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Every week Connections presents fresh links to the best the Web has to offer on issues related to the changing world of philanthropy. Subscribe to our biweekly Connections newsletter and receive two weeks' worth of links delivered to you by e-mail. If you have an item you'd like to share, drop us a line at connections@foundationcenter.org.
February 9, 2012
Philanthropy and Voluntarism
The Business Case for Product Philanthropy
Donating unwanted inventory to charity is not only good business practice, it's an effective corporate social responsibility strategy, a report from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs argues. According to
The Business Case for Product Philanthropy
(63 pages, PDF), the charitable tax deduction makes gifts of undamaged returns, slow-selling merchandise, discontinued models, and mislabeled items more profitable on a comparative cost-benefit basis than disposing of them, liquidating them at steep discounts, or even making cash donations. In-kind donations also can help boost a company's brand image, employee loyalty, and CSR credentials. Just as important, if not more so, the report argues, are the significant socioeconomic benefits that product philanthropy generates in the form of savings on household expenditures for low- and middle-income groups.
February 6, 2012
Social Science
A Portrait of Marin: Marin County Human Development Report 2012
Known for its natural beauty and the affluence of its residents, Marin County is also marked by disparities in health, access to knowledge, and standard of living, a Social Science Research Council report commissioned by the Marin Community Foundation finds. Based on indicators such as life expectancy, school enrollment, educational attainment, and median personal earnings, the report,
A Portrait of Marin: Marin County Human Development Report 2012
(PDF, 74 pages), finds wide variations in the well-being of the county's population by neighborhood, race/ethnicity, and gender. For example, roughly 60 percent of Asian Americans and whites living in the county have at least a bachelor's degree and reported median personal earnings of $51,462 (Asian Americans) and $43,534 (whites), while among African Americans and Latinos, only about 20 percent have a bachelor's degree and median personal earnings were $31,608 and $23,795, respectively. The authors argue that such disparities are fueled by things like unequal access to asset-building opportunities, different levels of public school funding, and inadequate access to healthy foods, and recommend that county government do more to create middle-class jobs and affordable housing opportunities and support public transportation options.
February 3, 2012
Minorities
From Rhetoric to Practice: Recruiting Strategies to Make Diversity More Meaningful in Your Organization
Hiring and retaining diverse teams is not only the right thing to do but also can be smart business, especially for organizations in the mission-driven sector, a report from the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity argues. According to From Rhetoric to Practice: Recruiting Strategies to Make Diversity More Meaningful in Your Organization (4 pages, PDF), assembling a workforce that is diverse in terms of race/ethnicity, gender, class, age, disability status, sexual orientation, and other identities is only the first step in building meaningful diversity. The authors recommend that organizations looking to enhance their diversity make sure that job candidates' attributes, experiences, and perspectives complement and enhance organizational strengths, needs, values, and workforce composition in ways that advance the mission. The issue brief also offers tips on conducting an organizational scan, forming a search committee, doing outreach and advertising, and retaining diverse staff.
January 31, 2012
Education
Implementing Education Policy: Getting From What Now? to What Works
Although more and more funders are providing support to organizations advocating for education reform, additional efforts are needed to ensure that new policies leading to better student outcomes are put into practice in the classroom, a new report from Grantmakers for Education suggests. Implementing Education Policy: Getting From What Now? to What Works (32 pages, PDF) highlights the need to fund stakeholder convenings, research, and campaigns that build public buy-in for the implementation of reforms — a process often complicated by the diversity of actors involved in the day-to-day implementation of policies and a lack of resources. Funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies and the Cleveland, Nellie Mae Education, and Stuart foundations, the report argues that grantmakers should directly fund agencies, organizations, and programs that are responsible for policy implementation; provide technical assistance; fund watchdog groups whose job it is to monitor the progress of reform efforts; and support communications activities that target stakeholders affected by policy changes.
January 28, 2012
Public Affairs
Untitled
In the aftermath of the Great Recession, the ranks of the long-term unemployed have swelled to more than four million, the highest since the number first was tracked in 1948, a report from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs finds. The report, At Risk: America's Poor During and After the Great Recession (40 pages, PDF), examined trends by state, age, race/ethnicity, family structure, education, and employment and found that the proportion of U.S. residents living in poverty rose by 27 percent — to 46.2 million — between 2006 and 2010, with higher rates of increase among Latinos/Hispanics and African Americans, children, female-headed households, and lower-skilled adults between the ages of 18 and 34. The report also notes that while safety-net programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance have responded effectively to the increase, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and federal housing assistance have not. And given the likelihood of additional cuts in safety-net programs, the authors write, the working poor, the near poor, and the long-term unemployed "new poor" are at substantial risk for at least the next five years.
