As Supreme Court Returns, Stacey Abrams and Julián Castro Urge Foundations to Protect Civil Rights

Plus, how to write grant proposals that get results, and financier John Paulson is giving Hebrew University $27 million 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 [It’s Open Season on Civil Rights. Philanthropy Must Not Retreat.]( By Stacey Abrams and Julián Castro [STORY IMAGE]( As a new Supreme Court session begins today, an onslaught of lawsuits will use the affirmative-action decision to try to chip away at other rights. Donors should prepare to fight back and recommit to funding racial justice. ADVERTISEMENT GRANT SEEKING [How to Write Grant Proposals That Get Results]( By Barbara Stratton [STORY IMAGE]( Mismatches between the narrative and the budget and misjudgments in the project scope are among the common reasons grant proposals fail. GIFTS ROUNDUP [Financier John Paulson Gives Hebrew U. $27 Million; 5 Other Nonprofits Win Big Gifts]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( MacKenzie Scott continues her giving spree to affordable-housing groups with a new $20 million donation to a housing organization in Vermont. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [Philanthropists Like Melinda French Gates Must Help Ensure Childbirth Is a Positive Experience]( Community-driven solutions are key to addressing Black maternal mortality, but need more support. Webinars [Smart Ways to Attract Online Donors]( [STORY IMAGE]( Before you finalize your year-end fundraising strategy, join us on Thursday, October 12, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn which online tactics are getting the best results now. You’ll learn from a vice president of online communications and a veteran fundraiser who oversees alumni engagement as they explain how to run successful online advertising campaigns, strategically time emails to maximize donor engagement, and work with social-media influencers to amplify your message, among other smart strategies. [Register by October 5 to get the early-bird rate.]( [Corporate Grant Seeking in the Current Climate]( [STORY IMAGE]( Corporations gave nearly $30 billion to charities in 2022, but many companies are redefining the focus of their giving. Company structures are changing, and grant makers feel greater pressure to show the impact of their donated dollars. How can nonprofits adjust to these changes and attract corporate support? What do companies seek from nonprofits? Join us on Thursday, October 26, at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn from a highly successful fundraiser and a leader who helps execute Boeing’s philanthropic efforts. [Register today.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | Independent Sector [Embracing Redemptive Activism: My Journey to Unite Communities]( Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online A rocky stock-market performance last year could presage a slump in giving from private foundations this year, according to a new survey. The 980 organizations surveyed by Foundation Source reported a 14.5 percent drop in net assets last year. On average, they gave away 6.6 percent of their total assets. with the smallest foundations — those worth $10 million or less — giving at greater rates than their wealthier counterparts. Although payout was greater than the 5 percent required by federal law, it represented a decline from grant making in 2021, when foundations directed 7.3 percent of their assets to charitable causes. ([Barron’s]( Many Latino nonprofits struggle to raise funds to serve their clientele, who are often stuck at the bottom of the income ladder. In Massachusetts, less than 2 percent of philanthropic contributions go to Latino groups, according to a 2020 report that estimated it would take 100 new nonprofits to serve the unmet needs of the state’s Latino population. Strapped for cash, existing groups tend to rely too heavily on volunteers and pay unsustainably low wages, one nonprofit executive said. ([WGBH]( Nonprofit Journalism News - The Society of Professional Journalists Faces a “Dire Situation” ([Nieman Lab]( - Questions Remain About Who Funded Sale of Maine Newspapers to Nonprofit ([Portland Press Herald]( - A New Chapter for Leadership at the 19th ([19th]( More News - Daniel Lurie Started Tech’s Favorite Charity. Can He Save Its Favorite City? ([Information]( - Billionaire T. Denny Sanford Cut From the Giving Pledge After Child Porn Probe Documents Released ([Forbes]( - Hidden Philanthropists: Film Unveils Secret Behind $500 Million Gift to Ben-Gurion University ([Jerusalem Post]( - Has the MacKenzie Scott Effect Come to Nought? ([Devex]( - Black-Led Collaboratives Step Up as Broader Equity Efforts Fade ([Devex]( - Kendi Raised Millions With Promises to Conquer Racism. What Went Wrong? ([Boston Globe]( - Editorial: Pittsburgh’s Efforts to Challenge Some Nonprofits’ Tax Exemptions Are Faltering ([Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]( - N.M. Supreme Court Orders Some Foundation Records Be Made Public ([Albuquerque Journal]( - What Social Responsibilities Should Companies Have? A New Approach ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - 5 Questions Companies Should Ask Themselves About Philanthropic Giving ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - Are Nonprofits The Permanent Government of New York City? ([City & State NY]( Legacy - Dolores Sanchez, Trailblazing L.A. Community Activist and Newspaper Publisher, Dies at 87 ([Los Angeles Times]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. EDITOR'S PICKS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION [Few People of Color Lead in Art Museums. Can Philanthropy Change That?]( By Kay Dervishi [STORY IMAGE]( Four philanthropies will spend more than $11 million to attract diverse talent to leadership roles in art museums. OPINION [Ibram X. Kendi’s Antiracism Center Is Struggling. Donors Share Some of the Blame.]( By Eboo Patel [STORY IMAGE]( If grant makers want to strengthen the racial-justice movement, they need to admit when things go wrong and ensure that better planning and accountability are in place the next time. OPINION [Why Democracy Donors Should Fund Drag Performers]( By Beatrice Thomas and Lane Harwell [STORY IMAGE]( As anti-drag protests put the art form in crisis, philanthropy needs to end its silence on this issue. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our next webinar]( — It can be difficult to develop a year-end drive that stands out from the crowd ― and hits fundraising goals — even in the best of times. But as inflation continues to pinch, and individual charitable giving continues its downward slide, this year’s so-called giving season could be quite challenging. Before you finalize your year-end fundraising strategy, join us to learn which online tactics are getting the best results now. Join us October 12 at 2 p.m. Eastern learn from a vice president of online communication and a veteran fundraiser who oversees alumni engagement. They’ll explain what it takes to create a successful online advertising campaign, how to strategically time emails to maximize donor engagement, and creative ways to work with social-media influencers to amplify your message. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Apply today](http://). 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