FN&C Now

Volume 5, Number 34 – September 2, 2004 IN THIS ISSUE NEWS COVERAGE: Philanthropic Giving Index shows return to normalcy; MacArthur grants to help improve public understanding of foundations and nonprofits; William T. Grant Foundation announces new fellowship NOW ONLINE: Foundation staffing and public reporting statistics online for the first time JUST PUBLISHED: CEO Links offers executives new resources; book shows the role of art museums is expanding AT THE COUNCIL: Grantmaking Basics II; sign up for Breaking News ACT NOW: Register for the 2004 Fall Conference for Community Foundations ON THE MOVE: Judith Rodin and Gordon Conway (Rockefeller); Katherine Hatton (Robert Wood Johnson); Jeff Kumataka, et al. (James Irvine); William G. Anlyan, Constance F. Gray and Minor M. Shaw (Duke Endowment); Erika L. Binger (McKnight); Jacqueline Berrien (NAACP Fund); Christine A. Varga (MacArthur); Hollis Cohen (New York Women's); Kristen Engberg and Garth Meintjes (JEHT) NEWS COVERAGE BACK TO NORMAL: According to the Philanthropic Giving Index (PGI), the climate for charitable giving is far more positive than last year. The overall PGI was 90.6, up 25.3 percent from the 2003 summer survey. The Present Situation Index of 87.4 shows a 38.7 percent increase from one year ago, nearly matching the level prior to September 11, 2001. More than 62 percent of those surveyed said the economy will have a positive impact on fundraising in six months. PGI is produced by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Read more: http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/nr-PGI-Summer2004.htm . IMPROVING PUBLIC TRUST: The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded five grants totaling $495,000 to groups working to build public trust in the nonprofit sector, enhance the accountability and transparency of foundations and other nonprofits and help expand access to philanthropic resources. The Council on Foundations received a grant of $250,000 for its "Building Strong and Ethical Foundations: Doing it Right" initiative to strengthen foundations' understanding of and adherence to high standards of governance. The Donors Forum of Chicago received $100,000 to support the Preserving the Public Trust Task Force, which was created to help maintain public confidence in Illinois-based foundations and nonprofits. The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy received $75,000 for general operations. The Center for Effective Philanthropy received $50,000 for research to help U.S. foundations improve their leadership skills, governance and service to grantees. Philanthropic Research, Inc., received $20,000 to help New York State create an electronic reporting and information retrieval system for the nonprofit sector. Read more: http://www.macfound.org/announce/press_releases/8_31_2004.htm . NEW FELLOWSHIP: The William T. Grant Foundation announced its new post-doctoral fellowship and named its first fellow, Vivian Tseng. Foundation President Robert Granger said the two-year fellowship was created to advance the foundation's work while nurturing talented, early-career scholars. Tseng, an assistant professor at California State University, Northridge, will monitor and review grants, write articles and conduct research on topics that will enhance the foundation's grantmaking effectiveness. Read more: http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/newsletter3039/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=236206 . NOW ONLINE STAFFING AND REPORTING: Foundation staffing and public reporting statistics are available online for the first time at the Foundation Center's website. The 2004 data is based on information from nearly 20,000 of the largest foundations in the United States. Staffing statistics document patterns for both professional and support staff, as well as boards of trustees. The public reporting statistics document foundations' voluntary reporting patterns through the use of publications, annual reports and websites. For staffing tables, go to: http://fdncenter.org/fc_stats/gm_staff.html . For public reporting tables, go to: http://fdncenter.org/fc_stats/gm_public.html . JUST PUBLISHED CEO Links: The August CEO Links includes information on Form PF-990 guidance and new publications relevant to executives, including an IRS document detailing the life cycle of a public charity. It also links to sample board job descriptions. Read the issue: http://www.cof.org/files/Documents/Newsletters/CEOLinks/2004/CEOLinks AugustIssue.doc . To read previous issues, visit the Council's professional development page at: http://www.cof.org/index.cfm?containerid=89&menuContainerID=0&crumb=2&navID=0 . CHANGING MUSEUMS: According to Art Museums in Transformation, museums are becoming forums