Philanthropy and other forms of giving have a profound relationship with and effect on American policymaking, politics, civil society, and culture, among other things. Funders help set agendas and shape opinion, directly and indirectly. Their money and its consequences deserve even more attention, and critical scrutiny.
With our “Philanthropy and Giving” section, we at RealClearPolicy aim to provide a regularly updated overview of the normally narrow discourse about these and related matters. The section compiles links to—and sometimes publishes original — research into, journalism about, analysis of, and commentary on grantmaking and the nonprofit sector. It consciously “casts a wide net,” featuring authors from across the ideological spectrum, with differing worldviews. Its content covers both the animating ideas underlying and the everyday practicalities of giving.
Michael E. Hartmann and his colleagues at The Giving Review help us edit and curate “Philanthropy and Giving.” Hartmann is a senior fellow at the Capital Research Center and director of its Center for Strategic Giving. His two Giving Review co-editors are mentors of his from when they served on the program staff of Milwaukee’s Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. The Giving Review is part of Philanthropy Daily.
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Philanthropy Roundtable CEO Opposes “Woke Philanthropy,” Prompting Some Grantmakers to Flee and Others to Give More, Jim Rendon, Chronicle of Philanthropy
September 11: Tragedy, Resilience, and the Making of a Movement, Noorain Khan & Maria Torres-Springer, Ford Foundation
Tax on Endowment Income of Richest U.S. Colleges Would Be Reduced Under Democrats’ Plan, Janet Lorin, Bloomberg
How Time’s Up Woes Are Overshadowing Its Mission Beyond Hollywood, Rebecca Keegan & Tatiana Siegel, Hollywood Reporter
Dark-Money Group That Spent Millions Electing Democrats Boosted by $12M Mystery Donor, Robbi Jaeger, PolitiFi
Government and Charitable Actions Likely Kept Millions Out of Food Insecurity During Pandemic, Craig Gundersen, The Conversation
ARNOVA 2021 Research Awards Recipients, ARNOVA
Inside OSF’s Radical Restructuring: Consolidated Programs, Staff Departures in Pursuit of Focus, Michael Kavate, Inside Philanthropy
A Conversation with Puck Foundation Partner Teddy Schleifer, Michael E. Hartmann, Giving Review
Three States Suspend Demanding Schedule B of Form 990, NonProfit Times
Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta: Questions and Answers, Brad Smith, Institute for Free Speech
Asian, Black Americans More Likely to Give to Racial Justice, Haleluya Hadero, AP
Philanthropic Support for Communities of Color is More Robust Than the Data Suggest, Howard Husock, Chronicle of Philanthropy
How to Help: Afghanistan, Fidelity Charitable
Jane Mayer’s Conspiracy Theory of Lies, Art Pope & Rick Graber, National Review
MacKenzie Scott’s Money Bombs Are Single-Handedly Reshaping America, Sophie Alexander, Szu Yu Chen, & Shera Avi-Yonah, Bloomberg
A Conversation with Journalist and Author John J. Miller, Michael E. Hartmann & Daniel P. Schmidt, Giving Review
Nonprofit Hospitals Raise Important Questions About Charity “Grand Bargain,” Bruce DeBoskey, Denver Post
New Report Raises Concerns About Philanthropy’s Trustworthiness. How Concerned Should We Be?, Les Lenkowsky, Chronicle of Philanthropy
Council on Foundations’ New Strategic Direction Sets 20-Year Vision, Council on Foundations
Local Philanthropy Isn’t Local for “Citizens of the World,” Hayden Ludwig, American Conservative
Biden Gets More Aggressive with the Confiscation of Capital, Daniel J. Pilla, National Review
