FN&C Now

Volume 7, Number 37 – September 18, 2006 IN THIS ISSUE FROM THE CONFERENCE: Watch webcasts of the plenaries from the Fall Conference for Community Foundations, starting today AT THE COUNCIL: Publication of Foundation News & Commentary and FN&C Now ceasing; International Dateline discusses the USA PATRIOT Reauthorization Act, Treasury Guidelines and Executive Order 13224; sign up for Breaking News JUST PUBLISHED: Report says 40 percent of U.S.-based international nonprofits faced deficits in 2003 NEWS COVERAGE: Women to Women International wins 2006 Hilton Humanitarian Prize; Associated Grant Makers names inaugural fellows for diversity program in philanthropy; nationwide effort to educate future entrepreneurs and innovators launched ACT NOW: Submit a nomination for award honoring humanitarians under 50 NOW ONLINE: Participate in a survey about a centralized repository of information on non-U.S. NGOs; watch the first Purpose Prize winners on a webcast from the Innovation Summit ON THE MOVE: Rodney Emery (Council on Foundations); Irene Ibarra and John R. Moran Jr. (Colorado Trust); Rick Cohen and Mary Lassen (National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy); Rudy Guglielmo Jr. (Bush); Vivian Tseng (William T. Grant); Brandee Butler and Steven Gerber (MacArthur); Alexa Cortes Culwell, John Simpson and Louise Bay Waters (Stupski) FROM THE CONFERENCE FALL CONFERENCE BEGINS: Although preconference activities have been under way in Boston since Thursday, today marks the beginning of the Council on Foundations' Fall Conference for Community Foundations. This year's conference theme, "Revolutionary Ideas," acknowledges that today's world is in constant, and often rapid, flux. Foundations must be prepared to deal with the impact of those changes on our communities and foundations and employ creative solutions to complex problems. Speakers include Mathew Gross, former director of Internet communications for the Howard Dean presidential campaign and launcher of the first presidential campaign blog; Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA); Bill Strickland, president and CEO of Manchester Bidwell; David Hackett Fischer, professor of history at Brandeis University and author of Paul Revere's Ride and Washington's Crossing; and Thomas M. Menino, mayor of Boston. Watch webcasts of the plenaries (available shortly after the sessions), read Philanthropy Today and access other resources from the conference: http://www.cof.org/communityconf . AT THE COUNCIL FINAL ISSUES: The September/October issue of Foundation News & Commentary marks the end of an era. As Council on Foundations President and CEO Steve Gunderson writes in a letter to readers, "We are taking a fresh look at everything we do on behalf of our members and to advance the philanthropic sector for the common good. For the near term, we, along with many of our supporters, have determined that we should adjust course. Therefore, with this September/October 2006 edition, Foundation News & Commentary will discontinue publication.... [R]ecent surveys of members and other philanthropic leaders have identified a need and desire for a new flagship publication rich in content, critical debate and commentary. The Council plans to launch an exciting new flagship publication in spring 2007." In addition, today marks the last issue of this newsletter, since FN&C Now is the sister publication of FN&C. Read the final issue of Foundation News & Commentary online at: http://www.foundationnews.org . INTERNATIONAL DATELINE: The third-quarter issue of International Dateline provides an update on the implications for grantmakers of the USA PATRIOT Reauthorization Act, Treasury Guidelines and Executive Order 13224: The issue also includes a report on the second conference on Caribbean philanthropy and insights by Char Mollison, vice president of member services at the Council on Foundations, on her trip to China with an American delegation for two workshops with NGOs. Also in the issue is a call for submissions to the newly launched online library of the United States International Grantmaking (USIG) Project and a call for nominations for the Council on Foundations' International Committee. Read the issue: http://www.cof.org/Council/newsletter.cfm?ItemNumber=6413 . 