First, Do No Harm: A Neuroscientist's Warning for Philanthropy

Why we are more united than you think; plus, a new rural philanthropy podcast [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](. This Week in The Commons In this second special weekly edition of Philanthropy Today, we highlight what’s happening in [The Commons]( our new digital space exploring how philanthropy is trying to tamp down polarization, build community, and mend a culture that breeds division. Join the conversation in our new [Commons LinkedIn group](. Warning to Philanthropy: First, Do No Harm Research by neuroscientist Todd Rose suggests Americans share more priorities and values than our bitter politics suggest. Take heed, he warns bridge-building nonprofits and their backers: America’s divides are not as bad as you think, and your solutions may only make things worse. - Read the full story: “[We Are More United Than You Think.]( Vote: Words to Ban From Philanthropy Senior reporter Alex Daniels has covered foundations and grant making for more than a decade, which makes him an expert on “philanthro-speak.” Read his piece “[10 Words and Phrases You Should Never Use]( to understand why philanthropy loves big words — and how it puts average Americans at a distance from work for the common good. And ... [tell us what words you’d like to see erased from the philanthropy lexicon](. We’ll publish answers in next week’s newsletter. Also This Week ... - Chronicle columnist and Interfaith America president Eboo Patel argues that telling people “I’m righteous and you’re a racist” is not a sustainable strategy for social change. [Read his opinion piece](. - Erin Borla, granddaughter of the late philanthropist and Columbia sportswear mogul Gert Boyle, says her new rural philanthropy podcast is discovering a surprising overlap between the needs of rural and urban communities. [Read an interview]( with the Chronicle’s Ben Gose. Of the Moment Other noteworthy news and happenings: Watch: [Girls State]( an Apple TV+ documentary about a Missouri civics program preparing girls for political leadership, shows participants from all walks of life debating — and disagreeing — on such issues as gun control and abortion. Related: Read The Commons essay “[Put Women in the Rooms Where It Matters,]( by Pivotal Ventures president Brooke D. Anderson. Listen: Deepak Bhargava, JPB Foundation president, and Stephanie Luce, his co-author of Practical Radicals, dropped a new episode of [their podcast]( with guests Cristina Jimenez Moreta, former head of United We Dream, and Alan Jenkins, a civil-rights attorney, discussing how conservatives and liberals have changed narratives to broaden their coalitions. (Disclosure: JPB is a [financial supporter]( of The Commons.) Read: In the [Dispatch]( tech columnist Will Rinehart writes about how the preponderance of loud and extreme voices on social media creates the illusion that America’s divides are much worse than they are. Read our piece “[We’re More United Than You Think]( about a neuroscientist who believes this illusion poses problems for philanthropy-backed bridge-building nonprofits. Read: Alex Garland, director of The Civil War, [tells the Atlantic]( why the movie — an apocalyptic account of how political antagonists Texas and California band together to fight a fascist president — is an argument against polarization. The film hits theaters Friday. Closing Divides: How to Get Started Here is another resource to consider in addition to the TED Talks, podcasts, reports, funding guides, commentary, and more that we’ve collected as an [introduction to the issues at play]( - The [Othering and Belonging Institute]( at the University of California at Berkeley explores [five case studies of]( to connect people across divides]( and create a sense of belonging. These include Black and immigrant members of a New Jersey community as well as liberal residents of rural western Massachusetts and conservative residents in eastern Kentucky coal country. 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 PHOTO ESSAY [Photo Essay: Grace, Courage, and Common Ground]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( Photographer John Noltner reveals our shared humanity — and the pain of living as an outsider — through images and interviews. Hear from seven Americans THE COMMONS [Race Matters More Than a Red-Blue Kumbaya]( By Edgar Villanueva [STORY IMAGE]( Philanthropy must reckon with its racist past to truly heal divides, argues racial-equity advocate Edgar Villanueva OPINION [Not So Fast]( [STORY IMAGE]( Democracy is stronger than self-justifying, plutocratic philanthropy suggests, skeptics argue. [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