Excess Wealth Critic Scott Ellis on Why Philanthropy is Failing Society
Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute Founding Board Member Scott Ellis talks to IP about how and why funders hoard wealth — and what can be done about it.... Read more.
Bloomberg and the Arts: Inside One Mega Funder’s Approach
Bloomberg Philanthropies has long backed the arts as one of its key priority areas, focusing on projects that complement other priorities, like public health, a... Read more.
“Look for Structural Gaps.” A Conversation with Sloan Foundation President Adam Falk
In a freewheeling conversation, Falk discusses the prominent research and education funder’s approach to risk, how it’s creating equitable pathways in STEM ... Read more.
The Oracle of Boston: How Billionaire Investor Seth Klarman and His Wife Beth Give
Democracy funding has been a big recent priority for the couple, along with health, direct services and the Jewish community. We dig into mega-gifts, the couple... Read more.
Three Lesser-Known Democracy Funders That Front-Loaded Support This Year
Leaders from the Park Foundation, Wallace Global Fund and the James B. McClatchy Foundation talk about their civic engagement strategies, which included early m... Read more.
It’s Time for Foundations to Interrogate Perpetuity, Even If That Means Spending Down
Most foundations still plan to exist forever. But skyrocketing assets, unrelenting need and diminished individual giving make this the perfect time to look to t... Read more.
A Democracy Funding Advisor on What’s Animating Donors in the Election’s Home Stretch
We connected with Mike Berkowitz, the head of the Democracy Funders Network, to discuss moving beyond a defensive posture, being an "in-group moderate," and ho... Read more.
“A Mindset of Possibility.” How Donors Can Move Past Psychological Barriers to Giving
A new study published by the National Center for Family Philanthropy identified 10 obstacles that prevent individuals from giving. NCFP President Nicholas Tedes... Read more.
Three Takeaways from a Deep Dive into Pandemic-Era Foundation Giving
FoundationMark’s John Seitz analyzed the behavior of 230 large foundations from 2014 to 2022, with a particular focus on the pandemic years. Here are several ... Read more.
“Legacy Matters.” Why and How This Prominent Bay Area Family Foundation Is Spending Down
The Hellman Foundation’s executive director discusses why the donors’ heirs opted to close the doors by the end of 2034, how the spend-down is unfolding and... Read more.
Key Trends to Watch in Native American Arts Giving
Giving for Native artists and organizations constitutes a unique segment of the arts funding ecosystem. Prominent funding leaders tell us about the state of the... Read more.
Why Is Giving to Religious Congregations Different from Other Kinds of Philanthropy?
Support for religious organizations constitutes a disproportionately large and resilient segment of overall charitable giving. Recent studies offer insight into... Read more.
Talking Values-Aligned Investing with Marguerite Casey Foundation CEO Carmen Rojas
The Marguerite Casey Foundation has sought to ensure that its investments don’t work at cross-purposes with its values. Rojas walks us through how its strateg... Read more.
“Outsized Philanthropy.” Meet the Family Foundation Giving Chicago Performing Artists Six-Figure Awards
The Walder Foundation's Platform Awards directly support local artists with $200,000 over three years. Here's how the program came together, and how it reflects... Read more.
“It Isn’t Good News.” Trump’s Tax Law Caused a $16 Billion Annual Decrease in Charitable Giving
A new report claims that by increasing the standard income tax deduction, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act incentivized donors to dial back giving — reinforcing phil... Read more.
A “Philanthropy Abolitionist” Looks Back on His Foundation’s Democratized Spend-Down
Last year, the Chorus Foundation closed its doors after disbursing $60 million across the previous decade. We check in with founder Farhad Ebrahimi to discuss w... Read more.
“AI Opened a Window.” Omidyar Network’s Mike Kubzansky on the Funder’s Strategic Evolution
In late July, Omidyar Network CEO Mike Kubzansky announced the influential funder is undergoing a “strategic evolution.” He walks us through the backstory t... Read more.
A Closer Look at the Philanthropy of Panda Express Founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng
In recent years, the longtime philanthropists have quietly risen in prominence as mega givers. We dig into the self-made billionaires’ backstory, their family... Read more.
How the Irvine Foundation Navigates the Intersection of Economic Mobility and Civic Engagement
In 2022, the California grantmaker launched Just Prosperity, an initiative to advance policies that reflect the priorities of low-income workers, with an eye to... Read more.
Trust-Based Practices Top of Mind at Tech Billionaire Couple David and Angela Filo’s Foundation
In 2000, the Yahoo! cofounder and his wife launched what is now called the Skyline Foundation. Executive Director Angie Chen walks us through how it’s evolved... Read more.
A Closer Look at the Data-Driven Ed Philanthropy of John and Laura Overdeck
The hedge fund billionaire couple, who are now divorcing, have brought a quant mindset to their education-focused giving. Here’s a look at what’s new at the... Read more.
“Shifting Solution-Making to the Community.” Inside the William Penn Foundation’s New Strategy
Opening the doors to community input is key to the Philadelphia-based funder’s new grantmaking approach. Executive Director Shawn McCaney walks us through how... Read more.
A Closer Look at the Philanthropy of Tech Billionaire Couple Phillip and Susan Ragon
The Ragons are two of the Boston area’s most important philanthropists. We dig into how the Giving Pledge signatories move money through their family foundati... Read more.
“The Election Isn’t the End Point.” A Deep Dive into the Carnegie Corporation’s Democracy Giving
Geri Mannion has led the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s U.S. democracy program since 1998. In an expansive recent conversation, she walked us through its ... Read more.
Giving USA Annual Report: With Real Giving Down in 2023, the Onus Is on Donors
Giving USA found that due to ongoing inflationary pressure, real giving declined by 2.1% in 2023. Could funders have done more?... Read more.
How the Field Foundation of Illinois Supports Community Power-Building Throughout Chicago
With a history in Chicago going back many decades, this regional grantmaker aims to evolve from a “transactional” to a “transformational” funder, includ... Read more.
What I Learned From Foundation Leaders Overseeing Spend-Downs
Over the past few months, IP’s Mike Scutari spoke with leaders about their experiences presiding over foundations in the process of sunsetting. Here are some ... Read more.
Patrons, Playwrights and More: Five Notable Arts Philanthropies Founded by People of Color
Arts-focused funding vehicles established by people of color account for a small but important and varied segment of a sprawling arts ecosystem. Here are five o... Read more.
Confronted with Urgent Crises, Family Foundations Are Reappraising the Question of Perpetuity
Operating in perpetuity has long been the default position for family foundations. We connected with the National Center for Family Philanthropy’s Nicholas Te... Read more.
Many Large Private Foundations Fail to Pay Out 5% of Assets. Here’s Why
Research from FoundationMark shows that 17 of the 40 largest private foundations did not average a 5% payout over five years. We connected with president and fo... Read more.
