Philanthropy Today

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On August 28, we launch The Commons in Conversation, our series of one-on-one interviews with nonprofit and philanthropy leaders working on solutions to the country’s deep divisions. The events will be hosted on LinkedIn. Register today to receive reminders to watch!

• Join Chronicle of Philanthropy CEO Stacy Palmer for a preview of the interview series and stories coming to The Commons this fall. Wednesday, August 28, at 12:30 p.m. ET. Register.
• Laura Arnold, philanthropist and co-founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, discusses efforts to reduce partisanship ahead of the 2024 elections. Wednesday, September 4, at 2 p.m. ET. Register.
• Layla Zaidane, CEO of Future Caucus (formerly Millennial Action Project), talks about her work with Gen Z and millennial elected officials to bridge partisan divides. Wednesday, September 18, at 12:30 p.m. ET. Register.
• Erik Bork, Emmy-winning screenwriter and producer, previews his soon-to-be-released The Elephant in the Room, a philanthropy-backed red-blue romantic comedy. Wednesday, October 2, at 12:30 p.m. ET. Register.

Logan Cyrus

If you find yourself with a few spare minutes as summer winds down, check out some of our coverage of philanthropy, rural America, and the divisions within.

• Wildfires Pitted Ranchers Against Federal Officials. Then a Nonprofit Stepped In
• Major Funders Bet Big on Rural America and ‘Everyday Democracy’
• What Philanthropy Elites Can Learn From Rural America

News and other noteworthy items:

• The Philanthropy Roundtable has released its Civics Playbook, a funders’ guide to nonprofits promoting civic education. The dozen groups featured include the Bill of Rights Institute, Georgia’s Center for Civic Engagement, and the National Constitution Center.
• In eJewishPhilanthropy, Rabba Yaffa Epstein of the Jewish Education Project promotes a theme of unity, not division, during a tumultuous moment for Jews in America. “Enemies of all kinds are chasing us; they are at our backs and only the sea is in front of us,” Epstein writes. “Now is not the time to see one another as the enemy. It is the time to move forward, together — united, but not uniform.”
• During a CSPAN call-in show, Pearce Godwin, founder and CEO of the Listen First Project, discussed efforts to bridge political divides and stem polarization. “We are not papering over real differences in opinion and in values, …” he said. “It would be impossible and also unwise and un-American to ask anybody to change those sincerely held views.”