How Turning Fundraising Into a Game Made Giving Fun (Opinion)

Plus, an advocate argues that philanthropy must reckon with its racist past to truly heal divides; and a roundup of major grants ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. OPINION | WHAT WE'VE LEARNED [To Address Drops in Giving, My Nonprofit Turned Fundraising Into a Game]( By Dana Nichols [STORY IMAGE]( Fun and collaborative approaches to giving can be more successful than conventional efforts focused on major donors, the author found. 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 GRANTS ROUNDUP [Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas Commits $54.5 Million to Advance Health Equity]( By M.J. Prest [STORY IMAGE]( Also, PNC Foundation gave $20.2 million to enhance outdoor play for young children, and the Kraft Heinz Company Foundation committed $15 million to address global malnutrition and hunger. WEBINARS [Tomorrow: April 18 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Affluent donors continue to take advantage of donor-advised funds. To better understand the motivations and giving preferences of those who hold these accounts, join us for How DAF Donors Are Giving Away Their Money. We’ll share insights to help you better connect with donors who give this way, and you’ll learn how nonprofits are successfully attracting contributions through DAFs. ONLINE FORUMS [April 23 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join the Chronicle and a panel of nonprofit experts for the free online forum Using A.I. to Streamline Nonprofit Operations. Our guest experts will share practical examples of the latest A.I. applications and advice on how to manage the rapid pace of A.I.-driven change. Don’t miss this chance to learn how harnessing smart tools can introduce efficiencies and help increase productivity at your organization. [April 29 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join the Urban Institute’s Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy and the Chronicle for The Place of Pluralism in Charitable Giving. We’ll gather the following leading figures in charitable giving and philanthropy to ask what role pluralism does and should play in the sector, a key theme of [The Commons]( the Chronicle’s new section focused on how nonprofits and foundations can best heal the nation’s divides: Aisha Alexander-Young, Sam Gill, Brian Hooks, Stacy Palmer, Hilary Pennington, Benjamin Soskis, Tené Traylor, Lori Villarosa. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE [Chronicle of Philanthropy Subscription] Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online The Schuler Education Foundation, which has helped guide more than 1,800 low-income students from the Chicago and Milwaukee areas through college, is winding down after a series of bad stock-market bets by its leadership, including its founder, former Abbott Laboratories president and one-time billionaire Jack Schuler. The foundation told Forbes that a separate matching fund it started to support undocumented college students, called the Schuler Access Initiative, is not canceled and that it hopes to add additional funds. ([Forbes]( subscription) Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has asked business and philanthropy to help the city buy properties that can be turned into interim or permanent housing for homeless people, which would free up spots in the city’s at-capacity temporary housing units and help get more people out of homeless encampments. ([Los Angeles Times]( Plus: Controversial Nonprofit Landlord Wants to Buy Six More Troubled Properties on L.A.’s Skid Row ([Los Angeles Times]( More News - NPR Suspends Journalist Who Publicly Accused Network of Liberal Bias ([Los Angeles Times]( - Women Accused a Rising SF Political Star of Rape and Abuse — and Met a Wall of Silence ([San Francisco Standard]( - Powerful Conservative Funds Hand Out Millions to Pro-Trump Far-Right Groups ([Guardian]( - Buy Nothing Meets GoFundMe: How a New Minnesota Website Aims to ‘Revolutionize’ Philanthropy ([Star Tribune]( - Ex-Michigan House Speaker Charged With Embezzling Nonprofit Cash ([Bloomberg Law]( Climate and the Environment - A Boston Nonprofit Is Bringing Community-Owned Solar Power — and Profit — to Low-Income Neighborhoods ([WGBH]( - How Tinder-Inspired Tech Can Match Philanthropic Funds to Ocean Action ([Devex]( - Al Gore Thinks Trump Will Lose and Climate Activists Will Triumph ([New York Times]( - Holding onto Farmland, One Conservation Easement at a Time ([Modern Farmer]( Note: In the links in this section, we flag articles that only subscribers can access. But because some journalism outlets offer a limited number of free articles, readers may encounter barriers with other articles we highlight in this roundup. EDITOR'S PICKS OPINION [Charity Navigator’s Ratings Are Inherently Flawed. Here’s a Simple Solution.]( By Maoz (Michael) Brown and Aaron Horvath [STORY IMAGE]( The ratings process misses too much, so let the nonprofits being judged fill in the gaps NAVIGATING DIFFERENCES [The Israel-Hamas War Is Tearing Nonprofits Apart. But Some Are Bridging Staff Divides]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( Many nonprofit leaders will not speak publicly — or to staff — about the war for fear of reprisal or institutional meltdown. But some are learning how to navigate employee disagreements. 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? RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our webinar]( — It’s an age-old problem: many nonprofit CEOs and senior leaders struggle to persuade board members to raise money — even though trustees care deeply about the nonprofits they serve. Experts cite a variety of reasons, including the need to define roles and responsibilities when recruiting board members. What does it take to create a vibrant culture of fundraising among board members? Join us on Thursday, May 9, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn from our expert guests as they share proven ways to solve this perennial challenge. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Apply today](. [Associate Director of Laurentian Engagement and Annual Giving]( St. Lawrence University [Northeast Regional Manager, Community Engagement]( National Ovarian Cancer Coalition [Search other jobs.]( [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. 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