Cover Story
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News
Can Philanthropy Save Democracy?
A growing number of grant makers of all ideologies see restoring constructive dialogue among citizens and fairness at the ballot box as vital to their cause.
Highlights
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News
Fixing Democracy: Grant Makers Want to Help People Use Their Voices
Some are working to get specific segments of the population more involved in civic affairs while others are taking a broader-based approach to educate people about the Constitution and the political system. -
Mission
Fun With Gerrymandering: Foundations Use Software to Give Lessons in Civics
A group of seven grant makers in Pennsylvania recently ventured into some unusual territory for most of them: the arcane world of congressional redistricting.
Features
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Fundraising
Texting to Connect With Donors — and Spur Gifts
With response rates dropping in email and direct mail, more nonprofits are turning to text messaging to communicate with donors. -
Advice
How to Incorporate Text Messaging Into Your Fundraising
Nonprofit officials and development consultants offer advice on how organizations can use text messaging to bring in donations. -
Advocacy
Color of Change’s Bitter Feud With Facebook
The clash has gotten ugly at times as the president of Color of Change has pushed the social-media giant to curb online harassment of black activists and take down inflammatory posts by white nationalists. -
Leadership
How Rashad Robinson Turned Color of Change Into an Activist Group for a New Generation
Using boycotts, walkouts, protests, and media savvy, the Color of Change leader is a veteran of campaigns designed to expand power for black people. -
Management and Leadership
Crowdsourced List of Museum Salaries Goes Viral, Exposing Pay Inequities
An idea that came up at a happy hour earlier this year prompted an informal information-gathering project that has drawn a worldwide response. -
Q&A
Outspoken Donor Says Philanthropy Must Change — Both Fundraisers and Donors
Lisa Greer offers straight talk about the mistakes fundraisers make in approaching donors and her frustration with board members who don’t make charitable gifts.
Departments
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Face of Philanthropy
Nonprofit Helps People With Disabilities Make Art While Making a Living
The entrepreneurial model of Art Enables gives people with disabilities the opportunity to market their work and earn an income. -
News
Editor’s Notebook: A Focus on Ethics
As the Association of Fundraising Professionals kicks off its ethics month, our opinion pages turn to tough questions facing donors, grant makers, and development professionals. -
News
Walton Family Foundation Taps Unicef USA Official as Leader (Transitions)
In other news about people in philanthropy, Nicholas Tedesco will become president and CEO of the National Center for Family Philanthropy. -
Technology
VMware Makes $2.5 Million Investment in TechSoup’s Growth Campaign
The organization seeks both gifts and debt investments in its $11.5 million drive to expand technology services to nonprofits. -
Fundraising
Charities Experiment With Fundraising Through USPS Informed Delivery Service
The free U.S. Postal Service tool sends emails to those who subscribe that preview the mail they’ll receive that afternoon. Some nonprofits are exploring how to use this service to attract donations. -
Advice
How to Attract Corporate Support for a Gala
Consider all the ways your nonprofit interacts with companies and customize sponsorship deals
Opinion
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Opinion
A Tricky Balance: Making Museums More Inclusive Without Demonizing Wealthy Patrons (Opinion)
Contradictions in the response by Darren Walker, head of the Ford Foundation, demonstrate the tensions facing many people in philanthropy. -
Opinion
As Distrust in Big Philanthropy Grows, Here’s How Leading Foundations Are Demonstrating Their Value (Opinion)
By seeking the views of the people they serve, diversifying their advisory bodies, and demonstrating how they learn what works, grant makers can cement their compact with society, -
Opinion
MIT Scandal Exposes a Crisis of Ethics at All Nonprofits We Must Fix (Opinion)
At too many charities, we value donations over everything else. If fundraisers don’t work to improve the situation, we face loss of trust from donors and possible government regulation.