Philanthropy Can Help Foster Pluralism, But It Can Only Do So Much
As civil society looks to address toxic polarization following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, philanthropy-backed bridge-building... Read more.
Succession: Warren Buffett Will Leave Behind the Largest Experiment in Family Giving of Our Time
The legendary investor, 93, has confirmed that his $130 billion fortune will go not to the Gates Foundation, but to a charitable trust overseen by his three chi... Read more.
Amazon Doubles Down on Its Housing Giving. Good Strategy or More of the Same?
Big numbers aside, Amazon’s expanding affordable housing philanthropy has still been fairly conventional in its approach. But that doesn’t mean there isn’... Read more.
In Case You Missed It, Struggling Men and Boys Are Also on Melinda French Gates’ Radar
Hidden amid the headline-making philanthropist’s recent $1 billion women’s rights commitment were two regranting recipients whose work revolves around issue... Read more.
Careful What You Wish For: House GOP Pushes Philanthropy Reform to Punish Liberal Donors
Let’s reform philanthropy, but not like this. With a flurry of investigations and proposed legislative fixes, Republican lawmakers have the philanthropy estab... Read more.
What Dark Money Critics Are Getting Wrong About Philanthropic Intermediaries Like Tides
As Republican legislators step up their scrutiny of progressive funding vehicles, we need to be clear that while Tides and its peers may sometimes be the curtai... Read more.
Melinda’s Making Her Break from the Foundation After All. Here Are Some Questions We’re Asking
It was a long time coming. Melinda French Gates’ departure from the gargantuan institution that has borne her name raises big questions, both about the future... Read more.
Who’s Backing Archaeological Research? Here are Five Funders Digging Up the Past
There’s not a huge amount of funding for excavations and other research into human history and prehistory, but a handful of funders do back this work. Here ar... Read more.
Four Reasons Why Narrative Change Is a Tough Ask for Philanthropy
Trying to shift public narratives is a popular strategy for many funders right now. But is it paying off? Here are a few reasons why philanthropy-backed narrati... Read more.
What Is “Risk” in Philanthropy, and Are We Still Giving Funders Too Much Credit for It?
We’ve seen some high-profile cases lately of philanthropy backing away from big, difficult challenges. At the same time, more are yielding control with trust-... Read more.
MacKenzie Scott’s Open Call Was Also a Challenge to Other Billionaires
Whether she’s giving in her usual way or through an open call model, MacKenzie Scott continues to show that philanthropic penny-pinching by major billionaires... Read more.
The Latest Industry Numbers on DAFs Are Yet Another Example of Selective Transparency
A new report on donor-advised funds, billed as independent, was another product of the philanthropic establishment. It speaks to a broader issue: overly rosy re... Read more.
A Funding Intermediary Goes to Bat for Government-Run Options in Local Economies
A new fund at the Economic Security Project is channeling money from some big-name grantmakers to promote publicly run businesses as a way to keep local markets... Read more.
Five Questions We Should Be Asking About Trust-Based Philanthropy
Trust-based philanthropy is on trend but has experienced backlash recently. While some of these critiques seem to misunderstand its premise, there are valid que... Read more.
How Will Philanthropy Impact the 2024 Election? Here’s a Bird’s-Eye View
The 2024 presidential election is already flooded with political donations, but nonpartisan philanthropic funds will also play an major role. Here’s an overvi... Read more.
As the Gates Foundation’s Budget Balloons, More U.S. Grantmaking Should Be On the Table
Gates’ largest annual budget ever stands at $8.6 billion, but that’s just a starting point for what it might have to spend if it’s going to sunset. With s... Read more.
As We Enter a New Era of Checkbook Philanthropy, Can Donors Avoid the Pitfalls of the Old One?
Giving without rigorous strategy or metrics was once the target of ridicule, but lately, we’ve seen a move toward more ad hoc forms of giving with few strings... Read more.
Six Problems Philanthropy Barely Tried to Solve in 2023
To some extent, trying and failing to solve big problems comes with the territory of philanthropy. But sometimes, funders fail even to try, paying scant attenti... Read more.
Ultra-Wealthy Donors to Watch: Who Took the Giving Pledge in 2023?
The Giving Pledge hasn’t done much to shrink billionaires’ fortunes, but it does tell us a lot about who is planning to embark on large-scale philanthropy a... Read more.
Six Reasons Why Effective Altruism Isn’t Going Anywhere
Despite the bruising it’s taken over the past year, the giving movement still ticks some key boxes that’ll likely give it the momentum to continue playing a... Read more.
A Look Back at the Giving of Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s Right-Hand Man
The legacy of the late Charlie Munger, second-in-command at Berkshire Hathaway, will be closely connected to that of his business partner. But his philanthropic... Read more.
Vague Pledges Notwithstanding, Top Billionaires Remain a Stingy Lot
Surging billionaire wealth again forms the backdrop to Forbes’ updated philanthropy scores for 2023. The question remains: Will the super-rich ever get around... Read more.
With Congress in Turmoil, Philanthropy Reform Seems Unlikely — Which Is How the Sector Likes It
After a scare this summer, the old bet that a preoccupied Congress won’t take up philanthropy reform still seems to be paying off. But how long can that last?... Read more.
The Passing of Chuck Feeney Raises the Question: Why Haven’t There Been More Chuck Feeneys?
The late Chuck Feeney’s achievement — actually giving away his billions while alive — remains unrivaled. Now that “giving while living” is a common ma... Read more.
This Couple Just Won One of Conservative Philanthropy’s Top Prizes. What Are They Into?
A passion for private education and entrepreneurship drives the giving of Laura and Jeff Sandefer, who won the 2023 Simon-DeVos Prize for Philanthropic Leadersh... Read more.
Still an Apex Donor? What’s Changing, and Staying the Same, About Jack Dorsey’s Giving
Jack Dorsey’s star has faded somewhat since he became a high-profile megadonor back in 2021, but his philanthropy is still going strong. We take a look at wha... Read more.
Foundations Are Giving More and More Money to DAFs. Is That a Problem?
New numbers show the foundation-to-DAF pipeline growing at a rapid rate. That raises a big question: Is the foundation payout requirement now essentially meanin... Read more.
Fair-Weather Friends? Progressive Nonprofits’ Dangerous Dependence on the Liberal Rich
As left-of-center groups grow ever more reliant on big funders, is there a price to be paid? If and when the liberal donor class pulls back, the fallout may lea... Read more.
Why Philanthropy’s a Bigger Deal Than You Might Think
Charitable giving is often cast as a relatively tiny component of funding for social goods and services. But when you compare the latest numbers to discretionar... Read more.
Taking the Reins, Alex Soros Inherits Substantial Power, Unanswered Questions at OSF
Having succeeded his famous father as chair of Open Society Foundations, Alexander Soros has big shoes to fill, and major challenges to tackle. Here’s what we... Read more.