Seven House Democrats Target Nonprofit Status of Several Israel-Related Charities, Marc Rod, Jewish Insider
What Was the Real Relationship Between Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Gates?, Vicky Ward, Rolling Stone
Strike MOMA Imagines Art Museums without Billionaires, Tessa Crisman, Nonprofit Quarterly
Think Big vs. Think Small Philanthropy, William A. Schambra, Philanthropy Daily
Shifting Power in Philanthropy, Teri Behrens, Dorothy A. Johnson Center
Scouts and Soldiers in the Social Sector, Daniel Stid, Art of Association
A Political Bogeyman of Silicon Valley, Lachlan Markay, Axios
Reacting to Establishment Progressive Philanthropy’s Resource Superiority Over and Attacks on Conservative Philanthropy, Giving Review
Using a Racial-Justice Lens in Grantmaking Around the Globe, Lori Villarosa, Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity
Nonprofits in the Biden Administration: Foundations and Philanthropy, Hayden Ludwig, Capital Research Center
Impact Investing and Critiques of Philanthrocapitalism, Benjamin Soskis, Urban Institute
Brother, Can You Spare an ROI?, Jack Fowler, Philanthropy Daily
Small Steps in the Right Direction: Making General-Operating Support the Norm, Liliane Loya, Center for Effective Philanthropy
The Woke Threat to Philanthropy, Naomi Schaefer Riley, Wall Street Journal
Moving from Intention to Impact: Funding Racial Equity to Win, PolicyLink and The Bridgespan Group
Richard T. Ely, Actually Non-Eerily, Lives, Michael E. Hartmann, Giving Review
California Elected Officials Would Have to Disclose Their Charitable Connections Under Proposed Rule, Laurel Rosenhall, CalMatters
Ohio Lawmakers Consider Bill to Protect Donor Intent, Joanne Florino, Philanthropy Roundtable
A Governor Can Send the National Guard Out of State. Can a Wealthy Donor?, Mandy Smithberger, Washington Post
Whose Dollars Are These Anyway? Foundations Rethink Their Model, Oscar Perry Abello, Next City
Dark Money Is About to Get Much Darker, Russ Choma, Mother Jones
Privacy, Not Efficiency, in Supreme Court’s Latest Donor-Disclosure Case, Austin Detwiler, Philanthropy Daily
House Republicans to Introduce “End Zuckerbucks Act,” Henry Rodgers, Daily Caller
Top Republicans Press IRS After Christian Group Rejected for Nonprofit Status, Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner
How Naming Rights Became the Art World’s Most Controversial Issue, Katya Kazakina, Town & Country
Maybe More MOWA Than MOMA, Daniel P. Schmidt, Giving Review
Re-Evaluating the Consultant’s Role in Social Change, Leah Reisman, Center for Effective Philanthropy
MacKenzie Scott’s New Grantees Include Many Groups That Are Part of Establishment Philanthropy’s Progressive Infrastructure, The Giving Review
Laws Preventing Dark-Money Disclosure Are Sweeping the Nation, Donald Shaw, Sludge
What We Learned Doing Fast Grants, Patrick Collison, Tyler Cowen, & Patrick Hsu, Future
“Twitter Philanthropists” Bail Out a Lucky Few—and Leave Millions More Behind, Hannah Levintova, Mother Jones
Democratic Donors’ Disinformation Ops, Scott Walter, Capital Research Center
Conservative Donors and the Rise of Black Homeschooling, Casey Parks, New Yorker
Democratic Strategist Linked to Early Push on Controversial Election Grants, Todd Shepherd, Broad + Liberty
Backlash: A Sharp Right Turn by the Philanthropy Roundtable, Phil Buchanan, Center for Effective Philanthropy
Henry Ford and the Ford Foundation: Have the Right Lessons Been Learned?, Debi Ghate, Philanthropy Roundtable
The Fall of the House of Gates?, Tim Schwab, The Nation
How Zuckerberg Millions Paid for Progressives to Work with 2020 Vote Officials Nationwide, Steve Miller, RealClearInvestigations
