’s status quo with plans that increase giving without eroding their endowments.

VIDEO: How Should College Work When You’re Living in a Refugee Camp? (TED) – Forget lectures, due dates, and finals. The Global Education Movement’s competency-based model brings higher education to the displaced on their terms.

5 Principles for Giving Across Racial Lines (National Christian Foundation) – Philanthropist Erin O’Keefe calls her first encounter with nonprofit leader Franklin Ballenger a “divine appointment.” Here’s how they fight racial injustice together.

The Top Philanthropists of 2020 (Town & Country) – Read profiles of the country’s leading givers, with a special emphasis on those who have stepped up during the coronavirus crisis.

Jack Dorsey Is Proving Giving Away Money Doesn’t Have to Be That Hard (Recode) – Lightning-fast decisions. Radical transparency. The Twitter CEO is forcing other mega-donors to rethink their approach—but not everyone thinks he’s solved philanthropy.

Photos from Unsplash

The content in this material is informational and not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult with your own professional financial or legal advisor before making a gift.

May 2020

Friends in Philanthropy: May 2020 Issue

“A lot of times in crisis moments, the world operates out of scarcity. But Christians are meant to operate out of abundance.”
–Jefferson Bethke, co-founder of the “Show Up Now” giving platform

As the coronavirus crisis upends our world, governments, refugees, and philanthropists like you are finding creative new ways to respond. The fight is far from over, but stories like these point the way forward.

All the Ways the CARES Act Encourages More Giving (Forbes) – Extra deductions, fewer limitations, more planning opportunities—the law rewards donors who meet this moment of need.

Medically Trained Refugees Want to Fight the Coronavirus (UNHCR) – They were doctors in their former countries. Now they’re ready to step up—if they can get their training recognized.

Will the Outbreak Change the Giving Pledge’s Unwritten Rules? (Vox) – Bill Gates doesn’t like to tell billionaires where and how to give. But a new donor “marketplace” could mean the end of his hands-off approach.

Photos of Life Under Lockdown in Mumbai (New York Times) – What is life like right now in a city where density makes social distancing impossible and migrant workers can’t just stay home?

How Christians Are Hacking Their Way to Coronavirus Help (Christianity Today) – An app that makes it simple for patients and families to connect is just one compassionate use Christians are finding for tech.

Photos from Unsplash

The content in this material is informational and not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult with your own professional financial or legal advisor before making a gift.