FN&C Now
Volume 7, Number 17 – April 7, 2006
IN THIS ISSUE
NEWS COVERAGE: Michigan attorney general's investigation of the Ford Foundation generates concern; Open Society Institute-Baltimore plans to stay open; William T. Grant Foundation announces five new scholars
JUST PUBLISHED: Study predicts slow growth in giving in 2006; second volume on building nonprofit leadership available; Alliance interview with Buzz Schmidt on GuideStar's international efforts
AT THE COUNCIL: Film and Video Festival, Henry Hampton Award winners announced; sample document library for foundations available; sign up for Breaking News
ACT NOW: Last chance to register for public health conference; sign up for trustee leadership and family foundation succession seminars for small foundations
ON THE MOVE: Edward Skloot (Surdna); Sandra Day O'Connor and Raymond Smith (Rockefeller); Margaret Sellers Walker and Cecile Fehsenfeld (Grand Rapids); E. Robert Kent Jr., George L. Bunting Jr. and Suzanne F. Cohen, et al. (Baltimore); Sally Jones, Dianna Smiley and Sarah Trzepacz, et al. (National Center for Family Philanthropy); Edmond J. Ghisu (Robert Wood Johnson); Len Finocchio (California HealthCare); Akiko Abe (Stuart)
NEWS COVERAGE
FORD INVESTIGATION: In August, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox started investigating the Ford Foundation, which is incorporated in Michigan, saying, "the fund has ignored the Ford family's philanthropic wishes by reducing support for charities in the state." Although Cox also has questioned the foundation's administrative expenses and its giving to nonprofit organizations with connections to its board members, he has not accused Ford of any wrongdoing. Council on Foundations President and CEO Steve Gunderson said, "Based on what we know, none of the information we've seen suggests either legal or ethical violations. Because we've seen no evidence of inappropriate conduct, we're concerned that the motivations behind the inquiry are political rather than substantive." Read the Chronicle of Philanthropy article outlining the investigation: http://philanthropy.com/free/update/2006/04/2006040601.htm .
OPEN SOCIETY: The Open Society Institute-Baltimore, established by George Soros, announced that it expects to raise the money needed to remain open, according to a Baltimore Sun report. The office opened in 1998 with the goal of understanding and solving urban ills that trouble older, industrial cities. Although Soros provided approximately $50 million in startup funding, he stressed that the office eventually would need to find other funding sources. Last year, Soros said he would no longer support the organization, but would provide a one-time grant of $10 million if the organization was able to raise twice that amount from other donors by 2010. With donations from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Open Society Institute-Baltimore expects to raise the $20 million by 2008. Read the article: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.soros03apr03,0,5549869.story .
GRANT SCHOLARS: The William T. Grant Foundation selected five researchers in youth development for its latest class of William T. Grant Scholars. The scholars, who will each receive $300,000 over five years to support their research, are Valerie Leiter, assistant professor of sociology, Simmons College; Emily Ozer, assistant professor of community health and human development, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley; Devah Pager, assistant professor of sociology and population research, Princeton University; Laura Romo, assistant professor of child and adolescent development, School of Education, University of California, Santa Barbara; and Kevin Roy, assistant professor of family studies, University of Maryland. The 25-year-old program identifies exceptional scholars early in their careers and provides them with financing, mentorship and interdisciplinary experiences. Read more: http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/newsletter3039/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=365215 .
JUST PUBLISHED
SLOW GROWTH: Giving by the nation's 68,000 foundations in 2005 grew by an estimated 5.5 percent to a record $33.6 billion, but sluggish investment returns indicate 2006 growth in giving will be limited, according to a Foundation Center report. Foundation Growth and Giving Estimates: Current Outlook attributes last year's moderate growth to continued stock market growth, higher levels of new gifts to corporate and community foundations, giving by newly established foundations and exceptional grantmaking in response to disasters. The report says the lingering impact of the economic downturn in the early 2000s; continued variability in market performance; and a lack of strong, consistent growth in assets will limit increases in foundation giving in 2006. Assets of U.S. foundations increased by an estimated 2 to 4 percent in 2005, down substantially from a 7.1 percent gain in 2004 and a nearly 10 percent rise in 2003. Read more or download the report (PDF): http://www.fdncenter.org/media/news/pr_0604.html .
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Investing in Leadership, Volume 2: Inspiration and Ideas from Philanthropy's New Frontier is a compilation of case studies on leadership development and the challenges of translating research and theory into practice. The guide from Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) is the second in a two-volume series. Investing in Leadership, Volume 2 highlights the importance of leadership in the nonprofit sector; foundations that are practicing leadership development; different approaches to developing leadership and investing in nonprofit capacity; and steps to advance nonprofit leadership development. An appendix provides examples from 40 grantmakers who practice leadership development. The first volume of Investing in Leadership provides an overview of current thinking about leadership development. The series is supported by the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. Download Volume 2 (PDF): http://www.geofunders.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=document.showDocumentByID&DocumentID=2679 .
