The Philanthropy Roundtable

Giving It All Away

James Piereson and Gara LaMarche — 2012-02-17T19:08:45+00:00

Spending Down vs. Perpetuity

2012-02-17T18:58:20+00:00

The heads of the Randolph Foundation and the Atlantic Philanthropies make the case for spending down in this Philanthropy Roundtable discussion, while leaders from the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the Duke Endowment defend perpetual foundations.

The Biggest Mistakes You Can Make When Choosing Board Members

Jeffrey J. Cain — 2012-02-17T18:43:26+00:00

Jeffrey J. Cain offers guidance in how to think carefully about the selection of your trustees—and how they will perpetuate themselves after you’re gone.

Philanthropy Roundtable and ACR Disappointed by Obama Budget on Charitable Deduction

2012-02-14T18:28:19+00:00

The President’s proposed budget would limit the charitable deduction and lays out tax reform principles, which include tax hikes and the “Buffett Rule.” Read our response here.

The World of Philanthropy

2012-02-09T22:25:33+00:00

Despite the global economic turmoil, the world is becoming more charitable, and Americans are leading the way. See where the U.S. ranks according to the World Giving Index 2011, and watch Adam Meyerson’s recent interview with the Wall Street Journal on American charitable giving.

Rescuing the Survivors

Richard Tren and Gerard Alexander — 2012-02-08T21:57:20+00:00

Whenever disaster strikes—earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, wildfire—donors are moved and want to help the victims. But be strategic, write Richard Tren and Gerard Alexander as they give six recommendations that every donor should consider before writing a check for disaster relief.

What Makes International Philanthropy Work?

Michael Fairbanks — 2012-02-08T21:47:08+00:00

Michael Fairbanks, an expert on enterprise-based solutions to poverty in the developing world, interviewed some of the planet’s leading thinkers and practitioners about what makes international philanthropy work. Take a look at what they had to say here.

As Rwanda Forgives

2012-02-08T19:45:03+00:00

How does a country that loses up to 20 percent of its population to genocide heal the scars of hatred?

Stopping the Slaughter

Evan Sparks — 2012-02-08T19:37:49+00:00

John Montgomery, a Houston-based investment manager, is known for his detached, analytical investment strategy. But his philanthropy is the exact opposite: hopeful, passionate, even a touch idealistic. He has one big goal for his charitable giving: to end genocide. Read about how he and his team are working to end a guerrilla war in central Africa.

Values Without Borders

Kari Barbic — 2012-02-08T19:27:26+00:00

Meet the Venezuelan-American family that teaches universal values to promote character education.

Lending a Hand

Christopher Levenick — 2012-02-08T19:14:24+00:00

Dale Dawson is helping rebuild Rwanda, one small loan at a time. It all started a decade ago when a Rwandan Anglican bishop challenged Dawson: “You’re a businessman. You’ve built businesses. Why don’t you build businesses in Rwanda?” Since then, Dawson has dedicated his life to helping impoverished Rwandans save money and pursue entrepreneurship.

Briefly Noted

2012-02-08T16:04:56+00:00

The most generous nations, anonymity—almost, philanthropy jargon, and more.

Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens!

2012-02-07T15:06:15+00:00

What’s an Unsung Organization Doing Great Work in the Field?

2012-02-06T23:01:44+00:00

Tell Us about a Really Smart International Grant

2012-02-06T22:54:09+00:00

What Have You Learned That Changed the Way You Give Internationally?

2012-02-06T22:39:40+00:00

Symposium on International Giving

2012-02-06T18:33:31+00:00

As part of Philanthropy’s forthcoming special issue on global giving, we invited some of America’s leading international donors and development experts to respond to three questions. Jean Case, Bill Frist, Steven M. Hilton, Lynn Schusterman, Ed Scott, Tad Taube, David Weekley, and more weigh in.

A Lot to Learn

Frederick M. Hess — 2012-02-01T18:16:42+00:00

Steven Brill has written a good book on some recent developments in K–12 education reform. Too bad it lacks context and perspective. Frederick M. Hess reviews “Class Warfare: Inside the Fight to Fix America’s Schools.”

