Grant Makers Want to Advance A.I. While Protecting the World From Its Threats

Plus, George Soros’s Open Society Foundations plans to limit grant making until February, and anonymous donations to the World Health Organization’s new foundation raise concerns ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION [Foundations Seek to Advance A.I. for Good — and Also Protect the World From Its Threats]( By Kay Dervishi [STORY IMAGE]( Some foundations are betting on the potential of artificial intelligence to solve climate-change problems and develop life-saving drugs. Others are backing nonprofits alarmed by A.I.’s possible threats to civil society and world stability. (This story is free for the nonprofit community.) ADVERTISEMENT bit.ly/3PVfMN8?wlbelineID=1687303 FOUNDATION GIVING [George Soros’s Open Society Foundations Plans to Limit Grant Making Until February]( By Thalia Beaty, Associated Press [STORY IMAGE]( The nonprofit is transitioning to a new operating model run by billionaire investor George Soros’s son, Alex. The foundation says the pause will not affect current grantees. INDIVIDUAL DONORS [Undue Influence? Anonymous Donations to World Health Organization’s New Foundation Raise Concerns]( By Thalia Beaty, Associated Press [STORY IMAGE]( The foundation said it received $66 million in direct gifts through 2022, with $26 million coming from donors who chose not to be publicly named. GIFTS ROUNDUP [Kenneth and Elaine Langone Give $200 Million to Make Medical School Tuition Free]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Plus, the MD Anderson Cancer Center lands $16 million for brain cancer research, and Tulane gets $12 million for a data-science program. CHRONICLE NEWS [The Chronicle of Philanthropy Names a New Editor-in-Chief]( [STORY IMAGE]( Albert Ventura, of Vox.com, will take over as Stacy Palmer assumes the role of CEO. VIRTUAL EVENT [How the Supreme Court Ruling on Race Affects Nonprofits and Foundations]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join the Chronicle on August 10 at 2 p.m. Eastern for a 75-minute discussion to help you understand the key issues and potential next steps after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on race-conscious admissions. You’ll hear from a distinguished panel of experts who will explore whether the legal landscape has changed for grant makers and nonprofits working to advance diversity. This session is ideal for foundation and nonprofit leaders, DEI officers, and those responsible for strategic planning. [Register today.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | The James Irvine Foundation [This Community is Taking Actions into their Own Hands]( Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online Buoyed by recent donations and growing enrollment, historically black colleges and universities are beginning to see higher credit ratings and lower borrowing costs. While undergraduate numbers sag across the country, renewed interest in racial equity has helped HBCUs attract more students, and the Supreme Court’s rejection of affirmative-action programs could accelerate that trend. Meanwhile, philanthropists such as MacKenzie Scott have been making huge gifts to the schools. Last week, Moody’s Investors Service upgraded the credit rating of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, whose chancellor said he “received interest from 16 underwriters for the upcoming debt sale, the most in his 15 years in the position.” The firm also upgraded the outlook for Howard University, as its president predicts its endowment will reach $1 billion by the end of the year. “As firms look at us, how they evaluate our potential as well as our impact may be different from how it has been in the past,” Howard President Wayne A.I. Frederick said. ([Bloomberg]( An anonymous donor has doubled a previous $500 million gift to McPherson College in Kansas, cementing the small liberal-arts college’s place among higher-education’s heavy hitters. The donation brings the college’s endowment to $1.59 billion, or nearly $2 million for each of its 800 students. The college says the two donations “will make its endowment the largest of any small liberal arts college in the country.” They will be paid over time or in full at the donor’s death. McPherson offers an automotive-skills program that has attracted notable gifts, including two scholarships endowed by Jay Leno. ([Wichita Eagle]( Background from the Chronicle: [McPherson College Aimed to Bring Big Donors Into the Fold — and Won a $500 Million Pledge]( More News - FTX Sues Over Investments, Donations