Philanthropy Today

Most of the billionaire philanthropists who launched highly visible climate-related campaigns in the past few years have been quiet about the Trump administration’s work to gut environmental measures and promote fossil fuels. While Michael Bloomberg pledged to make up the United States’s contribution to the UN’s climate body after Trump pulled out of the Paris climate accord, Jeff Bezos, founder of the $10 billion Bezos Earth Fund, has made no public statement on Trump’s environmental policies. Neither has Bill Gates, Laurene Powell Jobs, or Marc Benioff. Some billionaire-funded foundations and tech companies reached for comment, however, said they were sticking with their plans to reduce their own emissions and support climate solutions. (New York Times)

• Background from the Chronicle: A Climate Solution Hiding in Plain Sight

Charities and civic leaders in Los Angeles are mulling how best to spend the record $650 million-plus raised for wildfire recovery. Millions have already been spent, but many funders still do not have a clear idea of the most pressing needs. And once the emergency phase is over, foundations will need to parcel out the money over several years. One adviser with experience in fire recovery “encouraged foundations to see recovery as ‘a marathon of sprints’ and to hold on to enough money to help long term.” (Los Angeles Times)

• Background from the Chronicle: Living With Fire: Donors Want to Focus on Reducing Risk, Not on Disaster

More News

• How Musk’s $97.4B Bid Could Gum Up OpenAI’s For-Profit Conversion (TechCrunch)
  
  • Background from the Chronicle: How Philanthropy Built, Lost, and Could Reclaim the A.I. Race
• If Trump Guts the Department of Education, Low-Income Students Are Most at Risk. Schools Need to Take Action. (Fast Company)
• Bannon Pleads Guilty in Charity Fraud Agreement With No Jail Time (Washington Post)

Nonprofits in Turmoil

• Trump Won’t Block Immigration Arrests in Houses of Worship. Now These 27 Religious Groups Are Suing (Associated Press)
• Nonprofit Assisting Immigrants, Refugees Furloughs Pennsylvania Employees Following Trump Order (WHTM)
• Opinion: Louisville, Kentucky’s Powerful Hoard Resources While Nonprofits Like Mine Struggle (Courier Journal)
• Uncertainty Around Federal Funding Leaves Maine Nonprofits in Limbo (Maine Public)

DEI Under Fire

• NIH Funding Cuts Appear to Draw on Heritage Foundation Report That Blasts ‘DEI Staff’ (Wired)
• ‘A Clear Case of Censorship’: Trump’s Attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Have Upended Scientific Research (Boston Globe)
• PBS Closes DEI Office After Trump Executive Order (Hollywood Reporter)
  
  • Background from the Chronicle: Corporations and Higher Ed Are Backtracking on DEI. Will Foundations Fold?

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