Philanthropy Today - Philanthropy.com

These are items on other Web sites that are of interest to the nonprofit world. The Chronicle has no control over their content or availability. To reach the Philanthropy Today staff, send an e-mail message to daily.news@philanthropy.com

Compiled by Noelle Barton, Caroline Bermudez, Maria Di Mento, Audrey Hill, and Anne W. Howard.

RSS / Atom

May 14, 2008

Getty Trust Cuts 114 Jobs to Free Money for Arts Programs

The J. Paul Getty Trust, in Los Angeles, is cutting 114 positions so it can free resources to spend on its visual-arts programs, reports The Los Angeles Times.

However, fewer than 40 people have been laid off, as many positions were saved through attrition, retirement, or buyout packages, the newspaper reports. The organization said it achieved much of its goal through savings on maintenance, information technology, and security.

The decision to reduce the number of staff members came after a strategic-planning effort conducted by its chief executive, James Wood, who took over the institution in early 2007, the newspaper reports.

“This is to ensure that we have flexible funds to devote to both building our collections,” Mr. Wood told the newspaper, “and undertake targeted strategic initiatives where we feel we can really make a difference.”

(Free registration is required to view this article.)

Teach for America Sees Surge in Applications

Applications to participate in Teach for America’s two-year program have risen by more than one third this year, in part because of a slow economy and better recruitment work on the part of the nonprofit organization, reports the Associated Press.

The program’s reputation is helping with fund raising and with recruiting on college campuses, the news agency reports. It has seen applications soar to 25,000, and its annual budget has increased from $40-million in 2005 to about $110-million this year, a change that has allowed for more recruiting.

At least one major donor, Eli Broad, who has given $16-million to the organization, is planning a larger contribution in the near future.

“It’s one of the best investments our foundation has made,” Mr. Broad, a California financier, tells the Associated Press.

Still, some critics observe that Teach for America teachers are less likely to embark on a full teaching profession than traditionally trained teachers and more often leave the classroom behind. The organization estimates that one-third of its alumni stay in the classroom, the news agency reports.

Read a Chronicle special report about the growth spurt of Teach for America and other new organizations seeking to spread their ideas across the country.

(Free registration is required to view the AP article on the Washington Post site, and a paid subscription or short-term pass is required to view the Chronicle article.)

Houston Lawyer Gives $15-Million to Alma Mater

Joe Jamail, a Houston lawyer known for winning an $11-billion lawsuit for Pennzoil over Texaco in 1985, is giving $15-million to his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, reports The Houston Chronicle.

Mr. Jamail, 82, wants $10-million to go to the law school and the remaining $5-million will be split between the nursing school and undergraduate programs, the newspaper reports.

Director of Georgia Aquarium Heads to Ohio

The Georgia Aquarium’s executive director, Jeff Swanagan, is leaving the organization for the top post at he Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Mr. Swanagan will return to his roots in Columbus, where he was once zookeeper and later, from 1982 to 1987, the Columbus Zoo’s education director, the newspaper reports. Mike Leven, a Georgia Aquarium board member who is also vice chairman of the Marcus Foundation, is now acting chief executive.

Mr. Swanagan helped develop the Georgia Aquarium with the billionaire Bernie Marcus, who provided $250-million for the facility. It has the world’s largest fish tank.

Read a Chronicle article about the aquarium in our special report on charities and design, and read this profile of Mr. Marcus.

(A paid subscription or short-term pass is required to view the Chronicle articles.)

From The Chronicle: Donors Respond to Global Disasters

Donations to help victims of the Myanmar cyclone continued to mount on Wednesday, even as charities faced enormous hurdles in bringing aid to the country. More than $8-million has been pledged so far to some of the biggest aid organizations in the United States, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports.

At the same time, groups have begun collecting money to aid victims of this week’s earthquake in China.

From The Chronicle: IRS Denies Tax Status to Group That Spends Too Little on Charity

In a ruling that could have implications for many charities, the Internal Revenue Service has denied a tax exemption to an organization in part because the group did not spend enough of its money on charitable programs, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports.

Prospecting: Election-Year Fund Raising

Fund raising for the political campaigns often poses challenges for charities — but also plenty of opportunities, notes a new item on Prospecting, an online fund-raising column published by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Plus, see new posts on the psychology of donor auctions and how to appeal to female donors.

Government and Politics Watch: IRA Donations to Charity

A lawmaker wants to put an unusual limit on a tax incentive to encourage older people to give money from their individual retirement accounts, notes the Chronicle’s Government and Politics Watch blog. The goal is to penalize donors who support colleges that have big endowments — and high tuition costs.

Online Discussion Next Week: Charity Marketing

Charities need to find new ways to market their causes as the communications landscape has changed so significantly.

To learn how your organization can best compete for attention and reach out to new supporters, join marketing expert Seth Godin for a live online discussion on Tuesday, May 20, at noon Eastern time.

The discussion is open to everyone, not just Chronicle subscribers.

People who ask questions in advance have a better chance of receiving answers during the online discussion.

May 13, 2008

San Francisco Seeks to Persuade People to Give to Charity, Not to Panhandlers

Officials in San Francisco hope a new effort to use 10 old parking meters to collect spare change will help the city’s homeless population and cut down on panhandling, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.

Instead of giving directly to panhandlers, the money will be given to charities that help the homeless, the newspaper reports. Other cities, such as Denver and Baltimore, have used this method — which does not necessarily raise a lot of money for charity — as a way to cut down on panhandling.

At least one charity official, Sister Bernie Galvin, executive director of Religious Witness With Homeless People, panned the plan, calling it “utterly ridiculous.” She said it was based on a stereotype that all panhandlers use every nickel and dime to buy drugs and alcohol.

“Forget the children, forget the mothers who are struggling to raise their family homeless or in inadequate housing,” she said. “Will the city never give up on trying to find ways to make the lives of homeless people harder?”

Another San Francisco Chronicle article reports on results in other cities with similar programs.