Liberal Hegemony in Public-Policy Spending, Shane Devine, American Conservative
Why the FEC is Kneecapping Crypto Campaign Donations, Roger Sollenberger, Daily Beast
Digital Dollars and Donor Demands, Michael E. Hartmann, Giving Review
Conservative Author and Venture Capitalist J. D. Vance: Eliminate All Special Tax Privileges for Foundations, Giving Review
White-Focused Philanthropy Is on the Way Out, Rachel D’Souza-Siebert, Community-Centric Fundraising
Philanthropic Wokeism Undermines Free-Market Principles, Richard Graber, RealClearMarkets
Free of the Burden, Jane Tanner, Alliance
The Specter of Big Philanthropy, Gerard Alexander, Law & Liberty
Charitable Donations Are a Form of Influence-Peddling, and They Should Be Stopped, Los Angeles Times
States Banning “Zuck Bucks,” Sarah Lee & Hayden Ludwig, Capital Research Center
How a $1 Million Donation on Behalf of Newsom Was Hidden in Plain Sight, Melody Gutierrez, LA Times
We Agree, Foundations Should Be Held Accountable for High Salaries and Staggering Expenses, Craig Kennedy and William A. Schambra, Chronicle of Philanthropy
So You Want to Tax the Rich? Okay, Let’s Start with Universities and Foundations, Henry Olsen, Washington Post
Razorback Foundation Settles Lawsuit with Brett Bielema, Matt Jones, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
A Conversation with The New Class War Author Michael Lind, Michael E. Hartmann & Daniel P. Schmidt, Giving Review
Are Foundations Willing to Give Up Power?, Alliance magazine
#CrappyFundingPractices and Why We Need to Name and Shame More Often, Vu Le, NonprofitAF
Getting Lost on the Way to Root Causes, William A. Schambra, Giving Review
Harris Meets with Foundation Heads on Root Causes of Migration, Brett Samuels, The Hill
The Dark-Money Tipping Point, Sheldon Whitehouse & Hank Johnson, Project Syndicate
“Generous” Billionaires Are Part of the Problem, Luke Savage, Jacobin
Philanthropy in the Empire of Pain, Ben Soskis, HistPhil
Banks Have No Business Advising Individual Philanthropy, Jessica Dean, Philanthropy Daily
How a Feud Between Two Tea Party Leaders Helped Lay the Groundwork for the Capitol Insurrection, Stephanie Mencimer, Mother Jones
Charitable Foundations Captured by Left Fuel American Division, Elise Westhoff, National Review
A Bipartisan Opportunity to Help Those in Need: Charity Reform, Dean Zerbe, Forbes
Fundraising Surged for Republicans Who Sought to Overturn Election, Luke Broadwater, Catie Edmondson, & Rachel Shorey, New York Times
Pro-Impeachment Republicans Outraise Pro-Trump Challengers, Karl Evers-Hillstrom & Krystal Hur, OpenSecrets.org
Not My Party: We’re Doomed! Send Us Money, Tim Miller, The Bulwark
Should Pennsylvania’s Elections Be Privatized?, Scott Walter, Capital Research Center
Defining Whiteness & Autonomy, Cyndi Suarez, Nonprofit Quarterly
How Bill Gates Impeded Global Access to Covid Vaccines, Alexander Zaitchik, New Republic
A Conversation with Hoover Institution Senior Fellow John H. Cochrane, Michael E. Hartmann, Giving Review
S.F.’s Free Summer Program for Thousands of Students to Win Funding After Delay, Mallory Moench, S.F. Chronicle
Arizona Governor Messages Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Outlines New Election-Funding Laws, Howard Fischer, KAWC
Conservative Donors Catching on to Benefits of Coordinating Generosity, James Piereson & Naomi Schaefer Riley, City Journal
State of American Philanthropy: Giving for Housing and Homelessness, Nicholas Williams with Holly Hall, Inside Philanthropy
American Jewish Philanthropy and Continuity, David E. Bernstein, Times of Israel
