Muslim Couple’s Giving Focuses on Autism and Religious Understanding

Plus, Bloomberg Philanthropies has pledged an additional $420 million to curb tobacco use, and an update on the Chronicle’s new nonprofit status 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 [Apple News]( [Flipboard]( and [Google News](. WHY THEY GIVE [Muslim Couple Give Big to Autism and Promoting Religious Understanding]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Rafat and Zoreen Ansari are Indiana physicians who are devoting their fortune to fostering a better understanding of the world’s religions and ensuring people with autism get the care they need. ADVERTISEMENT GRANTS ROUNDUP [Bloomberg Philanthropies Pledges Additional $420 Million to Curb Tobacco Use]( By M.J. Prest [STORY IMAGE]( Also, the Pittsburgh Foundation will make $50 million in unrestricted grants for racial equity and justice in the region, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation committed $23 million to strengthen technology in the arts in Detroit. TRANSITION TO NONPROFIT [An Update for Readers on Our New Nonprofit Status]( We’re now a nonprofit organization, officially recognized by the IRS, and we will soon spin off from our parent company of more than three decades as part of our expansive growth plan. Webinars [Thursday: Fundraising Events in 2023: How to Plan and What to Know]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join Our Next Webinar — Fundraisers planning events have a lot to juggle: keeping people safe from illness, entertained, and inspired — while staying within budget as expenses rise. How can you plan a successful event this year — and maximize results — amid uncertainty? Join us Thursday, February 9, at 2 p.m. Eastern for actionable advice and real-world examples from two experts. They’ll share proven ways to build community, raise more money, and create a plan that can be adapted if circumstances change. [Register today.]( Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online The idea of no-strings cash gifts to the poor has made some zealous converts in the past decade, but they seem less, and more, effective than their fans and critics tend to claim (Opinion). Regular, modest transfers can help a poor family afford school expenses for their children or even open a small business. But so far research is mixed about how recipients fare once the transfers stop. On the other hand, many donors and government agencies spending taxpayer money want recipients to meet certain requirements, such as keeping their children in school. But the lives of some of the world’s poorest people can be so chaotic, and documentation so challenging, that the aid remains out of reach. Across the board, though, the transfers do not seem to encourage idleness, as some critics have feared, although they can drive up local prices, squeezing further those who do not receive the payments. ([New York Times]( Background from the Chronicle: [Giving Cash Directly to People in Need Is a Growing Trend, as Evidence Shows It Works]( As deficits pull it under, one of the largest housing nonprofits in Los Angeles’s Skid Row neighborhood is looking to other providers to take over its property portfolio. The Skid Row Housing Trust owns nearly 2,000 units in 29 buildings in a part of the city overwhelmed by homelessness. The age of the buildings, many of which date from the first half of the 20th century, combined with a resident population that can be hard on the units, has resulted in sky-high maintenance and repair costs. For several years, the trust has run deficits as high as $14 million. Recently, the Weingart and Hilton foundations and the philanthropic arm of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have given a combined $600,000 to keep the trust afloat while it offloads its properties, and L.A. officials have acknowledged that the city will likely have to help with rehabbing them. Some other housing nonprofits are considering taking pieces, but not all, of the portfolio. ([Los Angeles Times]( More News - Syrian and Turkish Americans Organize Earthquake Relief Funds ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - Facebook Co-Founder Moskovitz Funds Research Into Cooling the Earth With Sunlight Reflection ([CNBC]( - New Funding for Controversial MIT and Whitehead Institute Scientist David Sabatini Draws Divided Reactions ([Boston Globe]( - End to Pandemic Assistance Leaves Bay Area Food Banks on Edge ([San Francisco Chronicle]( - N.Y. State Doesn’t Pay Nonprofits Enough to Do the Jobs They’re Contracted For: Report ([NYN Media]( - At a Cleveland Nonprofit, Ukrainians Fleeing War Help Others Seeking Shelter ([Cleveland Scene]( - N.J. Governor Vetoes Nonprofit Loan Guarantee Bill Backed by Top Democrats ([New Jersey Monitor]( - Marijuana Group Quietly Gave Cash to Mich. Lawmakers’ Nonprofits ([Detroit News]( - Flo Rida Says $80 Million Lawsuit Windfall Will Open Doors to Philanthropy ([TMZ]( - Bill Gates Says Private Jet Use Doesn’t Conflict With Climate Change Philanthropy ([Yahoo News]( Arts and Culture - N.Y. Hails Maestro as a ‘Monstro’ and a Boon to Young Musicians ([New York Times]( - What Will Museums of the Future Be Like? Three Key Takeaways From a New Book ([Art Newspaper]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Editor's Picks DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION [Seeking to Boost Grants to Groups Led by People of Color, New Research Effort Gets Under Way]( By Glenn Gamboa, AP Business Writer [STORY IMAGE]( The goal is to create a straightforward, accessible survey so nonprofits would no longer have to provide specialized diversity information for each of their donors. It would also make it easier to measure how much money is going to minority-led groups. OPINION [The Rule of Law Faces Threats in the U.S. and Abroad. Philanthropy Needs to Pay More Attention.]( By William H. Neukom [STORY IMAGE]( Addressing myriad societal problems depends on a strong rule of law. Unfortunately, developing, promoting, and enforcing this fundamental component of healthy democracies isn’t on most donor radars. GIVING [Nonprofit Leaders Want More Volunteers but Say It Is Tough to Recruit Them]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( A new study finds that half of nonprofit leaders say they can’t find enough volunteers, a sharp contrast from two decades ago. At the same time, far more chief executives say volunteers help them become more efficient than felt that way in the past. GIVING DATA [Millennials Had the Biggest Increase in Giving Among the Generations, New Survey Finds]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( Millennial donors turbocharged their giving over the past six years, according to a new report by Giving USA and the fundraising firm Dunham+Company. In 2022, millennial households gave 40 percent more, on average, to charity than they did in 2016 — bumping their average annual contribution up from… ONLINE EVENTS [How to Work a Zoom Room: Engaging Donors at Online Events]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( Nonprofits that hold online events need to be intentional about creating opportunities for participants to get to know one another. “Mingling doesn’t just happen,” says one expert. SPONSOR CONTENT | The James Irvine Foundation [To Change Policy for Workers Paid Low Wages, Change the Story]( Discover the key takeaways from The James Irvine Foundation's statewide listening tour exploring the needs of low-wage workers. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Watch Our Webinar]( — Fundraisers planning events have a lot to juggle this year: keeping people safe from illness, entertained, and inspired — all while staying within budget as expenses rise. How can you plan a successful fundraising event this year — and maximize results — amid uncertainty? Join us for a 75-minute webinar on Thursday, February 9, at 2 p.m. Eastern as two successful executives share actionable advice and real-world examples of what's working now. Whether you’re planning in-person galas, small gatherings, or virtual events, our expert guests will share proven ways to build community — and raise more money at your next event. Plus, they'll highlight ways to create a flexible plan that can be adapted if circumstances change. [Register today.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Senior Director of Development, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences]( Stony Brook University [Chief Development Officer (Hybrid - Sunnyvale, CA)]( ReSurge International [Director of Major Gifts]( Sphinx Organization [Search other jobs.]( NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. 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