January 25, 2012
Philanthropy and Voluntarism
Untitled
Giving by foundations in Georgia rose an unexpected 7 percent in 2009, a new report from the Foundation Center finds. Based on a survey conducted in partnership with the Georgia Grantmakers Alliance and the Southeastern Council of Foundations, Key Facts on Georgia Foundations (4 pages, PDF) found that total giving by the state's 1,455 independent, corporate, community, and operating foundations increased to more than $874 million — led by the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, which awarded $142 million in grants, a record for the foundation. The report also notes that health, education, and human services continued to top the list of priorities for funders in the state, accounting for more than 67 percent of grant dollars, and that arts and culture's share of foundation giving declined from 10.7 percent in 2008 to 6.1 percent in 2009.
January 22, 2012
Public Affairs
Little Change in Public's Response to 'Capitalism,' 'Socialism'
Although more Americans say they support the Occupy Wall Street protests than oppose them (44 percent vs. 35 percent), reactions to the term capitalism have changed little since early 2010, a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds. According to
Little Change in Public's Response to 'Capitalism,' 'Socialism'
(8 pages, PDF), 50 percent of those surveyed said they had a positive reaction to the term capitalism while 40 percent had a negative reaction, compared with 31 percent and 60 percent, respectively, to the term socialism — findings largely unchanged from a 2010 survey. The survey also found that self-identified "liberal" Democrats and Occupy Wall Street supporters were as likely to react positively to the term capitalism as they were to react negatively, as did some conservative Republicans and Tea Party supporters, whereas almost all conservatives reacted negatively to the term socialism (and liberals generally reacted positively). Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the survey also found that the term libertarian continues to receive mixed reactions, with some of the most positive reactions to the term coming from both the right and left of the political spectrum.
January 19, 2012
Arts and Culture
Leading Creatively: A Closer Look 2010
Mentors often play a vitally important role for leaders of nonprofit arts organizations trying to balance their own artistic pursuits with the discipline of management, a new collection of essays compiled by the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture suggests.
Leading Creatively: A Closer Look 2010
(122 pages, PDF) explores the career paths of artist-leaders, curators, artistic directors, and programmers and finds that their personal passions, vision, and values typically align closely with the values of the arts sector as a whole. Indeed, the dual pursuits of creating art and managing an arts organization may be more complementary than imagined. Funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the William and Flora Hewlett and Nathan Cummings foundations, the publication also discusses the importance of an organizational environment that embraces teaching and learning, succession planning, and peer networks, including the role of the NAMAC Leadership Institute in creating a network of lifelong learners and leaders in the arts.
January 16, 2012
Minorities
Cultures of Giving: Energizing and Expanding Philanthropy by and for Communities of Color
Supporting organized charitable giving and leveraging resources within communities of color on their own behalf is essential for driving social change, a report commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation argues. Cultures of Giving: Energizing and Expanding Philanthropy by and for Communities of Color (112 pages, PDF) notes that identity-based funds (which pool contributions from donors and redistribute those funds through grants to individuals or organizations working for social change in that community) raise and disburse nearly $400 million a year. The report also notes that communities of color are growing in size, wealth, and rates of giving — as well as in terms of need. The report describes WKKF's Cultures of Giving program — which is designed to strengthen identity-based philanthropy through capacity building, network building, and donor engagement — and offers lessons learned, including the importance of trust and transparency.
January 13, 2012
Religion
The Civic and Community Engagement of Religiously Active Americans
People who are active in church, religious, or spiritual organizations are more likely than those who are not religiously active to be deeply involved in their communities through charitable or volunteer organizations, community groups or neighborhood associations, or other groups, a survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds. According to The Civic and Community Engagement of Religiously Active Americans (34 pages, PDF), 38 percent of religiously active Americans feel they can have an impact in their communities and spend, on average, 7.5 hours a week in group activities, compared with 27 percent and 5.4 hours, respectively, among the non-religious. Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the survey also found that the religiously active use the Internet, e-mail, cell phones, and social media platforms at rates similar to or slightly higher than others, although they are slightly less likely to say the Internet has a major effect on their groups' ability to raise money (46 percent vs. 56 percent) or recruit new members (44 percent vs. 56 percent).