Plan to Regulate Grantmakers Opens Door to Burdensome Government Intrusion, Rick Graber & Elise Westhoff, Chronicle of Philanthropy
Charitable Giving is Broken—Here’s How to Fix It, Chris Stadler, Forbes
Zuckerberg’s Election-Rigging Group Sends VP to Be Biden’s Tech Director, Natalie Winters, National Pulse
A Conversation with Philanthropy Journalist Marc Gunther, Michael E. Hartmann, Giving Review
What Americans Really Think About Billionaires During the Pandemic, Theodore Schleifer, Vox
Capital Research Center Defends Donor Privacy as Sheldon Whitehouse Demands Disclosures, Joe Schoffstall, Free Beacon
Elite Philanthropy in the Age of Inequalities, International Journal of Management Reviews
Conservatives Should Applaud—Not Fight—Efforts to Change Philanthropic Giving Rules, Craig Kennedy & William A. Schambra, Chronicle of Philanthropy
Should a Billionaire Run Arizona’s Elections?, Scott Walter & Aimee Yentes, Arizona Capital Times
Trumpworld’s Next Target: Building a Dark-Money Machine, Alex Isenstadt, Politico
Hoover Economist John H. Cochrane: A Lot of Nonprofit Status Just “a Cover,” Michael E. Hartmann, Giving Review
Navigating the Financial, Political, and Economic Constraints on Large-Scale Philanthropy, Jay P. Greene, American Enterprise Institute
Well-Meaning Efforts to Fund Civic Education May Help Create Roadmap for Progressivism, Mark Bauerlein, City Journal
Donor Intent and Family Trust, Fred Smith, The Gathering
What’s Wrong with the Supreme Court: The Big-Money Assault on Our Judiciary, Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action and Federal Rights, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee
A Conversation with the Federalist Society’s Eugene B. Meyer, Michael E. Hartmann and Daniel P. Schmidt, Giving Review
Donor-Advised Funds Must Stop Supporting Hate, Mark Hurtubise, Sludge
How Mark Zuckerberg’s Election Money Helped an Out-of-State Democrat Get His Hands on Wisconsin’s 2020 Vote, M. D. Kittle, The Federalist
ActBlue Fined for Facilitating Nearly $44,000 in Illegal Contributions, Joe Schoffstall, Free Beacon
How Big Money is Dividing American Catholicism, Katherine Stewart, New Republic
Tennis Player Marcus Daniell Shares His Passion for Philanthropy, Nina Pantic & Irina Falconi, Tennis.com
Norms and Narratives That Shape Giving
How Mark Zuckerberg Meddled in Battleground-State Elections, Hayden Ludwig, Capital Research Center
Facebook Helped Fund David Brooks’ Second Job, and Nobody Told New York Times Readers, Craig Silverman & Ryan Mac, BuzzFeedNews
Supreme Court’s Chance to Rule for Donor Privacy, Elizabeth McGuigan, Philanthropy Roundtable
Top “Dark-Money” Groups Working to Elect Democrats, Will Greenberg, Blue Tent
Neera Tanden’s Tweets and the Proper Role of Nonprofit Think Tanks, Giving Review
Movement Capture or Movement Strategy? A Critical Race History Exchange on the Beginnings of Brown v. Board, Megan Ming Francis & John Fabian Witt, Yale Journal of Law & the Humanities
Should Foundations Have to Give More?, Glenn Gamboa, Associated Press
Joe Biden is a Dark-Money Puppet, Adam Laxalt, Washington Times
Pro-Trump Black Group That Solicited Foreign Donations Under FBI Investigation, Roger Sollenberger, Salon
Largest Higher-Education and Grantmaker Endowments in America, Michael E. Hartmann, Giving Review
New $65 Million Push From Progressives to Compete With Conservative Media, Theodore Schleifer, Vox
Where Did Millions of Dollars in Donations to Black Lives Matter Go?, Katie Pavlich, Townhall
Project Grants Need Not Be the Enemy, Rodney Christopher, Center for Effective Philanthropy
How Big Hospital Donors and School-Board VIPs Are Skipping the Vaccine Line, Kate Briquelet, Daily Beast
