This section of Family Giving News features brief overviews of a variety of other interesting and timely articles and perspectives on philanthropy. If you have a suggestion for a future edition of FGN, please email Sarah Trzepacz or contact the National Center at 202.293.3424.
Slettens Dig Deep, Remind Us of Charity's Value
February 25, 2004, Great Falls Tribune (Great Falls, MT)
A gift of $1.3 million by contractor Bob Sletten and his wife, Pat, to build
a new cancer center leads the Great Falls Tribune to consider the state of
giving in the local community. Various charities from all over the region have
benefited from gifts, large and small, in recent years. "It's
heartwarming and refreshing when people who've managed to earn a good living
here so charitably give back to the community."
State Probes Nonprofit Loans
February 28, 2004, Pioneer Press, (St. Paul, MN)
Philanthropies Taking New Look at Standards
February 28, 2004, SiliconValley.com
A heightened awareness of the need to eradicate questionable spending practices and conflicts of interest has foundations reconsidering or even revamping their financial policies. SiliconValley.com looks at the results of "Foundation Governance: The CEO Viewpoint," a survey recently conducted by the Center for Effective Philanthropy, and how it reflects this trend towards self-criticism. "A growing number of foundations want to be 'out in front' of this issue rather than be in a reactive mode. . .They want to establish standards that go beyond minimum requirements."
Is It Philanthropy or Corporate Meddling?
March 2004, California Educator (Burlingame, CA)
This article takes a hard look at the educational reform efforts undertaken by several family foundations on behalf of Sacramento county schools and the furor they have created. Although privately donated funds are allowing local schools to make much needed reforms such as reducing class size, teachers and school board members worry about a loss of autonomy. In this article from the California Educator, the California Teacher's Association expresses its concerns and details new strategies for working with foundation donors to ease those concerns.
This article profiles Peter Buttenweiser, a long-time supporter of varied
charitable causes, including: Democratic political campaigns, women's causes,
and smaller nonprofit groups like the Illinois
Coalition for Immigrant/Refugee Rights. Born into privilege and a strong
tradition of public service, Mr. Buttenweiser is also well-known for his
generosity to individuals in need—his UPS delivery man or the waitress at a
local Japanese eatery—his outspokenness and his piquant hand-written notes. Buttenweiser distinguishes himself from other large-scale donors by his
"no-strings-attached" approach to giving, his passion for activism, and his good
works. Of him, Bill Allison of the Center for Public Integrity said: "We've
never really seen something specific he's lobbied for or advocated, that you
normally expect when you have the Washington influence game. . .We look at every
big donor, and we've never come across anyone like this."
The Denver Post explores the investment policies of several local family foundations and the conflict of interest that can result when board members decide to invest their own funds in foundation supported investments. Although it is not illegal for board members or their businesses to invest funds in this way, or for board-member-owned companies to provide for-profit services to the foundation on whose board they sit, these practices do present some tough ethical questions. This article takes a look at how several Denver foundations view this conflict and the extent to which they believe it affects the fulfillment of the foundations mission.
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