January 10, 2012
Journalism/Media
Opportunity for Black Men and Boys: Public Opinion, Media Depictions, and Media Consumption
The challenges confronting African American men and boys are influenced not only by their depiction in the mainstream media but also by their own negative self-perception, a new report from the Opportunity Agenda, a project of the Tides Center, argues. Based on a literature review and public opinion research on race as well as an analysis of media consumption by black men, Opportunity for Black Men and Boys: Public Opinion, Media Depictions, and Media Consumption (150 pages, PDF) argues that media consumption among African Americans is linked to diminished self-perception driven by an overabundance of negative media stereotypes. The report also found that sports and music programming dominates the media consumption habits of black men and boys, which in turn limits the number of positive role models they're exposed to. Funded by the Open Society Foundations, the report calls for the media to pay more attention to the factors that lead to such disparities, with a focus on solutions; and for advocates to work with celebrities and magazines to reach broader audiences.
January 7, 2012
Environment
The Economic Impacts of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative on Ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States
In its first three years, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — the first U.S. market-based program to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants — has helped reduce emissions, lower electricity bills, and boost sales of engineering services, energy-efficiency equipment, solar panels and their installation, and other goods and services, a report from the Analysis Group finds. According to The Economic Impacts of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative on Ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States (54 pages, PDF), the ten participating Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states have disbursed nearly $912 million in auction proceeds back into the economy through energy efficiency measures, community-based renewable power projects, assistance to low-income customers, education and job training programs, and contributions to general funds. Funded by the Merck Family Fund, Chorus, Inc., and the Barr and Henry P. Kendall foundations, the report finds that investing auction proceeds in energy efficiency lowers not only regional electrical demand, power prices, and electricity bills for consumers but also energy costs overall, which leads to broader macroeconomic benefits.
January 4, 2012
Education
What's Trust Got To Do With It?
Measures taken to turn around public schools and school districts such as closing failing schools, replacing principals and teachers, or breaking up large schools into smaller units often provoke public opposition due to lack of trust, a report from Public Agenda argues. Based on a series of focus group discussions, the report, What's Trust Got To Do With It?, found that parents in low-income minority communities are deeply concerned about low academic achievement and high dropout rates but feel loyalty toward their local schools and do not always realize how inadequate those schools are. They also tend not to believe that fixing schools will help solve broader social problems and are suspicious of decisions made by central district offices. When parents in focus groups were presented with arguments for and against each measure by a moderator they trusted, however, the researchers found that parents were willing to reconsider their initial reactions to some options. Funded by the Ely & Edythe Broad, Joyce, and Skillman foundations, the report offers ideas for building trust and promoting constructive dialogue within local communities, including laying the groundwork by communicating early and often, inviting the community to help shape a vision for school reform, and emphasizing small informal discussions over the standard "public hearing" format.
January 1, 2012
Philanthropy and Voluntarism
Insight Into the Impact Investment Market
High net-worth individuals and institutional investors see the impact investing market as still being "in its infancy [but] growing," a report from J.P. Morgan Social Finance and the Global Impact Investing Network finds. Based on a survey of impact investors and data on more than 2,200 private transactions totaling $4 billion, Insight Into the Impact Investment Market (30 pages, PDF) found that survey respondents were optimistic about the impact investment market's growth potential — although they identified the absence of a track record, limited investment opportunities, and inadequate measurement practices as significant challenges. Respondents also said they planned to make impact investments totaling $3.8 billion by mid-2012 and estimated that in ten years, high net-worth individuals and insstitutional investors would allocate 10 percent and 5 percent of their portfolios, respectively, to impact investing.
December 29, 2011
Community Improvement/Development
Revitalizing Distressed Older Suburbs
While poverty, unemployment, foreclosure, underfunded and/or failing schools, and inadequate public services have long been considered "inner-city problems," they also affect millions of Americans living in distressed suburbs, a new report from the What Works Collective, a foundation-sponsored research collaborative, finds. Based on a literature review and in-depth case studies of four of the most distressed predominantly non-white industrial suburbs, Revitalizing Distressed Older Suburbs (189 pages, PDF) examines the critical roles played by housing and development authorities, state programs and investments, anchor institutions, public-private partnerships, and cross-sector and regional collaborations in successful revitalization efforts. Funded by the Annie E. Casey, Ford, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur, Kresge, Rockefeller, and Surdna foundations, the report offers a number of recommendations, including a greater focus on regional service delivery, annexation, and restructuring, as well as allowing cities greater flexibility to use federal funds to meet urgent needs and invest in economic development projects.
