Non-profit management

From Bonfils Stanton: In her artist statement for her work “Minding the Cycles” (commissioned for the Foundation’s offices) Jandel Allen-Davis says “Where are we now and how do we know? We are experiencing some of the greatest turmoil we have had in centuries, perhaps millennia. The sense of insecurity that this evokes can leave us unsettled and unmoored…Our task is to discern where we are and what is required of us in this time.” We as a foundation have thought deeply about what is required of US in this time, and our new Strategic Framework charts that course.  

From A Blade of Grass: We are pleased to announce and welcome Lu Zhang as the organization’s new Executive Director. Zhang will officially assume the position on June 20, 2023.

Zhang currently serves as the Initiatives Director of United States Artists (USA) , a national arts funding organization headquartered in Chicago, where she launched a department dedicated to expanding holistic support for artists and their communities. Prior to joining USA, Zhang was Deputy Director of The Contemporary , a nomadic, non-collecting art museum in Baltimore, Maryland, where she provided strategic and operational oversight, and led resource initiatives for local artists.

The Music Man Foundation announced $750,000 in grants to four nonprofit organizations. Funds aim to nurture initiatives to secure increased funding for the arts, advocate for pro-arts and pro-artists policy changes, and raise awareness about the profound impact of arts on our health and well-being. The announcement comes on the 121st birthday of Meredith Willson, who wrote the musical “The Music Man” and in whose honor the Foundation was established.

"Both in the arts and beyond, money is fundamentally based on trust. Our economic system functions due to society’s trust in it, enabling cooperation and exchange. However, if we trust in money itself, why is it that in arts philanthropy, trust in artists is largely absent?" said Ted Russell, former GIA board member and Director of Arts Strategy & Ventures for the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. "The restricted nature of many forms of grantmaking—such as project-based support—imply that we lack confidence in an artist’s ability to themselves determine how to allocate funds in support of their practice."

From the National Guild for Community Arts Education: The global pandemic has created an unprecedented economic downturn that has affected every sector, including the arts. As community arts organizations continue to face financial challenges, it is crucial to prepare for economic uncertainty and develop strategies to support their organizations. This webinar will provide community arts organizations with an understanding of the potential impacts of a recession, as well as the tools and resources needed to prepare for this possibility.

The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is pleased to announce a six-part webinar series addressing common questions, clarifying misconceptions, and exploring ways to overcome obstacles in implementing trust-based philanthropy.

Trust-based philanthropy is a philosophy and approach rooted in values of relationship-building, mutual learning, and systemic equity – with a vision of advancing a healthier and more impactful nonprofit sector. While this approach is generally associated with six core grantmaking practices such as multi-year unrestricted funding and streamlined paperwork, the day-to-day work of trust-based philanthropy is very nuanced and dynamic. In fact, funders who have embraced this approach are finding that it requires ongoing self-reflection and rigor with regards to how they think about – and evolve – many of the deeply embedded practices and assumptions of traditional philanthropy.

The Jerome Foundation has named Eleanor Savage, a highly-respected and experienced arts and philanthropy leader, as its new president and CEO charged with furthering the organization’s commitment to innovative and flexible grantmaking programs for early career artists and arts ecosystems that focus on equity and the role artists and culture bearers play in societal change. Eleanor is also the current Vice Chair of GIA's board.

Join United Philanthropy Forum and the broader philanthropic sector in support of the Charitable Act (S.566), a bill that would implement a Universal Charitable Deduction (UCD). For private foundations, advocacy and lobbying activities in support of the universal charitable deduction falls under the self-defense exception. Private foundations may participate in direct lobbying activities for this legislation and other legislation designed to protect the charitable deduction.

On March 1, 2023, Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the Charitable Act. The bill allows individual taxpayers who do not otherwise itemize their tax deductions a deduction in taxable years beginning in 2023 or 2024 for charitable contributions. The deduction is limited to one-third of the standard deduction allowed to such taxpayers.

This bi-partisan bill currently has 13 co-sponsors, 7 Democrats and 6 Republicans.

"How much do we really know about how the ultrarich give their money away?" said Whizy Kim for Vox. "It’s surprisingly hard to say. This week, the Chronicle of Philanthropy published its annual ranking of the top 50 donors from 2022, a list it compiles by asking nonprofits what gifts they received and philanthropists what gifts they gave. It’s a list dominated by Silicon Valley billionaires with sprinklings of Wall Street investors, real estate magnates, media moguls, and heirs and heiresses of industry, who gave hundreds of millions (and in a few cases, billions) to private foundations, universities, and medical centers."

Despite civil society organizations being at the forefront of fighting the complex problems of our world, most of them suffer from financial instability. Research done by Humentum highlights these “starvation cycles” CSO’s are stuck in with recommendations for funders to break that cycle. What comes after that research?