Ballmer Group to Help 100-Plus Black-Led Groups Expand

Plus, a new tool aims to help fundraising teams improve diversity. Also, people-powered movements helped push through the New Deal, and they can save those programs now (opinion) 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](. DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION [Ballmer Group Awards $42.5 Million to Help More Than 100 Black-Led Groups Expand]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( The grants will support organizations that are less than two years old and focused on improving economic mobility. ADVERTISEMENT DIVERSITY IN FUNDRAISING [New Tool Aims to Help Fundraising Teams Improve Diversity]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( The Council for Advancement and Support of Education created the assessment to help university development departments take stock of their diversity and inclusion efforts, but any nonprofit with a fundraising team can use it. OPINION [People-Powered Movements Helped Our Grandfathers Push Through the New Deal. They Can Save Those Programs Now.]( By James Roosevelt, Jr. and Henry Scott Wallace [STORY IMAGE]( House Republican budget proposals over the debt ceiling threaten many programs put in place by FDR and his vice president, Henry A. Wallace. The answer, say their grandsons, is to support social movements that hold those in power accountable. Webinars [Attract Corporate Support for Your Fundraising Event]( [STORY IMAGE]( In-person events are back, bringing lots of joyful reunions, but rising costs for food, entertainment, and more are a challenge. Securing corporate support for your next gathering is a smart way to defray costs and strengthen ties with corporate donors. Join us for a 75-minute webinar on Thursday, June 8, at 2 p.m. Eastern, to gain insights into the corporate-giving landscape in 2023, which strategies are working now, and why. [Register by June 1 to get the early-bird rate.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | Amazon Business [Turning Unspent Budgets into Vital Resources]( Online Briefings [‘Everyday Megadonors': A New Force in Giving]( [STORY IMAGE]( There are nearly four times as many Americans worth $50 million or more than there were a decade ago, many of whom keep a low profile. Some savvy fundraisers have built strong ties with these multimillionaires and billionaires. Join us and our panel of experts Tuesday, May 23, at 2 p.m. Eastern to gain insights into how they connect with donors in authentic ways that have led to some of the largest gifts in their histories. [Register today for this free session.]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online One of the country’s most visible racial-justice nonprofits is beset by allegations of bad behavior and bad management. Over the past few years, Color of Change, which has notched some notable wins with its awareness campaigns since its founding in 2005, has dealt with accusations of sexual assault, bullying, harassment, and gender discrimination, current and former insiders say. Repeatedly, the organization launches an internal investigation and finds no wrongdoing, but often the accused leave shortly afterward, sometimes to glowing reviews from top management. Meanwhile, the organization has faced high staff turnover, and some employees accuse it of targeting union members in recent layoffs. A spokesperson for Color of Change said the layoffs were for financial reasons and that staff complaints are investigated thoroughly and people have been held accountable. ([Insider]( A global conservation organization is fighting the scourge of wildlife trafficking by infiltrating the sprawling criminal networks involved. Earth League International was founded as the Elephant Action League in 2013 to bring attention to the poaching crisis in Africa and its links to global terrorism. It works on an issue that gets a tiny fraction of public spending on security or conservation and is overmatched in almost every way by trafficking networks and the global demand for illicit wildlife products. Still, on an annual budget of $350,000, the group’s undercover operations “have led to the arrest of an alleged jaguar-fang ring in Bolivia; helped the Mexican government pursue the Cartel of the Sea, a network in Baja California that trafficked sea cucumbers and totoaba; and sparked at least seven ongoing investigations by the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI.” Founder Andrea Crosta calculates that “ELI could shut down trafficking in much of the world with an endowment of $10 million.” ([New Yorker]( More News - Bard President Received $150,000 From Foundation Created by Jeffrey Epstein ([New York Times]( - Evictions, Homelessness, Debt: Skid Row Housing Trust Receiver Has Checkered History ([Los Angeles Times]( - Burning Man Nonprofit Becomes Latest Adversary in Geothermal Feud ([New York Times]( - Legislators Back Bill to Block N.Y. Charities From Funding Israeli Settlements ([City & State NY]( - East Carolina University’s Scholars Program Renamed to Reflect $30 Million Gift ([WITN]( Arts and Culture - A Philanthropist Spent $180 Million to Transform Brooklyn’s Batcave Into Gotham’s Art Factory ([New York Times]( - Ancient Hand-Written Hebrew Bible Acquired for ANU Museum of the Jewish People for $38.1 Million ([Jewish Telegraphic Agency]( Opinion and Analysis - N.Y. UJA-Federation CEO Eric Goldstein: ‘Blessedly, American Philanthropy Is No Longer Existential to Israel’s Survival’ ([Media Line]( - How to Find Room for Philanthropy Despite Challenging Times ([Kiplinger]( Note: In the links in this section, we flag articles that only subscribers can access. But because some journalism outlets offer a limited number of free articles, readers may encounter barriers with other articles we highlight in this roundup. SPONSOR CONTENT | The James Irvine Foundation [Empowerment and Employment for Survivors of Human Trafficking]( “People closest to the problems and the stories are also closest to the solutions.” Editor's Picks FUNDRAISING DATA [Data Shows GoFundMe Campaigns Work Well and Offers Insights for Online Fundraising]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( GoFundMe campaigns shared more than six times in the first few days are three times as likely to raise more donations than those shared less often. NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT [How the Ford Foundation Helped Grantees With an Unusual Problem: a Surge of Cash]( By Sono Motoyama [STORY IMAGE]( Staff burnout, lack of clarity about an organization’s values, and the pace of hiring are among the challenges that prompted nonprofit leaders inundated with surprise gifts to turn to consultants — and one another. OPINION [The End of the Covid Health Emergency Must Not Spell the End of Progress Toward Health Equity]( By Amy Pisani [STORY IMAGE]( Philanthropic support helped fill gaps in government funding to ensure coronavirus vaccines and care were available to everyone. Those investments are still needed to sustain the long-needed public-health infrastructure built during the pandemic — and to prepare the nation for the next health crisis. OPINION [East Palestine Disaster Shows How Philanthropy Can Halt Chemical Accidents in Their Tracks]( By Ansje Miller [STORY IMAGE]( When a derailed train leaked hazardous chemicals into an Ohio community, donors and advocates helped residents get the aid and information they needed. They also demonstrated how to effectively address and prevent future catastrophes. A DONOR'S PERSPECTIVE [How to Avoid Turf Wars When Raising Money From Wealthy Families]( By Isa Catto [STORY IMAGE]( How to deal with donors after a divorce, raising money from relatives of a longtime donor, and more. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join Our Next Webinar]( — Donors are showing increased interest in planned giving since the pandemic began: In a recent survey, 60 percent of fundraisers said they were seeing a spike in interest in bequests. Plus, many donors are pledging larger gifts. Yet charities often miss out on planned gifts because they don't ask supporters to consider leaving one. How can you increase planned giving to your nonprofit without spending a lot? Join us on Thursday, June 8, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn from two experts simple yet effective ways to inspire loyal donors to make planned gifts. They'll share smart ways to identify and cultivate donors, to make it easy to give, and to promote planned giving to donors of all ages. They'll also provide tips for stewarding donors and advice for taking planned giving to the next level at your organization. [Register today.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Assistant Director, Development]( Big Shoulders Fund [Executive Director of a Rare Disease Nonprofit Organization (Remote)]( United Leukodystrophy Foundation [Communications Associate]( William Davidson Foundation [Policy Director, Luminate Strategic Initiatives]( Luminate [Search other jobs.]( [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. © 2023 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037