New Nonprofit Leaders of Color Are Bringing Change but Also Finding Obstacles

Plus, let’s use this moment of nonprofit leadership transition to close the race gap (opinion). Also, how to unleash the power of personalized donor communications. ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. DIVERSITY IN LEADERSHIP [New Nonprofit Leaders of Color Bring Change but Also Face Hurdles]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( At least 20 big nonprofits appointed leaders of color in the past year. The new CEOs face daunting challenges in some cases — past charges of racism by employees or clients — but many are finding ways to move their organizations forward. ADVERTISEMENT OPINION: DIVERSITY IN LEADERSHIP [As Nonprofit Leaders Pass the Baton, Let’s Use This Moment to Close the Race Gap.]( By Sean Thomas-Breitfeld and Frances Kunreuther [STORY IMAGE]( Half of nonprofit CEOs are getting ready to make a transition, a study released today finds. Since many of them are white, we have a chance to make a big stride on diversity — but only if foundations, nonprofits, and others tackle succession planning, training, and funding. DONOR DATA [Unleash the Power of Personalized Donor Communications]( By Brandy Keller [STORY IMAGE]( Donor segmentation — defining, differentiating, and grouping donors by certain characteristics — is key to long-term gains in fundraising. Webinars [Today: Create a Fundraising Plan for Growth and Recovery]( [STORY IMAGE]( Research shows that most American households are on stronger financial footing than at any other point since the pandemic hit, but the Omicron variant of Covid-19 demonstrates that uncertainty still lies ahead. So how can you craft a smart fundraising strategy for 2022 with so much still in flux? Join us on Thursday, January 20 at 2 p.m. Eastern to get advice from our expert guests as they explain what to include in your 2022 fundraising plan, how to make it adaptable, and how to set priorities. [Register now.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | university of virginia [A Deep Dive Into Neuroscience Discoveries at UVA]( Learn the standard for stroke care and breakthrough epilepsy research. A good start for NICU babies. Optimism around autism. Erasing tremors. Mapping unknown areas of the brain. UVA researchers are responsible for all that and more. NONPROFIT NEWS FROM ELSEWHERE The nation’s 25 biggest donors have given a total of $169 billion during their lifetimes, with Warren Buffett leading the way, according to Forbes. Buffett’s annual gift to the Gates Foundation, and to foundations set up by his late wife and three children, was $4.1 billion last year. MacKenzie Scott was close behind with $2.7 billion in giving, although it can be hard to get a full tally of her philanthropy because of the secrecy surrounding her giving. Facebook cofounder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife, Cari Tuna, are new to the list this year, and Scott’s ex-husband, Jeff Bezos, also appears on the list. Given the strong performance of the stock market last year, the 25 philanthropists together are worth an estimated $1.1 trillion, up $150 billion from the previous year. Seventeen members of the Forbes list have signed the Giving Pledge, promising to donate at least half their fortune to charity over their lifetimes or upon their deaths, although only two have fulfilled that pledge so far. The methodology Forbes uses to calculate the biggest donors differs from how the Chronicle’s [Philanthropy 50 report]( is compiled; that annual list will be coming out soon. ([Forbes]( Five philanthropies will spend almost $21 million to launch what they say will be one of the country’s largest local nonprofit news organizations in Houston. The money will come from the Houston Endowment and the Kinder Foundation, which are each donating $7.5 million, the American Journalism Project ($1.5 million), Arnold Ventures ($4 million), and the Knight Foundation ($250,000). The newsroom is set to launch late this year or in early 2023, and a search is underway for its management team. In focus groups, community listening sessions, and surveys, people in Houston told the project’s backers that local coverage was insufficient, that they felt misrepresented in or even absent from local news, and that they wanted more accountability journalism “about local officials and their decisions,” Houston Endowment President and CEO Ann Stern said. ([Associated Press]( Cyber-attackers have got hold of data on hundreds of thousands of highly vulnerable people being served by Red Cross and Red Crescent organizations around the world. The attack hit a company in Switzerland that the International Committee of the Red Cross hires to store data. The compromised files include “personal data and confidential information on more than 515,000 highly vulnerable people, including those separated from their families due to conflict, migration and disaster, missing persons and their families, and people in detention,” the ICRC said in a statement. There is no indication that the cyber-thieves have released or used the data yet, and ICRC director general, Robert Mardini, said officials were “appalled and perplexed that this humanitarian information would be targeted and compromised.” As a security measure, the organization has shut down computer systems used for a program reuniting separated family members and is trying to find a workaround. ([Guardian]( Plus: See a Chronicle article about now nonprofits can [protect their data](. Giving - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Pledges $150 Million in Covid Fight ([Agence France-Presse]( - Mark Zuckerberg Donates $50 Million to U. of Hawaii to Study Impact of Climate Change on Ocean ([Honolulu Star Advertiser]( - Texas Tech Receives $44 Million Gift ([KCBD]( More News - Emily’s List and Naral Vow to Only Back Candidates Who Support Passage of Voting Rights Legislation ([Boston Globe]( - Roadblocks Ahead as Activists Push for Jewish Fossil Fuel Divestment ([Forward]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. EDITOR'S PICKS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION [Latinx Group for Fundraisers and Nonprofits Expands Its Membership and Programs]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( Somos El Poder provides professional development to help member organizations boost their fundraising revenue. FUNDRAISING EVENTS [Tips for Planning a Hybrid Fundraising Event]( By Lisa Schohl [STORY IMAGE]( Event-planning experts explain how to entertain donors, maximize giving, and keep staff and supporters safe. OPINION [Foundations That Fund Medical Research Should Require a Diverse Pool of Study Participants]( By Norbert Tavares, Priscila Martinez , and Genevieve Erwin Haliburton [STORY IMAGE]( For too long, most data for health studies has come from white people or those of predominantly European ancestry. Philanthropy can play an important role in ensuring that people of color are represented in studies that guide treatments for diseases like Covid-19. OPINION [The Metaverse Is Coming, and Philanthropy Needs to Be Prepared]( By Hollie Russon Gilman and Ari Wallach [STORY IMAGE]( By intervening early in the development of the metaverse, philanthropy can head off the problems that plague Facebook and help build virtual worlds where democratic values flourish and problems are solved with empathy and understanding. VIDEO [How to Lead With Courage in Difficult Times]( By Dan Parks [STORY IMAGE]( To help leaders recharge and gear up for 2022, the Chronicle hosted two expert guests in the online briefing Leading Courageously in Unparalleled Times. Watch the video or read the summary. SPONSOR CONTENT | university of virginia [A Deep Dive Into Neuroscience Discoveries at UVA]( Learn the standard for stroke care and breakthrough epilepsy research. A good start for NICU babies. Optimism around autism. Erasing tremors. Mapping unknown areas of the brain. UVA researchers are responsible for all that and more. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join Our Webinar]( — Research shows that most American households are on stronger financial footing than at any other point since the pandemic hit. That’s encouraging news for nonprofits that are looking to rebuild — or even expand — in the year ahead. However, the latest wild card, the Omicron variant of Covid-19, demonstrates that we’re still facing a lot of uncertainty. So, how can you craft a smart fundraising strategy for 2022 with so much still in flux? Join us on Thursday, January 20, at 2 p.m. Eastern for a 75-minute webinar to get insights and advice from our expert guests as they outline key things to include in a fundraising plan for 2022, explain how to set priorities, and share ways to build in flexibility, so you can adapt as needed. [Register today for the early-bird rate.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES Apply for the top jobs in philanthropy and [search all our open positions](. 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