The Lawsuit That Could Upend the Nonprofit World (Opinion)

Plus, online giving appears flat, but there are bright spots; and why foundations should avoid jargon 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 [A New Lawsuit Could Erase the Red Line Between Politics and Charity]( By Craig Kennedy [STORY IMAGE]( If successful, the suit brought by a small nonprofit would damage the charitable world’s legitimacy and fuel partisan divisions. ADVERTISEMENT RESEARCH [Recurring Gifts, Texting Are Bright Spots Amid Flat Online Giving]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( Email campaigns are raising less money, while TikTok has grown in use, a new report finds. RESEARCH & DATA [Foundations Use So Many Confusing Words That Few People Can Figure Out What They’re Doing]( By Aaron Zeiler and Ann Searight Christiano [STORY IMAGE]( Researchers recommend that foundations tell better stories about how they decide which projects to fund, and explain their goals using simpler language. WEBINARS [May 9 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( What does it take to create a vibrant culture of fundraising among board members? Join us for How to Get Your Board to Raise Money to learn from two veteran fundraising executives how to solve this perennial challenge. They’ll explain how to build a board that suits your organization’s goals, match individuals’ skills to different roles, set new board members up for success, and create a fundraising tool kit that empowers board members to raise money. [May 21 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Unlocking the full potential of a donor database can help fundraisers identify donors and giving opportunities with the greatest potential, segment supporters into groups and tailor messages to their interests, and take gift prospecting to the next level. Join us on Tuesday, May 21, for Using Data to Boost Giving to learn how to better manage and analyze donor data to reveal the stories it can tell to make fundraising at all levels more strategic. ONLINE FORUMS [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 NPR has recently come under fire for perceived bias in its news coverage, but it faces more existential issues, such as declining listenership and advertising, that it has struggled to address by making its staff and programming more diverse. It is also seeking new ways to fundraise, but those efforts put it in competition with its member stations, whose leaders control its board. ([New York Times]( Plus: NPR Chief Defends Coverage, Accuses Critics of ‘Bad Faith Distortion’ of Her Views ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) A former executive at United Way Worldwide is suing the charity for $12 million, alleging that it ignored her complaints of persistent sexual harassment, ultimately firing her in retaliation while promoting the perpetrator. A United Way spokesperson declined to comment on the litigation but said the organization is “committed to fostering an environment free from discrimination and harassment.” ([WTOP]( More News - Jury Finds Catholic Charities Negligent in Death of 4-Year-Old; Agency Must Pay Estate at Least $960,000 ([Cleveland.com]( - Robert Kraft’s Fight Against Antisemitism Began Long Before Oct. 7 ([New York Times]( - WBUR Lays Off Seven Employees, as 24 Staffers Take Buyouts ([Boston Globe]( - SFMOMA Workers Urge the Museum to Support Palestinians in an Open Letter ([KQED]( - Italy Bans Loans of Works to the Minneapolis Institute of Art in a Dispute Over an Ancient Statue ([ABC News]( Opinion - Some Anti-Israel Protesters Are Paid: Rockefeller and Soros Grants Are Subsidizing Those Who Disrupt College Campuses. ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - An ‘Iron Dome’ Against U.S. Antisemitism: Your Synagogue May Be Protected by the Efforts of the Secure Community Network. ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - This Bill Would Give the Treasury Nearly Unlimited Power To Destroy Nonprofits ([Reason]( - Fulbright Scholars Are Trapped in a Catch-22 ([Washington Post]( - Greatest Legacy of 1984 Olympic Games is LA84 Foundation ([Los Angeles Times]( 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 ADVICE [Turn Introversion Into Your Fundraising Super Power]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( The author of “Fundraising for Introverts” shares how the trait can be a real benefit in the nonprofit world. OPINION [Columbia U.'s Firestorm Is Just the Beginning. Here’s How Philanthropy Can Respond]( By Manu Meel [STORY IMAGE]( A young nonprofit leader argues that there’s a brief window of opportunity to ensure that hate won’t thrive on college campuses. DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS [9 Ways to Raise More From Donor-Advised Funds]( By Lisa Schohl [STORY IMAGE]( The number of donors using DAFs is growing fast, but it can be hard to find and cultivate them. Here’s advice from several experts. ADVERTISEMENT 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](. [Major Gift Officer, Lally School of Management]( Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [Raisers Edge Database Manager]( Central Association of the Miraculous Medal [Search other jobs.]( [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