Minnesota Council on Foundations Blog – Philanthropy Potluck

Roundup of stories about philanthropy and nonprofits in the local and national media:

Economy:

• In Tough Times, Tough Choices for Grantmakers
  Baltimore Sun: Grantmakers have an obligation to reach out in times like these to help the needy and to increase that help if they can. But many also feel an obligation to the donors who established the philanthropy in perpetuity, believing that a foundation’s assets should be preserved so that the funds can continue to provide resources for future needs.
• Report Finds Overall Climate for Fundraising Worst Since 1998
  Philanthropy News Digest: Nonprofit professionals reported the lowest level of confidence in the fundraising climate in more than a decade, the latest edition of the Philanthropic Giving Index (PGI) from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University finds.

Local:

• Sharing the Wealth
  Indian Country Today: The Shakopee Mdewakantaon Sioux (Dakota) Community expresses its philosophy about philanthropy this way: “When our needs are met, we have the good fortune to assist others.”
• Thanks to Donors, Minnesota Zoo Feels No Pain
  Pioneer Press: Riding on the heels of the zoo’s wildly successful Russia’s Grizzly Coast exhibit, trustees donated $6 million to the institution in the past year. Sixty trustees from the Apple Valley zoo’s board and foundation contributed, spurred by a $3 million challenge grant from the Edward Dayton Family Fund.
• Broadband Hearings in St. Paul
  Twin Cities Daily Planet: On Monday, Senator Amy Klobuchar held a hearing at the Minnesota State Capital on access to high-speed data networks (referred to as broadband). The audience included representatives from a number of industry groups, a couple members of the Minnesota Ultra High-Speed Broadband Taskforce, at least one librarian and a few people who work on the Blandin Foundation Rural Broadband Initiative.
• Suiting Up In Style — And Safety
  Marshall Independent: Five Marshall volunteer firefighters will have new turnout gear thanks to an $8,000 contribution from Flint Hills Resources.
• Those Old-Fashioned Barn Raisings are Good Model for Today
  Mille Lacs County Times: Small-town Minnesota is searching for inventive ways to reinvigorate itself. One such present-day example is taking place along the Minnesota River Valley corridor. The Southwest Initiative Foundation is the fiscal agent for the project to turn the corridor into a regional destination site.

National:

• Sacrifice Notion Sabotages our Nonprofits
  Financial Times: The fact is, great organisations are run by talented people, powered by cutting-edge technology and based on the best research. All of these cost money. Rather than asking non-profits to starve themselves of resources, donors should look to invest in the best non-profits and give them licence to use the money to build outstanding organisations.
• The Sin in Doing Good Deeds
  New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof: If a businessman rakes in a hefty profit while doing good works, is that charity or greed? Do we applaud or hiss?
• The Philanthropy Shakedown
  Wall Street Journal editorial: A new Florida report, like the studies Greenlining has done in other states, makes clear that the agitation for “diversity in philanthropy” isn’t about donating to causes that help minorities. It’s about time that leaders of the foundation world — those who care about results more than politics — stand up and call this the race-baiting money grab it is.
• Charities: The Foundation of Madoff’s Scheme?
  Fortune: By targeting charities, the alleged swindler could avoid the threat of sudden or unexpected withdrawals, argues an expert on Ponzi schemes.
• Many Were Harmed by a Man They Never Knew
  Star Tribune op-ed: Nonprofits that were sustained for decades by the generous individuals and foundations Bernard Madoff defrauded are at risk of significant indirect losses due to the diminished charitable capacity of their longtime donors. This is something that we should all be concerned about.
• The Do-Good Marketplace
  Wall Street Journal: The search for profit-making ventures that also improve the world — by means of “social entrepreneurship” or “philanthro-capitalism” — is now the rage at business schools, and it has given rise to countless books, competitions and consulting groups.