Homeless Man Leaves Behind Surprise: $4 Million

National Public Radio reports on the life and death of Richard Leroy Walters, a Phoenix man who died homeless but left an estate worth $4-million to several nonprofit groups, including NPR.

Full-text post via National Public Radio(NPR),7.31.09.

Fresh Faces of Philanthropy

A Florida boy, age 11, Helps Fight Homelessness Through Walk To D.C., Part Of a Growing Trend of Youths Who Reach Out.

Full text article by Susan Kinzie and is available via The Washington Post , 7.12.09.

2009 Manning Fundraiser Raises over $600,000 for the New Eli Manning Children’s Clinics

Friends of Children’s Hospital (Friends) announced today that over $600,000 was raised at the 2009 fundraiser, “An Evening with the Mannings, Presented by BankPlus.” The proceeds from this event will benefit Friends and the recently-opened Eli Manning Children’s Clinics at the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children.

Full text press release available via Business Wire, 7.17.09.

Name Change Follows Top Donor's Default on Pledge at Florida Atlantic U.

Florida Atlantic University will remove the name of an insurance magnate, Barry Kaye, from its business school after Mr. Kaye said he would not fulfill a $16-million pledge, which had been the university's largest, the Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post reported.

Full-text posting is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.30.09.

Donate by Text Message

Add philanthropy to the growing list of applications for mobile phones. One of the newest and most interesting innovations to combine philanthropy and technology is mobile giving.

Mobile phone users can text a word such as HOPE (American Cancer Society), RIGHTS (Amnesty International), BED (Malaria No More), MEALS (Food Lifeline) or many others to a designated short code and contribute $5 or $10 to a cause. The Bellevue-based Mobile Giving Foundation acts as a clearinghouse for donations, helping non-profits set up codes and settling the billing between carriers and charities. The charges appear on donors' cell phone bills.

Full-text article by Kristi Heim is available via The Seattle Times, 7.27.09.

The New Generation of Philanthropists

For a new generation of philanthropists, giving to charity isn't just about writing checks. Instead, the focus is on volunteering, socializing, and networking -- while also contributing to good causes.

Full-text article by Kimberly Palmer is available via the U.S. News & World Report, 7.27.09.

52% of Charities Saw Drop in Spring Donations, Survey Finds

Just over half of charities saw a drop in donations between March and May of this year, the same portion as reported a decline between October and February, according to a survey by the nonprofit watchdog group Guidestar.

Full-text article by Caroline Preston is available via The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 7.23.09.

The Leaner Baby Boomer Economy

The downturn is putting a crimp on baby boomers' free-spending ways, and the likes of Mercedes and Starwood Hotels are scrambling to keep up.

Full-text article by David Welch is available via BusinessWeek, 7.23.09.

Boost Performance By Tapping Employees' Altruism

Recent research shows that high potential employees (women but also men) are seriously motivated by a desire to give back to the world, and increasingly seek out employers that allow them to reach out and give back on company time.

Full-text article by Sylvia Ann Hewlett is available via Bloomberg.com, 7.21.09.

President Obama Visits Children's National Medical Center

Congratulations to Children’s National Medical Center for hosting President Obama this week. The President visited with doctors and CNMC leaders. The hospital is one of the nation’s premier pedicatric centers.

More information is available via the Children's National website.

Religious Giving in Uncertain Times Conference

Clergy and nonprofit leaders came together to discuss challenges and opportunities in religious giving and fundraising in 2009 and beyond during a one-day conference held May 4 in Indianapolis. The Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the Center and Christian Theological Seminary hosted the event.

Center on Philanthropy staff shared current research findings and anecdotal insights about giving to religion during recessions. Two panels of clergy and nonprofit leaders discussed what and how they are learning from the current economic crisis, and participants engaged their peers about ways to translate information shared during the day into proactive plans for their own organizations.

Read a summary of the event, access the latest research, and view photos.

Lower Donations: Colleges, Universities Feel the Pain

Less than three weeks after their fiscal year ended, colleges and universities are sorting through the results of fundraising campaigns conducted during the worst recession since the Great Depression. Though the numbers are hardly catastrophic, many have seen declines in the smaller gifts used to cover annual expenses.

Full-text article by Childs Walker is available via The Baltimore Sun, 7.20.09.

