FN&C Now

Volume 7, Number 25 – June 12, 2006 IN THIS ISSUE AT THE COUNCIL: Council opposes Michigan bill that would force foundations to make in-state grants; sign up for Breaking News NEWS COVERAGE: Ford launches African foundation; Calvert Foundation announces milestone in community investing JUST PUBLISHED: Corporate foundations gave a record $3.6 billion in 2005, report finds; Oregon giving exceeded $1 billion for the first time in 2003, study reveals; Asia Foundation releases report on human trafficking; Family Giving News offers steps for self-assessment ACT NOW: Register for funder's forum on ending long-term homelessness ON THE MOVE: Michael Casserly (Grant); C. Dean Germano (California Endowment); Nicole Gordon (JEHT); Marcie Moore-Gantz (Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado); James Siegal (Independent Sector); Amy K. Harbison (Meyer) AT THE COUNCIL MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE: On Friday, the Council on Foundations announced its opposition to the Supervision of Trustees for Charitable Purposes Act (HB 6153), a bill introduced in the Michigan Legislature that would effectively force many foundations incorporated in that state to make at least half their grants to Michigan charities that are the same as or just like those they funded in their earliest years. "One of the great strengths of America's philanthropic sector is its independence," said Steve Gunderson, president and CEO of the Council on Foundations. "We believe that foundations should always respect the intent of their donors, but we do not think it is right for a state legislature to dictate that intent to a foundation in a narrow and self-interested effort to grab more dollars for one state or cause over another." Although some donors legally restrict the scope of grantmaking when incorporating their foundations, others create their foundations as nonprofit corporations with broad charitable purposes to provide the foundation's board with more flexibility to meet unanticipated needs and challenges. Read the press release: http://www.cof.org/council/prdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=4175&navItemNumber=3990 . 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. NEWS COVERAGE NEW FOUNDATION: After five years of development, the Ford Foundation launched TrustAfrica, an independent foundation based in Dakar, Senegal, and managed by African leaders. Established with a $30 million commitment from the Ford Foundation, TrustAfrica will find new approaches to end the violence, discrimination and economic challenges affecting many African nations, focusing particularly on regional solutions that transcend borders of African nations. "Instead of relying on ready-made solutions from abroad, TrustAfrica offers a forum for developing collaborative, locally-grown solutions to the challenges before us," said Gerry Salole, TrustAfrica board chair. "It also allows Africans to take their rightful seat at the table among donors and others who influence development," he said. Read more: http://www.fordfound.org/newsroom/view_news_detail.cfm?news_index=170 . COMMUNITY INVESTING: The Calvert Foundation achieved a milestone by reaching $100 million in sales of its Calvert Community Investment Notes. The notes are the first instrument of their kind to allow investors a "soft return" while channeling their capital to affordable housing, small businesses in low-income areas and microenterprises around the world. Read more: http://www.calvertfoundation.org/article.cgi?id=2023;s=research;u=individual;source=media . JUST PUBLISHED CORPORATE RECORD: Corporate foundations gave a record $3.6 billion in 2005 and many corporate foundation leaders expect continued growth in 2006, according to Key Facts on Corporate Foundations from the Foundation Center. Despite record giving from the surveyed 2,600 corporate foundations, however, corporate foundation giving still lags behind that of independent and community foundations. The report also found corporate foundation giving has decreased as a percentage of all giving from 17 percent in 1987 to 11 percent today. The center's director of research, Steven Lawrence, says, "At $3.6 billion, corporate foundation giving represents a small but critical component of overall corporate philanthropy. Unlike corporations' direct charitable support, it's transparent and provides the only consistent window into corporate funding patterns." The release of the report coincides with the launch of Corporate Giving Online, a searchable database that enables grantseekers and other researchers to access timely information on corporations, their giving vehicles, corporate grants and in-kind gifts. Read more or download the report (PDF): http://foundationcenter.org/media/news/pr_0606a.html . PASSING $1 BILLION: Giving in Oregon surpassed $1 billion for the first time in 2003, according to the 2006 Giving in Oregon Report from the Oregon Community Foundation. The report also provides aggregate data on giving from 1997 through 2003, which shows that giving increased more than 50 percent during that time period. Education received the most funding in the state. Download the report (PDF): http://www.ocf1.org/publications_resources/documents/giving_in_oregon.pdf . HUMAN TRAFFICKING: The Asia Foundation released The Review of a Decade of Research on Trafficking in Persons, Cambodia. The report provides a comprehensive assessment of 72 studies of Cambodia as a source, destination and transit country for adults and children trafficked for sexual exploitation or forced labor. It highlights what is known about human trafficking in Cambodia and also identifies gaps in information, offers suggestions for future research and calls upon the counter-trafficking community to create a solid base of knowledge to inform and strengthen future efforts against trafficking. Later this month, a companion database featuring the studies analyzed in the review will be launched to allow counter-traffickers in Cambodia to share their research. Download the report (PDF): http://www.asiafoundation.org/pdf/CB_TIPreview.pdf . FAMILY GIVING NEWS: Few family foundations perform self-assessments, even though the effectiveness of their boards is tied to the success of their giving. The June Family Giving News offers families a guide to board evaluation that will help them reflect on the board's performance and make their philanthropy more efficient. In its Profiles in Family Philanthropy series, the issue features the Russell Family Foundation, which was built on core values of integrity, constructive communication, lifelong learning, humble stewardship and courage. Read the issue or subscribe: http://www.ncfp.org/Email_Alert.html . ACT NOW ENDING HOMELESSNESS: The Partnership to End Long Term Homelessness will present a funder's forum, Solving the Problem of Homelessness: Philanthropy and Government in Action, on July 17, 2006, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in Washington, DC. The forum will cover advocacy and partnerships between philanthropy and governments to end homelessness. Speakers include Laura Kadwell, director for Ending Long-Term Homelessness, state of Minnesota; and Anita Pampusch, president of the Bush Foundation. The forum will be held before the National Alliance to End Homelessness's 2006 Annual Conference. Forum participants are invited to stay for the conference's opening plenary, which features New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the city's successful efforts to fight homelessness. Register or find out more: http://www.endlongtermhomelessness.org/events/1st_annual_funder_briefing.aspx . ON THE MOVE The William T. Grant Foundation appointed MICHAEL CASSERLY as trustee. Read more: http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/newsletter3039/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=375884 . The California Endowment elected C. DEAN GERMANO to its board. Read more: http://www.calendow.org/news/press_releases/2006/05/051606.stm . On September 1, 2006, NICOLE GORDON will become vice president of the JEHT Foundation. Read more: http://www.jehtfoundation.org/staff.html . MARCIE MOORE-GANTZ is now deputy director for programs for the Gill Foundation's Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado. Read more: http://www.gillfoundation.org/glfcnews/glfcnews_show.htm?doc_id=374951 . Independent Sector named JAMES SIEGAL vice president for nonprofit sector programs and practice. Read more: http://www.independentsector.org/media/20060602jamessiegal.html . The Meyer Foundation hired AMY K. HARBISON as director of communications. SPECIAL OFFER The Council on Foundations has a special offer made possible through the Building Strong and Ethical Foundations program. New foundations can receive a half-priced non-member registration rate at any Council conference. In addition, they can also join the Council and receive half-priced membership dues. Your foundation may qualify—even if you've been grantmaking for several years. For specific eligibility information and more details, please contact the COF Membership Department at 202/467-0291. 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: 9.20.06