FN&C Now

Volume 6, Number 30 – August 30, 2005 IN THIS ISSUE NEWS COVERAGE: Illinois community foundations form state alliance; Pew launches center to foster artistic creativity in Philadelphia; MacArthur aids human rights reporting in Mexico AWARDS ROUNDUP: Carnegie Medal recipients announced; Gates foundation names 2005 Access to Learning Award winner; Hilton foundation increases humanitarian prize NOW ONLINE: Board compensation and reimbursement data from Foundation Management Series; 2005 grantmaker staffing and public reporting statistics from The Foundation Center AT THE COUNCIL: Come to the Fall Conference for Community Foundations; Foundation News & Commentary highlights Dorothy S. Ridings' top ten; sign up for Breaking News ACT NOW: Register for seminar on building strong foundations for small foundations; submit a nomination for the William T. Grant Distinguished Fellows Program ON THE MOVE: Sterling Speirn and William C. Richardson (Kellogg); Steven Hilton and Donald Hubbs (Hilton); Linda J. Kelly and Mike Bangser (Hartford); Susan Patterson (Knight); Sherry Rockey (Independent Sector); Tatwina Chinn Lee, Marcela Medina, et al. (San Francisco); Dena C. Jenson (Ventura); Robert Woodbury (Maine Community); Madora Bianca, Katy Moore and Marilyn Turner (Council on Foundations) NEWS COVERAGE NEW ALLIANCE: At an August 5 meeting, 25 community foundations across Illinois created the Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations to raise their visibility statewide, spur their growth and increase professional development. Gloria Lundin, president of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, was named alliance president. Joy Boruff, executive director of The Moline Foundation, said, "There are about 50 community foundations in Illinois and we have been meeting informally for years. As community foundations in the state expand in number, their influence, impact and ability to help their communities maintain and enhance the quality of life continues to grow. Therefore, the time is right for an official alliance." Boruff also described a sense of urgency about providing new community foundations with information and offering established ones an opportunity to share their knowledge. Read more: http://www.molinefoundation.org/news.htm . ARTS CENTER: The Pew Charitable Trusts created the Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage (PCAH) to provide a home for its artistic initiatives and to foster creativity in the city's arts and heritage communities. Over the past ten years, Pew has provided more than $150 million to cultural organizations and activities in the Philadelphia region to bring together artistic creativity, operational effectiveness and greater audience access. The center, which will house seven existing initiatives funded by the trusts (Dance Advance, Heritage Philadelphia Program, Pew Fellowships in the Arts, Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, Philadelphia Music Project, Philadelphia Theatre Initiative and the Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative), will officially open in November. Rebecca W. Rimel, the Pew Charitable Trusts' president and CEO, said, "Philadelphia has shown the world that when you support artistic creativity and preserve your heritage, positive things happen for the region's citizens and the economy." PCAH will be administered by the University of the Arts. Read more (PDF): http://www.pewtrusts.org/pdf/PCAH_Fact_Sheet_0805.pdf . HUMAN RIGHTS: The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced three grants totaling nearly $1 million to help strengthen Mexico's human rights reporting system and to contribute to human rights protections for indigenous communities in the state of Guerrero. "In the past decade, Mexico has made significant advances in addressing human rights issues. But there is still work to be done, especially in the rural areas," said the foundation's president, Jonathan F. Fanton. The grants will help national and local groups monitor and protect human rights across the country, and help improve Mexico's human rights ombuds system. Read more: http://www.macfound.org/announce/press_releases/8_5_2005_1.htm . AWARDS ROUNDUP CARNEGIE MEDAL: A selection committee drawn from the 23 international foundations established by Andrew Carnegie during his lifetime announced recipients of the 2005 Andrew Carnegie Medals of Philanthropy. The medals honor six individuals and families who have used their private wealth on behalf of the public good. Recipients are His Highness, the Aga Khan; Sir Tom Farmer, founder of Kwik-Fit; Agnes Gund, chair of the New York Museum of Modern Art; Anna Southall, on behalf of the Cadbury family; Eleanor Hewlett Gimon, on behalf of the Hewlett family; and Susan Packard Orr, on behalf of the Packard family. William Thomson, a great-grandson of Andrew