December 26, 2011
Women
The 2011 Study of High Net Worth Women's Philanthropy and the Impact of Women's Giving Networks
More than 80 percent of high-net-worth women say they give to charity because they believe their gift will make a difference or because the organization uses donations efficiently, compared with about 70 percent of men, a new report from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University finds. Commissioned by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, The 2011 Study of High Net Worth Women's Philanthropy and the Impact of Women's Giving Networks (31 pages, PDF) also found that women are more likely than men to donate as a way of giving back to the community and have greater confidence than men in the ability of nonprofits to solve domestic or global problems. At the same time, women are far more risk averse than men in their philanthropic investments. In addition, the report found that among wealthy women who are married or living with a partner, 39 percent report being the sole decision maker regarding charitable giving, while 48 percent say they are equal partners in decision making.
December 23, 2011
Disaster Relief
Philanthropic Grantmaking for Disasters
While coordination of international disaster response has improved, more investment in risk reduction is needed to mitigate man-made vulnerabilities that often exacerbate humanitarian crises following a disaster, a report from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation argues. Philanthropic Grantmaking for Disasters (24 pages, PDF) finds that while many private foundations have developed best practices for providing humanitarian assistance (including disaster relief and recovery assistance), common principles shared by nongovernmental organizations, government donors, multilateral agencies, and other actors in the field are needed to ensure better coordination. To that end, the report offers a "Best Practice Checklist" and describes how the Hilton Foundation's disaster grantmaking has evolved since the 1980s. Based on lessons learned, the report also offers a number of recommendations, including allocating no more than one-third of disaster response funding to short-term relief and investing in longer-term recovery and risk reduction.
December 20, 2011
Children and Youth
No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration
America's juvenile corrections facilities are dangerous, ineffective, wasteful, and obsolete, a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation argues. The report, No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration (51 pages, PDF), describes how locked, long-term correctional facilities subject juvenile offenders to violence and abuse and are likely to harm the well-being and educational and employment prospects of those meant to be rehabilitated. To make matters worse, the majority of these youth are low-risk offenders who need not be confined to protect the public; in fact, incarceration often increases recidivism rates. And given that alternative interventions such as counseling, mental health and substance abuse treatment, cognitive behavior therapy, and vocational training programs are equally or more effective in reducing delinquency and recidivism, overreliance on juvenile incarceration is a waste of taxpayer dollars. The report's authors call for stricter criteria for correctional placements, investing in non-residential alternatives, removing financial incentives, adopting best practice policies, replacing large institutions with small treatment-oriented facilities for violent offenders, and strengthening data collection.
December 17, 2011
Health
Massachusetts Health Reform: A Five-Year Progress Report
Health reform legislation passed in Massachusetts in 2006 has resulted in nearly universal health coverage in the state, a report from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation finds. The report, Massachusetts Health Reform: A Five-Year Progress Report (34 pages, PDF), examined the results of changes enacted by the law, including a new statewide subsidized coverage program, expanded eligibility for public coverage, more funding for safety-net services, individual and employer mandates, the merger of the individual and small group markets, and the creation of a health insurance exchange, and found that the reforms have made it easier for low- and moderate-income residents to secure coverage and encourage those otherwise willing to go without coverage to participate. Expanded coverage also has helped improve access to quality health care in the state and significantly reduced racial/ethnic disparities in health care provision. At the same time, the authors note, the impact of federal health reform and the state's ability to contain costs over the long term have yet to be determined.
December 14, 2011
Minorities
Men of Color: Ensuring the Academic Success of Latino Males in Higher Education
The gap between men of color — Latino males, in particular — and their female peers in terms of college access and degree attainment has serious implications for the economic prosperity and well-being of growing Latino/Hispanic communities and the country as a whole, a report from the Pathways to College Network and the Institute for Higher Education Policy warns. Based on census, educational attainment, and related data, Men of Color: Ensuring the Academic Success of Latino Males in Higher Education
(20 pages, PDF), found that enrollment rates are lower — and the likelihood of grade repetition, suspension, and expulsion higher — among African-American and Latino/Hispanic boys throughout their early childhood and K-12 education. Funded by TG, a public, nonprofit corporation that promotes educational access and success, the report offers a blueprint for boosting college success among Latino male students that includes pre- and college-level programming that provides information about academic transitions and career choices, ongoing feedback related to academic progress, and social support.
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