In American Cities, Ranks of Wealthy Donors to Solicit Thin

The number of millionaires in the biggest 10 cities in the United States declined by more than 15 percent last year, a discouraging sign for fund raisers.

Full-text blog post by Caroline Preston is available via the Chronicle's Prospecting Blog, 7.17.09.

Fund-Raising Offices Make People a Priority as Budgets Are Cut

In the face of declining revenue and institutional budget cuts, college advancement chiefs are working to protect their most-valuable assets: frontline fund raisers.

Full-text article by Kathryn Masterson is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.16.09. [Subscription required.]

Understanding China's Wealthy

China will soon be home to the world’s fourth-largest population of wealthy households. Companies that hope to reach them must understand how they differ from their counterparts elsewhere, from other Chinese consumers, and from one another.

Full-text article available via McKinsey Quarterly, July 2009. [Subscription required.]

Most News Websites Will Charge

The Financial Times editor, Lionel Barber, has predicted that "almost all" news organisations will be charging for online content within a year. The New York Times, could begin charging for online news within the next three to four weeks.

Full-text article by John Plunkett is available via The Financial Times, 7.16.09.

Trustees Are More Engaged but Still Need Improvement, Survey Finds

College governing boards are becoming more effective and engaged, but still fall short in some areas, according to survey results released today by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

Full-text article by Paul Fain is availabla via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.15.09. [Subscription required.]

Survey Finds Wealthy People Maintain Giving in Bad Times

Most wealthy Americans and Britons have maintained their giving levels over the past 18 months, the British newspaper the Telegraph reports.

Full-text article by Rachel Cooper is available via The Telegraph, 7.13.09.

Teen Analyst Says Twitter Is For Old People

Matthew Robson, a 15-year-old intern at Morgan Stanley's London office, apparently is the new voice of his generation as far global investors are concerned. His investment note called "How Teenagers Consume Media" is making the rounds at investment banks around the world. Robson says teenagers typically sign up for Twitter but quickly abandon it because of SMS charges, that older teens eschew movie theaters for pirated DVDs, music typically is enjoyed online instead of on the radio and boys do a lot of socializing in the context of multiuser online video games.

Full-text article by Will Pavia and Soraya Kishtwari is available via The London Times, 7.14.09.

Obama to Propose Graduation Goal and $12-Billion in Programs for 2-Year Colleges

The president will call on the nation's community colleges today to produce five million more graduates by the year 2020 and will propose spending $12-billion over 10 years to improve programs, courses, and facilities at two-year institutions.

Full-text article by Sara Hebel is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.14.09.

Colleges Will See a Decline in Megagifts, Experts Predict

Speakers at the annual meeting of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education said that even when the economy recovers, the pace and number of big gifts to colleges will probably slow considerably. As a result, they said, major changes are needed in how campaigns are conducted to meet the challenges of the future.

Full-text article by Kathryn Masterson is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.13.09.

Shriners Vote to Keep Hospitals Open but Will Charge Some Patients

All 22 charity children’s hospitals run by the Shriners fraternal organization will remain open, but some facilities will be trimmed in size and the system will eventually start accepting payments from some patients.

Full-text article by Jason Hanna is available via CNN.com, 7.10.09.

All-Star Sponsors Strive to Look Truly Charitable

Making money by giving it away: that is part of the plan for the largest corporate sponsors at the All-Star Game in St. Louis this year.

Full-text article by Ken Belson is available via The New York Times, 7.12.09.

Fund Raising in Tough Times

Judith M. Jobbitt, of the consulting company Bentz Whaley Flessner, describes the fund-raising approaches that are getting results and offers advice for development offices as they work through the recession.

Listen to the complete interview via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.10.09.

Update on Billion-Dollar Campaigns at 33 Universities

The universities collected a total of $387.5-million in gifts and pledges during the last month for which they had data available.

Full-text article by Marisa Lopez-Rivera is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.10.09. [Subscription required.]

Nonprofit News Site Makes a Debut in Seattle

Several journalists have started a nonprofit organization to pursue investigative reporting in the western United States and Canada.

Full-text blog posting by Monica Guzman is available via SeattlePi.com, 7.8.09.

How 5 Colleges Plan to Keep Growing in Hard Times

Momentum can stall in a time of diminished resources. For colleges on the fast track, leaders have shifted money around and made some hard choices to keep growing.

