Next generation leaders needed to cover COF conference

April 30, 2009

As most in the grantmaking community know, the national Council on Foundations’ annual conference is coming up, May 4-6, 2009. Attendance is down this year, as many organizations are curtailing travel budgets. With fewer attendees, there’s an even greater need for coverage of events. That’s where you come in.

Trista Harris, executive director of Headwaters Foundation for Justice, an MCF member, and the brains behind New Voices of Philanthropy, a social justice blog that aims to bring together new and experienced leaders in philanthropy, is looking for bloggers to cover the conference. The current roster includes Jason Franklin, deputy director , 21st Century School Fund and board member at Resource Generation; Kevin Laskowski, field associate at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy;and Erika Orsulak, grants manager, St. Christopher’s Foundation for Children and EPIP-Philly. If you’re interested in joining the New Voices of Philanthropy blog team, contact Trista.

Trista will also be covering the conference on Twitter @tristaharris; the new Twitter tag for the conference is #cof09. She’ll be giving out prizes to followers on Twitter who are at the conference and who are following the coverage from their office.

This is a great opportunity for those who are attending the conference to provide news, information and opinion to those who are staying home this year.

-Juliana Tillema, MCF research manager

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Posted by julianatillema

In the Media

April 29, 2009

Roundup of media coverage of the world of philanthropy and nonprofits.

Economy
Foreclosures: A $10M Lifeline from McKnight
Star Tribune: Two $5M loans will help metro and nonmetro housing funds finance the repeopling of foreclosed homes.

Family Charities Shift Assets to Donor Funds
The Wall Street Journal: Philanthropists are increasingly changing their private foundations into donor-advised funds, which invest assets and make grants based largely on donors’ recommendations.

Nonprofit Financial Officers Expect Recession to Last Through Year’s End
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: Nine of 10 nonprofit CFOs believe the U.S. economy will stay in a recession through 2009.

Foundation of the Times Suspends Gift Program
The New York Times: The Foundation is suspending grantmaking and the company’s matching gift program.

Advice for Young Nonprofit Workers
Philanthropy News Digest: The economic crisis may offer an opportunity for young people to move up.

Local
Our View: Summit Fuels Ideas to Increase Volunteering
St. Cloud Times: Last week’s summit holds potential for increasing the area’s already impressive level of volunteerism.

National
Senators Dorgan and Snowe Introduce IRA Rollover Bill
Council on Foundations: The COF supports expansion and extension of the IRA charitable rollover.

Estate Tax Bill Introduced by Representative McDermott
Council on Foundations: The proposed bill would strengthen the tax beyond 2009 levels and beyond President Obama’s proposal.

Congress working to change estate tax
San Francisco Chronicle: Under current law, the tax will disappear in 2010 and come back in 2011 at the level where it would have been had the 2001 law reducing estate taxes never passed.

President Signs National-Service Bill and Issues Call to Volunteer
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: The Serve America Act should triple participation in AmeriCorps by 2017 and create new volunteer programs.

Nike Foundation President Nominated to Head National-Service Agency
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: Maria Eitel will lead the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Volunteer Time Was Worth More than $20 an Hour Last Year, Study Finds
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: The average value of a volunteer hour has jumped 39 percent in the past 10 years, ahead of inflation.

New Survey is First to Examine Nonprofit Industry’s Use of Social Networking
TechLinks.net: Four-fifths of nonprofits are committing at least 25% of one full-time staff person to social networking efforts. More than half intend to increase social networking over the next 12 months.

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Posted by MCF Webmaster

I’ve been out-written by a 6th grader!

April 29, 2009
Target: Reading Programs and Partnerships

Target: Reading Programs and Partnerships

Last Friday I jumped at the opportunity to leave my desk, where I write about who grantmakers are and what they do, to get up close to a philanthropic initiative, be among the recipients, and experience the joy that giving brings.

Target sponsored an extreme library makeover at Maxfield Magnet School in St. Paul. In partnership with the Heart of America Foundation, Target volunteers, including the Property Development team and its design and construction expertise, recreated the school library into a colorful, inspirational, inviting space.  Target stores and distribution centers donated 2,000 new books to the library, plus seven books for each student to take home to start his or her own library. 

