UPCOMING WEBINAR: SMALL FAMILY FOUNDATIONS GIVING IN MINNESOTA
TUESDAY, JUNE 28
Includes the online event with complementary book, downloadable Powerpoint presentation, and limited access to the AP database of funder profiles
Confronting systemic racism. Covid relief funding
After the murder of George Floyd, Corporate America jumped on confronting systemic racism bandwagon, Collectively, the 50 biggest corporations pledged $49.5 billion. Of that amount about $4.2 billion was awarded in grants/donations. What happened to the $4.5 billion? The Washington Post just did the story with lots of facts, figures, and names.
The Children’s Funding Project recently released its Covid Relief Funding for Kids Crash Course collection of articles and “guidance” on Federal Recovery Funding Resources. Covid Related Relief Funding Tools and Resources. It’s a start, not well-curated, but a good place to begin getting organized and finding info.
Coming Next Month: Mental Health Funding in Minnesota
Next month, look for AP’s four-page report on the status of mental health funding in Minnesota, including top funders, recipients, causes; geographic breakdown, and mini-profiles of top funders
Crowdfunding and the Masses
“Turns out maybe crowdfunding isn’t the ultimate in fundraising equity. In fact, Nonprofit Quarterly did a story on the inequalities of crowdfunding.
AP’s Laura Wilson ([email protected]) gave us a summary:
“Nora Kenworthy, an associate professor at the University of Washington Bothell, analyzed 175,000 GoFundMe crowdfunding campaigns during the first seven months of the pandemic. What she is startling.
— Of all the campaigns the researchers analyzed, 43% of the 175,000 efforts received zero donations.
— Requesters with proximity to wealth, such as golf caddies at upscale LA golf courses, had much more success as a result, further exacerbating already wide wealth inequities
— The platform’s homepage prioritizes well-performing, popular campaigns for casual browsers, forcing many requesters to rely on their own social networks to receive donations
— She concludes that while GoFundMe is a useful tool for mutual aid financial management, “careful consideration should be used when involving a for-profit company in a non-profit space.”
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Judy Dayton. James Hormel. Headwaters Foundation for Justice. Mcknight. Mega foundation heirs
Judy Dayton, the grand dame of arts philanthropy in Minnesota, the last of the Great Generation of Daytons, the former governor’s aunt, and a genuinely nice lady died. Her obit.
James Hormel, heir to the Hormel fortune, the first openly gay U.S. Ambassador, a genuine LGBTQ advocate, and an enlightened philanthropist also died. His obit
Headwaters Foundation for Justice published its twenty 2021 Giving Project Grant Recipients including two of AP Charities’ sponsees, Asian American Organizing Project and Black Table Arts.
McKnight Foundation announced changes to its Arts and Culture program. More support for “culture bearers” people/groups who support arts/culture but aren’t arts and culture groups. Also expanded emphasis on giving to indigenous communities, communities of color and other underserved or underrecognized communities.
Inside Philanthropy did an interesting profile piece on the philanthropic interests of 15 heirs to the mega foundations/philanthropies, such as the Buffett, Soros, Bloomberg, and Koch kids.
The Mackenzie Desk
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— “A Bloomberg News survey accounting of $4.3 billion in 375 grants to nonprofits reveals for the first time how the philanthropist (Mackenzie Scott) is directing her charitable might.”
— Mackenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates (and other funders) launched the Equality Can’t Wait Challenge, which will award $40 million for gender equity by 2030. Three priorities: 1) Dismantle the barriers that hold women back., 2) Fast tracking women in critical sectors, and 3) Call society to action.
— The online newsletter, The Conversation has an interesting comparison between Scott’s gifts to historically black colleges and universities and gifts by earlier donors
— BTW remember the “Mackenzie Scam,” sort of like the anonymous prince scam, “send us your bank account # and we’ll send you a billion dollars.” Our clients received such emails, it’s real.
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New Faces at AP
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— We’re very excited that Ted Olson is joining us as a Senior Advisor. You’re going to love this guy. THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE and more ideas and energy than anyone on the team. He’s great.
— Zachary Wronski is our newest Philanthropy Researcher. A Minnesota transplant to Canada, remaining after graduating the University of Manitoba. He’s also a climbing instructor and wilderness first responder.
Our friend Christine Schwitzer is leaving as our lead writer to take on a capital campaign. God bless her and her courageous enthusiasm. We promised to keep in touch”