Carnegie and chair of the medal's organizing and selection committees, said, "Recipients of the medal share Andrew Carnegie's vision that distributing one's accumulated wealth for the common good is just as important a task as building up that wealth." Recipients-who are chosen every other year-receive a bust of Andrew Carnegie and a bronze medal. The 2005 medals will be presented October 4 in Edinburgh, Scotland, at a ceremony preceded by an international philanthropy symposium. Read more: http://www.carnegie.org/sub/news/medal2005.html . LEARNING AWARD: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation named Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, a nongovernmental organization in Bangladesh, winner of its 2005 Access to Learning Award. The award, which comes with a $1 million cash prize, was given to the group in recognition of its use of traditional boats and river networks in bringing information technology to remote and impoverished communities. The boats, which anchor at remote villages, rely on generators or solar energy and mobile phones for Internet access. The award recognizes the innovative efforts of libraries, organizations and library agencies outside of the United States in providing no-cost, public access computing. The award is administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources. Read more: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Libraries/ InternationalLibraryInitiatives/Announcements/Announce-050816.htm . AWARD INCREASE: To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation increased the prize's cash award from $1 million to $1.5 million. The prize, which honors nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations that have significantly alleviated human suffering, is now the world's largest humanitarian award. The foundation's board increased the amount of the award "to underscore the tremendous humanitarian needs facing our globe," said Chairman and CEO Steven Hilton. Read more: http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/press_release_details.asp?id=35 . The foundation is accepting nominations of established, nongovernmental public charities for the 2006 prize. Entries must be postmarked by November 7, 2005. Make a nomination: http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/main.asp?id=43 . NOW ONLINE BOARD DATA: The board compensation chapter from the forthcoming Foundation Management Series, Twelfth Edition, Volume I-II: Foundation Governing Boards and Administrative Expenses in Private Foundations is now available online for Council on Foundations members. The chapter provides updated figures for board compensation and reimbursement, and methods used to pay board members. The full survey report will be available in December 2005 in both book and CD-ROM formats. Members who are survey respondents will receive a complimentary CD-ROM copy of the report. Council members may access the chapter (PDF) at: http://www.cof.org/files/Documents/Research/FMS%2012th%20ed/text_and_tables.pdf . A memorandum approved by the Council on Foundations board, "Determining Reasonable Compensation for Foundation Directors and Trustees," is also online. Read the memo (PDF): http://www.cof.org/files/Documents/Governing_Boards/trusteecomp2003.pdf . STAFFING AND REPORTING: The Foundation Center posted 2005 statistics detailing foundation staffing and public reporting online. Information is available detailing foundation staff positions from 1995 to 2005, as well numbers for 2004 and 2005, broken down by asset range, period of establishment, region, type of foundation, staff size range and boards of trustees. Public reporting data are listed for those foundations issuing publications and maintaining websites from 1995 to 2005, and detailed information is provided for 2004 and 2005, broken down by asset range, period of establishment, foundation type and region and geographic focus. View the data: http://fdncenter.org/fc_stats/listing01.html . AT THE COUNCIL FALL CONFERENCE: Join your community foundation colleagues in Seattle, September 19–21, for the Council on Foundations' 2005 Fall Conference for Community Foundations (pre-conference activities begin September 15). The conference theme is Community Knowledge at Work; it will explore how community foundations can become more proactive and effective community leaders. The conference will embrace the fun-loving spirit of the FISH! customer service philosophy from Seattle's famous Pike Place Fish Market. Speakers include Bill Gates, Sr., co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Tom Stewart, editor, Harvard Business Review. Register or read more: http://int2.cof.org/conferences/fall2005/registration.htm . FOUNDATION NEWS: The July/August issue of Foundation News & Commentary presents "Dot's Top Ten"-the top accomplishments, as seen by the Council