GuideStar has a new post on its blog from Bo Garner, a CPA on the Not-for-Profit team at PBMares, LLP on the subject of simplifying financial statements. Reading it reminds us of the excellent Web Conference presented back in April of 2011 by Rodney Christopher of Nonprofit Finance Fund.
Steve's Blog
Arlene Goldbard starts an ARTSblog salon on the topic of the aesthetics of social justice art:
The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions which have been hidden by the answers. James Baldwin
Baldwin’s epigram reminds us that to thrive, we must be able to see through imposed realities and prefab solutions. We may be tempted to seek definitive answers, but what we really need now is to live into the questions.
From Drew Lindsay, writing for The Chronicle of Philanthropy:
Over the past 30 years the Getty Foundation, which began as the Getty Grant Program, has continued to shape its grantmaking to respond to the evolving needs of the field. Since 2009 the Foundation has awarded grants primarily through strategic initiatives. Highlights of grants from all 30 years are the Foundation’s anniversary map, which underscores the geographic range of projects. Additional information can be found on the Foundation’s website.
Barry Hessenius at Westaf has followed last week’s pre-election analysis with a new post on the elections outcomes:
From Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
GuideStar, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Charity Navigator don't ever want to hear you say these words again:
“Only X cents on the dollar go to overhead costs.”
Why? Because you do both your organization and your donors a great disservice when you focus on overhead as the key indicator of your worthiness to receive donations.
According to the new edition of Foundation Center’s Key Facts on U.S. Foundations, the country's 86,192 foundations held $715 billion in assets and distributed a record $52 billion in 2012. This annual research study estimates 2013 giving at $54.7 billion and the outlook for 2014 is for growth to continue ahead of inflation, with independent and family foundations growing at a higher rate than other types of foundations.
Among the key findings in the report:
- In 2012, New York State led the nation in overall foundation giving ($8.7 billion).
- California organizations ranked first in the amount of grant dollars received from the largest U.S. foundations ($2.4 billion).
- The Switzerland-based World Health Organization was the top recipient of international grant dollars in 2012.
From Daniel Moore, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Five foundations are pooling close to a million dollars to create the New York City Cultural Agenda Fund to strengthen the City’s arts advocacy network, develop a cohesive agenda for cultural policy, and promote equity within the sector. Under the combined leadership of the Booth Ferris, Lambent, and Robert Rauschenberg foundations, The New York Community Trust, and the David Rockefeller Fund, the NYC Cultural Agenda Fund is expected to make grants of more than $700,000 over the next 18 months. Additional funders are encouraged to join.