Feb. 12, 2015

As readers of the digital and print editions of The Chronicle receive our latest issue, you will notice that the Philanthropy 50 list differs from what you see online. We updated the web version after learning about a $1.9-billion donation from Bill and Melinda Gates.

Nonprofits are improving their work by making a point of hearing from the people they serve.

The Campaign for Female Education serves 100,000 children annually.

Charities need to think about what would motivate clients to share their opinions and their experiences and how the information will be used.

Competition over who gave the most has been with us since Carnegie and Rockefeller, but now rankings reflect tough questions about philanthropy itself.

College giving rose 11 percent, while estimates suggest overall giving rose 2 percent to 9 percent.

Getting feedback from clients is changing how the Center for Employment Opportunities runs its programs.

But even as tech leaders increase their giving, some worry that too little is going to deal with problems in the Bay Area.

The Columbia Sportswear chief decided to give her fortune to cancer research rather than have the money taxed and used to “buy bullets.”

The Foundation Fighting Blindness is trying to raise $100-million with the help of a $50-million donation from its founder, Gordon Gund.

Donors are pouring money into programs that are too experimental or obscure to qualify for government funds.

Twelve of America’s most generous donors, including Jan Koum, the 38-year-old founder of the messaging company WhatsApp, are in Silicon Valley and beyond, and many are under 40.

More Than Me, an American charity, relied on its long commitment to communicating with constituents when the crisis struck.

Showing the potential for strong returns and establishing close ties with the CFO are among the ways top fundraisers get bosses and boards to spend more.

Randy Rutta, who has worked at the charity for more than three decades, is focusing on raising money from people in their mid 30s and 40s.

Rhea Suh, a former top government official and grant maker, becomes the first Asian-American to head the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Providence Talks, which coaches low-income parents to promote language development in their young children by talking to them more, is showing early signs of success.

“The Hunting Ground” should inspire college donors, legislators, and others to get serious about curbing sexual violence.

The $4-trillion plan would also raise the capital-gains tax but would provide an exemption if the assets are donated to charity.

Nationwide joins forces with a nonprofit to prevent accidents but is criticized for its ad’s morbid tone.

A nonprofit advocate today won a victory in his battle to force the tax agency to make information about tax-exempt groups more accessible.

Bill and Melinda Gates are now trying to enlist every citizen in philanthropy, not just fellow billionaires.

Charities have much to learn from business on the importance of hiring more women and minorities.

Let’s apply social networking concepts to how we help social-service groups and others care for a fast-growing part of our population.