Share of Households Donating to Charity Drops to Lowest Level in Nearly 20 Years

Plus, billions of dollars have gone toward efforts to change policing, and philanthropy can help bridge the gap between the idea of disability rights and the reality (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](. [image] Eric Gay, AP [Share of Households Donating to Charity Drops to Lowest Level in Nearly 20 Years]( Only half of U.S. households gave to a nonprofit in 2018. Contributions to charitable causes are reaching record highs, but they’re being driven by a shrinking slice of the population. Plus: Read [Nonprofits Plan for an Uncertain Future as Fewer Americans Give to Charity]( from our archive. [image] Ringo Chiu, AP [Philanthropy’s New Activism in Public Safety]( Since George Floyd’s murder by police a year ago, foundations, corporations, and individuals have donated billions of dollars toward efforts to change policing. But the increase in funding comes at a time when homicide rates are on the rise so grant makers may come under pressure to change course — especially from politicians in regions with strong support for the police. Plus: See everything in [our August issue]( posted today. OPINION [Philanthropy Can Help Bridge the Gap Between the Idea of Disability Rights and the Reality]( By Sam Gill [image] The Americans With Disabilities Act became law 31 years ago, but it did not end discrimination against that population. Philanthropy has a special role to play in supporting the ongoing struggle and demonstrating in both word and action what inclusion looks like, says the head of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. 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. Next Week: How to Build a Diverse Nonprofit Staff Don’t miss our [virtual forum]( Tuesday, August 3. See details below. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Far from the layoffs, art sell-offs, and other cutbacks that larger museums have faced during the pandemic, many smaller museums have done fine. The Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Mass., kept its 12 employees thanks to the Paycheck Protection Program, and it expanded its audience by turning to digital programming. Similarly, the Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History in Weston, Mass., did a good business in appraisals for those rummaging through the family treasures in their attics and basements during the lockdown. Even the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum, which is a hands-on type of place, weathered the crisis thanks to rental income from surplus space it owns. Small staffs and a limited reliance on visitor numbers were key to these organizations’ survival. ([WGBH]( More News - Anti-Poverty Organizations Call on NYC to Strengthen Nonprofit Human Services ([NYN Media]( - American Ballet Theater’s Executive Director Announces Her Departure ([New York Times]( - Appalachian Beekeeping Collective Works to Revive Forests Left Scarred and Abandoned by Mines ([New York Times]( Opinion and Analysis - Corporations Aren’t Going to Save America ([Vox]( - What Is Unrestricted Funding? Two Philanthropy Experts Explain. ([Conversation]( - Jews With Money: A New Book About Philanthropy in America Misses the Story of How Jewish Communal Life Was Built ([Tablet]( #EquityTalk: Who to Listen to? This fall, the Chronicle will profile people remaking their organizations and the nonprofit field as a whole to advance equity. We would like to know who you are listening to — writers, activists, podcast hosts, and social-media influencers as well as leaders, fundraisers, and other frontline workers bringing about change that’s driving conversations. Please [use this form]( to provide as many as three names. Thank you! Virtual Forum: How to Build a Diverse Nonprofit Staff Tuesday, August 3, 2021 • 3:30-4:30 p.m. Eastern Nonprofits focused on nearly every cause and mission have been seeking ways to ensure their work forces look more like America’s increasingly diverse population, a goal that many accelerated in the wake of last summer’s racial reckoning. Many organizations are making strides, hiring people from a wide array of racial and ethnic backgrounds, seeking greater gender and socioeconomic balance among employees, and making their workplaces more open to people with disabilities. However, a few organizations are well ahead of the pack and are creating staffs that reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Join us for a free virtual forum to learn from nonprofit leaders who will share steps they took to diversify their staffs and create cultures that welcome diverse perspectives. They’ll share their experiences and offer advice on how — and why — to build diverse organizations. [Register today.]( Connecting With Small Foundations: What to Know Now [Join Our Next Webinar]( Small family funds give away more than $4 billion a year to charities, but seeking grants from them isn't always easy. They can be hard to identify because they often keep a low profile, and some have shifted their practices and priorities due to the health and racial-justice crises of the past year. Which grant-seeking strategies are working now? How can your nonprofit convey impact even if weakened by the pandemic? Join us and our expert guests on Thursday, August 12, at 2 p.m. Eastern to get answers, guidance on how to address current challenges, and tips for seizing new opportunities. You’ll learn: - What many small foundations and family funds want to support now - Ways to find small grant makers, capture their attention, and deepen ties over time - How to convey impact in grant proposals even if the pandemic weakened your nonprofit's finances Sign up before August 5 to save $20 with our early-bird rate. [Register today](. Editor's Picks DONOR DATA [Half of Donors Plan to Give as Much in 2021 as They Did Last Year]( By Emily Haynes More than half of respondents to a recent survey said they gave a larger sum to charity in 2020 than in 2019, but Penelope Burk, the report’s author, warns nonprofits not to be complacent. Plus, see our [exit interview]( with Burk. OPINION [How Philanthropy Can Make the Quantum Leaps Society Is Counting On]( By Kathleen Enright Letting people close to the problems make decisions about where money should go and building trust are essential if we want to do more than make incremental changes. OPINION [Education Innovations Deserve as Much Philanthropic Investment as Support for Medical Research]( By Romy Drucker, Bob Hughes , and Sandra Liu Huang [image] A new fund aims to let people closest to the challenges facing schools work hand in hand with research and development experts to find new approaches that will help students of color and those who live in poverty. OPINION [How MacKenzie Scott’s Gifts to Leaders of Color Fuel Transformation]( By Bianca Casanova Anderson Unrestricted dollars from the billionaire allow us to experiment, make discoveries, and protect the health of our organizations — as well as ourselves and our colleagues. INNOVATION [A Children’s Museum’s Partnership With Local School District Brings in Revenue — and New Ideas]( By Nicole Wallace [image] Leaders at the Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac got to see different teaching techniques in action when it hosted a charter school for the 2020-21 academic year. Job announcement Development & Marketing Manager at Covenant House Greater Washington. [Visit jobs.philanthropy.com]( for more details. 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