A New Position at the Nature Conservancy Brings Focus to DEI Work in Fundraising

Plus: Bill would establish White House office on nonprofits; and how philanthropy can help supply technology experts needed for government and nonprofit jobs (opinion). ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION [At the Nature Conservancy, a New Position Brings Focus to DEI Work in Fundraising]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( Thomas Brackeen leads the environmental group’s quest for a more diverse and inclusive donor pool, staff, and approach to seeking support. ADVERTISEMENT NEWS [Bill Would Establish Nonprofit Office in the White House]( By Dan Parks [STORY IMAGE]( The office would make policy recommendations, coordinate the release of data about nonprofits collected by federal agencies, and seek improvements in the federal grant process for nonprofits. OPINION [More Technology Experts Are Needed for Government and Nonprofit Jobs. Philanthropy Can Help.]( By Jenny Toomey [STORY IMAGE]( Just as foundations bolstered the field of public interest law decades ago, they now have a critical role to play in creating a deeper bench of public interest technologists trained to advance the social good. Webinars [Tomorrow: Building Ties With DAF Donors: Where to Start]( [STORY IMAGE]( The number of donor-advised fund accounts in the U.S. surpassed 1 million in 2020, and grants to charities from the 10 largest DAF sponsors totaled $22.41 billion. But billions more remain in DAFs waiting to be funneled to nonprofits, in part because it can be difficult to identify and cultivate supporters who give through them. Join us this Thursday, April 28, at 2 p.m. Eastern — or on demand — for advice on building ties with DAF donors. [Sign up now and join us on Thursday.]( [Smart Ways to Strengthen Your Next Grant Proposal]( [STORY IMAGE]( It’s unclear whether foundations will continue the increased giving and looser requirements that marked the initial response to the pandemic. Yet many nonprofits leaders are still seeing increased demand for services, so competition for grant is as competitive as ever. How can you strengthen your next grant proposal to make a stronger case for support? Join us on May 12 to get advice from a program officer and a grant-writing consultant who has helped secure millions from foundations. [Register today.]( [How to Attract — and Keep — Top Fundraisers]( [STORY IMAGE]( Even before the pandemic, turnover in fundraising was a huge challenge. With big-gift officers bringing in as much as 90 percent of fundraising revenue at some organizations, high turnover can be an existential threat. How do some organizations hire and retain top fundraising talent? Join us on Tuesday, May 24 — or on demand — to learn from an advancement leader with nearly 20 years of talent management experience and the head of an executive search firm with deep expertise in development. [Register today.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | Funder for Real Cost, Real Change [Project Grants Need Not Be the Enemy—A Three-Part Series: Part 2]( NONPROFIT NEWS FROM ELSEWHERE Harvard University is pledging $100 million to redress its deep historical ties to slavery and white supremacy, chronicled in a report released Tuesday. In addition to the 70-plus enslaved people who worked on campus, serving students, faculty, and top officials, the school relied heavily on donors who made their fortunes from slavery or slavery-produced commodities. For example, Harvard received bequests worth $340,000 from slaveholders in the first half of the 19th century, after slavery had been outlawed in Massachusetts. Among the recommendations of this week’s report are that the university fund educational initiatives for descendants of enslaved people in New England, the American South, and the Caribbean, and that Harvard establish an exchange program for students and faculty at historically Black colleges and universities. The school will also retire a chair in its law school named for a Caribbean slaveholder who donated to Harvard. ([Washington Post]( and [Boston Globe]( While the arts scene on Florida’s east coast, dominated by Miami institutions, gets the lion’s share of attention, wealthy transplants on the state’s Gulf Coast are pouring money into museums there. The Tampa Museum of Art has raised $71 million of its $100 million goal to fund an expansion, which includes a recent $25 million gift from commercial real-estate developer Richard Corbett, and other museums in the region are hitting similarly ambitious targets. The president of one foundation that has given away $100 million locally said philanthropy “creates a community and gives donors a sense of belonging.” The director of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, which