Small Nonprofit Law Firm Was the Force Behind Mont. Climate Ruling

Plus, DonorsChoose sees a banner year with help from the Gates Foundation and millions of small gifts, and Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez pledge $100 million for Maui wildfire recovery ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. CLIMATE CHANGE [Behind Landmark Climate Ruling in Mont., a Trailblazing Nonprofit Law Firm and an Army of Youth Activists]( By Eden Stiffman [STORY IMAGE]( By putting the stories of young people front and center, the small public-interest law firm has been a “leading light” in the climate litigation field. ADVERTISEMENT bit.ly/43NZ19U?wlbelineID=1765475 FUNDRAISING [DonorsChoose Sees Banner Donation Year With Help From Gates Foundation and Millions of Small Gifts]( By Glenn Gamboa, AP Business Writer [STORY IMAGE]( The nonprofit, which collects contributions to help teachers buy classroom supplies, is seeing a lot of engagement from donors at a time when overall giving is down, especially among young people. GIFTS ROUNDUP [Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Pledge $100 Million for Maui Wildfire Recovery]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Plus, MacKenzie Scott is continuing to give big to affordable-housing efforts with a $10 million contribution to Homestead Community Land Trust, and University of Mississippi, Ohio Wesleyan, and San Diego State University all landed major gifts. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [Nonprofits Can Vastly Improve Their Energy Efficiency — but Hurdles Stand in the Way]( Reporting requirements and arduous paperwork hold nonprofits back from taking advantage of federal incentives, says the president of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Webinar [Top Ways to Thank Donors and Inspire Loyalty]( [STORY IMAGE]( Before the critical year-end giving season begins, join us on Thursday, September 28, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn how to freshen your donor communications and donor recognition efforts. We’ll share insights from the latest research in donor psychology and offer practical advice on how to apply the findings. Get inspired by real-world examples of creative and fun ways nonprofits thank their donors. Plus, our expert guests will offer guidance on how to build a culture of gratitude at your organization. [Sign up today.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | The James Irvine Foundation [Reimagining Life After Incarceration]( Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online The founder of Project Veritas is under investigation amid accusations that he misspent the nonprofit’s funds while CEO. The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office declined to share details of the investigation, but the inquiry comes after the conservative nonprofit’s Board of Directors accused James O’Keefe of spending “an excessive amount of donor funds in the last three years on personal luxuries.” The organization, known for using undercover videos to target liberal institutions and people, ousted O’Keefe in February and sued him in May for mistreatment of employees and financial misconduct. O’Keefe’s lawyer said the investigation is the fault of “disgruntled former employees of Project Veritas who had a problem with their CEO using too many car services to pay for fundraising efforts, which paid their salaries.” ([Nation]( [Associated Press]( and [Daily Beast]( A philanthropy veteran is running a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring celebrities and athletes channel their giving in ways that comply with state and federal laws. For the past 10 years, the Social Impact Fund has helped more than 50 charitable efforts that have raised $80 million, the organization says. Its chief purpose is to handle all the red tape involved in protecting charitable assets so that donors and nonprofits can focus on their missions, says Craig Cichy, the impact fund’s executive director, Cichy, who previously was a program officer for philanthropic services at the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Hollywood’s original major fiscal sponsor, which was founded in 1942, told the magazine: “People are eager to do good,” he says. “But once stars wade into the paperwork involved, they often realize, ‘Oh my God, what did I get myself into?’ It’s not easy to do good.” ([Hollywood Reporter]( Plus, in the magazine’s annual philanthropy issue: - Why George Clooney, Charlize Theron and Colin Kaepernick Turn to the Entertainment Industry Foundation for Their Charity Work ([Hollywood Reporter]( - Actors Strike Creates Challenges for Charity Galas: “People Are Just Not Wanting to Be Seen Out and About” ([Hollywood Reporter]( More News - Match Group and Background-Checking Nonprofit End Safety Partnership ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - Prosecutors Charge 2 Men With Defrauding Donors in Telemarketing Schemes ([New York Times]( - Microsoft Says Listing the Ottawa Food Bank as a Tourist Destination Wasn’t the Result of ‘Unsupervised A.I.’ ([Verge]( - Sacramento Black Lives Matter Founder Settles Libel Lawsuit With Video Apology ([Sacramento Bee]( - Once a Force in Harlem, the Oldest Black Church in N.Y. Hangs On ([New York Times]( Wildfires and Nonprofits - Maui Fires Destroyed a Cultural Center of Native Hawaiian History ([Washington Post]( - ‘Miracles Occurred That Night’: a Mad Scramble to Save Maui Pets ([New York Times]( Health Care - Pay of Some Mass. Hospital Executives Jumped in Second Year of Pandemic ([Boston Globe]( - Hospital Bosses Love A.I. Doctors and Nurses Are Worried. ([Washington Post]( Housing Innovations - Can Tiny House Villages Be a Homelessness Fix? ([Bloomberg]( - Tiny Houses for the Homeless: What 2 Nonprofits Have Learned to Date ([Smart Cities Dive]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. EDITOR'S PICKS RESEARCH [Foundation Giving May Rise Slightly in 2023 as Assets Overcome Last Year’s Slump]( By Yesica Balderrama [STORY IMAGE]( Grant makers’ assets are estimated to have increased almost 8 percent during the first half of 2023 as global stock markets recovered from a tough 2022, according to a new report. OPINION [Want to Solve Polarization? Encourage More People to Volunteer]( By Eboo Patel [STORY IMAGE]( I’ve seen firsthand how volunteering can bridge deep political divides, says the author, who praises a new bipartisan report prescribing “Civic CPR” to bring the nation together. BIG DONORS [MacKenzie Scott Has Given 24 Nonprofits $146 Million in the First Half of 2023]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Nearly half went to early-childhood education and development, but she also gave to strengthen maternal health, combat infant mortality, create affordable housing, and more. WOMEN'S HEALTH [A Nonprofit’s Expensive Road to Inexpensive Birth Control]( By Sono Motoyama [STORY IMAGE]( Medicines360 developed a low-cost hormonal IUD but encountered challenges from the tax code, FDA regulations, and Medicare and Medicaid programs. It also spent $82 million. OPINION | WHAT WE'VE LEARNED [How a Donor’s Embrace of a Neglected Idea Allowed This Nonprofit to Thrive]( By Monica Aleman and Ndana Bofu-Tawamba [STORY IMAGE]( In an unusual move, the Ford Foundation helped a grantee build an investment portfolio. Two results: better fundraising and a $20 million MacKenzie Scott donation. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our next webinar]( — Are you sending out templated thank-you letters to donors? If so, you’re missing out on an opportunity to connect more deeply with your supporters. Savvy fundraisers take the time to customize communications that speak directly to a donor’s heart and inspire loyalty. How can you thank donors in ways that energize connection to your cause and further commitment to your organization? Join us September 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn the latest research in philanthropic psychology and learn how you can easily apply it to thank-you letters and campaigns to increase donor retention. We’ll share real-world examples and proven tips that work, no matter the size of your budget. Plus, you’ll learn about creative, fun ways nonprofits are showing gratitude that will likely spark your own ideas for fostering love for your organization. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Apply today](http://). [Vice Chancellor for Advancement]( The University of North Carolina at Pembroke [Corporate Partnerships Officer]( Promises2Kids [Senior Director of Annual Giving]( The University of Akron [Intermountain Regional Development Coordinator]( National Forest Foundation [Search other jobs.]( [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. 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