Value of Charitable Deduction for All Americans Still Unclear

Plus, the former head of the Mellon Foundation discusses reparations and the George Floyd murder, and a new generation of foundation leaders need to act like community organizers (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](. FUNDRAISING [Value of Charitable Deduction for All Americans Still Unclear]( By Dan Parks and Eden Stiffman [image] Charitable giving was sluggish in 2020, according to “Giving USA,” making it hard to see a clear benefit from the temporary tax provisions allowing Americans to deduct charitable gifts even if they don’t itemize. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( RACIAL JUSTICE [Former Mellon Foundation Leader Discusses Reparations and the George Floyd Murder]( By Glenn Gamboa, Associated Press [image] Earl Lewis has developed a program for nine universities to work with their communities to develop research-based reparation solutions that could be expanded across the country. OPINION [A New Generation of Foundation Leaders Need to Act Like Community Organizers, Not Gatekeepers]( By Lisa Pilar Cowan The pandemic and racial reckoning have made clear that we need bold foundation executives who see their role as using their money, power, and voices to muster resources to achieve ambitious goals. Paid for and Created by Independent Sector [Stand With Black Americans for Environmental Justice]( Supporting sustainability and collaborating with community organizations, the Black Environmental Collective is driving public conversations surrounding environmental issues, grooming leaders to establish a racial justice education pipeline with an emphasis on Black populations. Racial Reckoning and Philanthropy: Free Briefing Next Week The protests that erupted after George Floyd’s murder triggered a wave of activism and money flowing to organizations that seek to advance equity, from advocacy groups like Black Lives Matter to historically black colleges to grassroots neighborhood groups. The record-setting donations came from the nation’s biggest philanthropies, wealthiest donors, and, perhaps most important, tens of millions of everyday donors, many of whom had never sent their money to such organizations before. But what difference has the money made, and will it continue flow to causes that work to stomp out racism and promote more equity in housing, business, education, and elsewhere? Join the Associated Press, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and the Conversation — a nonprofit that publishes articles written by academic experts for the public — for a free one-hour discussion on June 23 at 4 p.m. Eastern as the Chronicle’s editor, Stacy Palmer, leads a discussion with: - Ana Marie Argilagos, president of Hispanics in Philanthropy and a former Ford Foundation senior adviser - Daniel Lee, who just stepped down as head of the Levi Strauss Foundation, where he focused on how to ensure nonprofits led by people of color got attention from [corporate philanthropy](. - Earl Lewis, former head of the Mellon Foundation, who is now leading a $5 million University of Michigan project to help nine communities [develop reparation plans](. Read an [interview with Earl Louis]( about the George Floyd murder and reparations. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere A California man facing conspiracy charges for participating in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol used his nonprofit to protest the presidential election results and to urge violence against political opponents, prosecutors say. When Alan Hostetter formed the American Phoenix Project in 2020, he told the Internal Revenue Service it would focus on “human and civil rights,” among other things. But the group hosted a rally at which Hostetter “called for a ‘reckoning’ and said Trump must be sworn in for a second term,” according to the Justice Department conspiracy indictment. He also called for the leaders of the “coup” against Trump to be executed, and the organization fielded a panel of speakers at a pro-Trump rally the day before the Capitol attack. A tax-law expert said revoking the group’s nonprofit status because of its link to the Capitol attack would be straightforward, but prosecuting for violating the rule against political activity would be murkier. Hostetter’s lawyer accused prosecutors of using “inflammatory rhetoric” and noted that his client is not charged “with making any politically motivated threats or misusing the nonprofit.” ([Associated Press]( Plus: Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, Forceful on January 6, Privately Are in Turmoil ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) Revenues from individual giving to nonprofit newsrooms jumped by 41 percent in 2020, alongside bumps in website traffic and newsletter subscriptions. In a survey of 264 organizations, almost two-thirds reported an increase in individual giving, and about half of those saw hikes of more than 50 percent, according to a report by the Institute for Nonprofit News. Major donors make up the largest chunk of individual giving, and they tend to give to older or national organizations, as do foundations. Nonprofit newsrooms