Philanthropy Today

In addition to funding pressing needs, foundation money has been reshaping the economies of some of the country’s major cities. Local foundations are helping Pittsburgh become a center of artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology research, and, in Tulsa, have funded the country’s most successful effort to lure highly paid remote workers. Insulated from the pressures of voters and shareholders, they can be flexible and patient, although they end their support once they determine a project can stand on its own. (Governing)

Background from the Chronicle: Readers Pick Tulsa as Best U.S. City for Philanthropy (2018)

When telecommunications billionaire Rob Hale gave $1,000 to each graduating senior present at the commencement ceremony at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, in May, he inadvertently raised ethical questions about excluding those who could not attend. Hale had wanted to make a point about the need to “show up” in life, but some graduates had a disabled child, or used an electric wheelchair, and could not come out in the pouring rain that day. Asked about the decision later, Hale himself seemed to have second thoughts, before doubling down on his original stipulation. (New York Times)

Background from the Chronicle: How Billionaires Found Joy With Gifts to Small Nonprofits

More News

• Who Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom? (New York Times)
• Thousands Of Churches Around the Country Close Every Year. In Brooklyn, One Pastor Is Trying to Help Struggling Parishes Keep Their Doors Open. (New York Times)

Nonprofits Under Pressure

• Border Shelters Relieved the Pressure During Migrant Surges. Under Trump, They Could Become a Target (Los Angeles Times)
• NYC Mayor Tackles Nonprofit Payment Delays, Appoints New Leader for City Nonprofit Office (amNY)
• Massachusetts’s Community Behavioral Health Centers Were Supposed to Ease the ER Boarding Crisis. Now Some Are Struggling Financially. (Boston Globe)

The Politics of Giving

• UCLA Loses Multimillion-Dollar Gift Over Handling of Campus Protests (KTLA)
• ‘Dark Money’ Is Tainting Washington Think Tanks. A New Report Shows It’s Worse Than You Think. (Politico)
• Trump Has Reeled in More Than $200 Million Since Election Day (New York Times)

Note: In the links in this section, we flag articles that only subscribers can access. But because some journalism outlets offer a limited number of free articles, readers may encounter barriers with other articles we highlight in this roundup.