for the discussion of new ideas and places where people can interact and learn from one another. The book, published by the American Association of Museums, explains how change is occurring at 11 museums across the country that make up a test group. Supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts' Program for Art Museums and Communities, those museums are enhancing the quality of the visitor experience and expanding services to their communities. To purchase the book, visit: http://www.aam-us.org/newbookstore/detail.cfm?id=662 . Download the introduction (PDF) at: http://www.pewtrusts.org/pubs/pubs_item.cfm?content_item_id=2464&content_type_id=21&page=p3 . AT THE COUNCIL GRANTMAKING KNOW-HOW: Grantmaking Basics II: A Field Guide for Funders begins where Grantmaking Basics ends. Authors Fred Setterberg, Rushworth M. Kidder and Colburn S. Wilbur go beyond the basics and offer additional information, guidance and tips from the field to further educate program officers, foundation executives, board members and others engaged in the complicated business of giving money away. The book also aims to help grantmakers benefit from the experience of their peers as they pursue their continuing professional education. To order ($35 Council members; $55 nonmembers): http://www.cof.org/Publications/Detail.cfm?ProductID=3020 . FREE NEWS SERVICE: Breaking News is a free, daily e-mail newsletter summarizing the top articles—mostly from national and regional newspapers—about philanthropy. Breaking News is available to Council members only. Subscribe by e-mailing your name, title and foundation name to media@cof.org. ACT NOW FALL CONFERENCE: Join your community foundation colleagues for the 2004 Fall Conference for Community Foundations held in Minneapolis October 11–13, 2004 (pre-conference activities begin October 7). The conference's theme is "Delivering on Our Promise: Impact, Innovation and Integrity." Plenary speakers include Michael Ciresi, chairman of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, LLP; and Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic, Inc., and author of Authentic Leadership. With fees earned from the $6.6 billion settlement in the Minnesota tobacco lawsuit, Ciresi's law firm created a $30 million public foundation (a supporting organization of The Minneapolis Foundation) to support K-12 education, public health and social justice programs. George will share his insights and describe the kind of foundation leadership needed to fulfill the vast potential of today's foundations. Read more or register: http://int2.cof.org/conferences/fall2004/registration.htm . ON THE MOVE JUDITH RODIN will become president of the Rockefeller Foundation in March 2005. She succeeds GORDON CONWAY, who retires at the end of this year. Read more: http://www.rockfound.org/display.asp?context=1&Collection=1&DocID=686&Preview=0&ARCurrent=1 . On September 20, KATHERINE HATTON will join The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as vice president, general counsel and secretary. Read more: http://www.rwjf.org/news/releaseDetail.jsp?id=1092918103548&contentGroup=rwjfrelease . The James Irvine Foundation appointed six new staff members: JEFF KUMATKA, director of finance; ANNE A. MATLOCK, investment analyst; JOHN ORDERS, acting program director in the arts; MARK POTHIER, communications manager; JORGE RUIZ DE VELASCO, senior program officer for youth; JEANNE SAKAMOTO, program associate for the arts; and KENJI TREANOR, program associate for youth. Read more: http://www.irvine.org/irvine_news/press_releases/archive/2004/09-01_staff.shtml . The Duke Endowment named WILLIAM G. ANLYAN vice chairman of the board. CONSTANCE M. GRAY was appointed chairman, committee on rural churches and MINOR M. SHAW was appointed chairman, committee on childcare. Read more: http://www.dukeendowment.org/news02.cfm . ERIKA L. BINGER was elected chair of The McKnight Foundation board of directors. Read more: http://www.mcknight.org/about/news_detail.aspx?itemID=1778&catID=53&typeID=2 . JACQUELINE BERRIEN is now associate director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Read more: http://www.naacpldf.org/content.aspx?article=342 . The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named CHRISTINE A. VARGA program officer in the Population and Reproductive Health area. Read more: http://www.macfound.org/announce/press_releases/8_24_2004_1.htm . The New York Women's Foundation appointed HOLLIS COHEN executive director. On September 1, KRISTEN ENGBERG became senior program manager of JEHT Foundation's Democratizing the Electoral Process program. On January 17, 2005, GARTH MEINTJES will become senior program manager of the International Justice program. 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: 9.08.04