The Price of Nonprofits’ Political Activism, and Who Pays It, William A. Schambra, Giving Review
Donor Who Gave $2.5M to Voter-Fraud Investigation Wants His Money Back, Shawn Boburg & John Swaine, Washington Post
“Givers, Doers, & Thinkers” Podcast with Elise Westhoff, Philanthropy Daily
When Philanthropy is Uncivil, Chiara Cordelli, HistPhil
How Community Organizations Mitigate the Downsides of Collaborating with Unions, Brad R. Fulton & Marc Doussard, Journal of Urban Affairs
Lessons for Successful Place-Based Philanthropy in Rural Communities, Juliet Squire, American Enterprise Institute
The Culture of Philanthropy is Too Polite, Marc Gunther, Nonprofit Chronicles
Election Board Investigates Warnock and New Georgia Project, Mark Niesse, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott, and Michael Bloomberg Top List of America’s 50 Biggest Charity Donors, Maria Di Mento & Ben Gose, Chronicle of Philanthropy
How Indivisible’s National Advocates and Grassroots Activists Have Pulled Apart, Theda Skocpol & Caroline Tervo, American Prospect
COVID is Changing the Future of Philanthropy, Jamie Goodwin, Thad Austin & Maryruth Davis, Christianity Today
A Man Who Gives, Eric Chevlen, National Review
How to Practice Philanthropy to Create a Lasting Impact, Adam Milstein, Jerusalem Post
Open Letter to Community Foundations From Concerned Executive Director, Jami Duffy, NPQ
Dan Schmidt on Faith, Trust, Passion, Neighborhoods, and Philanthropy, Michael E. Hartmann, Giving Review
Bill to Protect Donor Privacy Brings Together Conservatives, Progressives, Kathie Obradovich, Iowa Capital Dispatch
Gates Foundation Gives Millions to Persuade Ultra-Wealth to Give More, Mark Harris, GeekWire
Philanthropy Roundtable Leads Coalition Against Charitable-Giving Mandates, Philanthropy Roundtable
“Dark Money” Helped Pave Joe Biden’s Path to White House, Bill Allison, Bloomberg
Mitigating Power Dynamics While Evaluating Philanthropic Initiatives, Gabrielle Plotkin & Shannon Stagman, Arabella Advisors
What Big Liberal Philanthropy Can No Longer Afford to Ignore, Eric K. Ward, Alliance
How Corporate Boycott of GOP Could Backfire, Charles Fain Lehman, Washington Free Beacon
Corporations Rethinking PACs Leave “Dark-Money” Door Open, Anna Massoglia, OpenSecrets.org
Busting the Myth of Conservative “Dark Money,” Scott Walter, Daily Signal
Conservative Groups Funded by Google Oppose Antitrust Action, Eric Lendrum, American Greatness
AEI’s “Near-Death Experience,” Steven Teles & Jessica A. Gover, Johns Hopkins University
Bill Bergeron’s 25 Years of Managing Knowledge and Wisdom, The Editors, Giving Review
Carnegie’s Midnight Confession, William A. Schambra, Giving Review
Democrats Ask Treasury to Probe Nonprofits Tied to Capitol Riot, Letter to Sec. Steven T. Mnuchin
Koch Network Pledges to “Weigh Heavy” Lawmakers’ Actions in Riots, Maggie Severns, Politico
The New New Organizing Institute, Hayden Ludwig, Capital Research Center
Georgia Senate Runoff Shows Philanthropy’s Power to Shape Elections, Alex Daniels, Chronicle of Philanthropy
Five Funders That Played a Role in the Georgia Senate Runoffs, Philip Rojc, Inside Philanthropy
“Dark Money” Funneled Millions to Groups Pushing Voter-Fraud Claims, Brian Schwartz, CNBC
Lessons About Community-Driven Efforts to Deal with Social Ills, Craig Kennedy, Giving Review
Democracy Threatens White Supremacy, and That’s Causing Our Crisis, Darren Walker, Ford Foundation
Foundations Should Do More in Times of Crisis, John Palfrey, Stanford Social Innovation Review
Who’s Behind the Big Election Money in Georgia?, Sarah Lee, Capital Research Center
The Corporations Funding the End of Democracy, Osita Nwanevu, New Republic
