Bezos Earth Fund Helps Put Climate Change on Weather Forecasts

Plus, the case for funding climate activism; and five ways to dismantle the donor pyramid ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. GIVING [Bezos Earth Fund Grant Gets Climate Change on Local Weather Forecasts]( By Jim Rendon It once took months to understand the impact of human-caused climate change on extreme weather, but now scientists can determine that on a daily basis. Now TV meteorologists can relay that information to viewers. ADVERTISEMENT bit.ly/45kt9LK?wlbelineID=1804913 OPINION [Coco Gauff Won. So Did Climate-Change Protestors.]( By Margaret Klein Salamon Donors shouldn’t be afraid to fund protest actions like the one at the U.S. Open last week. Grassroots efforts that disrupt norms and challenge power are effective — even if they’re unpopular. FUNDRAISING [5 Ways to Dismantle the Donor Pyramid]( By Drew Lindsay Fundraisers are breaking from the 50-year-old orthodoxy — and getting results. COMMUNITY FOUNDATION DATA [Why Candid Is Shifting Key Resources to the Council on Foundations]( By Glenn Gamboa, AP Business Writer It’s a rare move in the nonprofit world — one organization moving its resources to another so it can bring it a wider audience. Webinar [Top Ways to Thank Donors and Inspire Loyalty]( 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 California Endowment [Investing in the Infrastructure of Power]( VIRTUAL FORUMS & BRIEFINGS [Today: Understanding the Basics and Benefits of A.I.]( As Artificial Intelligence captures headlines, experts acknowledge its power but urge nonprofit leaders to ensure its use is ethical and equitable. What are the fundamentals to understand about A.I., and how can nonprofits use A.I. to streamline and grow? Join us today, September 12, at 2 p.m. Eastern for a free online forum that will help you develop a foundational understanding of this technology, offer examples and tips for how to harness it, and share guidance on pitfalls to avoid. [Register now]( and join us this afternoon. [Leveraging Data Analysis to Boost Major Gifts]( Ideally major-gift fundraisers should focus only on supporters who are affluent, generous, and committed to their cause. Yet this requires data on donors’ involvement with an organization as well as their giving history and financial capacity. Smart leaders understand this and ensure that they analyze and organize donor data to make it actionable. Join us on September 19 at 2 p.m. Eastern for a free online forum to learn how savvy nonprofits are making the most of their data to boost major gifts. [Register today.]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Correction Monday’s Philanthropy Today incorrectly mentioned that the Institute for Policy Studies’ recent report found that donor-advised funds accounted for “most of the public charities in the U.S. in 2021.” It should have stated that DAFs accounted for more than half of the top 20 charities by contributions in 2021. It also stated that DAFs took in $234 billion in contributions in 2021. Instead, it should have said that DAF assets amounted to $234 billion in 2021. We apologize for the errors. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told CNN that the group has had to increase security since Elon Musk accused it of trying to undermine X, formerly known as Twitter. Musk, in a series of posts on X, had blamed the group for a precipitous decline in advertising on the platform. But, according to Greenblatt, while the ADL was part of a coalition that pushed for a pause on advertising last year, it has “not in any meaningful way been activating that” in recent months. ([CNN]( and [Atlantic]( An anti-hunger campaign by the Michael Kors fashion house is marking 10 years of social-media appeals and merchandise sales that have raised about $7.5 million to feed children in the developing world. The effort, called Watch Hunger Stop, is a partnership with the U.N. World Food Program. The program has so far funded the equivalent of 30 million school meals, and a company spokeswoman said it expects to donate another 3 million meals in the campaign year beginning in October. ([New York Times]( More News - Constant Arrivals: New York City Is Feeling the Strain From the Migrant Crisis, Leaving Faith Groups to Fill the Gaps ([Dispatch]( - Knight Foundation Announces It Is Contributing $14 Million to Improve Macon, Ga. Here’s How ([13WMAZ]( - Pope Calls Out Corporate ‘Carewashing,’ Covering Up Violations With Charity ([Catholic News Service]( - The Origin of Elon Musk’s Feud With Bill Gates, According to Musk’s New Biography ([CNN]( - Nonprofits Ask Hollywood to Step Up Support as Donations to Abortion Access Groups Slow ([Hollywood Reporter]( - When a Small, Nonprofit News Site Gets Sued for Defamation ([Isthmus]( - Sarah Wunsch, ACLU Attorney Whose Rights Cases Reached Far, Dies at 75 ([Boston Globe]( - Broadway Director Stevie Walker-Webb to Head Baltimore Center Stage ([Washington Post]( - In France, Some Ask: Why Won’t Morocco Take Our Help? ([New York Times]( - He Couldn’t Install Solar at Home, So He Helps Nonprofits Do It ([Canary Media]( Opinion - Mark Suzman: The Roots of the Global South’s New Resentment ([Foreign Affairs]( - I Went To an Overdose Prevention Site. Biden and Newsom Need to Stop Blocking Them ([Los Angeles Times]( EDITOR'S PICKS FUNDRAISING LEADERSHIP [The Donor Pyramid May Be Bad for Giving. Can We Do Better?]( By Drew Lindsay How a dominant fundraising theory took root, what it gets wrong, and how to change. TECHNOLOGY [From Diaper Banks to Disaster Relief: How A.I. Is Changing Nonprofit Operations]( By Sara Herschander Public interest in artificial intelligence has exploded in recent months, but it’s been quietly transforming nonprofit operations for years. As more groups use artificial intelligence, they’re getting a sense of the benefits and risks of an A.I.-driven future. FUNDRAISING [How to Hold On to Prospective Donors When Fundraisers Leave: a Conference Debrief]( By Rasheeda Childress Other hot topics at APRA’s annual meeting: the promise of A.I. and due diligence on donors to prevent reputational damage. ADVERTISEMENT bit.ly/3OUO8Oi?wlbelineID=1804932 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://). [Senior Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine]( University of Utah Health [Director of Advancement, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics]( University of Utah Health [Director of Development]( St. Cloud State University [Development Director, Major Gifts]( Optica [Manager, Scientific Programs - Foundation for Physical Therapy Research]( American Physical Therapy Association [Major Gift Officer, Student Life]( Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [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