Lessons for Building Coalitions From an Activist — and Her Onetime Enemy

The story of how an unlikely alliance forged change, until it didn't. Plus: a beginner's guide to closing divides [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](. From senior editor Drew Lindsay: We’re experimenting with the format for [The Commons]( weekly edition of Philanthropy Today, highlighting a few top stories. If you have suggestions or feedback, [let me know here]( or send us an email: TheCommons@philanthropy.com. From The Commons ADVOCACY [An Activist and an Adversary Found Common Ground. Making Change Proved Harder]( By Marc Gunther [STORY IMAGE]( Leah Garcés ran hard-hitting animal-rights campaigns. Craig Watts raised 700,000 chickens on a factory farm. Their partnership can be celebrated, but collaboration has its limits. TOOLS [What to Know: A Beginner’s Guide to Closing Divides]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( A baker’s dozen collection of resources for grant makers and nonprofits — from TED Talks and podcasts to reports, funding guides, commentary, and more. Of the Moment Noteworthy news and items: - “We can’t function in a democracy where you have two very large groups who hate each other.” That’s the Rev. Ryan Burge, a Baptist pastor and political scientist, talking not about politics but about a little-discussed fissure in America: the one that divides “the nones” — those who do not claim a religion — and those who identify with a faith tradition. Burge is quoted in a Religion News Service [story]( by Bob Smietana about the slowing growth in the number of “nones.” - The Christian Science Monitor [profiles]( residents of two western Washington towns who, worried by divisions and calls for civil war, set out to rebuild trust in their community through small acts of charity: cleaning up litter, delivering food, mentoring students. “I’m so sick and tired of everybody labeling everybody,” says Barbara Seaman, one of the leaders of [East County Citizens’ Alliance]( the volunteer organization born of this impulse. “I just want to get people together to build relationships.” - New York Times health reporter Christina Caron [reports]( (gift link) on a U-shaped “loneliness curve.” Self-reported loneliness tends to decline as people approach midlife, Caron reports. After age 60, it starts slowly climbing. “Don’t wait until old age to discover that you lack a good-quality social network,” Louise Hawkley, a University of Chicago research scientist, tells her. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE [Chronicle of Philanthropy Subscription] Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Webinar Promotion [June 13 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Many nonprofits focus their grant seeking on large national foundations, even though community foundations are often more accessible, with stronger local ties. Join us for Attracting Support for Community Foundations to learn from Samuel Bellamy of the Coastal Community Foundation and Irfan Hasan of the New York Community Trust. They’ll explain how to approach and engage program officers, write proposals that rise above the competition, and more. Editor's Picks OPINION [The Exodus of Everyday Donors Is Bad for America. Here’s How to Stop It.]( By Victoria Vrana [STORY IMAGE]( The decline in charitable giving by average Americans threatens democracy. Among the solutions: pooled micro-donations, giving incentives, and a focus on the donor relationship. TECHNOLOGY [The Nonprofits Leading the A.I. Revolution]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( A new generation of A.I.-driven organizations is upon us. What do they say about how charities will use the powerful technology? MAJOR GIFTS [Less Than 2% of Philanthropic Giving Goes to Women and Girls. Can Melinda French Gates Change That?]( By Thalia Beaty, Associated Press [STORY IMAGE]( Her $1 billion commitment, announced Tuesday, and the momentum generated if others join her, could break through that ceiling. [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