Sports Teams Illustrate What Philanthropy Needs to Know About Diversity (Opinion)

Plus, most chief fundraisers say donors are worried about the economy, a survey has found. Also, the Sunderland Foundation is awarding $100 million to the University of Kansas Cancer Center ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. OPINION [Philanthropy Could Learn a Lot About Diversity by Studying What Sports Teams Are Doing Right]( By Eboo Patel [STORY IMAGE]( In the wake of the Supreme Court’s affirmative-action ruling, foundation and nonprofit leaders need to take a hard look at alternative ways to achieve diversity. The sports world offers important lessons about what works. ADVERTISEMENT INDIVIDUAL GIVING [Donors Are Expressing Concern About the Economy, Say Chief Fundraisers]( By Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( Confidence among fundraisers has declined, though most expect to reach their goals, and more than half of organization say staffing shortages will be their biggest challenge ahead, a survey has found. GRANTS ROUNDUP [Sunderland Foundation Awards $100 Million to the U. of Kansas Cancer Center]( By M.J. Prest [STORY IMAGE]( Also, the Bezos Earth Fund has given $50 million for conservation and sustainable development in the Brazilian Amazon region, and the Ray Charles Foundation has given $1 million to continue Cedars-Sinai’s neurosurgery scholarship program for students from historically Black colleges and universities. Webinars [Take Your Grant Proposal Writing to the Next Level]( [STORY IMAGE]( Learn from the founder of a firm that has raised more than $300 million in public and private grants for nonprofits nationwide and from a fundraising executive who has attracted more than $130 million in institutional giving. You’ll get detailed advice on how to convey impact, tell your story in compelling ways, and make a persuasive case for support. Sharpen your next proposal and position your organization competitively: Join us on July 20 at 2 p.m. Eastern, or watch on demand. [Register today.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | Amazon Business [Every Dollar Counts: Maximizing Your Budget]( Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online An outside investigation of the Giving Back Fund sports philanthropy has cleared its embattled CEO and resulted in a whistleblower’s ouster. CEO Marc Pollick had been the target of complaints dating back years. The unnamed whistle-blower, along with other current and former employees and board members, variously cited Pollick’s “erratic and unprofessional behavior” and breakdowns in the basic functions of the organization, which acts as the fiscal sponsor for professional athletes’ charities. Some board members had resigned, with one calling the nonprofit “broken.” An outside law firm conducted a probe into “allegations made by a single complainant, Pollick’s one-time executive assistant” and found “no illegal, unethical or improper action with regard to the issues raised,” according to the lawyer leading the investigation. Board chair Prashanth Palakurthi attributed many of the complaints to Pollick’s having made “tough, unpopular decisions.” Pollick said in a statement, “The leadership of the Giving Back Fund has always operated ethically, appropriately, and legally, and any allegations to the contrary are simply not true.” ([Sportico]( Museums and prosecutors are getting serious about deterring increasingly frequent attacks on artworks by climate protesters. Two people who smeared paint on the base and case of an Edgar Degas sculpture in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., face federal charges that carry a maximum five-year prison sentence and $250,000 in fines. In Austria, prosecutors dropped a case against protesters after the activists paid for the damages and cleanup costs from an action last year at Vienna’s Leopold Museum. And in Sweden, the government is preparing to charge activists who staged an attack at the National Museum. Behind the tougher approach is the mounting cost for museums in restoration, increased security — including more guards and glass shields — cleanup, and insurance. Per Hedstrom, interim director of Sweden’s National Museum, said the institutions must weigh public access against protecting its collection. “Activists are using the principles of an open society as a vulnerability,” he said. One of those charged in the Washington, D.C., attack, Joanna Smith, said, “It was a call for people to look deeply and think about what they cherish on Earth and what they can do to protect those things.” ([New York Times]( More News - N.Y. Committing $51 Million to Protect Nonprofits From Hate Crimes, Gov. Hochul Announces ([CBS News]( - As Nonprofit Hospitals Reap Big Tax Breaks, States Scrutinize Their Required Charity Spending ([Kaiser Health News]( - Why the Weak Office Market Is a Boon for N.Y.’s Nonprofits ([Crain’s New York Business]( - Daffy for Work Is a Type of ‘Charitable 401(K)’ That Could Unlock Billions for U.S. Charities ([Fast Company]( - A Birmingham, Ala., Nonprofit Rejected Money From a Lawmaker. Then He Accused Them of Corruption. ([AL.com]( - Director of Nonprofit Think Tank Charged With Arms Trafficking, Conspiring With China ([UPI]( - With Pending Newspaper Sales, Nonprofits Set to Take a Bigger Role in Maine Journalism ([Maine Public]( Housing and Homelessness - How the Urban Alchemy Nonprofit Turns Homelessness Into Gold ([Nation]( - Last Days at the Cortina: Homeless Left Adrift as Covid-Era Housing Ends ([Washington Post]( - Community Land Trusts Are Working to Create New Homeowners ([New York Times](. Background from the Chronicle:[Land Trusts Offer an Innovative Way to Help the Middle Class Afford a Home]( - Ahead of ‘Barbie,’ WBD and Mattel Launch Girls’ Empowerment Initiative With Save the Children ([Variety]( - Michael Neely, Innovator and Leader In L.A. Homeless and Drug Treatment Services, Has Died at age 74 ([Los Angeles Times]( 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. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. EDITOR'S PICKS DATA AND FUNDRAISING [How Data Can Help Nonprofits Bring in More Donations]( By Rasheeda Childress and Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( When data analysts work hand-in-hand with fundraisers, the results can be bigger gifts and better donor relationships. Plus, see our entire [July issue]( posted online today. RESEARCH AND DATA [Wealthier Should Give to Charity, Say People Who Stopped Donating, New Poll Finds]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( Many Americans also said they couldn’t afford to give, and young people said they weren’t giving because nobody asked them to. OPINION [4 Essential Shifts Foundations Can Make to Advance Social Movements]( By Deepak Bhargava and Barbara Picower [STORY IMAGE]( Outdated strategies and lack of money for the infrastructure of community-organizing groups are limiting their effectiveness just at a moment when we need to fight profound threats – especially to our democracy. ECONOMIC OUTLOOK [Inflation Is Easing, but Nonprofits Still Feel a Crunch]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( Nonprofits are still struggling to recruit workers and are being hit with higher-than-normal prices, despite signs that inflation is easing and the labor market is cooling down. GOVERNMENT AND REGULATION [Supreme Court’s Ruling Striking Down Race-Conscious College Admissions Could Have Sweeping Impact on Nonprofits and Philanthropy]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( Legal experts say foundations and nonprofits could face challenges as a result of the court’s ruling today. But the decision did not go as far as some affirmative-action supporters had feared. SPONSOR CONTENT | Independent Sector [Dismantling White Supremacy from Within]( The story of a mother raising biracial children, and the organization that taught her how to build bridges to those who don't understand. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our next webinar]( — Learn from two experts: the founder of a firm that has raised more than $300 million in public and private grants for nonprofits nationwide as well as from a fundraising executive who has raised more than $130 million from institutions. They'll offer detailed advice on writing successful grant proposals, vital steps to take before approaching a grant maker, and how to convey impact in ways that resonate with program officers. You’ll get tips on how to tell the story of your work and its impact, demonstrate need, and make a persuasive case for support. Don’t miss this chance to sharpen your next grant proposal and position your organization competitively. Join us live on July 20, at 2 p.m. Eastern, or on demand. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Director of Philanthrophy]( The Seeing Eye, Inc. 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