Full-text article by Kathryn Masterson is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.10.09. [Subcription required.]

Many Charities Change Investment Mixes

Seventy-one percent of American nonprofit organizations in a new survey say they are making changes in how they allocate their invested assets, in the wake of staggering losses brought on by the recession and market volatility.

Full-text article by Heather Joslyn is available via The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 7.8.09.

New York U. Medical Center Gets $100-Million Gift

Fiona Druckenmiller, who has been a trustee at the medical center since 2006, and her husband, Stanley F. Druckenmiller, a chairman of the Harlem Children’s Zone, have already given more than $46-million to the university, including $45-million in 2008. Their latest gift of $100-million will help the medical center create a new neuroscience institute.

Full-text blog posting by Marc Beja is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.8.09.

In Summer Hideaway for the Rich, Slump Is Visiting, Too

On Nantucket, businesses are struggling and home sales are slow as the recession creeps into an exclusive enclave.

Full-text article by Geraldine Fabrikant is available via The New York Times, 7.7.09.

Automation Drives Philanthropy's Performance

Faced with tight donations and variable costs, DonorsChoose.org must manage every dollar we spend in order to deliver for our customers, provide the accountability demanded by our philanthropic marketplace, and fuel our plans for rapid, yet sustainable growth. For us, meeting these needs requires leveraging technology-based solutions.

Full-text article by Charles Best is available via Baseline, 7.7.09.

Philanthropy Goes Digital

Nonprofit organizations attempting to engage a new generation of philanthropists - youth who are plugged into a digital world and expect immediate results - are turning to social networking and digital technology to connect young philanthropists with those in need.

Full-text article by Jenna Weiner is available via TheDailyTell, 7.7.09.

Recession Adds to Challenges for Suburban Arts

Orchestras, theaters, museums and other arts organizations in the nation's suburbs face the challenge to attract customers — and donors — from the same population going to the Chicago Symphony, the Smithsonian or Broadway plays.

Full-text article by Jim Fitzgerald is available via Yahoo!News, 7.5.09.

Disease Charities Eye Market Turmoil's Impact on Fight for Cures

Nonprofit groups that serve people with illnesses are paying more and more attention to the financial world as turmoil in the stock and capital markets wreak havoc on the companies active in seeking cures.

Full-text article by Julie M. Donnelly is available via The Boston Business Journal, 7.3.09.

Research Center to Assess Community College Effectiveness

The Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, has announced a three-year, $5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a series of studies that will help identify the most productive investments in community colleges.

Full-text press release is available via PhilanthropyNewsDigest, 7.6.09.

Fastest Growing Cities in 2008

The population of New Orleans grew 8.2 percent in 2008, faster than any other large city in the U.S., according to population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Full-text press release is available via the U.S. Census Bureau, 7.1.09.

Are Holiday Gift Guides Worthwhile?

Newspapers and magazines will soon start preparing holiday gift guides, and not all nonprofit groups think it is worth the time and energy it takes to participate.

Full-text article by Brennen Jensen is available via the Chronicle's Prospecting Blog, 7.5.09.

Rockefeller's $100-Million Pledge

The Rockefeller Foundation has pledged $100-million over five years to help impoverished nations build better health-care systems.

Full-text article by Ian Wilhelm is available via The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 7.1.09.

News-Media Organizations Meet to Plan Nonprofit Investigative Network

In a column that appeared on PoynterOnline, a former newspaper executive analyzes the prospects for foundation-supported journalism as more than two-dozen news-media organizations meet this week to discuss forming a national nonprofit investigative network.

Full-text article by David Westphal is available via PoynterOnline, 6.29.09.

Steering Clear of Hedge Funds, Small Universities' Endowments Are Losing Less

Small universities’ endowments did significantly better in the just-ended fiscal year than their larger, higher-profile peers, which plunged more deeply into alternative investments such as hedge funds.

Full-text article by Craig Karmin is available via The Wall Street Journal, 7.1.09.

Donor pledges $6M to Marian University

Marian University has received a $6 million pledge – the largest gift in the institution’s history – from a former trustee.

Full-text article by Kathleen McLaughlin is available via the Indianapolis Business Journal, 6.29.09.