A new White House directive has diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in its crosshairs. Private foundations and philanthropy groups engaging in discriminatory DEI practices are justifiably concerned they are now under a microscope for the legality of their hiring, grantmaking or programmatic activities.
As National School Choice Week comes to a close, we celebrate the remarkable progress of school choice across the nation, creating new opportunities and rewarding students’ dedication. Over the years, Philanthropy Roundtable has proudly highlighted exceptional schools, policy organizations and venture funds that have shaped this movement. These organizations, many of which donors have helped launch, grow and support, exemplify the innovative spirit driving school choice forward.
At Philanthropy Roundtable, we believe a thriving civil society depends on preserving the freedoms that empower Americans to give, associate and advocate privately. That’s why we recently submitted a comment letter to the Judicial Conference of the United States expressing our serious concerns about proposed changes to Rule 29 of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would significantly expand disclosure requirements for organizations filing amicus briefs.
This month’s Donor Intent Watch includes an update on donor lawsuits filed against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a discussion of a recent podcast featuring Beth Breeze, author of the 2021 book, “In Defence of Philanthropy.”
A functioning, comfortable building is essential for students to thrive. But at the Beatrice Mayes Institute charter school in Houston, the building was falling apart, and didn’t even have air conditioning to cool their students—a must in a muggy city.
Chances are you have seen photos of students waving yellow fleece scarves during a January event over the past 15 years. These cheerful visuals from National School Choice Week (NSCW) celebrations exemplify the energy and excitement of K–12 school choice in America and runs from January 26 through February 1 this year.
As a new year begins and donors consider their giving plans for 2025, we think it’s important to revisit the essential components of a grant agreement.
The start of the release of the hostages that remain in Hamas captivity is bittersweet. The return of those still alive to their loved ones is long overdue, and the return of the dead to their families will ensure they are laid to rest properly. In the story of this tragedy, healing is complicated, and closure impossible.
On Tuesday, January 7 the powerful Santa Ana winds began fueling wildfires across the Southern California coast without warning or apology. Forcing tens of thousands from their homes, burning over 60 square miles and killing 24 people, the widespread disaster will take the Los Angeles area decades to fully recover.
In 2009 an idea was born to merge the advancement of commercial aviation and humanitarianism together to respond to natural disasters around the globe. This idea quickly became reality and Airlink launched its first humanitarian response in 2010 when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti. During this inaugural response, Airlink partnered with both commercial aviation and private nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to coordinate more than 2,000 doctors and support staff, in addition to 40 shipments of aid—totaling over 500,000 pounds—to communities in need.
In Fall 2023, Planned Giving Today published an article I wrote on “toxic donors.” Beginning with Michael Milken in the 1980s and closing with Jeffrey Epstein, the article explored the various ways grantees of such donors had responded to disclosures of behavior which rendered donors “tarnished” and their gifts “tainted.” At that time I noted, “No matter how much due diligence organizations apply to prospective donors, they are not likely to uncover questionable activities from generations past, nor can they predict the occurrence of such activities in the future.”
Americans’ perceptions of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are showing signs of decline as they understand the implications for how the term has been weaponized to push radical political agendas. While Americans widely believe everyone, regardless of race, gender or background, should have a chance to succeed, they are increasingly cooling to programs that inject division into workplaces or fan animus between racial groups.
“Our traditional K-12 system is a profound failure, and we spent nearly a trillion dollars on it. But I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t believe that we could make a change,” said Amy O. Cook from School Boards for Academic Excellence (SBAE). Cook shared her bold vision to transform local school boards during a Big Idea talk at Philanthropy Roundtable’s annual meeting in October.
Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal released an article entitled “How Gen Z Is Becoming the Toolbelt Generation,” that captured the rise of high school students pursuing opportunities in the trades over the traditional college track. The article highlights the growth and economic opportunity in trades like welding, plumbing and construction in comparison to the potential debt and job insecurity for those entering a four-year college.
Philanthropy Roundtable’s Free to Give campaign elevates the voices of everyday Americans who have dedicated their careers to supporting those in need. Their work is made possible by the freedom of all Americans to give to the causes and communities they care about most.
World War I was a war the American people didn’t want. In 2015, the World War I Centennial Commission launched a design competition to support the creation of a National WWI Memorial in our nation’s capital. When artist and Master Sculptor Sabin Howard was selected to craft the monument that would be the focal point of the Memorial, he brought a worldview that through art, we can return to the values system that has driven Western Civilization for over 2,000 years.
The success of this year’s Giving Tuesday in increasing both the amount of money raised and the number of contributors has encouraged growing optimism about end-of-year giving. Although donor-advised funds and social media vehicles have generated more year-round – and often spontaneous – giving, December continues to bring in a significantly higher percentage of nonprofits’ revenue than any other month.
Philanthropy Roundtable’s Free to Give campaign elevates the voices of everyday Americans who have dedicated their careers to supporting those in need. Their work is made possible by the freedom of all Americans to give to the causes and communities they care about.
Despite the challenges posed by inflation, donor-advised funds (DAFs) demonstrated their enduring role as a cornerstone of American philanthropy in 2023. The 2024 Donor-Advised Fund Report by the National Philanthropic Trust (NPT) offers a nuanced view of the sector’s performance during a challenging year, underscoring its adaptability and continued capacity to support nonprofit organizations.
The recent federal appeals’ court decision to strike down the board diversity rules that NASDAQ and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have been pursuing is a victory for organizations who stand against these reductive and divisive policies.