also attracted more first-time contributors than ever before, and small-dollar gifts rose by almost 50 percent. The report said the NewsMatch fundraising platform has helped drive the increase in individual contributors. ([Nieman Lab]( More News - Black Community Has New Option for Health Care: the Church ([Associated Press]( - Opinion: Why the ACLU Should Continue to Defend Free Speech — Even When It’s Vile ([Los Angeles Times]( - Co. Couple Donates $25 Million to Maine Medical Center ([Associated Press]( - Southern Baptist Vote Signals Further Fractures in American Evangelicalism ([New York Times]( - Notre Dame Raised Almost $1 Billion After Its Devastating Fire — but Now, the Church Says It Needs More ([Artnet News]( - Judge: Ex-Ind. Wildlife Center Proprietor Owes PETA $734,000 ([Associated Press]( MacKenzie Scott’s Giving - Faith Groups Among Those Granted Money From Billionaire Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ([Religion News Service]( - MacKenzie Scott Just Gave Out $2.7 Billion in Grants, Including Millions to Some of America’s Most Progressive Arts Organizations ([Artnet News]( - For These 5 L.A. Community Goups, a $50 Million Windfall From MacKenzie Scott ([Los Angeles Times]( How to Convey Impact to Donors in Times of Change [Join Our Next Webinar]( — Donors at all levels want to give to nonprofits that can show results. Yet it can be tricky when communicating with donors to demonstrate a strong track record while also inspiring donors to invest in your nonprofit's future. How can your nonprofit convey long-term impact in ways that are easy for people to find online and to understand? As we rebound from the pandemic and its economic fallout, how can your organization convey strength while highlighting unmet needs? Join us on Thursday, June 24, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn how to share results clearly and creatively while demonstrating your organization’s untapped potential. You’ll get practical advice you can apply right away and examples of donor communications that inspire confidence despite these uncertain times. [Register today](. How Women Will Shape Philanthropy in the Decade Ahead [Sign Up for Our Free Online Briefing]( — As the nation emerges from the pandemic and the economic fallout that started the decade, will more donors be inspired to give as openly and boldly as MacKenzie Scott? Will fundraising strategies finally shift away from approaches created decades ago to appeal predominantly to white men? How will women from different backgrounds change the giving landscape? Join us on Tuesday, June 29, at 3 p.m. Eastern for a free online briefing with a major donor, who is also a foundation executive, and a nonprofit leader who is a frontline fundraiser as we examine the power and the potential for change that women donors present in 2021 and beyond. [Sign up now.]( Editor's Picks PHILANTHROPY TODAY [Giving Grew in a Tumultuous Year but Not for All. What’s Ahead in 2021?]( By Chronicle of Philanthropy Plus, MacKenzie Scott is giving $2.7 billion in another round of big gifts to small charities, and Biden signals equity focus with appointment of Michael Smith to lead AmeriCorps BIG PHILANTHROPY [MacKenzie Scott Gives $2.7 Billion in Another Round of Big Gifts to Small Charities]( By Maria Di Mento [image] Scott urged other donors to keep pouring money into organizations and leaders making a difference, noting that too many groups receive too little to accomplish their essential missions. VOLUNTEERING [Biden Signals Equity Focus With Appointment of Michael Smith to Lead AmeriCorps]( By Dan Parks [image] Smith currently is executive director of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. His appointment as CEO of AmeriCorps will require Senate confirmation. OPINION [5 Years After the Pulse Massacre: Lessons for Philanthropy]( By Ben Francisco Maulbeck and Marco Antonio Quiroga [image] A fund that gave decision making to those touched by the tragedy led to long-term gains in advocacy — and healing efforts that made a real difference. FUNDRAISING EVENTS [Houston Ballet’s Charity Ball Offers a Blueprint for Pandemic-Era Hybrid Events]( By Maria Di Mento [image] The March 6 program, which included small parties at private homes in addition to a virtual program, raised $850,000 for the dance company. Job announcement Senior Manager, US Country Office at GiveDirectly. [Visit jobs.philanthropy.com]( for more details. ADVERTISEMENT [Advertisement]( Paid for and Created by Regions Bank [A Mission of Impact]( Collaborating to build solutions based on an organization’s unique environmental, social and governance (ESG) vision, Regions Bank is committed to understanding a donor’s goals related to ESG, customizing strategies to create a meaningful impact. 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]( Job Opportunities [Director, Equity and Inclusion]( The Annie E. Casey Foundation [Chief Philanthropy Officer]( San Francisco Opera [Director of Advancement]( Princeton AlumniCorps [Senior Manager, US Country Office - US REMOTE]( GiveDirectly [Search the Chronicle's jobs database]( to view the latest jobs in philanthropy. 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