Donor-Advised-Fund Claims Spark Pushback From Critics

Plus, Bill and Melinda Gates say digital giving can democratize philanthropy, and as attacks on reproductive rights grow, philanthropy needs to support a counternarrative (opinion) ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( [logo] [Read this newsletter on the web](. DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS [Donor-Advised-Fund Claims Spark Pushback From Critics]( By Alex Daniels Fidelity’s announced last week that its donors directed $9.1 billion to charity last year; still, critics say donor-advised-fund sponsors exaggerated how much money is actually flowing to working charities. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( GIVING [Bill and Melinda Gates Say Digital Giving Can Democratize Philanthropy]( By Emily Haynes [image] They also highlighted winners of their foundation’s Reimagine Charitable Giving Challenge, which awarded as much as $100,000 to ideas for ways that help small-dollar donors support their own or other communities in need. OPINION [As Attacks on Reproductive Rights Grow, Philanthropy Needs to Step Up Support for a Counternarrative]( By Nina Sachdev [image] Well-funded abortion disinformation campaigns have become a basis for increasingly restrictive state laws. Grant makers should join forces with a cadre of scrappy nonprofits to fight back. Paid for and Created by Ellucian [Advancement in Uncertain Times]( Developing a comprehensive strategy supported by technology that helps cultivate, engage and manage relationships between donors and higher ed is imperative in today’s environment. Learn How to Diversify Your Donors Join our [webinar today](. See below. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation has set up a survival fund to give small grants to people hit hardest by the pandemic. The network, which raised $90 million last year, is stepping in as communities wait for Congress to pass the latest round of Covid-19 relief. It plans to distribute up to 3,000 gifts of $1,000 to those who apply and are approved. Among the 300-plus recipients so far are "families of people killed by police or who died while incarcerated, grassroots community organizers, people who identify as transgender, single parents, and formerly incarcerated individuals." The grants are part of the foundation's focus on economic justice this year. ([Associated Press]( Better-off and well-protected white people in California are getting vaccination appointments that were intended for vulnerable communities of color. In an effort to distribute vaccines more equitably, state health officials set aside blocks of appointments at two sites that could be accessed only with codes that were distributed to nonprofits and other community groups working with Black and Latino people. But somehow those codes circulated more widely. Some people who were not in the targeted communities and who got the appointments said they did not know they were meant for people of color, and the appointment website says nothing about the purpose of the code. Some said they thought it was part of a pilot program to test the vaccination system. ([Los Angeles Times]( The former owner of the NFL's Carolina Panthers has given his alma mater $150 million, the largest gift in its nearly 170-year history. Jerry Richardson, who made his fortune in the food-service industry, has donated a total of more than $262.6 million to Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., which he attended on a partial football scholarship in the 1950s. This recent gift will fund need-based financial aid, study opportunities throughout the United States and abroad, campus maintenance and improvements, and an effort to raise the minimum wage for campus support staff to $15 an hour. Richardson and his wife have contributed to 14 capital projects on Wofford’s campus since 1979. The liberal-arts college has an enrollment of 1,775. ([Greenville Business Magazine]( More Major Gifts - Knight Foundation Grants $15 Million to ‘Expand Miami's Tech Talent' ([NBC Miami]( - Marriott Family Donates $20 Million to Howard U. for Hospitality Leadership Center ([Washington Post]( More News - Author and Activist Wes Moore Weighs Bid for Md. Governor ([Washington Post]( - Facing Roadblocks, Vast Global Vaccination Effort Gets Underway ([New York Times]( Arts and Culture - You’re New Here, Aren’t You? Digital Theater’s Unexpected Upside. ([New York Times]( - Silas Farley to Lead Dance Academy in Los Angeles ([New York Times]( - Report: New York City’s Arts and Recreation Employment Down by 66 Percent ([New York Times]( - The American Alliance for Museums Is Appealing to Congress for Widespread Museum Aid ([Observer]( - ‘Bring Us Back Together’: H. Beecher Hicks III on Opening the National Museum of African American Music ([USA Today]( - With No Crowds, Louvre Gets Rare Chance to Refurbish ([Associated Press]( 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 HIGHER-EDUCATION FUNDRAISING [College Fundraisers’ Confidence Continues to Be on the Upswing]( By Emily Haynes [image] The latest in a series of surveys of higher-education fundraisers found similar levels of confidence among fundraising leaders and gift officers for the first time since April 2020. FINANCE AND REVENUE [Grant Makers Use $3 Billion in Bond Offerings to Pump More to Charities]( By Alex Daniels [image] The California Endowment is among the latest entrants taking advantage of historically low interest rates to spend more now on grantees’ urgent needs. OPINION: BIDEN AGENDA [Foundation Leaders Should Use Their Cash and Connections to Advocate for a Federal Racial-Equity Stimulus]( By John H. Jackson [image] Philanthropic giving can never match the power and purse strings of the federal government to address centuries of systemic racism. But we can insist that the Biden administration and Congress rise to the task. OPINION [To Tackle Vaccine Hesitancy, Philanthropy Must Get Over Its Religion Hesitancy]( By Eboo Patel and Robert P. Jones [image] Congregations and faith-based nonprofits are an untapped resource for persuading more people to get vaccines, but they need much greater philanthropic support. OPINION [Why Foundations Benefit When They Focus on What Nonprofits Need Most]( By Lowell Weiss In a new book of essays, grant makers and nonprofits share what happened when they loosened the strings on grants and offered generous, multiyear support and focused on the experience of grantees, not the pedigrees of their leaders. Job announcement Marketing Director - Warrior Engagement at Wounded Warrior Project.[Visit jobs.philanthropy.com]( for more details. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( 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. Steps to Take to Diversify Your Donors [Join Our Webinar]( — Nonprofit leaders and fundraisers often focus on white supporters but overlook donors of color who would give more if asked. Those executives who want to broaden outreach to include more people of color often don’t know how to start. How can your nonprofit engage and attract support from donors of many backgrounds? Join the Chronicle on Thursday, February 25, at 2 p.m. Eastern. You'll learn from the president of a consulting firm, a major donor, and the executive director of a nonprofit who will outline key steps to take to attract diverse donors and grant makers. They'll explain why a diverse staff and board matter, how to ensure communications are inclusive, and ways to build a broader base of support. This session is the first in a series on how to diversify your nonprofit's pool of supporters. [Sign up now and get the early-bird rate](. Job Opportunities [Chief of People (Remote)]( MoveOn [Philanthropy Manager]( MoveOn [Director of Federal Policy]( Learning Policy Institute [Marketing Director - Warrior Engagement]( Wounded Warrior Project [Search the Chronicle's jobs database]( to view the latest jobs in philanthropy. 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. © 2021 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037