Nonprofits Lost 50,000 Jobs in December

Plus, where MacKenzie Scott’s $4 billion in giving went, and Elon Musk is contributing $5 million to Kahn Academy ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( [logo] [Read this newsletter on the web](. RESEARCH [Nonprofits Lost 50,000 Jobs in December]( By Michael Theis Nonprofits shed an estimated 50,760 jobs in December, a “striking reversal” of what had been months of slow-but-steady job growth among nonprofits, according to a new report from Johns Hopkins University. As a result, nonprofits employed nearly 930,000 fewer workers in December than they did in… ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( RESEARCH [Where MacKenzie Scott’s $4 Billion in Giving Went]( By Michael Theis The gifts focused primarily on nonprofits with an annual revenue of $10 million to $100 million but also included groups with revenue of less than $1 million and more than $100 million. GIFTS ROUNDUP [Elon Musk Gives $5 Million to Kahn Academy]( By Maria Di Mento [image] Plus, four small colleges and a university land big gifts Paid for and Created by Ellucian [Advancement in Uncertain Times]( Now more than ever, is the time for institutions to foster a culture of philanthropy and empower advancement teams to help reengage their communities. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Opinion: Relief workers across the country are seeing unprecedented, and rising, levels of misery and privation in communities hit especially hard by the pandemic recession. Their clients are going to food banks so they can afford their prescriptions, staying in abusive households to avoid homelessness, or sometimes losing their homes after losing their jobs. One New York charity has more than doubled the number of free meals it serves, while an Arizona education charity has started giving out emergency funds to families that are not receiving federal aid. Other organizations are struggling to reach the neediest, some of whom do not even have telephones, as application processes and other outreach have gone online to minimize contact. Some nonprofit leaders say the repercussions of this crisis will last for years. ([New York Times]( Senate Democrats want a closer look at how the Internal Revenue Service oversees tax-exempt organizations given the involvement of advocacy groups in the Capital Hill rampage. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island wants the Treasury Department to review the IRS's policing of such groups. Whitehouse said the agency has been "bludgeoned by the right-wing forces" and that its enforcement had become lax. The IRS can revoke the tax-exempt status of a nonprofit that exceeds the agency's limits on acceptable political activity. Whitehouse is pushing legislation to force organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(4) of the IRS code to disclose their major donors. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the presumptive chairman of the Finance Committee, has already asked the IRS to review the tax-exempt status of the groups that helped organize the rally that led to the riots. ([CNBC]( Plus: Shell companies and ‘dark money’ may hide details of Trump ties to DC protests ([OpenSecrets]( The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has poured almost $18 million into efforts to get billionaires to open their wallets wider. That money includes $5 million each to Lever for Change and the TED Foundation's Audacious Project, which help put charities and other nonprofits in a better position to pitch to the ultra rich and then essentially do the introductions. The efforts aim to vet, support, and give a higher profile to smaller causes that often escape the notice of donors while giving guidance to donors who might be new to philanthropy. Even though more than 210 super-rich donors have signed the Giving Pledge, ultrawealthy American families gave only 1.2 percent of their incomes to charity in 2017. ([GeekWire]( More News - Justice Department Weighs Amnesty for Academics to Disclose Foreign Funding ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - Former Make-a-Wish Iowa CEO Charged With Embezzling Funds ([Associated Press]( - Advocacy Groups Take Vaccine to Migrant Laborers in Calif. ([Associated Press]( About Giving and Fundraising - Scowling Bernie Sanders Happy His Mittened Meme May Raise Millions for Charity ([Reuters](. Plus: 'Bernie Meme' Provides Boost to National Museum of American Jewish History Revenue ([KYW Newsradio]( - Lions Fans Flood Quarterback Matthew Stafford’s Charity of Choice With Donations ([Pride of Detroit]( Appreciations - Remembering Sheldon Adelson’s Philanthropy Legacy In Las Vegas ([Forbes]( - How Hank Aaron Used His Legendary Status to Help Others ([Atlanta Journal-Constitution]( 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 GOVERNMENT AND REGULATION [Nonprofit Advocates See Hope for Legislation on Tax Deductions and More]( By Dan Parks and Michael Theis [image] Nonprofit advocates are optimistic that the Biden administration and new leaders in the Senate will extend a law allowing all taxpayers to itemize their charitable deductions, and perhaps other policy changes helpful to nonprofits. OPINION: BIDEN AGENDA [We Need to Fix Problematic Charitable Giving Laws. The Biden Administration Can Help.]( By Roger Colinvaux [image] It’s time to overhaul tax laws that favor wealthy white donors, encourage delayed giving, and fail to prevent nonprofit fraud and abuse. INAUGURATION [Electrifying Poetry Reading at Biden Inaugural Brings Attention — and Donations — to a Small Charity]( By Eden Stiffman [image] It wasn’t long ago that Amanda Gorman, the 22-year-old National Youth Poet Laureate, took part in programs run by WriteGirl, a Los Angeles group that promotes creativity and self-expression to empower girls. OPINION [Philanthropy’s Inauguration March: What the Real Work of Protecting Democracy Demands Now]( By Joe Goldman [image] Not since Watergate has our nation faced such a significant opportunity — or, indeed, an imperative — to remake our system of government. The next few years will be a make-or-break moment that will shape how the American people regard their democracy. PLANNED GIVING TOOL [7 Rules for Marketing Planned Gifts to Donors]( By Lisa Schohl [image] Bequests and other planned gifts provide a significant source of revenue for nonprofits. Yet many donors don’t include charities in their will simply because they were never asked, says Lisa Sargent, founder of an eponymous fundraising consultancy. Job announcement President at New Jersey Community Capital. [Visit jobs.philanthropy.com]( for more details. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( Paid for and Created by Independent Sector [A new take on KPIs and goal setting]( Redefining success can help organizations demonstrate value and serve as goodwill ambassadors for their mission. Now is the time to look at goals in a new light, and focus on what is in your sphere of influence. Smart Ways to Land DAF Gifts in 2021 [Join Our Webinar]( — The pandemic and recession have prompted a surge in giving through donor-advised funds as wealthy individuals respond to the crises. Because these accounts are reserved for charitable giving, they can remain a steady source of contributions, even when the economy takes a hit. But it can be tricky to identify and build ties with those who hold DAFs, so how can your nonprofit tap into this form of giving? Join us on January 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn how some nonprofits are connecting with DAF account holders. You’ll get tips for getting on their radar, encouraging these donations in all of your communications, and inspiring larger gifts over time. Plus, you’ll learn how to connect with wealth advisers, community foundations, and organizations that sponsor the funds. [Register today](. Job Opportunities [President]( New Jersey Community Capital [Director of Development Performing Arts Org]( Oakland Symphony [Associate Director of Bilateral Relations, Disability Rights Fund - Remote possible]( Disability Rights Fund/Disability Rights Advocacy Fund [Chief Advancement Officer]( Providence Animal Center [Search the Chronicle's jobs database]( to view the latest jobs in philanthropy. What did you think of today’s newsletter? 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