When Restrictions Apply | Stanford Social Innovation Review

When Restrictions Apply | Stanford Social Innovation Review: "But in the past 20 years, foundations’ approach to funding has shifted. They now strongly value private-sector perspectives, and many hire management consultants to lead their organizations. This cadre of foundation leaders believes that nonprofits can be far more efficient by decreasing overhead and delivering on programmatic objectives.
But efficient can be the enemy of good. As nonprofits try to comply and cut back on discretionary spending, many foundations become frustrated that the models aren’t delivering on promised outcomes. They turn to the experts



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The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: New Opportunities, New Questions For Nonprofits - The Diane Rehm Show

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: New Opportunities, New Questions For Nonprofits - The Diane Rehm Show: "The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation raises about $130 million a year in its ongoing effort to help people who suffer with the deadly disease, but that amount seems small change in comparison with the $3.3 billion it just received related to an investment it made years ago in small drug development company. For a health-related nonprofit, $3.3 billion is a jaw dropping amount. It gives the foundation the means to explore all kinds of new ways to help patients and to look for a cure, but the projected per patient cost of this drug, $373,000 per year, raises concerns. Please join us to discuss new questions about venture philanthropy."



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Deal by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Raises Cash and Some Concern - NYTimes.com

Deal by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Raises Cash and Some Concern - NYTimes.com: "Proponents say it speeds drug development while also providing potential monetary rewards that can pay for even more research.

Continue reading the main story

 But there is some concern that a profit motive could divert the organizations from their primary mission — helping patients — and create a conflict of interest. For instance, the price of the main drug developed through Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s investment is $300,000 a year."



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Many Foundations Haven’t Discussed Atlantic-Style Spend-Down - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.

Many Foundations Haven’t Discussed Atlantic-Style Spend-Down - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.: A recent New York Times profile of Atlantic Philanthropies founder Charles F. Feeney provides a glimpse of the mindset of a philanthropic leader who is set to close—in five years—one of the largest granting organizations in the U.S. Whether or not Feeney’s (age 81) high level of engagement in his organization’s spend down is or is not reflective of a broa

MCF | Minnesota Grantmakers Anticipate Stable Giving in 2012

MCF | Minnesota Grantmakers Anticipate Stable Giving in 2012: MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 9, 2012) ― The Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) today reported that the state’s grantmakers expect relatively stable giving in 2012. According to MCF’s 2012 Outlook Report, foundations and corporations believe their grantmaking will remain flat or possibly increase about one percent from 2011.

MCF | Education Receives Largest Share of Minnesota Grant Dollars

MCF | Education Receives Largest Share of Minnesota Grant Dollars: Education Receives Largest Share of Minnesota Grant Dollars
Source: Minnesota Council on Foundations 08/29/2011

(August 29, 2011) – Education received the largest share of Minnesota’s philanthropic giving in 2009 – about 26 percent – according to new research by the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF). Education was one of only two subject areas for which funding didn’t decline in 2009, the most recent time period for which complete data are available.

AmeriCorps workers aid Yuma nonprofits | grant, library, nonprofit - News - YumaSun

AmeriCorps workers aid Yuma nonprofits | grant, library, nonprofit - News - YumaSun: "When local nonprofits need help finding available funds, there's a place to go in Yuma County - and with the help of AmeriCorps, there are two more staffers there to help.

Through the AmeriCorps VISTA program, or Volunteers In Service To America, the Yuma County Main Library hired interns Emily Bull and Darlene Erwin."

After Last Year’s Decline, Foundation Giving Expected to Remain Flat in 2010 - Foundations - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

After Last Year’s Decline, Foundation Giving Expected to Remain Flat in 2010 - Foundations - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Giving by the nation’s grant makers fell by more than 8 percent last year, according to a new report, marking the steepest drop ever tracked by the Foundation Center, the New York group that keeps data on American foundations. Grant dollars fell from $46.8-billion in 2008 to $42.9-billion in 2009.

Yet, according to the Foundation Center’s latest report, the decline in giving totaled less than half of the 17 percent loss in foundation assets recorded in 2008."

As total giving drops, donors looking for charitable dollars to yield more

As total giving drops, donors looking for charitable dollars to yield more: "Preliminary results of a survey of about 55 members of the Donors Forum, which includes about 115 institutional funders that annually disburse about $725 million in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, found that more than half have decreased their funding."