Philanthropy Favors Traditional Public Schools Over Public Charter Schools, Michael Theis, Chronicle of Philanthropy
Larry David and the Game Theory of Anonymous Donations, Brian Gallagher, Nautilus
Pros and Cons of Small Donors, Harry Cheadle, Blue Tent
Mellon Foundation Goes Woke, George Liebmann & Andrew Balio, American Conservative
Gates Foundation Leads Green Counterrevolution in Africa, Jan Urhahn, Jacobin
Bill Gates is Trying to Dim the Sun, Jeremy Beaman, Washington Examiner
MacKenzie Scott Shows Peers How to Do Philanthropy, Michael Mechanic, Mother Jones
Religious Nonprofits Scramble for Support to Match Needs, Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Washington Post
Ruth McCambridge Hands Off Baton, Ruth McCambridge, Nonprofit Quarterly
“Philanthropy 100” List of Those Making Positive Difference, Philanthropy Unbound
“Dark-Money” Group Supporting BLM Got $16M in Government Grants, Joe Schoffstall, Free Beacon
How to Donate Effectively to BLM, Dylan Matthews, Vox
Chuck Grassley Releases Results of Investigation of Nonprofit ISRA, Office of Sen. Chuck Grassley
Celebrate MacKenzie Scott’s Gifts, But Also Consider Reparations, Edgar Villanueva, Washington Post
Foundation President Challenges Wealthy Foundations, Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
A Visual History of Mutual Aid, Ariel Aberg-Riger, Bloomberg CityLab
Congress Should Investigate Power of Big Foundations, Arthur Bloom, The American Conservative
DAFs Come to Israel—with Time Limits and Payout Requirements, Simone Ellin, Inside Philanthropy
Reid Hoffman Linked to Support for Fusion GPS’s Legal Fund, Chuck Ross, Daily Caller
Securing the Future of U.S. Elections, Vanessa Tucker, Hewlett Foundation
Sixteen Thirty Fund Deluged Election with “Dark Money,” Hayden Ludwig, Capital Research Center
“Dark Money” Backing “Big Oil’s Favorite Democrat” Came From Big Oil, Donald Shaw, Sludge
Towards Greater Foundation Flexibility, Naomi Orensten, Center for Effective Philanthropy
Can Philanthropy Help Society Move Past Neoliberalism?, Philip Rojc, Inside Philanthropy
The Blue Tent and the Red Cocktail Umbrella, William A. Schambra, The Giving Review
Five Book Recommendations to Wrap Up 2020, Bill Gates, GatesNotes
Give to Charity Over Political Campaigns, Naomi Schaefer Riley & James Piereson, National Review
Questions Linger About Private Money in Elections, Emil Moffatt, WABE
Environmental Philanthropy Should Learn From Wall Street Investors, Mark Tercek, The Instigator
Hawaii Remote-Work Program: Airfare for Nonprofit Volunteering, Shannon McMahon, Washington Post
Charitable Purpose in the 21st Century, Gene Takagi, Nonprofit Law Blog
From History, a Defensive Response to Scrutiny of Philanthropy, Michael E. Hartmann, The Giving Review
Why Study the History of Philanthropy?, Rhodri Davies, CAF
Diversity Mandates From Foundations Hurt Nonprofits, Debi Ghate, Chronicle of Philanthropy
San Francisco is Mad at Mark Zuckerberg, Theodore Schleifer, Vox
A Better Way for Billionaires to Benefit Society, Andrew J. Hoffman, The Conversation
Georgia Nonprofit Advocacy Groups Ready for Special Election, Beth Couch, Nonprofit Quarterly
Conservatism, the Imperial City, and the Wilderness, Michael S. Joyce, The Giving Review
George Soros Looms Large Over Biden Transition, Joe Schoffstall, Washington Free Beacon
Donors and Foundations Are Increasingly Supporting Movements, Aaron Dorfman, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
Sheldon Whitehouse’s Hypocrisy on “Dark Money” Isn’t Fooling Anyone, Hayden Ludwig, Capital Research Center
19 Philanthropic Families Who Are Investing in a Better Future, Gotham