 

As I walked through the school halls toward the ribbon-cutting celebration, looked at before-and-after photos and listened to dignitaries talk about what this makeover means to Maxfield, I mulled various writing ideas around in my head – how would I describe this project and its impact? 

 

Then, St. Paul Public Schools interim superintendent Suzanne Kelly read this to the audience:

 

Dear Library,

 

I really have to tell you what you mean to me.  You mean the world to me, because you are my life.  If you put your head in a book, you’re putting your life in a good position.  Books are how you get a job and a library is the home of books.

 

Library, you mean so much to me, I would live with you.  I love a library that would be so bright and clean that the books could relax and be read.

 

Thank you, Target, for the beautiful and wonderful library of books.

 

Your friend,

Jaivvan

 

Jaivvan is a 6th grader at Maxfield.  He wrote this as part of an exercise for his school principal, Belinda Green. I cannot capture the essence of Maxfield’s reimagined library any better than Jaivvan.

 

In 2009, Target will sponsor library makeovers for 15 schools in need across the U.S. and inspire students like Jaivvan to craft beautiful illustrations of giving’s impact.

 

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF Communications Associate

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Welcome, New MCF Member!

April 28, 2009

The Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) is pleased to announce that Sunrise Community Banks has become a member of this grantmaker community, which actively works to strengthen and expand philanthropy and improve the vitality and health of communities.

The mission of Sunrise Community Banks, which includes Franklin Bank, Park Midway Bank and University Bank, is to be the leader in improving our urban community.  They strive to create healthier, safer and more successful neighborhoods in the economically distressed inner-city areas of St. Paul and Minneapolis.  

Each of the banks offers a Socially Responsible Deposit Fund (SRDF) that allows customers to designate that their funds support local community development through socially responsible initiatives such as affordable housing, small business development and nonprofit work.

As a member of MCF, Sunrise Community Banks recognizes that it plays an important role in the community and that its role is sustained by the public trust.  Sunrise Community Banks is committed to operating effective and ethical grantmaking programs, and as an MCF member, is guided by the “Principles for Minnesota Grantmakers” as it helps to create positive change in the community it serves.

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Posted by MCF Webmaster

MCN/MCF Joint Annual Conference: Sessions RFP

April 27, 2009

Submit a Breakout Session Proposal Today!

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) and the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) are seeking your proposals for breakout sessions at our Joint Annual Conference, Transforming Our Work: From Challenging Times to Hopeful Futures, to be held November 5-6, at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Proposals are due by May 13, 5 p.m.

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Posted by MCF Webmaster

Minnesota Stimulus Money Is Replacement Funding, Not NEW Funding

April 24, 2009

On Tuesday, MCF hosted an Economic Roundtable for its members. The presenter was Jim Schowalter, Minnesota’s state budget director.  He presented an overview of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and shared information about the overall implications of the stimulus package and what it means for Minnesota’s philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.

 

At the risk of over-simplifying this complicated topic, here are my take-away points from his presentation.

 

The motto for distribution of funds is: “Do it right, do it fast, provide unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability.”  The federal government is adamant that all three goals be met.

 

The amount of stimulus money flowing to Minnesota is equal to 8.2 percent of our state budget; however, our state is facing a 15 percent budget deficit.  This stimulus funding provides a one- or two-year bump to hopefully get us through the recession, but it is not enough to resolve our budget deficit.

 

While the dollars involved are many, they are not significant enough to create new areas of funding or expand programming, and may not even be enough to stave off cuts to balance our state’s budget.  Much of the money will be distributed using existing infrastructure and pipelines and will go to backfill gaps created by budget shortfalls.

 

Given this, Schowalter advises nonprofits that if areas of involvement and funding streams didn’t fit for an organization or weren’t consistent with a group’s mission previously, they probably will not make sense now, and pursuing them may not be a good use of a nonprofit’s resources. 

