It’s hard to believe that in just a few weeks we’ll be bringing in a New Year. If we consider the Internal Revenue Act of 1935 as the start of corporate philanthropy – a time when companies were permitted to deduct 5% of pretax earnings for charitable gifts, it could be concluded that corporations…

From Greta Thunberg’s passionate climate advocacyto concerns about the efficacy of multilateralism that the UN represents, there was no shortage of news from the 74th UN General Assembly. Despite only having ten years left to achieve the SDGs, recent reports are bleak. Of more than 1,000 CEOs…

We’re only a month away from the 74th UN General Assembly (UNGA) – and the world still has significant work to do if we are to meet the development thresholds set in the SDGs. This slow progress combined with a new wave of gun violence and hate crimes in the United States, alongside civil…

Like myself, I know many of you are using the summer as a time to reflect on your progress from the first half of the year and strategize on how to finish 2019 strong. At the Council, we’ve used the past months to meet with diverse stakeholders as we look to redefine our value, approach and…

The Council is excited to work with our partners—the community foundation affinity groups AdNet, Comma, and ProNet—to host the 2020 CFUnited, Community Foundations: Power of Place, Conference. Designed as an immersive experience for all staff at community foundations regardless of size, scale…

The United Nations' annual mid-year High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) finished earlier this week. I was in New York to join several events and enjoyed connecting with a broad variety of organizations and people working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, including many…

Recent data on giving by Americans signals concerns for US philanthropy. New research on US philanthropy shows lower levels of giving in 2018, even as our economy showed healthy growth overall. Giving USA reports less overall giving in 2018, following four years of steady growth. Specifically,…

Summer is officially here and for corporate philanthropy, I’d venture to report we are off to a great start. From the release of the 2019 Giving USA report to the number of important spring and summer sector conferences, momentum for companies’ involvement in social impact is rising. This year’s…

I’ve been thinking about Sudan recently. Protests began in Sudan during December of last year, eventually leading to a military coup and arrest of Former President Omar al-Bashir. Yet, these protests continue. Some reports say more than 128 people have been killed in these protests. As this year is…

A recent op-ed by Marin Community Foundation’s CEO, Dr. Thomas Peters, moved me to reflect on our field. Dr. Peters paints a powerful picture describing how community philanthropy can strengthen communities and support individuals, in a way that helps others relate to our work. With an opening line…

As summer begins, communities across the US and around the world also prepare for severe weather —from tornados to hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes. In recent years, the US has experienced some of the mostly costly natural disasters ever on record. And yet, a recent study from the Center for…

I hope this newsletter finds you well and ready for summer! Thank you to all who joined us in Miami for the Leading Together 2019 Conference. It was an amazing week of connecting, learning, celebrating and building with peers from across the globe. I found the time spent invigorating, and our…

This time of year, I receive numerous inquiries about administrative fees. Perhaps it is first quarter investment return reviews or something in the spring air—but my response to the question about ‘lowering fees’ is fairly consistent—why would we encourage the lowering of fees? To begin, I have…

One of the most pressing questions we’re addressing at the Council on Foundations is: How does the Council become more responsive to the current ecosystem of philanthropy? I’m sure you’ve grappled with similar questions as your work has evolved, you’ve pushed for greater business alignment and…

We’re less than two weeks away from Leading Together 2019. We’ve been busy preparing a great program with fantastic speakers representing diverse perspectives. Best of all, it’s not too late to register! Additionally, we’ve updated the full global preconference program with all of the speakers and…

When I meet with leaders of community foundations, bringing back the Council’s former Community Foundation’s Fall Conference tops the list of requests. I share in your desire for the Council to provide a better space for community foundation leaders to network and engage around issues that impact…