FN&C Now

Volume 5, Number 33 – August 25, 2004 IN THIS ISSUE NEWS COVERAGE: Six Allen foundations combined into one entity; Skoll Foundation expands staff, changes location JUST PUBLISHED: Study says nonprofit employment growth wanes, earnings decline; foundation leaders named to Power and Influence Top 50 list NOW ONLINE: Database to help grantmakers work effectively through funder networks ACT NOW: Register for conference on capacity building at Latino-led nonprofits; sign up for teleconference on transformational philanthropy; nominate an excellent urban place ON THE MOVE: Shirley H. Showalter (Fetzer); Steve Cornelius (MacArthur); Jeffrey M. Glebocki (Virginia G. Piper); Carol Rudisill (TechSoup); Kalyani Grasso and Diane Canova (Council on Foundations) NEWS COVERAGE SIX INTO ONE: Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, created The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation through the consolidation of six existing foundations. The new foundation will continue to focus on the Allen family's philanthropic interests in the areas of arts and culture, youth engagement, community development and social change, and scientific and technological innovation. According to the foundation, the move to a single entity will streamline the grant process and increase operational effectiveness. The six foundations were The Allen Foundation for the Arts, The Paul G. Allen Charitable Foundation, The Paul G. Allen Foundation for Medical Research, The Paul G. Allen Forest Protection Foundation, The Allen Foundation for Music and The Paul G. Allen Virtual Education Foundation. Read more: http://www.pgafoundations.com/TemplateMain.aspx?contentId=59 . FOUNDATION EXPANDS: The California-based Skoll Foundation announced six key appointments designed to strengthen the organization during a time of accelerated growth. The new appointments are Sandy Herz as vice president, marketing and communications; Richard Fahey as controller; Ruth Norris as senior program officer; Avon Swofford as program officer; Pamela Lawrence as program coordinator and Wendy Marzetta as assistant to the president. To accommodate its growing staff, the Skoll Foundation recently moved from San Jose to new offices in Palo Alto. Read more: http://www.skollfoundation.org/resources/press/080804.asp . JUST PUBLISHED EMPLOYMENT WANES: A new study from OMB Watch found that while the nonprofit sector held up well overall during recent tough economic times, current trends raise concerns. Employment growth at nonprofits has come to a near standstill during the past year and average hours worked, weekly earnings and hourly wages have all declined. Read more or download the report, Recent Trends in Nonprofit Employment and Earnings: 1990–2004 (PDF): http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/2347 . TOP 50 LIST: The Nonprofit Times released its annual Power and Influence Top 50 list. Among those on this year's list: Paul Brest, president, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; Emmett D. Carson, president and CEO, The Minneapolis Foundation (and chair of the Council on Foundations board of directors); Hodding Carter III, president, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Rick Cohen, executive director, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy; Carla Dearing, president and CEO, Community Foundations of America; Sara L. Engelhardt, president, Foundation Center; Bill Gates, co-founder, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Tim Gill, founder, Gill Foundation; Robert K. Goodwin, president and CEO, Points of Light Foundation; Dorothy S. Ridings, president and CEO, Council on Foundations; and Sterling Speirn, president, Peninsula Community Foundation. The top 50 were selected by staff of The Nonprofit Times and members of the nonprofit community, who winnowed a field of more than 200 nominees. Download the list (PDF): http://www.nptimes.com/Aug04/Aug04_NPT_Top50.pdf . NOW ONLINE NETWORK RESOURCES: Grantmakers for Effective Organizations partnered with the Council on Foundations, the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities to survey the landscape of funder networks and build upon existing research. The Online Funder Networks Database provides a set of tools for grantmakers to connect effectively through funder networks, including a Web-based, searchable directory of networks, maps of networks in the United States, and a series of reports highlighting survey findings and funder network accomplishments. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation funded the project. Read more or search the database: http://www.geofunders.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageID=103 . ACT NOW CAPACITY BUILDING: Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) invites you to learn more about capacity building among Latino-led nonprofits at the Fifth Assembly of the HIP Funders' Collaborative for Strong Latino Communities. The assembly, held September 28–30, in Providence, Rhode Island, will bring together funders from 15 sites across the nation to share lessons learned and identify best practices. The assembly will also provide a forum for old and new partners to influence the future direction of HIP's Scrivner Award-winning Funders' Collaborative for Strong Latino Communities. Find out more or register: http://www.hiponline.org/downloads/events/assemblyregistration.doc . Read profiles of the women behind the Funders' Collaborative for Strong Latino Communities in the May/June 2003 Foundation News — Commentary: http://www.foundationnews.org/CME/article.cfm?ID=2448 . FACING CHANGE: The range of what constitutes significant change is vast, and change can often be disruptive. To address issues associated with change, The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) presents as part of its Tuesdays@TPI series, "Transformational Philanthropy - The Challenge and Potential of Significant Change," an open forum and Web teleconference, October 26, 12 to 1:30 p.m. ET. Join Peter Karoff, TPI founder and chairman, and a distinguished group of donors and practitioners for an in-depth discussion. Featured panelists include: Cheryl Healton, president and CEO, American Legacy Foundation; Melinda Marble, executive director, Paul and Phyllis Fireman Foundation; and Ratna Omidvar, executive director, Maytree Foundation. Read more or register: http://www.tpi.org/promoting/education/tuesdaysattpi/tuesdays_at_tpi.htm . URBAN EXCELLENCE: Applications for the 2005 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence are now available. The Bruner award is given to urban places that demonstrate successful integration of effective process, meaningful values and good design. Winners are distinguished by their social, economic and contextual contributions to the urban environment and often provide innovate solutions to cities' most challenging problems. One Gold Medal ($50,000) and four Silver Medals ($10,000 each) are awarded. Application deadline is December 13, 2004. Read more or download an application: http://www.brunerfoundation.org . ON THE MOVE SHIRLEY H. SHOWALTER will join the Fetzer Institute as vice president for programs in late 2004. Read more: http://www.fetzer.org/WhatsNew.aspx?PageID=WhatsNew&NavID=1 . STEVE CORNELIUS joined the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as program officer, Conservation and Sustainable Development. Read more: http://www.macfdn.org/announce/press_releases/8_17_2004.htm . JEFFREY M. GLEBOCKI joined the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust as program officer, focusing on initiatives related to youth. Read more: http://www.pipertrust.org/servlet/com.piper.display.ListNews?action=VIEW&article_id=100067 . CAROL RUDISILL is now senior program manager supporting TechSoup.org's product philanthropy service, TechSoup Stock. KALYANI GRASSO is now communications coordinator in the International Programs Department of the Council on Foundations. Diane Canova is the interim director, Government Relations and Public Policy. SUBSCRIBE FN&C Now is published by the Council on Foundations to keep you in the loop by sharing news between bimonthly editions of Foundation News & Commentary magazine (FN&C Now Web archive: http://www.foundationnews.org/now/index.htm ). Please feel free to forward this message to your friends and colleagues who might enjoy it. To subscribe (it's free) to FN&C Now, send an e-mail to fncnow@cof.org . Questions or comments about FN&C Now? Contact Paula J. Kelly at 202/467-0261. To contribute a news item for consideration, please e-mail fncnow@cof.org . To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail to leave-fncnow-4832R@int1.cof.org . To subscribe to Foundation News & Commentary, an award-winning magazine, please send an e-mail to fncsubs@cof.org , or visit our website at http://www.icnfull.com/cgi-bin/cobolscript.exe?cof/cofmain.cbl . Council on Foundations 1828 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 202/466-6512 webmaster@cof.org last update: 8.25.04