County & State :: Lake Stevens Journal-New Grants Will Support Washingtonians Hit Hardest By the Recession

County & State :: Lake Stevens Journal: "Today, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced more than $4 million in new funding that will help 10 community foundations, the Washington State Library, and the Legal Aid for Washington Fund (LAW Fund) increase assistance for Washingtonians facing economic hardship. The grants will provide greater resources for residents as they look for work or seek support for basic needs, including food and family programs. Funds will also help to provide legal services for low-income families who face increasing economic hardship or unsafe living conditions."

Feinstein Challenge raises record $197M - PBN.com - Providence Business News

Feinstein Challenge raises record $197M - PBN.com - Providence Business News: "KINGSTON – Local philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein’s 12th annual nationwide matching challenge to anti-hunger organizations led to $197 million in donations this year, a new record for the campaign, The Feinstein Foundation announced today."

Foundations Should Fund Risk and Growth - Dan Pallotta - HarvardBusiness.org

From Harvard Business Blog

Foundations Should Fund Risk and Growth - Dan Pallotta - HarvardBusiness.org: "But we expect charities to bat 1,000 — if one attempts a $5 million fundraising event that doesnʼt produce a 65% profit to the cause in the first twelve months, people want a crucifixion. So charities are petrified to initiate large-scale revenue-generating ideas that carry risk. And they routinely leave incremental revenue on the table because theyʼre uncertain if it can be raised at 35% cost or less. This is but one of the donating publicʼs restraints that leave nonprofits unable to scale up to anything near the size of the problems they are chartered to confront.

Itʼs critical that we change this public thinking — get donors to understand that investment in risk is investment in growth and without growth the nonprofit sector, and all those it exists to help, donʼt stand a chance. That change may take a while."

Community Foundation celebrates 25 years with 25 grants for nonprofits | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Community Foundation celebrates 25 years with 25 grants for nonprofits | detnews.com | The Detroit News: "Detroit -- The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is celebrating its 25th anniversary by awarding $25,000 grants to 25 nonprofits that have worked closely with the foundation and embody the foundation's mission to improve the area, its leaders say."

State foundations report drop in assets - JSOnline

State foundations report drop in assets - JSOnline: "A comprehensive report on philanthropy in Wisconsin found that nearly 90% of the 100 foundations surveyed reported their assets had shrunk in the last 12 months and more than half predicted a decrease in grant funding in 2009."

Real Time: A MaineCF Community Building Blog - Around the Decision-Making Table at MaineCF

Real Time: A MaineCF Community Building Blog - Around the Decision-Making Table at MaineCF: "Foundation staff members are always happy to talk with an organization about why their proposal was funded, or why it wasn’t. That said, we thought it might be helpful to explain what goes on around that decision-making table."

Communities Foundation of Texas reaches $1 billion milestone in grants to charities | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News

Communities Foundation of Texas reaches $1 billion milestone in grants to charities | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News: "The Communities Foundation of Texas will reach a milestone today when it surpasses $1 billion in donations to charities over the past 56 years.

The agency, one of the largest community foundations in the nation, will celebrate with an event to distribute its most recent round of grants to local nonprofits."

Foundations should show they can police themselves | Philanthropy Journal

Foundations should show they can police themselves | Philanthropy Journal: "Foundations typically reject any effort to add new regulations, and suggest they can regulate themselves.

Rarely has action followed the rhetoric.

Now may be the time for foundations to overcome their inertia."

Ohio.com - Ohio foundations cut back

Ohio.com - Ohio foundations cut back: "Ohio foundations cut back

Nonprofit groups less likely to receive grants at same time that need for help grows

By Rick Armon
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published on Friday, Jan 23, 2009

More than half of Ohio's charitable foundations plan to hand out fewer grants this year because of losses in the anemic financial markets, according to a new survey by the Ohio Grantmakers Forum.

Foundations reported their financial assets tumbled between 15 and 40 percent over the past year.

With less money available, about 60 percent of foundations in the state said they will cut back on giving this year — a blow to nonprofit groups that are seeing an increased demand for help in the slumping economy.

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Editorial: Bush Foundation makes a smart shift

Editorial: Bush Foundation makes a smart shift: "In its proud 55-year history, the Archibald Bush Foundation has touched a lot of lives through grants to thousands of organizations. Now the board of the state's second-largest foundation wants to have a more direct and measurable impact on specific community issues."

Turner's Community involvement taken a step beyond (comment on this)

Turner's Community involvement taken a step beyond (comment on this): "What researchers found is a set of foundations with an uncommon but highly successful approach to giving, researcher Mikael Karlstrom said, resulting in significant, sustainable change in communities around the country. The ongoing study, titled 'Embedded Funders and Community Change,' explores foundations that concentrate their resources in one limited geographic area and become deeply involved in those communities."