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. JUST PUBLISHED COMMUNITY FOUNDATION RESOURCES: Exceeding national trends for investment returns, the average community foundation produced a respectable 7.0 percent return during 2005, resulting in three-year median returns rising above 13 percent per year, according to the Council on Foundations' Investment Performance and Practices of Community Foundations, 2006 Edition. "The report reflects the wise investment choices of community foundations," said Steve Gunderson, president and CEO of the Council on Foundations. "Their strength and ingenuity have put them in financial positions that better serve their communities." Participants in this year's report included 165 foundations, representing 39 percent of community foundations with assets of $5 million or more and 56 percent of those with assets of $25 million or more. Just in time to help community foundations meet the requirements mandated by the Pension Protection Act of 2006, the Council also released two updated reference publications on legal issues facing community foundations: Donor-Initiated Fundraising: Issues and Guidelines for Community Foundations, Second Edition provides legal guidance on fundraising activities to help community foundations navigate liability concerns and compliance with state and federal contribution rules. How to Calculate the Public Support Test, Third Edition provides an in-depth explanation of the test for maintaining public charity status, provides the tools to help calculate the percentage and addresses topics such as how to incorporate income from fundraising activities and advised funds. Read the press release or purchase a publication or CD-ROM: http://www.cof.org/council/prdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=6497&navItemNumber=3990 . NONPROFIT DEFICITS: Despite widespread public concern about the plight of people in foreign lands, of 5,598 U.S.-based international nonprofits, 40 percent ran deficits in 2003, according to a new study from the Urban Institute. The International Charitable Nonprofit Subsector: Scope, Size, and Revenue found that 39 percent of foreign-development and relief-assistance organizations finished 2003 in the red, as did 44 percent of groups involved in international understanding and education, and 47 percent of those dedicated to international affairs. The study also found that in number and revenue, international nonprofits make up just two percent of America's nonprofit sector. To complete the study, the Urban Institute used 2003 data filed with the IRS by foreign-focused charities with $25,000 or more in annual revenue. Many religious nonprofits were excluded from the study because they are not required to provide financial information to the IRS. Read more or download the report: http://www.urban.org/publications/311360.html . NEWS COVERAGE HILTON PRIZE: The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation named Women for Women International as winner of the $1.5 million 2006 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. The prize, the largest humanitarian award, is given annually to an organization that is significantly alleviating human suffering. Women for Women International was founded in 1993 by Zainab Salbi, a then-23-year-old Iraqi woman. The group works in countries that have been ravaged by war and conflict, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Sudan, Rwanda, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. It has assisted more than 70,000 women (and 380,000 of their family members) and distributed $28 million in direct aid and micro-credit loans to help women economically as well as emotionally. This is the first time the foundation has awarded the prize to a group focused specifically on women, recognizing the importance of women as peacemakers and nation-builders-a fairly new and increasingly important development. Read more: http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/press_release_details.asp?id=48 . DIVERSITY FELLOWSHIPS: Associated Grant Makers in Massachusetts named five inaugural fellows for its Diversity Fellowship program, a fulltime, nine-month program for diverse professionals who aspire to careers in philanthropy. The fellows are Vernette Allen of Jamaica Plain, Jennifer Sien Chin of Dorchester, Pamela Lomax of Hyde Park, Quita Sullivan of Roxbury and Roger Wong of Stoneham. Each fellow will be at a host site for three and a half days per week, working with professional staff and trustees to gain hands-on experience in grantmaking, and engaging in group learning, research and professional development. Foundations serving as the fellows' host organizations are the Barr Foundation, the Boston Foundation, Grants Management Associates, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation, and a joint project of Greater Lowell Community Foundation with the Theodore Edson Parker Foundation. Read more: http://www.agmconnect.org/doc/fellows_diversity_pr.doc . YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation will cosponsor EntrepreneurshipWeek USA, along with government, nonprofit organizations and businesses, February 24–March 3, 2007. With the theme, "What's Your Big Idea? Take it On!" the event is an unprecedented effort to inspire and encourage young people (14- to 25-year-olds) to consider entrepreneurship as a career choice and to celebrate