A Liberal Donor Network Under Fire Answers Its Critics

Plus, a grassroots effort to help Hawaii wildfire survivors; and a major gift supports Catholic education in Indiana ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. Q&A [Arabella Founder Eric Kessler — Under Fire as ‘Dark Money’ Master — Talks About the Line Between Philanthropy and Politics]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( The founder of the philanthropy consulting firm for left-leaning donors blames the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling for injecting billions of dollars into the political process. ADVERTISEMENT [Arabella Founder Eric Kessler — Under Fire as ‘Dark Money’ Master — Talks About the Line Between Philanthropy and Politics]( ENVIRONMENT [How a Grassroots Lahaina Fundraiser Found a Better Way to Help Fire Survivors]( By Matthew Leonard, Honolulu Civil Beat [STORY IMAGE]( Help Maui Rise fund has drawn praise for its transparency and a commitment to disbursing donations more equitably by using data. GRANTS ROUNDUP [A $150 Million Grant Will Strengthen Catholic Education in Northwest Indiana]( By M.J. Prest [STORY IMAGE]( Plus, the Shubert Foundation awarded $40 million in unrestricted grants to 653 nonprofit arts and culture organizations, and the Helmsley Charitable Trust gave $15 million to remove 15 million pounds of floating plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. WEBINARS [July 18 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( It isn’t easy to create holiday appeals that capture donors’ attention during the busiest fundraising time of the year. To get a jump on these critical campaigns and a handle on what to expect this year, join us for Planning a Year-End Fundraising Strategy in the Current Giving Climate. You’ll learn from Skyler Reep of KSPS PBS and Seth Rosen of The American LGBTQ+ Museum as they share real-world appeals, proven approaches, and tips for planning ahead while staying flexible. SPONSOR CONTENT | Twilio [Why the Nonprofit Funding Model Needs an Overhaul]( HEWLETT TRAINING SERIES [June 25 + (June 4 and June 18 on demand) | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join us for Build a Thriving Nonprofit Culture, a series of three, 75-minute online sessions designed for leaders of small nonprofits who want to create a vibrant organizational culture to attract and retain top talent from all backgrounds. You’ll get strategies and tactics for creating a positive work environment from the inside out — without breaking the budget. The complimentary registration includes three sessions: Create an Inclusive Nonprofit Culture | Attract, Motivate, and Retain Top Talent | Foster a Culture of Well-Being. All sessions will be recorded and available on demand. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE [Chronicle of Philanthropy Subscription] Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online So far, Melinda French Gates’s approach to philanthropy is embracing neither the intense oversight and rigorous political neutrality of the eponymous foundation she started with ex-husband Bill Gates, nor the invisibility of major donor MacKenzie Scott, to whom she has been compared and whom she calls “extraordinarily hands off.” Instead, French Gates is using her fortune, which reportedly totals nearly$34 billion, to back pro-choice organizations and support centrist political candidates, to enlist others she admires in seeking out worthy recipients, and to build coalitions on issues she cares about, primarily women’s rights and well-being. ([Time]( Plus: Melinda French Gates on disrupting society with new philanthropic focus, finding her voice ([CBS News]( Background from the Chronicle: [Melinda French Gates Announces Where $1 Billion in New Funds Will Go to Help Women and Girls]( A central figure in a 2020 federal probe of deceptive charitable fundraising, which resulted in a settlement of more than $58 million, is now working with a network of at least 10 political organizations using similar practices, according to a ProPublica investigation. Thomas Berkenbush, a co-manager of a company at the heart of that scandal, has since launched another firm that raises money for groups purporting to advocate on behalf of worthy causes but that, according to tax filings, have spent more than 90 percent of those revenues on fundraising. Berkenbush and others involved did not respond to requests for comment, but another fundraiser for the network said those expenses “support a broad range of outreach efforts, including phone calls and direct mail campaigns that are designed to inform the public about the PAC’s goals and initiatives.” ([ProPublica]( Background from the Chronicle: [Donor Beware: Pause Before You Give to Any Cause]( More News - Group of Austrians Picks 77 Charities to Receive Heiress’s Fortune ([New York Times]( - 96-Year-Old Philanthropist Reaches Tentative Settlement Over $25 Million Cal State Long Beach Donation ([Orange County Register]( - Texas A&M Wants to Keep Emails About Leonard Leo’s $15M Gift Secret ([Intercept]( - For U.S. Cities in Infrastructure Need, Grant Writers Wanted ([Bloomberg CityLab]( - More Cities Feel Strain as Migrants Move In Seeking Better Prospects ([New York Times]( - Why a San Francisco Bookstore Is Shipping Queer Books to Conservative States — For Free ([Los Angeles Times]( - How a Billionaire Philanthropist is Transforming Oregon Nonprofits ([Portland Mercury]( - Some Critics Believe Nonprofit Hospitals Should Not Fundraise ([Indianapolis Star]( subscription) Fallout from the War in Gaza - Wikipedia Now Labels the Top Jewish Civil Rights Group as an Unreliable Source ([CNN]( - What Is Within Our Lifetime, The Anti-Israel Activist Group Behind the Protests at the Nova Exhibit and Brooklyn Museum? ([Jewish Telegraphic Agency]( - How Everyone Got the Brooklyn Museum Story Wrong: What Was Presented as a Black-and-White Case of Antisemitism Turned Out to Be More Complicated ([Forward]( 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. EDITOR'S PICKS TRENDS [Nonprofits Are Taking a Stance on Gaza — and Paying the Price]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( Some progressive groups say donor response to their political statements about the Israel-Gaza War are leading to painful conversations about whether to tone down messaging to preserve needed revenue and avoid layoffs and program cuts. OPINION [What the YMCA Taught Me About Community, Civil Society, and Democracy]( By Eboo Patel [STORY IMAGE]( The regular people who worked at my local Y showed me how everyday institutions can bridge divides and level the playing field. FOUNDATIONS [Major Funders Bet Big on Rural America and ‘Everyday Democracy’]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( Takeaways from a new $50 million venture with national grant makers investing in philanthropy-starved rural America: “No one is coming to do this work for us.” ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our webinar]( —It isn’t easy to create a campaign that captures donors’ attention — and gets them to give — during the most competitive fundraising time of the year. And 2024’s giving season presents even more challenges, including wars, economic worries, and a politically charged presidential election. To learn how to build a smart strategy despite the tricky climate, join the Chronicle on Thursday, July 18 at 2 p.m. ET for a 75-minute webinar and get a jump on your planning. Our expert guests will share tips for creating a timeline that can be adapted if needed, ways to engage everyone at your organization in fundraising to boost results, and real-world examples of approaches that are working — and which to avoid. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Apply today](. [Associate Vice President for Advancement & Campaign Director]( University of Portland [Associate Vice President for Principal Gifts]( Florida State University [Director of Philanthropy]( Kidznotes Inc [Philanthropy Manager]( Lowell Observatory [Direct Mail Copywriter]( Eberle Communciations Group, Inc. [Grant Writer]( Accessible Space, Inc [Search other jobs.]( [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. 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