Philanthropic practice

A recent news article by Next City showcases the power of investing in the creative economy, focusing on Manhattan's La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club and its capital campaign.

Philadelphia was recently awarded $4 million by the MacArthur Foundation with the goal of decreasing the city’s jail population by 50 percent by 2020. The plan to cut the prison population comes after the city was able to surpass its original target reduction of 34 percent over three years, reported WHYY.

This year's Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) conference in Singapore gave prominence to the topic of impact investing. It is no surprise considering that Asia sets an example on its use of capital for social ends, according to an article in Alliance magazine.

In a recent report on how funders are collecting and using demographic data PEAK Grantmaking learned that about half of grantmakers are collecting this data. "Of that half, almost all of them are collecting information on the communities that nonprofits serve, and less than half of them are collecting information on the board and staff leadership of the nonprofits," explains a post by Philanthropy New York.

Back in 2016, local Pittsburgh artists Jerome Charles and Max Gonzales were arrested for being the "Most Wanted Graffiti Artists in Pittsburgh," local media reports recall.

In 2012, Giving Tuesday (the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the US) was launched by the 92nd Street Y in partnership with the United Nations Foundation to encourage global giving focusing on the holiday and end-of-year giving.

The article How Grantmakers Can Use Power Mindfully to Advance Equity, part of the "Power in Philanthropy" series presented by Stanford Social Innovation Review and the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, addresses that even if there may be barriers to utilizing power ethically and responsibly, "funders can —and must—overcome them to truly advance equity and justice."

In a recent interview with Philanthropy News Digest, Lori Villarosa, founder and executive director of the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE), discussed racial equity, racial justice, and how the philanthropic field is working towards a more just society.

One of philanthropy’s responses to the horrific Oct. 27 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that left 11 people dead came from Grant Oliphant, president of The Heinz Endowments, in a poignant blog post. (See the full post on GIA's Arts Funders Respond page.)

In a recent blog post, Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), reflected on the role of the Council on Foundations (COF) and how a strong voice for foundations is needed, in Washington and with the public, "to articulate the unique role of institutional philanthropy."