Unto the Nations

Karl Zinsmeister — 2012-01-27T20:53:16+00:00

Despite the economic downturn, charity and mission work is thriving in the developing world thanks to committed givers. In the Winter 2012 issue of Philanthropy magazine, Karl Zinsmeister looks at how evangelicals are focusing their time, treasure, and talent overseas. What does this renewed focus on international missions mean for the world? And for America?

Foundation Nation?

John Steele Gordon — 2012-01-26T19:57:31+00:00

The rich history of American philanthropy has been oddly neglected over the years. Does Olivier Zunz’s new book fill the narrative gap? John Steele Gordon reviews “Philanthropy in America: A History” in the Winter 2012 issue of Philanthropy magazine.

Blended Learning

2012-01-19T23:50:59+00:00

Sometimes the best innovations are accidental. A small online tutoring project launched by Sal Khan in his spare time quickly turned into an online teaching sensation. The Khan Academy’s fast-growing digital library of free tutorials—covering everything from basic addition to advanced calculus, physics, chemistry, and biology—has become an invaluable resource for students of all ages. Now Khan is beginning to change the way students learn in traditional classrooms. With philanthropic support, he and his colleagues are integrating self-paced computerized tutorials with live instruction and daily computerized assessment in model schools. The results could revolutionize teaching.

A Free Society and a Good Society—We Can Have Both

Richard Cornuelle — 2012-01-12T14:58:58+00:00

When privately funded institutions are free to flourish and compete with government, citizens reap the benefits. In this selection from his book “Reclaiming the American Dream” Richard Cornuelle discusses the critical role of private foundations and individual givers in taking action for the public good.

Upcoming Annual Meetings

2012-01-09T17:04:08+00:00

Check out the dates and locations for our upcoming Annual Meetings.

Democracy in Action

Stephen L. Carter — 2012-01-06T19:56:29+00:00

Stephen L. Carter argues that ending, or significantly restricting, the charitable deduction will hurt the poor most. Read his Bloomberg View column where he observes that individuals donors measure community needs differently than centralized policy makers and encouraging their well-informed giving makes society as a whole better off.

Economic Payoffs from Real Educational Reform and Better Teaching

Alex Tabarrok — 2012-01-04T22:15:06+00:00

The potential gains to the U.S. from a better educational system are enormous. Even modest improvements in teacher quality and student test results will yield economic value that compounds, over a generation, into trillions of dollars. Economist Alex Tabarrok, author of a new e-book on the subject, lays out the evidence.

A Stimulus That Works

2012-01-04T18:13:34+00:00

In 2009, some of the nation’s top entrepreneurs, experts on entrepreneurship, and donors gathered at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri, to explore how philanthropists can advance entrepreneurship as a central growth engine of our economy. Read the special report from this Roundtable meeting here.

A Model of Self-Reliance

2012-01-04T16:22:43+00:00

The Philanthropy Roundtable finished our year-long celebration of economic opportunity landmarks at Salt Lake City’s Welfare Square. You can read more about this inspiring event as featured in the Deseret News. Read their special report here.

Carl Schramm, Entrepreneur

2012-01-03T19:49:01+00:00

After a decade of service as president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Carl Schramm has stepped down to return to scholarship and business. The Philanthropy Roundtable has worked productively with Mr. Schramm and the Kauffman Foundation over the years. Click on the headline above to read a few pieces from our archives touching on Mr. Schramm’s pioneering work in making the cultivation of entrepreneurship a subject of American philanthropy.

The Myth of the “Third” Sector

Irving Kristol — 2011-12-21T14:55:40+00:00

In 1980, the distinguished social critic Irving Kristol (who first convened The Philanthropy Roundtable) delivered to the annual conference of the Council on Foundations a challenging address entitled “Foundations and the Sin of Pride.” This extract of that speech presents Kristol’s explanation that philanthropic work is emphatically part of the private sector and his insistence that if philanthropy is to remain effective it must resist being displaced or centralized into bland uniformity by the government.

Classic Readings

2011-12-21T14:26:42+00:00

New pressures are building on philanthropic freedom. With these in mind, The Philanthropy Roundtable is assembling a library of relevant classic readings. These sketch the vital role private giving has always played in improving America—and outline private philanthropy’s continuing importance to the nation. We have selected these readings for their readability, intellectual significance, and timeliness, and edited them to be compact and to the point. Please continue to visit this resource library as it expands.