Philanthropy as Antidote to Polarization

Plus, how nonprofits can use flexible scheduling; and a $200 million gift to search for extraterrestrial life ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. A COUNTRY DIVIDED [Philanthropy’s Job in Polarized America: Make Partners of Enemies, a New Poll Says]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( Many Americans see foundations as key to brokering peace and forging partnerships between opposing sides. ADVERTISEMENT MANAGING WORKERS [Nonprofits That Can’t Offer All Employees Remote or Hybrid Work Still Have Options]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( Organizations are offering more time off, flexible scheduling, and other benefits to employees who need to work in-person. GIFTS ROUNDUP [Scientist Leaves $200 Million to Boost the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Plus, Hoag Hospital in California landed a $50 million gift for dementia care, and financier Ken Griffin gave $30 million to the National Medal of Honor Museum. Webinars [November 16 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Capturing the attention of people of different ages often requires tailored approaches online and off; but a fundraising strategy that appeals to all generations can boost giving and donor retention rates. Join us for a 75-minute webinar in which our expert guests will help you understand how to develop donor communications that attract cross-generational support. Plus, we’ll arm you with practical tips you can apply to your online year-end outreach. SPONSOR CONTENT | Center for Creative Leadership [Building Mission-Driven Trust: A Nonprofit's Winning Formula]( Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online The Georgia voting-rights nonprofit founded by Stacey Abrams that is often credited with helping secure Democratic victories in the state faces allegations of financial mismanagement and a chaotic workplace culture. The New Georgia Project is conducting an internal probe of its finances after a series of firings or resignations of top executives. Among the irregularities cited by current and former employees and board members are the use of gift cards to allow employees to front work expenses without tracking spending and disputed payments to former CEO Nse Ufot, who was fired last year. Leaders of the group and its sister 501(c)(4) organization, the New Georgia Project Action Fund, acknowledge past mistakes and vow more transparency, but one said the group sometimes hires people without management experience in an effort to employ those from the marginalized communities it serves. ([Politico]( Background from the Chronicle: [Georgia Senate Runoff Shows Philanthropy’s Power to Mobilize Voters]( Months after touting its growth to employees, Google billionaires Eric and Wendy Schmidt are terminating one of their philanthropic corporation’s programs and have abruptly parted ways with its CEO. Schmidt Futures is ending its Quad Fellowship, a partnership with the White House that gives grants to science and technology students in multiple countries. Another partnership with Oxford University’s Rhodes Trust that gives scholarships and mentorships to teenagers globally is under review. A spokesperson for the Schmidts and the company, which has a $400 million annual budget, said the shifts are part of a five-year assessment, but both programs are part of the legacy of departed CEO Eric Braverman, whom sources said left in August after an unspecified investigation, with a handful of employees resigning soon afterward. Neither the Schmidts nor Braverman would comment on his departure. ([Forbes]( subscription) Israel-Hamas War - Billionaires Discuss $50 Million Anti-Hamas Media Blitz ([Semafor]( - Maryland Democrats Threaten Funding of Immigrant Rights Group That Called for Gaza Ceasefire ([Intercept]( - With Israel at War, What Counts as a Worthy Jewish Cause? ([Forward]( - Penn’s Donor Backlash Raises Questions About How Much Influence Philanthropists Should Have ([Philadelphia Inquirer]( - Harvard, Columbia and Penn Pledge to Fight Antisemitism on Campus ([New York Times]( - Activists Take to Guggenheim Museum to Denounce Israeli Airstrikes ([Hyperallergic]( - Pittsburgh Museum Apologizes for Handling of Islamic Art Show ([New York Times]( More News - Rockefeller Unveils First Batch of Grants From $1B Climate Pledge ([Devex]( - Ken Griffin Gives $30 Million to Medal of Honor Museum in Texas ([Bloomberg]( - In Philanthropic Private Equity, Billionaires Have Discovered a New Way to Give Away Their Fortunes ([Observer]( - Late Tech Mogul Left South Bay Nonprofit $200 Million For Alien Research ([San Francisco Chronicle]( - University of South Carolina Law School to Expand, Get a New Name With $30M From Prominent Lowcountry Attorney ([Columbia Post and Courier]( - Carnegie Mellon Receives $25M Gift for Computational Biology From Trustee and Wife ([Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]( - University Of Northern Iowa Gets Largest Gift in Its History. How Will It Be Used? ([Des Moines Register]( - Miami Real Estate Mogul Donates $25 Million for Pérez Art Museum’s ‘Rainy Day’ Fund ([Miami Herald]( Immigration and Homelessness - Migrants Flown to Chicago by Catholic Charities in San Antonio, Even With Winter Approaching, and No Place to Sleep ([Chicago Tribune]( - Nonprofits Making Progress in Tackling Homelessness Among Veterans, but Challenges Remain ([Associated Press]( - They Arrived Homeless. Now They’re Helping Others Make New York Home. ([New York 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 RESEARCH [Chronicle’s Exclusive Survey Finds Skittish Donors and Fundraisers Searching for a New Normal]( By Rasheeda Childress and Emily Haynes [STORY IMAGE]( Most fundraisers said they expect their groups to raise enough money to meet their goals this year, but there’s a deep sense of unease about the economy. OPINION [Fed Up with How College Students are Behaving? Fund a Campus Pluralism Center]( By Eboo Patel [STORY IMAGE]( Donors frustrated with the response on college campuses to the Hamas attack on Israel should consider endowing centers that teach students how to cooperate across differences. GOVERNMENT AND REGULATION [The Student-Loan Forgiveness Program That More Nonprofit Workers Should Know About]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( Millions of workers have yet to take advantage of a program that could free them from an average of nearly $100,000 in debt. SPONSOR CONTENT | NewsMatch [How Funders Support Journalism with Ease and Precision]( Our society’s need for trusted journalism has never been stronger – that’s where independent, nonprofit news comes in. RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our next webinar]( — Crafting appeals that resonates with donors in their 70s, those in their 20s ― and everyone in between ― is challenging. Capturing the attention of people at different stages in their lives often requires tailored approaches on both online and offline communication channels. That’s why many fundraisers are devising multi-generational fundraising strategies to boost giving and donor retention rates. Join us November 16 at 2 p.m. Eastern for a 75-minute webinar in which our expert guests will help you understand how to develop donor communications that attract cross-generational support, no matter whether you want to attract more Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, or even Gen Z supporters. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Apply today](http://). [Senior Major Gifts Officer]( Catalina Island Conservancy [Associate Director of Development, Institutional Giving, Performing Arts]( Shakespeare Theatre Company [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