America's culture of inventiveness. Events are being planned in cities across the country, culminating in Washington, DC, where the focus will be on policies affecting the nation's entrepreneurs. A new website will provide information to engage young people and details of the events across the nation. Find out more: http://www.entrepreneurshipweekusa.com/home-flash.asp . NOW ONLINE GRANTMAKING SURVEY: The Council on Foundations, the Foundation Center, GuideStar and Independent Sector are exploring the usefulness and practicality of creating a centralized repository of information on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) based outside of the United States. A centralized repository of foreign NGOs could be used to determine whether they are the equivalent of U.S. public charities or have been vetted against terrorist watch lists. The four organizations want to learn if such a repository could make international grantmaking more efficient, less costly and less onerous for funders, grant recipients and philanthropic service providers. With support from the GE Foundation, the groups engaged Martin Schneiderman of Information Age Associates to design and conduct a feasibility study, which includes an online survey of international grantmakers. The survey will remain open until September 30. Find out more or take the survey: http://www.iaa.com/NGORepositoryFeasibilityStudy.htm . WINNERS WEBCAST: Watch winners of the first Purpose Prize on a webcast from the Innovation Summit, originally broadcast live on September 7. The Purpose Prize was awarded to five individuals over age 60, who are taking on society's biggest challenges and leading a new age of social innovation. In additional to the receiving $100,000 each, the winners, along with ten finalists, are eligible to apply for grants for a $1 million Fund for Innovation. The money for the awards and the fund was provided by the Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation. The Innovation Summit, held at Stanford University September 7–9, focused on the burgeoning movement of social innovators in the second half of life. The summit was co-hosted by Civic Ventures and Stanford Graduate School of Business' Center for Social Innovation. The webcast was sponsored by the Case Foundation and Civic Ventures. Watch the webcast: http://casefoundation.org/webcasts/purposeprize . ACT NOW HUMANITARIAN AWARD: The Charles Bronfman Prize launched an international search for visionary young humanitarians. The prize, which provides a $100,000 award, celebrates the vision and talent of an individual less than 50 years of age (or of a team whose members are less than 50 years old) whose humanitarian work has contributed significantly to the betterment of the world. The achievements of prize recipients exemplify the Jewish values and regard for humanity that provide inspiration to the next generations. The winner will be announced in spring 2007; nominations will be accepted through October 31. Submit a nomination or find out more: http://www.thecharlesbronfmanprize.com . ON THE MOVE The Council on Foundations named RODNEY EMERY as vice president of government relations and public policy. Read more: http://www.cof.org/council/prdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=6444&navItemNumber=3990 . IRENE IBARRA, executive vice president of the California Endowment, will become president and CEO of the Colorado Trust on November 13, 2006. She will succeed JOHN R. MORAN JR., who is retiring. Read more (PDF): http://www.coloradotrust.org/ repository/newsreleases/pdfs/2006/NR-NewCEO-Ibarra-9-2006.pdf . RICK COHEN stepped down as executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP). He will continue a relationship with NCRP as a consultant. The board appointed MARY LASSAN as interim executive director, effective September 15. Read more: http://www.ncrp.org/rickcohenstepsdown.asp . On October 16, RUDY GUGLIELMO JR. will join the Bush Foundation as program officer. Read more (PDF): http://www.bushfoundation.org/News/pdf_files/09122006_Guglielmo.pdf . The William T. Grant Foundation appointed VIVIAN TSENG program officer, with responsibility for developing and overseeing new initiatives. Tseng joined the foundation as its first post-doctoral fellow in 2004. Read more: http://www.wtgrantfoundation.org/newsletter3039/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=401124 . BRANDEE BUTLER and STEVEN GERBER joined the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur as program officers in human rights and international justice, respectively. The Stupski Foundation named ALEXA CORTES CULWELL CEO and promoted JOHN SIMPSON to director of the foundation's District Alliance and LOUISE BAY WATERS to director of Knowledge, Learning and Results. 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: 10.16.06