The “housing first” approach to solving homelessness has failed. Innovative nonprofits and generous donors are proving there is a better way to improve lives, and it starts with tackling root causes.
Philanthropic funders working in K-12 education have long known that the nation’s teacher preparation programs are highly varied in quality and outcomes.
The coronavirus pandemic spurred a tremendous year of giving according to new giving data. In total, Americans gave $471.44 billion away to charity.
On September 13, 2023, Philanthropy Roundtable published a new policy brief addressing the extent to which foreign donations are influencing U.S. political activities through 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations. While recent media reports have raised concern about the interference of foreign nationals in American politics, this research shows that claims of pervasive political advocacy within the nonprofit sector lack support from both available data and empirical literature. In fact, the rise in scrutiny appears to be fueled by a small number of bad actors who should be investigated and prosecuted, rather than a systemic abuse of the laws and regulations underlying the nonprofit sector.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF), a 501(c)(3) established to promote fiscally responsible public policy and help states uphold the tenets of democracy. SFOF partners with state financial officers and key stakeholders in the private and public sectors to push back against policies that undermine economic freedom and hamper fiscal growth.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling against race-based admission policies at Harvard and University of North Carolina ends affirmative action in higher education as we know it. In the cases Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. (“SFFA”) v. University of North Carolina and SFFA v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, the Court ruled that such race-based affirmative action in higher education violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In an article recently published in Washington Examiner, Elise Westhoff, president and CEO of Philanthropy Roundtable, writes that, instead of relying on the government to solve problems in our communities, charitable organizations respond quickly and effectively to the many concerns facing our country today.
In an op-ed published in the Washington Examiner, Philanthropy Roundtable Director of Policy Elizabeth McGuigan writes about bipartisan opposition to the so-called ACE Act, which was recently introduced in the House of Representatives
In an op-ed recently published in Washington Examiner, “When DEI Threatens the Arts, Embracing Merit is the Way Forward,” Philanthropy Roundtable Program Manager Kathryn Hougham explains how diversity quotas have shifted the focus of some orchestras from creating beautiful music to making hiring decisions based on demographics.
The Roundtable’s campaign “Our Values Improve Lives” will share examples of how private philanthropy has empowered the charitable sector to strengthen communities and help individuals reach their full, unique potential. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing stories of charitable efforts – informed and inspired by the values of liberty, opportunity and personal responsibility – that are addressing a variety of social challenges where other efforts, including government-led ones, have underdelivered.
In light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the use of race-based preferences in college admissions, new questions have arisen about philanthropy’s use of similar practices from workplace policies to funding strategies. Many in the philanthropic sector have been strong proponents of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices and have encouraged grantees to apply a racial equity lens in their work. However, some wonder to what end? What has this laser-focus on DEI accomplished for organizations that, in some cases, have been applying it for several years?