Welcome to Wednesday, folks! A bit of snow appears to be coming our way — along with some mid-weeks news here on GoodWorks.
Nonprofits Must Lead the Push for Civility — A post in The Chronicle of Philanthropy this Monday proclaims that, in the wake of the tragedy in Arizona, “we must ask ourselves what people at foundations and nonprofits can do to prevent such senseless acts of violence in the future.” Moreover:
Our public leaders and leading media personalities set the tone for the public square. It is their duty to promote civil discourse and encourage peaceful participation in society. In the wake of this tragedy, we must demand nothing less.
People in the nonprofit world — as trusted members of communities everywhere — are in a powerful position to set the parameters for a decent society. We can use the power of our collective voice in many ways.
Obama aims to revise No Child Left Behind — The Post reported yesterday evening that “President Obama will mount a fresh attempt this year to rewrite the No Child Left Behind education law, a top administration official said this week, and key congressional Republicans said they are ready to deal.” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan confirmed that the President is “ready to move on this.” What would you suggest in the way of revisions? Even the name of the legislation is “up in the air.”
Still Feels Like a Recession – Over at The Nonprofit Quarterly yesterday, Rick Cohen posted a simple, yet prevailing question: “Who should nonprofits believe for financial planning purposes? … Is the recession really ‘over?’ If it is, what does ‘over’ really mean?” In sum, should non-profit leaders follow the predictions on the news and online; or should they instead make decisions “based on the clients and constituents at their doors?” Perhaps the answer lies between the two.
Pablo Eisenberg: Unintended Consequences of Giving Pledge’s Good Intentions — Eisenberg, Senior Fellow at Georgetown’s Public Policy Institute, makes some compelling points about the impact of the high-profile Giving Pledge on smaller, less-high-profile charities. Of donors who give over $1 million per year, many give to hospitals, universities, and other major institutions; but “only a tiny fraction of their money is channeled to low-income oriented nonprofits, grassroots organizations, local social service groups or advocacy.” He argues that, unless those who signed the pledge change their habits, “those people who need it most” may not actually benefit. So what can we do to help?
“The sleeping giant of philanthropy” — The Art Newspaper has an intriguing piece this week about major giving by and to artists. Not only are working artists becoming more generous and more active in non-profit leadership, this increased generosity during their lifetimes “pales in comparison with giving by artists after.” Posthumously-established, artist-endowed foundations are perhaps “the sleeping giant of philanthropy … rapidly expanding in number — close to 300 have been identified in the US at the last count — and financial strength.”