March 1, 2017

Increasingly stocked with well-paid, well-educated leaders and staffs, the nonprofit world risks disconnecting with middle- and working-class Americans.

These organizations are rethinking hiring, salary, and even internships to add people of modest means to their ranks.

Raised in poverty, Rodney Christopher now makes decisions on granting and investing millions. He says much of the philanthropic world places little value on his life experience.

Foundations won’t survive the Trump era if they act like they have all the answers, the Hudson Institute’s William Schambra writes, but Amir Pasic of the Lilly School says philanthropy’s support of varied institutions and communities promotes pluralism and checks autocracy.

Most large grant makers give about 5 percent of assets annually, according to a Chronicle analysis. Critics say they should do better. Plus, see our interactive guide to giving rates at the nation’s biggest foundations.

There were very few indigenous Alaskans working as scientists and engineers before a college-based program helped boost their numbers.

By law, private foundations must distribute at least 5 percent of their assets each year. This analysis of nearly 30 of the biggest foundations shows few choose to exceed that amount.

Taking more risks, talking about failure, and listening to grantees are perhaps more important than popular ideas like impact investing and focusing on evaluation.

Charities are worried about the tax overhaul the president has promised. But they also should seize the opportunity to push for changes on other fronts that could be equally important.

A heartbreaking film on the death of coral reefs, combined with carefully targeted campaigns to put voters and lawmakers together, offers a road map for pushing change.

The leader of Feeding America and former head of Independent Sector worries that not enough is being done to fight federal budget cuts and protect the charitable deduction.

Garth Graham is focusing grant making on issues like violence and access to fresh food that can have a big impact on public health.

A push to allow religious groups and other charities to get involved in partisan politics is really a back-door way to promote Christian conservative causes.

Information the museum collects on visitors’ movements through the galleries is helping it identify patterns that guide marketing decisions.

By thinking of different systems and services as “products” and putting someone in charge of their success, organizations are quickly improving their processes and gaining efficiency.