This Week in The Commons

How philanthropy hopes to heal America's divides; an Appalachian superhero; and more. [Philanthropy Today Logo]( This is a special weekly edition of Philanthropy Today featuring stories and content from [The Commons](. You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. If you no longer want to receive the Philanthropy Today newsletter, [unsubscribe](. New in Your Inbox We’re introducing this special issue of Philanthropy Today, which each week will highlight what’s happening in [The Commons]( our new digital space to share ideas and explore what’s working — and what’s not — as philanthropy tries to tamp down polarization, build community, and mend a culture that breeds division. Write to us at TheCommons@philanthropy.com with ideas or thoughts about what you’d like to see. And join the conversation in our new [Commons LinkedIn group](. This Week in The Commons The Commons launched this week with guest essayists debating what needs to be done. Among them: donors and grant makers [Melanie Lundquist]( [Rachel Pritzker]( and [Darren Walker,]( and advocates including Washington Post columnist [Danielle Allen]( Utah Gov. [Spencer Cox]( and [Edgar Villanueva](. You may not know scholar Rachel Kleinfeld, but her piece is a disturbing warning about “[The Coming Attacks on Nonprofits]( - Read all the essays from [advocates]( [donors]( and [critics](. Appalachian Superhero Not long ago, I spent a day with L.B. Prevette, a self-described “hillbilly lesbian” who owns a bar in a small town in North Carolina. Prevette is one of many community builders whom philanthropy believes can close America’s divides. Funny and smart, she grew up in a trailer helping her family tend to the 30,000 chickens on their farm, a background that infuses her rather sharp critique of the nonprofit “elites” she now counts as friends and colleagues. — Drew Lindsay, senior editor - [Read about L.B.]( “What Philanthropy Elites Can Learn From Appalachia” Closing Divides: How to Get Started As we planned The Commons coverage, we came across a wealth of resources — TED Talks, podcasts, reports, funding guides, commentary, and more — that serve as a handy introduction to the issues at play. We’ve rolled up a baker’s dozen of these and will continue to highlight new items in future newsletters. We’ll crowdsource more of these types of resources for [The Commons]( so please [drop us a line](mailto:thecommons@philanthropy.com) and point us to things you see as valuable. - [See our primer]( “What to Know: A Beginner’s Guide to Closing Divides” Of the Moment Each week we’ll point to a few interesting or newsworthy items related to the work of closing divides. - The [Washington Post]( reports that almost half of senior congressional aides are considering leaving their jobs on Capitol Hill because of “heated rhetoric from the other party.” - John Inazu — author of such books as Uncommon Ground (with the late evangelical leader Tim Keller) and Confident Pluralism — is out this week with a new book, [Learning to Disagree](. Inazu spoke with Chronicle columnist and Interfaith America President Eboo Patel in an [Interfaith podcast](. - Charlie Brown, head of the new [Trust for Civic Life]( donor collaborative, talks about its grant making plans for rural and small town America — courtesy of the [Daily Yonder](. For the launch of The Commons, we gathered up another [10 things from recent weeks.]( Read. Watch. Listen. If you’re looking for a quick break, watch a trailer from one of the movies debuting at the [Better Together Film Festival]( which runs April 15 to 21. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE [Chronicle of Philanthropy Subscription] Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Join Us for The Commons Kickoff Event The Chronicle is partnering with the [Urban Institute]( for a roundtable discussion, “The Place of Pluralism in Charitable Giving,” with: - Aisha Alexander-Young, managing director, Frontline Solutions - Sam Gill, CEO, Doris Duke Foundation - Brian Hooks, CEO, Stand Together - Stacy Palmer, chief executive, Chronicle of Philanthropy - Hilary Pennington, executive vice president, Ford Foundation - Benjamin Soskis, senior research associate, Urban Institute - Tené Traylor, vice president, Urban Institute - Lori Villarosa, executive director, Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity [Register now for this virtual event]( on April 29 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Editor's Picks ADVICE [10 Words and Phrases You Should Never Use]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( Philanthropy loves big words. Americans don’t. So why is the nonprofit world filled with philanthro-speak? BY THE NUMBERS [Data Don’t Lie: We’re More United Than You Think]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( A neuroscientist warns philanthropy: Your bridge-building efforts may be a waste of money. TIPS [Advice to Keep Tough Conversations Civil]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( A primer for the nonprofit professional who has to keep things cool even when temperatures are rising. [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2024 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037