Philanthropic practice

Alana Conner Snibbe, in this article published by the Stanford Social Innovation Review, explores the often misleading relationship between nonprofit overhead and efficiency, and the pitfalls inherent in measuring a nonprofit's well being by its overhead ratio.

Available free online from Stanford Social Innovation Review

This short web article by Rob Reich explores the role tax deductions play as an incentive to charitable giving.

A free article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review

In a broad, historic shift, and under a variety of names - like cause marketing or strategic philanthropy - large corporations are changing the way they view their charitable donations. Most appear to want a closer alignment with their business objectives

Available free online from the Stanford Social Innovation Review

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   Philanthropy, Inc.
(857Kb)

Repeatedly whipsawed by state budget emergencies, and by swings in the public's perception of what art is and how government ought to support it, state arts agencies are developing innovative ways to refocus their efforts from supporting arts providers through grant-giving to the larger public benefits of their work. Tiny agencies often overlooked among the welter of much larger line items in state budgets, they nonetheless have considerable impact in determining the destinies of arts providers, and the different constituencies they serve.

2010, 4 pages, The Wallace Foundation, 5 Penn Plaza, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001, (212) 251-9700 http://www.wallacefoundation.org

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A report from the 1994 arts education conference of Americans for the Arts co-founding organization, the American Council for the Arts. As stated in the introduction, "The historical relationship between business and the arts has been governed by a single set of terms. The arts—and arts education—have looked to the private sector for financial support and patronage, and business has looked to the arts to enrich the lives of their employees and of the community, but not for any strictly business benefit.

Ralph Smith, the 2007 Conference Chairman, issued a challenge in his welcome message – “that all who attend will leave with renewed energy, capacity and resolve to make a positive contribution toward meeting the challenges of our time.”

Foundations think they're doing the right thing by requiring grantees to form partnerships with each other. There are, however, two sides to every story, and grantees share their stories of frustration here.

Free online from the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

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The president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors discusses what's on the minds of the people who control philanthropy's purse strings.

Available free online from Stanford Social Innovation Review.

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   15 Minutes with Melissa Berman (238Kb)

This article looks at the delicate relationship between non-profits and donors. It stresses the responsibility for honest and efficient communication and examines a new breed of donors who consider themselves investors and seek much more information in the non profits they fund.

Available free from the Stanford Social Innovation Review.