is more than halfway through its $92 million capital campaign, said many older people who come to Florida have the time and money to give. Much of those donations are bankrolling expansions, which in turn create more space to display future bequests of art. Some philanthropists even fund their own museums, including St. Petersburg’s Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement and the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art. ([New York Times]( Plus: Tampa Museum of Art Receives $25 Million Gift for Its Expansion ([Tampa Bay Times]( More About Museums - In Growing Urban Areas Like Austin, Tex.; Denver; and Raleigh, N.C., Regional Museums Are Rolling Out the Welcome Mat. ([New York Times]( - Museums’ Approach to Showing White Male Artists Gets a Rethink. ([New York Times]( More News - Kenneth Roth, ‘Godfather’ of Human Rights Work, to Step Down ([New York Times]( - Chicago Reader Owner Steps Down Amid Employee Protests, Freeing Alternative Newspaper to Go Nonprofit ([Chicago Tribune]( - New Orleans City Funds Directed to ‘Mayor’s Fund’ Nonprofit Draws City Council Scrutiny ([NOLA.com]( - 15 Carbon Removal Projects Score $1 Million Each in Climate Xprize Milestone ([TechCrunch]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. EDITOR'S PICKS FUNDRAISING [The Venerable National Geographic Society Learns How to Be a Nonprofit Again, With a Fundraiser at the Helm]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( Once a highly profitable media giant, the organization now banks on philanthropy and its “save the planet” mission. OPINION [Removing the Cap on State and Local Tax Deductions Is the Wrong Response to Decreased Giving in High-Tax States]( By Howard Husock [STORY IMAGE]( Recent limits on state and local tax deductions have resulted in a drop in charitable contributions in affluent counties, according to new research. Some may see this as a reason to lift the limit, but doing so would primarily help the wealthy and do nothing to encourage others to give. COMMUNICATIONS [Charity’s Guide Helps Nonprofits Use More Equitable Language]( By Geetha Murali and Cristi Hegranes [STORY IMAGE]( International nonprofit Room to Read worked with Global Press to evaluate its communications and update language to preserve the dignity of all people and cultures. VIDEO [General Operating Support Is Vital to Advancing Equity, Strengthening Nonprofits, Say Leaders]( By Dan Parks [STORY IMAGE]( A panel of experts discusses whether the trend of foundations giving general operating support will continue once the pandemic wanes. OPINION [Book Bans Threaten Students Nationwide. Here’s How Philanthropy Can Fight Back.]( By Suzanne Nossel [STORY IMAGE]( Grant makers that focus on education, democracy, and culture need to support organizations battling coordinated book banning campaigns in school districts and libraries across the country. SPONSOR CONTENT | AFP ICON Use code CHRONICLESPRINGBREAK to save $150 on your last-minute registration for AFP ICON 2022 (May 2-4 in Las Vegas). Visit [afpicon.com]( ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Fundraising Webinars: How to Make Virtual Events Accessible to People With Disabilities - Cover image of a woman in a virtual meeting] [Watch On-Demand]( — The number of donor-advised fund accounts in the United States surpassed 1 million in 2020, and grants to charities from the 10 largest DAF sponsors totaled $22.41 billion. That’s roughly double the amount the 10 biggest foundations gave that year. Yet billions more remain in DAFs, waiting to be funneled to nonprofits. How can your nonprofit find and strengthen ties with supporters who give through DAFs? Join us for a 75-minute session on Thursday, April 28, at 2 p.m. Eastern — or watch on demand at your convenience for expert guidance on adding DAF donors to your fundraising strategy, connecting with fund sponsors and professionals who counsel DAF donors, and handling these gifts properly. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Vice President for Communications and Marketing]( Bennington College [Senior Development and Board Relations Associate]( Citizens Budget Commission [Donor Data Integrity & Stewardship Associate]( The American Institute of Chemical Engineers [Associate Director of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations]( Cedars-Sinai [Executive Director]( The Alaska Center and The Alaska Center Education Fund [Program Manager, Water Initiatives Fund]( DigDeep Right to Water Project [Search other jobs.]( NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK What did you think of today’s newsletter? [Strongly disliked]( | [It was ok]( | [Loved it]( [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2022 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037