Virtual Events Have Gotten Mixed Results

Plus, a study shows how nonprofits should improve online meetings and webinars, and the boom and bust election funding cycle harms grassroots groups (opinion) ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( [logo] Was this newsletter forwarded to you? [Please sign up to receive your own copy.]( You’ll support our journalism and ensure that you continue to receive our emails. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Virtual Events Have Gotten Mixed Results]( Plus, see the rest of the Chronicle’s [special report]( on how giving to the biggest charities has surged. BACKGROUND PAPER [Study Shows How Nonprofits Should Improve Online Gatherings]( By Emily Haynes [image] Many meetings have little structure, and participants don’t always know if they need to turn on web cameras or whether it’s OK to leave them off. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( OPINION [The Boom and Bust Election Funding Cycle Harms Grassroots Groups and Needs to Stop]( By Becca Guerra [image] As in the past, state and local nonprofits received a large boost in donations leading up to the 2020 election, fueling critical get-out-the-vote efforts. But their work doesn’t stop when the voting ends – and neither should their funding. OPINION [What Can Philanthropy Do to Fix Democracy? Listen and Learn.]( By Lisa Pilar Cowan [image] Grant makers are racing to declare what the 2020 elections taught us about next steps. But perhaps we should just be quiet, keep moving money to our partners, and reflect on what is working best. Paid for and Created by Independent Sector [Interrupting the Roads to Ruin Even in a Pandemic]( Shifting and adapting to the needs of the student as well as their family, 1Nation Mentoring emphasizes the importance of wrap-around services, providing guidance, advice, support, and the structure needed to help communities thrive in every situation. Join Us Next Monday: Wes Moore and Edgar Villanueva Watch your email for signup information for a special conversation the Chronicle is holding on November 16 at 1 p.m. Eastern. Wes Moore, chief executive of Robin Hood, and Edgar Villanueva, author of "Decolonizing Wealth,” will join us to discuss how philanthropy can best support nonprofit leaders of color and how to ensure that today’s focus on racial justice makes an enduring difference in communities nationwide. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Some people who lost their jobs during the pandemic are finding new roles in advocacy and volunteer work, trying to meet the needs they see around them. They are lobbying lawmakers to extend bonus unemployment relief, setting up community kitchens, and linking people up with mental-health or other services. Many times, their efforts — such as Buddy System in Miami or the Atlanta Artist Relief Fund — started small but have ended up helping hundreds of people. Some founders of these all-volunteer groups hope to keep them going, with salaries, after the pandemic is over. ([CNBC]( After 50-plus years, the Fortune Society in New York is still helping former inmates learn the codes and language of the outside world. The organization offers vocational and adult education, and coaches its clients in how to talk about their incarceration during job interviews. But in informal meetings, it also helps them learn new ways to handle perceived slights and interpret casual social interactions that most people take for granted. Since 2002, the society has also operated an 80-person residence to house former inmates, designed as much as possible not to replicate the conditions of prison or halfway houses. Many of its residents have nowhere to go upon release but are not legally considered homeless and therefore cannot qualify for federally funded programs for homeless people. ([New Yorker]( More News - A Dodgy Deal Helped Make Robert Smith a Billionaire. It Worked, Until Now. ([Washington Post](. Plus, see more about Smith, who appeared on the Chronicle's most recent list of the [50 people who gave the most to charity](. - How Washington’s Power Brokers Are Adapting to the New Normal — and That Includes How They Party and Raise Money ([Washington Post]( About Nonprofit Innovation - St. Paul, Minn.'s Penumbra Theatre Leader Sarah Bellamy Readies a Vision to Meet the Moment ([Star Tribune](. Plus, see more about [Penumbra Theatre]( in the Chronicle. - Meet the Philly Nonprofit Behind Those Viral Dancing Mailboxes ([Philadelphia Magazine]( Subscribe to the Chronicle The Chronicle of Philanthropy is dedicated to helping nonprofits care for their clients and staff, manage financial setbacks, and stay connected with donors. Please consider subscribing, so that we may continue to provide essential news, resources, and analysis to the nonprofit world. [Subscribe Today]( Editor's Picks RESEARCH [Trust Is Becoming Less Important in Donor Decisions, Study Finds]( By Michael Theis [image] Survey results from the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org charity evaluation site also found that donor concern about overhead ratios is declining. TOOL KIT [How to Make the Most of GivingTuesday or Any Giving Day]( [image] Some nonprofits spend months planning creative digital campaigns for the fundraising sprint. Others use the day to thank donors or inspire their supporters to give back in other ways. GOVERNMENT REGULATION [Biden’s Tax Plan Would Steer Aid to the Poor but Could Deter Some Wealthy Donors From Giving]( By Ben Gose [image] The Democratic presidential candidate wants to aid the working poor and low-income families, while offering a mix of changes that give some affluent people incentives but put limits on others. GOVERNMENT AND REGULATION [Nonprofits Push Congress to Pass Emergency Aid Now That Election Day Is Over]( By Michael Theis and Dan Parks [image] Advocates for nonprofits want federal grants, not just loans, and expanded giving incentives for private donors as many worry they will run out of money in the next six months or so. OPINION [Black Girls Must Be a Focus — Not an Afterthought — of Racial-Justice Giving]( By Monique W. Morris [image] Philanthropic funding for our country’s 65 million women and girls of color is minuscule at a time when their struggles should be central to efforts to achieve racial equity. Job announcement Director of Development at Bronx Charter School for the Arts.[Visit jobs.philanthropy.com]( for more details. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( Paid for and Created by M&T Bank [Navigating a Pandemic and Social Justice]( Leaders at cultural organizations are striving to implement innovative opportunities and groundbreaking work within their respective communities by reimaging how they engage with their stakeholders as well as welcoming difficult conversations. Reimagining Democracy: Philanthropy’s Long-Term Role Billions of dollars poured into efforts to strengthen democracy, especially as political divisions, racial strife, and a once-in-a-century health crisis have put new strains on how America governs itself. After Election-Day challenges recede, philanthropy must face big long-term questions about how to ensure our democracy serves all citizens in the decades ahead. [Join the Chronicle of Philanthropy for a two-part discussion]( produced in partnership with the Kettering Foundation and the Knight Foundation to coincide with the publication of a collection of essays reflecting on American democracy. The first session on Monday, November 9 at 2 p.m. Eastern features: - Cathy Cohen, political scientist at the University of Chicago - Yuval Levin, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and editor of National Affairs - Daniel Rothschild, executive director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University Moderator - Stacy Palmer, editor, Chronicle of Philanthropy [Sign up now]( to join the conversation, and stay tuned for more details about the second session to be held later this month. Job Opportunities [Financial Planning & Analysis Director]( Wounded Warrior Project [Director of Development]( Bronx Charter School for the Arts [Search the Chronicle's jobs database]( to view the latest jobs in higher education. What did you think of today’s newsletter? [Strongly disliked]( // [It was OK]( // [Loved it](. [logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2020 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037