A New Life for Volunteerism

Plus, foundations find new approaches to influence public perceptions, and help grantees deal with inflation by giving them more money (opinion) ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. VOLUNTEERISM [Why and How Charities Should Revive a Declining but Vital Resource ... Volunteers]( By Ben Gose [STORY IMAGE]( Some volunteer programs lapsed during the pandemic; others adapted and thrived. Both cases illustrate how valuable volunteers can be. Plus, see everything from [our new issue]( posted today. ADVERTISEMENT GRANT MAKING [As More Foundations Seek to Influence Public Perceptions, New Approaches Abound]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( Grant makers are pouring millions of dollars into work to change public attitudes, but some nonprofits say equal effort needs to be put into building social movements that can advance new policies and ideas. OPINION [Here’s One Way to Help Grantees Deal With Inflation: Give Them More Money]( By Adam Simon and Steven Laufer [STORY IMAGE]( During periods of high inflation, foundations need to recognize that the benefits of long-term grants are undermined by rising costs. They should respond by increasing payments to nonprofits they support, many of whom are struggling to meet program goals due to higher expenses for travel, staff, and other necessities. BIG GIFTS [Denny Sanford Gives $150 Million to Fund Stem-Cell Research in Space]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( The gift will go to the University of California at San Diego. With this latest donation, Sanford has given the university at least $380 million. GRANTS ROUNDUP [Scriven Fund Gives $82 Million to Improve Patient Care; the Norwegian Refugee Council Has Won the Hilton Humanitarian Prize]( By M.J. Prest [STORY IMAGE]( Also, St. David’s Foundation has awarded $28 million to organizations throughout central Texas, and Google has committed $20 million to expand computer-science education for students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in technology. Webinars [Cultivating Major Donors: What’s Working Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( As fewer Americans give to charities, nonprofits are relying on big donors more than ever. Join us on demand, or live Thursday, September 15, to learn from our expert guests about the best approaches to secure gifts in 2022. They’ll explain how they’ve adapted and why, which donors to focus on and how to increase their giving, tips for handling economic uncertainty, and the most effective ways to communicate need. The early-bird rate ends September 8. [Sign up today.]( [How to Navigate Corporate Giving in 2022]( [STORY IMAGE]( Many companies boosted giving and adjusted their grant-making practices and priorities in response to the health and racial-justice crises. Join us on demand, or live Thursday, September 29, to learn which changes continued in 2022, how to best appeal to corporate grant makers now, and tips for cultivating potential new partners. The early-bird rate ends September 22. Save your spot. [Sign up today.]( Briefings & Forums [Tomorrow: Smart Fundraising: How Savvy Groups Are Streamlining and Innovating]( [STORY IMAGE]( After two years of adaptation, fundraisers continue to make shifts to meet challenges and maximize opportunities. Which new tools can help nonprofits streamline fundraising? As the critical year-end season approaches, join us tomorrow, September 8, at 2 p.m. Eastern for a free session to learn from leaders about how they meet revenue goals, ensure employee well-being, and continue to innovate. [Register today.]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. NONPROFIT NEWS FROM ELSEWHERE The self-described libertarian billionaire who injected $1.6 billion into conservative causes last month has long waged a quiet campaign to pull American politics to the right. Barre Seid, who made his fortune through an electronics manufacturing company in Chicago, has called his approach “attack philanthropy.” He has funded the Heartland Institute, which disputes the scientific consensus on climate change; a network of groups that have fought the expansion of Medicaid and sought new restrictions on voting; and, apparently, the right-tilting Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University in Virginia. Seid, 90, shuns the spotlight and prefers to make anonymous gifts, so it is impossible to say how much money he has devoted to conservative causes, but tax records show that he donated at least $775 million to nonprofits from 1996 to 2018. A longtime friend said Seid “believes that if you take the long-odds shot and it pays off, it’s huge.” ([ProPublica]( More News - NC NAACP Loses Tax-Exempt Status; Audit Assessing Misspending Allegations ([News & Observer]( - Steve Bannon Faces Fraud Charges in New York Over the ‘We Build the Wall’ Charity ([NPR]( - Salaries for Top Staffers at Obama Foundation Are Outpacing Their Counterparts at Other Presidential Centers ([Chicago Tribune]( - How Seattle-Area Arts Groups Are Finding a New Normal Amid Inflation, Staffing Shortages, and More ([Seattle Times]( Masking Rules and Nonprofits - At Head Start, Masks Remain On, Despite CDC Guidelines ([New York Times)]( - To Mask or Not to Mask: Theaters and Concert Halls Face a Dilemma ([New York Times]( Effective Altruism - Longtermism: Effective Altruism’s Most Controversial Idea ([Vox]( - Opinion: Why ‘Longtermism’ Isn’t Ethically Sound ([Washington Post]( EDITOR'S PICKS OPINION [Investing in Better School Counseling Will Help Struggling Students Recover From Multiple Crises]( By Mandy Savitz-Romer, Tara P. Nicola, and Graham Weber [STORY IMAGE]( As the school year begins, students need increased support to thrive in an era marked by school shootings, the pandemic, and racial violence. To address these challenges, philanthropy should help strengthen the long-neglected field of school counseling. FINANCE AND REVENUE [Foundations, Especially Small Ones, Fared Worse Than the Overall Stock Market Last Year]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( The average foundation gained 16 percent last year, compared with the nearly 29 percent gain of the Standard and Poor’s index. Wealthier foundations did somewhat better but were still far below the index. FOUNDATION GIVING [Limited Funding From Grant Makers Hampers Charities’ Monkeypox Response]( By Kay Dervishi [STORY IMAGE]( Two national companies are putting a total of more than $5 million into efforts to prevent the spread, and small gifts are being made by community foundations and local companies. But charities say they need more to fight the disease. OPINION [Elitist Grant-Making Practices Stand in the Way of Equitable and Effective Public Policy]( By Emma Vadehra [STORY IMAGE]( In the policy world, foundation funds typically flow to think tanks and advocacy groups staffed by people with traditionally impressive education and employment credentials. These practices leave out organizations and leaders from the communities most affected by policy choices — and prevent the development of strong policy. YEAR-END FUNDRAISING [9 Tips to Build a Smart Year-End Campaign in Challenging Times]( By Lisa Schohl [STORY IMAGE]( Advice from veteran fundraisers on how to stand out from the crowd and achieve your goals. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [How to Attract — and Keep — Top Fundraisers] [Join Our Next Webinar]( — As fewer Americans give to charities, nonprofits are relying on big donors more than ever. Join us on demand, or live on Thursday, September 15, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn from a veteran major-gift officer and a fundraiser at an academic medical center about the approaches they are using to secure gifts in 2022. They'll offer insights into: - How they've adapted and why - Which donors to focus on and how to increase their giving - Tips for handling economic uncertainty - The most effective ways to communicate need. The early-bird rate ends September 8. Don't miss this chance to gain valuable insights you can apply to your year-end strategy. [Register today.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Major Gifts Officer, Science & Research]( Carnegie Institution for Science [Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs]( Savannah State University [Senior Manager, Individual Giving]( SeriousFun Children's Network [Development Director]( Attain Housing [Senior Development Manager]( AAMC & AAMC Foundaation [Development Operations Manager]( Student Leadership Network [Search other jobs.]( NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. [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