Jon M. Hunstman Sr. is pouring a good portion of his fortune into fighting cancer.

Monica Almeida/The New York Times/Redux

Many donors want to help the poor -- but their giving patterns don't accomplish that goal.

Rick Friedman, for The Chronicle

Joan Goshgarian, of the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts, quizzes Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

From the issue dated January 24, 2008 About the Philanthropy 50 THE MOST-GENEROUS AMERICANS committed a total of $7.3-billion to charity last year: The Chronicle's annual ranking of top donors. "ANONYMOUS" is not on the list, but he or she could be, as donations from unnamed sources make up a larger and larger share of major gifts to charity. A PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS led Constance M. Silver into social work, and eventually to a gift of $50-million made with her husband to New York University's School of Social Work. IMPROVING CHILDREN'S LIVES is the key aim of the $75-million that Harvey E. Najim, a San Antonio businessman, has put into the family foundation that bears his name. A UTAH BILLIONAIRE who has survived several bouts with cancer, Jon M. Huntsman Sr. directs a big share of his fortune to treating and finding a cure for the disease. WITH A PLEDGE OF $60-MILLION, Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler became, by a large measure, the most-generous benefactors of a small Christian college near Boston. GIVING TOGETHER has become a priority for more and more wealthy couples, and new programs are springing up to help them do it well. About Giving and Grant Making POVERTY AND CLIMATE CHANGE are among the top areas for investment and grant making announced by Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the search-engine company. DONORS SAY they want to help alleviate poverty, but they overestimate how much of their money actually serves that purpose, two Google executives told participants at a conference at Stanford University. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER has received a pledge of $50-million; other recent gifts to nonprofit organizations and institutions. SUMMARIES OF ANNUAL REPORTS from the George Gund Foundation, the Lumina Foundation for Education, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. THE FACE OF PHILANTHROPY: The National Outdoor Leadership School trains people to take top roles at conservation groups or other jobs that demand leadership skills. RECENT GRANTS by foundations, corporations, and other grant makers. About Fund Raising THE AMERICAN RED CROSS, grappling with serious budget and fund-raising shortfalls, announced it would soon begin laying off a significant number of employees at its national offices. DIRECT-MAIL APPEALS are becoming less and less effective, especially in their ability to attract new donors, according to the latest survey by the Target Analysis Group. UPDATE ON CAMPAIGNS for endowments, capital improvements, and other needs. INTEREST RATES for planned gifts, issued by the Internal Revenue Service. About Managing Nonprofit Groups THE NONPROFIT PRIMARY PROJECT is working to get the nonprofit world on the radar screens of the presidential contenders. FEAR OF VIOLATING INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE RULES has made nonprofit groups wary of engaging in politics, but experts say many forms of political activity are permissible. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL has been sued by its San Antonio branch over an agreement affiliates have been asked to sign that the branch alleges will undercut local control of finances and policy. RECRUITING RELIEF WORKERS with the right set of skills to deal with the increasing volatility around the globe has become a difficult task for international aid groups. GIVEWELL, a nonprofit group that touts openness in philanthropy, has demoted its executive director for promoting the group on the Internet under an assumed name. THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE does not do enough to help small nonprofit groups understand its rules, a national taxpayer advocate reported to Congress. THE MILLIONS OF OLDER AMERICANS who do not work are a rich resource that nonprofit groups should tap to fill personnel and volunteer needs, says a report from the Urban Institute. THREE FORMER LEADERS of a defunct nonprofit organization in Boston were convicted in federal court of lying to procure charitable donations and using them to support Islamic militants. SIBLING RIVALRY? One Boston-area charity is suing another over the right to use "Big Sisters" in its name. HAVING GROWN UP in San Francisco's Filipino community, Ron Muriera, the new head of the city's Manilatown Heritage Foundation, well understands the constituency he serves (New on the Job). About Technology TWO ONLINE GIVING PORTALS, Network for Good and JustGive.org, saw huge increases in donations last year over 2006. GUIDESTAR, a group that provides financial and other information about nonprofit organizations, has added a feature to its Web site that allows visitors to make donations to charities. EFFORTS TO DESIGN VIDEO GAMES that promote social change and good health have gotten a significant boost from two grant makers, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur and Robert Wood Johnson Foundations. Also in This Issue OPINION: Pablo Eisenberg asks whether Americans are really all that generous, and Robert Egger urges a new generation of nonprofit leaders to rededicate themselves to social change. LETTERS: on a watchdog's standards for grading charities and GiveWell's efforts to evaluate grant seekers. NEW BOOKS: A guide to selecting endowment managers, a handbook to help philanthropists find their passions, and a primer on building strong relationships with donors, plus summaries of other publications on efforts to help poor people build financial assets and international grant making. PRESS CLIPPINGS: Fortune magazine profiles the role Melinda Gates plays in her family's foundation, and Moment looks at what motivates women to give. PEOPLE: Appointments and promotions in the nonprofit world. AWARDS: Honors for people and organizations in philanthropy.