on Foundations' staff, of Council President and CEO Dorothy S. Ridings, who retires August 31, 2005. Among Ridings' accomplishments are earning the admiration and respect of spokespersons across the political and ideological spectrum and supporting innovative approaches to serving the Council's increasingly diverse membership, with the vision of ensuring unity in the field. The issue also includes Gwen I. Walden's "Shaping the Course of Our Democracy," which presents trends to which foundations should respond during the next 25 years and Steve Murray and Yuan-An Fan's commentary, "Protecting National Resources," which says foundations' survival may be threatened by spending, inflation and declining returns on investments, and suggests ways foundations can generate additional income. In "Thinking About an Audit? Read This First," Andras Kosaras explains how to conduct a successful audit. Read the issue: http://www.foundationnews.org . 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 BUILDING STRONG: The Association of Small Foundations will hold Building a Strong Foundation, a new educational program for foundations with few or no staff, September 19–21, 2005, in New York City and November 9–11, 2005, in Santa Monica. Foundation trustees and staff are invited to attend one, two or three days of the seminar, which will present tracks on foundations 101, foundation governance, family foundation succession, investment boot camp, the 990-PF and assessment tools. The New York City program also includes a pre-conference retreat for the next generation of family foundation trustees. Register or find out more: http://www.smallfoundations.org/events_1/basf . FELLOWS PROGRAM: The William T. Grant Foundation is seeking proposals for the second year of the pilot of its Distinguished Fellows Program for mid-career influential researchers, policymakers and practitioners. The program's goal is to increase the supply of, demand for and use of high-quality research in the service of improved youth outcomes. The program provides mid-career practitioners and policymakers with time in a research setting or gives researchers time in a practitioner or policymaking setting. During the first year of the pilot, the foundation awarded six fellowships to researchers. The foundation is currently accepting applications from policymakers and practitioners and will grant two to four annual awards to continue improving the program's design. The deadline for letters of inquiry is November 3, 2005. Find out more: http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/newsletter3039/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=253859 . ON THE MOVE In January 2006, STERLING SPEIRN, president and CEO of the Peninsula Community Foundation, will join the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as CEO and president. Speirn will succeed WILLIAM C. RICHARDSON, who is retiring December 31 after 10 years at the helm. Read more (PDF): http://www.wkkf.org/Pubs/CEOAnnouncementFinal_00439_03817.pdf . STEVEN HILTON, president of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, also was appointed chairman and CEO. He succeeds DONALD HUBBS, who retired after 36 years with the foundation. Read more: http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/press_release_details.asp?id=36 . LINDA J. KELLY will become president of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving in October. She succeeds MIKE BANGSER, who has led the foundation for 16 years. Read more: http://www.hfpg.org/matriarch/DisplayLinksPage.asp?PageID=97&PageName=NewsPubsPressReleases&LinksPageID=201 . At the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Community Liaison Program Officer for the Carolinas SUSAN PATTERSON is now director of the Community Partners Program. She will continue to serve as program officer for Charlotte, North Carolina. Read more: http://www.knightfdn.org/default.asp?story=news_at_knight/releases/2005/2005_08_17_patterson.html . Independent Sector hired SHERRY ROCKEY as vice president for resource development. Read more: http://www.independentsector.org/media/20050822_Rockey.html . The San Francisco Foundation elected TATWINA CHINN LEE board chair-the first Asian American to lead the board. MARCELA MEDINA, JOHN MURRAY and JAMES HERBERT, II, were named trustees. DENA C. JENSON joined the Ventura County Community Foundation as director of the Resource Center for Nonprofit Management. The Maine Community Foundation elected ROBERT WOODBURY board chair. MADORA BIANCA joined the Council on Foundations as part-time administrative associate for the Conference Operations team. KATY MOORE joined as standards coordinator for the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. MARILYN TURNER joined as outreach and member relations coordinator. 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: 10.14.05