Made by Charity Arm to Life Sciences Companies ([Cointelegraph](. Plus: FTX Foundation Planned to Buy Island Nation as ‘Bunker’ to Wait Out Apocalypse, Lawsuit Says ([MarketWatch]( - Ravaged by Russian Troops, Bucha Rises From the Ashes, With Help From Philanthropy ([NPR]( - Influential Activist Leonard Leo Helped Fund Media Campaign Lionizing Clarence Thomas ([Washington Post]( - The Native American Activists Exposing Celebrity ‘Race-Fakers’ ([Daily Beast]( Extreme Heat and Climate Change - More Than Art: Museums Can Be Conveners for Climate-Crisis Cooperation ([Seattle Times]( - Volunteers Help Identify Heat-Vulnerable Neighborhoods in San Francisco ([Yale Climate Connections]( - Nonprofit Plants Thousands of ‘Super Trees’ Along Houston’s Shipping Channel ([Yale Climate Connections]( - Nothing Feels Like Enough’: Surviving the Heat in a N.M. Homeless Encampment ([Guardian]( - A Wildlife Rehabilitation Center’s Race to Save Baby Birds in Phoenix’s Record Heat ([Washington Post]( Arts and Culture - Tony Bennett Used His Celebrity to Promote Civil Rights ([New York Times]( - How Buffalo’s Art Museum Hopes to Win Over the Working Class ([Bloomberg]( - Smithsonian Latino Museum Sees Its Fate Thrown Into Budget Fight ([Hill]( - In the Year of Infamous Basquiat Exhibit, Orlando Museum of Art Bounced Back Faster Than Disney ([Orlando Business Journal]( 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 DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION [Actions Have Yet to Match Words on DEI, Nonprofit Survey Says]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( Many groups have pledged to the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but change doesn’t yet run deep, survey says. HIGHER ED FUNDRAISING [Can Donors Still Support Race-Conscious Programs? Supreme Court Ruling Leaves College Fundraisers in Uncharted Territory]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( Lawyers and fundraisers weigh in on how the court’s decision could impact university fundraising efforts and relationships with donors. OPINION [Growing Reliance on Emergency Fundraising Puts Nonprofits at Risk]( By Chris Maddocks [STORY IMAGE]( When everything is a crisis, utilizing emergency appeals might seem logical. But over time, donations decrease, as the strategy trains donors that crisis is the only time to give. GRANT MAKING [Following Court Ruling, Foundation Officials Urge Sharing Power With Grantees]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( In an open letter, executives of large foundations said the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action at colleges should lead philanthropy to do more to combat racial inequity. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [Show Me More Love: A Donor’s Critique of Fundraisers Draws Disgust, Praise, and Reflection]( Communicating effectively with donors is important, say readers, but so is understanding the challenges nonprofits face that may make it difficult for them to respond in a timely and personal manner. SPONSOR CONTENT | Independent Sector [Building Bridges: From Resistance to Resolve]( 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]( — Even savvy nonprofits often overlook the potential of planned gifts. This is a costly mistake, experts say, because the average amount of a charitable bequest, one of the most common planned gifts, is more than $78,000. And if you’re not approaching loyal donors about planned gifts, another organization will. How can you inspire donors to include your nonprofit in their estate plans? Join us August 17 at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn from two nonprofit fundraisers — one a lawyer and the other a former investment banker — who will share insights and steps to take to attract planned gifts through wills, donor-advised funds, and other giving vehicles. Even small organizations with limited resources can take simple steps to attract these gifts and begin to lay the foundation for a future planned-giving program. Plus, our experts will share proven strategies for attracting these gifts. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Apply today](http://). [Fundraising Manager, Environmental Justice & Human Rights - Remote]( Digital Democracy [Senior Director, Campaign Operations]( University of Denver [Senior Director of Development, Principal Gifts (Hybrid/SF Bay Area)]( Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health [Associate Vice President for Development]( California State University Channel Islands [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