A Neurobiologist Finds That Full-Time Philanthropy Is More Rewarding

Plus, let’s address the real reason great fundraisers are in short supply (opinion), and lessons from a nonprofit merger ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. You can now follow The Chronicle on [Flipboard]( and [Google News](. NEXT-GEN PHILANTHROPISTS [A Neurobiologist Finds More Satisfaction in Disruptive Giving]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( Looking for more people-centered work, Rebecca Balter found her calling in supporting organizing in the South and environmental-justice efforts. Plus: See the rest of our [December issue](. ADVERTISEMENT OPINION [Let’s Address the Real Reason Great Fundraisers Are in Short Supply]( By Lisa Pilar Cowan and Michele Flores [STORY IMAGE]( Too often, nonprofits force development officers to grovel for donations from the rich, rather than emphasizing how to connect people in a community to support an organization’s mission. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP [Lessons From a Merger]( By Sammy Moon [STORY IMAGE]( Start by accepting that the old ways of doing business have not produced the results that philanthropy and nonprofits are seeking. SPONSOR CONTENT | Alliance for Early Success [Philanthropy Is Increasingly Betting on Policy Advocacy in the Early Childhood Years]( Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online The Internal Revenue Service is months behind in posting nonprofit tax filings online, making it harder for government and private watchdogs, as well as donors, to evaluate charities’ finances. As 2022 closed, the agency had yet to release nearly 500,000 Form 990s. In a letter to the IRS, state regulators across the country said the backlog is hampering efforts at accountability and could impede fraud investigations. Charity Navigator CEO Michael Thatcher said nonprofits themselves are frustrated by the delays, which began with staffing shortages during the pandemic and worsened after the agency switched from putting the information in a public Amazon storage account to posting it on its own website. One tech executive, whose company folded in part because it relied on the availability of the Form 990s, said the blame does not lie with the IRS. “Their budget has been cut to the bone, and they are unable to perform many responsibilities that are vital to the national interest,” David Borenstein, of the now-defunct Open990, said. ([ProPublica]( Since 1998, a private fundraising group has given the Los Angeles Police Department more than $45 million, raising questions about transparency, equity, and possible conflicts of interest. The Los Angeles Police Foundation raises money from some famous names in Southern California. It does not disclose its donors, but recently released records revealed some of their identities. For example, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who owns the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team, has backed a partnership between police and neighborhoods hardest hit by violence, as well as body cameras for police. Some supporters, including Motorola Solutions, have contracts with the city. The police chief and director of the foundation say backers receive no preferential treatment and that the chief is never called upon to solicit money directly. But he has been encouraged to brief potential donors on the department’s needs, records show. Activists say the foundation has helped purchase surveillance equipment used disproportionately in communities of color. An expert on private funding of police departments said fundraising groups like the one in Los Angeles can skew funding toward wealthy communities and can obscure who is behind some spending. ([Los Angeles Times]( More News - Backlash Erupts in NYC Council After Mayor Adams Threatens Nonprofit Cuts ([Gothamist]( - Donations to Food Banks Can’t Keep Up With Rising Costs ([NPR]( - Albert Reichmann Used Real-Estate Riches to Rescue Soviet Jews ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - Rigged: the Undoing of America’s Premier Bodybuilding Leagues ([Washington Post]( - GoFundMe Removing Fake Damar Hamlin Fundraisers Created After Cardiac Arrest ([West Observer]( - Ohio AG Launches ‘Charitable University’ for Ohio Nonprofits ([WDTN]( - Bringing Hope: In Ukraine, American Nonprofits Stave Off Humanitarian Catastrophe ([Smoky Mountain News]( - Rollout of NPR Network Donations Tests More Than the Public Radio Giving Experience ([Current]( Opinion - Thanks for Donating to Help a Worthy Cause. Now, How About Giving Us Some More Money? ([Berkshire Eagle]( - It Is Time to Rethink Philanthropy for Identity-Building Trips to Israel ([eJewish Philanthropy]( - In Turkey, a Philanthropist Did Good. Now He Sits in Prison for Life. ([Washington Post]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. EDITOR'S PICKS ADVICE [5 Trends That Will Shape Fundraising in 2023]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( To keep the money flowing, nonprofits will need to figure out how to attract much-needed fundraisers, respond to changing economic conditions, and learn how to talk to donors from different backgrounds. GOVERNMENT AND REGULATION [Charities Lose Fight to Persuade Lawmakers to Adopt New Giving Incentives]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( Nonprofits say they will make a push again in 2023 to allow everyone to write off their gifts to charity. OPINION [Artificial Intelligence Can Help Nonprofits Reach More Donors, but Fundraisers Can’t Ignore Potential Pitfalls]( By Daniel Hadley [STORY IMAGE]( The emergence of text generating artificial intelligence applications such as ChatGPT could significantly change philanthropy — for better or worse. REPORT [Foundations Still Relatively Slow to Hire Investment Firms Owned by Women and People of Color, Study Finds]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( Grant makers are gradually improving the diversity of their portfolio managers, but there’s far more work to be done, according to a report. MAJOR GIFTS [Top 10 Donations of 2022 Totaled $9.3 Billion]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Much of the money went to private foundations or to universities, but some went to cancer research and treatment, housing, youth programs, and reproductive health. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Watch Our On-Demand Webinar]( — Collaboration among frontline fundraisers, leaders, trustees, and program staff is a powerful formula for fundraising success. But those who work outside the development department don’t always know how to build ties with donors — or feel comfortable asking people for money. How can you foster an organizational culture that motivates staff, volunteers, and board members to strengthen relations with donors and advance fundraising? Watch the webinar recording to learn from two veteran fundraisers how to: - Encourage board members to prioritize fundraising — and give them tools to land big gifts - Show donors the value of their gifts in all communications - Teach non-fundraisers and volunteers how to advance fundraising Don't miss this chance to understand how to inspire donors and coworkers to partner in advancing your mission. 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