September 28, 2023 As Funders Press Forward for Local Journalism, Doubts Persist Around the Role of Racial Equity September 28, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe Several criticisms have circulated around Press Forward, a recently-announced $500 million local news initiative backed by a host of funders. One issue stands out: its vague, noncommittal language around racial equity.Read More
September 14, 2023 "It's Got to Be an Entire Organizational Shift." How Funders Can Better Support Black-Led Nonprofits September 14, 2023/ Martha Ramirez While some strides have been made, many Black-led nonprofits are still out in the cold. New insight from the Young, Black, and Giving Back Institute focuses on resourcing the smallest grassroots groups.Read More
September 13, 2023 Why This Major Antipoverty Funder Is Ramping Up Its Investment in HBCUs September 13, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Against the backdrop of rising funder interest and a controversial Supreme Court decision, the big-donor funding collaborative Blue Meridian Partners is tripling its investment in the HBCU Transformation Project.Read More
August 07, 2023 What’s New with the NBA Foundation? Its Executive Director and an NBA Player Weigh In August 07, 2023/ Ade Adeniji The NBA Foundation got started in 2020 with a $300 million pledge and a focus on opportunity for Black youth. We check in with leaders about where it’s at, including board member and Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris.Read More
July 31, 2023 HBCU Moves: Seven Questions for Mildred Whittier, Spelman College Alumna and Fundraiser July 31, 2023/ Ade Adeniji Mildred Whittier helped launch Women for Golden Futures, a fundraising effort to support her alma mater Spelman College. We heard from her about the initiative, her history with Spelman, and how HBCUs can pull in more funding.Read More
July 27, 2023 As Book Banning Campaigns Spread, this Funder is Defending the Right to Read July 27, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Across the country, conservative groups are working to ban books. The American Library Association is standing up to these challenges, with a big boost from Solidarity Giving, founded by billionaires Brian and Tegan Acton.Read More
July 20, 2023 It’s Time for Real Truth and Reconciliation — and Restorative Justice — in Philanthropy July 20, 2023/ Farai Chideya, Guest Contributor As the rights of marginalized groups and the nation’s very civic culture come under threat, guest author Farai Chideya spotlights the need for honest soul-searching in philanthropy, and shares some practical steps for funders.Read More
July 05, 2023 As Numbers Trend in the Wrong Direction, This Foundation's Focusing on Maternal Health July 05, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Having a baby in the U.S. is riskier than in any other developed country. With maternal mortality on the rise, Elevance Health Foundation is doubling down on its support for “high-touch,” racial equity-focused approaches.Read More
June 27, 2023 Joint Philanthropic Initiative Looks to Mend an Ailing U.S. Public Health System June 27, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Three health foundations are backing a new effort to promote public health leadership, strengthen our weakened systems, and build stronger connections in communities.Read More
June 15, 2023 The Next Generation of Asian Americans Are Poised to Lead. Does Philanthropy Have Their Back? June 15, 2023/ Reshma Shamasunder, Guest Contributor In this guest article, Asian American Futures Executive Director Reshma Shamasunder calls on philanthropy to be more supportive toward young Asian Americans working to build a more equitable world.Read More
June 12, 2023 These Fellowships for Latinx Artists Are a Bright Spot Amid Pervasive Underfunding June 12, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe The U.S. Latinx Art Forum administers art fellowships with support from Ford and Mellon. Here’s more on the awards, why the forum uses the term “Latinx,” and the impact of unrestricted support on artists struggling to pay the bills.Read More
May 22, 2023 On the Ground with the Ballmer Group, One of LA's Leading Antipoverty Funders May 22, 2023/ Wendy Paris Over the past few years, Steve and Connie Ballmer have continued ramping up their commitments in Los Angeles. We took a deep dive into how a vast tech fortune is being put to use to scale up local economic mobility.Read More
April 21, 2023 Seven Questions for Dr. Hanh Cao Yu, Chief Learning Officer at The California Endowment April 21, 2023/ Martha Ramirez We caught up with Dr. Hanh Cao Yu to talk about how her experiences as a refugee of the war in Vietnam shaped her, what led to her career in philanthropy, her current work, and more.Read More
April 07, 2023 What the Fall of Silicon Valley Bank Says About Who's Allowed to Take Risks April 07, 2023/ Lynne Hoey, Guest Contributor Guest author Lynne Hoey reflects on the ironies of a system in which people of color seeking resources are told they lack expertise by the same wealth-holders who fail again and again, and get bailed out.Read More
April 06, 2023 How the Ballmers Aim to Build and Diversify the Early Ed Workforce in Washington State April 06, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The foundation of this billionaire donor couple has made early childhood education a priority, most recently in an effort to strengthen the struggling early educator workforce through a mix of strategies. Read More
April 03, 2023 “Moving the Needle.” A Look at the Dallas Foundation’s Approach to Place-Based Giving April 03, 2023/ Mike Scutari As the oldest community foundation in Texas, the Dallas Foundation has built out an extensive grantmaking and partnership footprint across the region. President and CEO Matthew Randazzo walks us through its work.Read More
March 22, 2023 Philanthropy Must Change So Community Development Can Keep Changing for the Better March 22, 2023/ David Fukuzawa and Nancy O. Andrews, Guest Contributors Community development has come a long way since the 1960s, but according to guest authors David Fukuzawa and Nancy O. Andrews, reaching its full potential will require big shifts in how philanthropy funds it.Read More
March 17, 2023 Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein on Philanthropy’s Responsibility to Diversify Tech March 17, 2023/ Paul Karon In the 1980s, Mitch Kapor's Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet app helped make personal computers indispensable. Now, Mitch and Freada Kapor Klein are on a mission to prove that a fairer tech sector can also be a more successful one.Read More
March 13, 2023 Closing Gaps: How This Boston-Based Fund Supports a Growing Latino Population March 13, 2023/ Martha Ramirez In Massachusetts and elsewhere, Latinos have been among the slowest population groups to recover from COVID challenges. The Latino Equity Fund, housed at the Boston Foundation, is working to close those gaps in its area.Read More
March 03, 2023 Backed By Diverse Funders, Liberation Ventures Is Pushing for Reparations and a "Culture of Repair" March 03, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe With an eclectic mix of funders and a holistic and long-term plan, this field-building organization is seeking reparations for Black Americans. We connected with co-founder and managing director Aria Florant to learn more.Read More