The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Our April issue is out! Could The Great Wealth Transfer bring as much as $18-trillion to the charitable sector? While past predictions of a golden age of bequests haven’t panned out, our cover story looks at whether the wealth transfer will really pay off for charities this time, and how they can prepare for potential opportunities. On the cover we feature Lacey Fluor Goossen and her father, Peter Fluor, who have partnered with the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Lacey participated in the foundation’s program for next-gen donors and then got her father involved. Inside you'll find stories on: 🟣 Planned Giving: How to Position Your Nonprofit for the Wealth Transfer https://lnkd.in/eaJ5MGmN 🟣 Power Couple Giving: The 10-Year Journey of Steve and Connie Ballmer https://lnkd.in/enk-SReF 🟣 Philanthropy Advising Is a ‘Wild West’ — and Increasingly Influential https://lnkd.in/epmvvjGu 🟣 How Nonprofits Are Fundraising Amid ‘Scary, Challenging Time’ https://lnkd.in/eFffYwJH 🟣 and much more! Dive into the new issue: https://lnkd.in/e-a6pTBa Not a subscriber yet? Sign up today. 🗞️ https://lnkd.in/ebTafqKc 🗞️

Opinion: An interim leader can guide an organization through chaotic times, reducing burnout and staff turnover, writes Kate Bernyk. https://lnkd.in/euTZTqpx Bernyk is a strategic communications consultant and nonprofit advisor who served as interim president for Rewire News Group in 2024.

Why did President Lyndon B. Johnson adopt a strategy for providing direct federal grants to nonprofits and tasking those groups with delivering social services to marginalized communities as part of his "war on poverty?" Because he was urged to do so by civil rights leaders who distrusted local and state government officials to treat them fairly. However, the consequences of government outsourcing education, housing, and other social services to nonprofits are becoming painfully clear under President Donald Trump, who is disrupting federal grant funding, according to "Nonprofit Neighborhoods" author Claire Dunning. "What we're seeing now, in some ways, is a backlash, not only to the content, in terms of whose needs are met through these kinds of programs and provisions, but a sort of general surprise that this is how things are getting done," she said. "People don't know that things like their Meals on Wheels program or after-school tutoring programs or affordable housing, is public money flowing through the nonprofit sector. And when we can't see it, it becomes hard to defend and hard to expand." Read Stephanie Beasley's Q&A: https://lnkd.in/eUy7tRpu University of Maryland Meals on Wheels America

Trump's orders have attempted to roll back decades of affirmative-action policies in federal contracting that date to the Johnson administration, shutter government DEI offices and programs, and put large private foundations and corporations on notice that any involvement in "illegal" DEI activities could result in an unfriendly call from the U.S. Department of Justice. "These orders are written in many cases with a strategic ambiguity," said Scott Curran, former general counsel of the Clinton Foundation. "They are chaotic and overwhelming by design" and a "values stress test" for the nonprofit sector. Alex Daniels reports: https://lnkd.in/g8rYiMgg

Is your nonprofit ensuring data privacy in the age of A.I.? Earlier this week the Chronicle of Philanthropy hosted a free online forum to identify what nonprofits need to know and do to ensure that A.I. tools do not compromise the privacy of key constituents. Here's a link to the recording. Watch now for tips on how to better understand the privacy policies of A.I. platforms and how nonprofits can be vigilant about protecting the personal information of their clients and donors. 📹 https://lnkd.in/eEBf2URc 📹 #philforum #ai

Opinion: 4 underfunded strategies to fight Elon Musk, lift the working class, and strengthen democracy. Philanthropy should channel the outrage of Bernie Sander’s “Fighting Oligarchy” tour and invest big in projects that give more Americans a voice in policies that affect their lives, writes Loren McArthur. https://lnkd.in/euMVTuUt McArthur is an independent consultant and philanthropic adviser.

Next week we'll be joining our panelists — Tonia Brown-Kinzel, grant compliance manager with The Grant Plant, and Anne Musial, chief development officer at The 19th News — for our #philwebinar on April 10. We'll be diving into strategies to help you fundraise for general operating support. Register today to hear proven tactics for finding the right grant makers for your organization, building relationships with program officers, and making an outstanding case for support. Plus, you’ll get tools that can help you, including sample language for communicating the impact of general operating support. What will you learn? ➕ How to make the case for unrestricted grants in ways that resonate with funders ➕ Smart ways to connect with program officers and prepare for your first meeting ➕ Tips for using databases and other tools to identify your best prospective grant makers Register today! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/eNkXmkuY The Chronicle's Alex Daniels, senior reporter, will host this timely conversation. This event is made possible with support from Your Part-Time Controller, LLC. Tonia Brown-Kinzel, GPC, CGMS, GPA Approved Trainer

Finding a mentor is something that proves challenging for many young fundraisers. But it doesn’t have to be, say experts. For newer fundraisers seeking advice, it’s important that they ask for formal mentorship, but also get involved and make connections to create their own personal Rolodex of fundraising professionals who can offer them help and advice when they need it most. https://lnkd.in/eeqx7KSH

Supporters increasingly prefer in-person interactions and direct communication, yet many nonprofits continue to invest heavily in social media outreach. A nonprofit leader shares key ways to refocus your efforts and build stronger connections with donors. https://lnkd.in/ekVHUbTz

Kate Carney of More in Common offers a simple, three-part playbook for how funders can build connection — and community. "It is our connections and relationships with one another that are critical to flourishing communities," Carney writes for #TheCommons. "Yet we cannot take it for granted that these relationships form on their own." Odd as it may seem, American need help answering their need for relationships, and Carney offers examples big and small — from supporting block parties to leadership training — for how philanthropy can step up. Read her essay: https://lnkd.in/eyEJX885