With less money to dole out, foundations become more targeted in their giving

With less money to spend amid the economic downturn, many philanthropic foundations are shifting to a more strategic giving strategy, focusing on fewer goals with larger grants. More than three-quarters of respondents to a Foundation Center survey said they expect philanthropy to become more strategic as overall giving declines, with grant makers outlining a set of clear goals and supporting mainly larger organizations with administrations capable of tracking and reporting results.

Full text article by Monica Ginsburg is available via Crain's Chicago Business, 1/25/10.

Average Return on Endowment Investments Is Worst in Almost 40 Years

College endowments lost an average of 18.7 percent on their investments last year, the worst showing by far in the nearly 40-year history of the National Association of College and University Business Officers' annual survey.

Full text article by Goldie Blumenstyk is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 1/28/10.

Healthcare Donors Switching to Long-Term Giving Strategies

Businesses and individuals hit hard by the economic downturn shifted their charitable giving strategies to longer-term pledges and gift commitments rather than forgo giving altogether, a new report from the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy finds. Mouli Cohen, philanthropist and technology entrepreneur, was asked for his opinion on this week’s developments.

Full text article by Mouli Cohen is available via PRWeb, 1/13/10.

Recession’s impact felt less in campus coffers

Despite the down economy, area universities continue to bring in lots of donation dollars, as some donors express that the decision to give is “fairly simple.” In the fiscal year that ended June 30, four schools received cash, pledges and deferred gifts totaling more than $350 million. The University of Kansas even set a fundraising record.

Full-text post by Mara Rose Williams is available via The Kansas City Star, 9/20/09.

Governments Urged to Modernize Human-Service Payment Systems

Federal and state governments should modernize the
way they pay for human services provided by charities,
especially given the rising demand that has been fueled by the
economic downturn.

Full-text article by Suzanne Perry available via The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 8.19.09.