GUIDESTAR GOES INTERNATIONAL: After a decade of operating in the United States, GuideStar has launched in the United Kingdom and may also launch in India, South Africa, Hungary, Germany, Israel and Palestine. In an interview with Alliance magazine, GuideStar founder Buzz Schmidt, who is now president of Civil Society Systems, which promotes and supports the construction of GuideStar systems around the world, explains how the quality of nonprofit data can be assured, where revenue will come from and how far internationally the GuideStar model can go. Schmidt says, "We went to 15 or 16 countries last year, and everyone in the charity sector says this is exactly what we need." Read the interview: http://www.allavida.org/alliance/axapr06b.html .
AT THE COUNCIL
FILM AND VIDEO AWARDS: The Council selected 14 films to appear at the 2006–2007 Film & Video Festival during its 57th Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, May 7–9. The Council will also honor four winners of the 5th annual Henry Hampton Awards for Excellence in Film & Digital Media at an awards dinner on Sunday, May 7. The festival, now in its 39th year, is cosponsored by Grantmakers in Film and Electronic Media. To be eligible, films must have some foundation funding. The films often serve as catalysts for community action, public education and advocacy campaigns. The Henry Hampton Award recognizes excellence in documentary filmmaking that focuses on compelling social movements and issues. Read about the festival selections and Hampton award winners in the March/April Foundation News & Commentary: http://www.foundationnews.org/CME/article.cfm?ID=3641 .
Find out more or register for the 57th Annual Conference: http://int2.cof.org/conferences/ac2006/index.asp .
SAMPLE DOCUMENTS: Grantmakers can now access a bank of foundation documents available on the Council on Foundations' Leadership webpage. Whether you are with an established foundation looking for benchmarks or starting a new one, you will discover a wide range of sample documents donated by Council members from small, medium and large foundations. The documents will provide a starting point for topics such as founding documents, board committee descriptions, audits and more. Go to the bank: http://www.cof.org/index.cfm?containerid=507 .
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, as well as members and staff of our colleague organizations. Subscribe by e-mailing your name, title and foundation name to media@cof.org.
ACT NOW
TIME'S RUNNING OUT: Join Grantmakers In Health for a special two-day meeting, "On the Front Lines of Public Health," May 18–19, 2006, at the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Global Communications Center in Atlanta. Hear from leading experts on a variety of important public health topics and learn how funders can use the CDC as a resource. Take advantage of this one-of-a-kind opportunity to tour the CDC's state-of-the-art facilities and labs to see how the agency is tackling the most pressing public health threats facing the nation and the world. The CDC Foundation, Healthcare Georgia Foundation and Kansas Health Foundation are meeting co-sponsors. All registration forms and payment must be received by Friday, April 14, 2006. Find out more or register:
http://www.gih.org/calendar_url2665/calendar_url_show.htm?doc_id=325093 .
SMALL FOUNDATIONS: Gain insights into a trustee's many roles at the Association of Small Foundations (ASF) Trustee Leadership Seminar, April 27, 2006, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in Dallas. Attendees will learn about roles, responsibilities and qualities of an effective trustee; ethics, governance and the law; the board's role in grantmaking and more. On April 28, 2006, ASF will hold a seminar on Family Foundation Succession in Dallas from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT. Attendees will learn about family systems and dynamics; models for succession planning and next steps for their foundation. Register or find out more: http://www.smallfoundations.org/events_1/calendar_of_events/dallas06 .
ON THE MOVE
On June 30, 2007, EDWARD SKLOOT will retire as executive director of the Surdna Foundation. Skloot, the foundation's first executive director, has been with Surdna for 17 years. Read more (PDF): http://www.surdna.org/usr_doc/PressRel.pdf .
In June, SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR and RAYMOND SMITH will join the board of the Rockefeller Foundation. Read more (PDF): http://www.rockfound.org/Library/Sandra_Day_O'Connor_and_Raymond_Smith_join_%20Rockefeller_Foundation_board_of_trustees.pdf .
The Grand Rapids Community Foundation elected MARGARET SELLERS WALKER chair and CECILE FEHSENFELD trustee. Read more:
http://www.grfoundation.org/news.php?id=62 .
The Baltimore Community Foundation elected E. ROBERT KENT JR. chair, GEORGE L. BUNTING JR. and SUZANNE F. COHEN co-vice chairs and JAMES C. ALBAN IV treasurer. Read more: http://www.bcf.org/pressroom/news_detail.aspx?nid=18 .
The National Center for Family Philanthropy promoted Managing Director SALLY JONES to vice president, former Program Director DIANNA SMILEY to vice president and former Program Coordinator SARAH TRZEPACZ to educational resources manager. Read more: http://www.ncfp.org/FGN-Apr_2006/Staff_Announcements_Press.html . Also, ANJALI GARG was hired as executive assistant to the president.
On April 10, EDMOND J. GHISU will join the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as associate counsel.
LEN FINOCCHIO is now senior program officer for the California HealthCare Foundation's Public Financing & Policy Program.
The Stuart Foundation hired AKIKO ABE as program associate for its Public Schools Program.
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last update: 4.20.06