 

Some resources:

  • Minnesota Management and Budget website: This overview website also contains a “Stimulus Summary,” a reference guide to Minnesota programs that may receive stimulus funding; the program management of these is being done by state agencies.  This 190-page PDF document also contains program descriptions.
  • Rep. Tim Walz (DFL – MN), 1st District, has published a shorter version of this reference guide; it’s available on his website.
  • Visit the MCF website for more resources on the Economy and Philanthropy.

- Chris Murakami Noonan, MCF Communications Associate

 

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Posted by Chris Noonan

Foundation Center survey finds two-thirds will reduce grants in 2009

April 23, 2009

A new research advisory from Foundation Center shows foundation giving is expected to decrease in 2009, in a range of high single digits to low double digits; nearly two-thirds of respondents predict reductions in the number and/or size of their grants in 2009. Still, about 80% of respondents expect to maintain their current program areas, while a small handful (3%) anticipate increasing the number of areas they support.

Only 14% of all respondents report launching special initiatives in direct response to the current economic climate. However, community foundations are particularly focused on responding to the downturn; 35% say they are engaging in special initiatives to help communities cope with the fallout from a deteriorating economy.

As funders’ resources have diminished, many plan to participate in non-grantmaking activities. Two-thirds of funders expect to engage in more collaborations and partnerships, while one-third anticipate initiating more convenings. Other non-grantmaking responses include providing more technical assistance, offering more bridge/emergency financing, and engaging in more advocacy.

While most funders plan to use investment income to meet their grantmaking budgets (88%), about 39% expect to use their endowment principal to make grants. This is particularly notable given the asset declines most funders experienced in 2008 and continue to experience in 2009.

The Foundation Center surveyed 5,000 large and mid-size foundations in January 2009 about their outlook for giving in 2009 and 2010, and about how they plan to respond to the economic downturn. Approximately 1,200 foundations responded.

-Juliana Tillema, MCF research manager

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Posted by julianatillema

Happy Earth Day

April 22, 2009
Photo: ortizmj12

Photo: ortizmj12

I haven’t heard much about Earth Day this year, surprising as today is the 40th anniversary of its founding. I do remember lots of hoopla for the 20th anniversary, including a parade down Summit Ave. and a big rally at the Minnesota State Capital.

 

But maybe I shouldn’t fret and instead take this year’s lack of “events” as a good sign. In recent months, there’s surely been an uptick in green thinking, and environmentally responsible behavior finally seems to be ingraining itself in our habits. These developments are unquestionably better than a one-day commemoration.

 

Grantmakers continue to fund programs that help the earth. In our Giving in Minnesota research, we report on “Environment” grants that go to organizations that focus on the preservation and protection of the environment, botanical gardens and societies, urban beautification, and environmental education. And “Animals” grants that go to organizations that focus on the care and protection of animals, including wildlife, pets and specialty animals. About 5% of Minnesota’s grantmaking dollars went to these causes in 2006.

 

Minnesota’s five largest Environment/Animals grantmakers in 2006 were The McKnight Foundation, Bush Foundation, Cargill Foundation, Blandin Foundation and 3M Foundation and Corporate Giving Program. All are MCF members, and they continue to lead green giving in the state.

 

A month ago, The McKnight Foundation announced a commitment of $100 million over the next five years to support a comprehensive strategy to prevent dangerous climate change, by reducing heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions from key regions around the world.

 

On April 1, Blandin Foundation committed $7 million to the conservation fund for the Upper Mississippi Forest project. The donation represents the largest private donation toward a conservation project ever made in the state and will help protect 60,000 acres of wetlands and more than 280 miles of lake and stream frontage. The area includes wetlands in the upper watershed and primary tributaries to the Mississippi River.

 

Cargill made a voluntary but legally binding commitment to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions from its U.S. locations by joining the Chicago Climate Exchange®. The commitment requires the company to reduce emissions by 6% by 2010 (from a 1998-2001 baseline) and to achieve annual milestones along the way.

 

So, enjoy the day and do your part – today and everyday.

 

Susan Stehling, MCF communications

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