Lessons From the Grateful Dead on How to Run a Nonprofit (Opinion)

Plus, how you frame a request for money is a key factor in how much you will receive, research shows ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. OPINION [I’m a Deadhead and a Nonprofit Leader: The Two Have a Lot in Common]( By Eboo Patel [STORY IMAGE]( The Grateful Dead offers nonprofits lessons on how to adapt to change while staying true to their original vision. FUNDRAISING RESEARCH [Want 57% Bigger Gifts? How You Frame the Ask Matters, Research Shows]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( In an experiment, asking donors to give a unit of charitable good, such as a month of meals for a refugee child, got bigger donations than asking for cash WEBINARS [September 19 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join us for How to Measure and Convey Impact, a session designed for communications and fundraising professionals. You’ll learn from Cindy Eby, founder and CEO of ResultsLab; Deidre Kennelly, principal of Kennelly Consulting; and Isis Krause, chief strategy officer at Philanthropy Together, how to collaborate with program staff to demonstrate the difference your organization makes. Online Forums [September 10 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( It’s rare to find an organization that coordinates all of its digital outreach to create a seamless experience that engages supporters and minimizes transactional interactions. Join us for Creating a Positive Donor Experience in a Digital World to learn from Allison Fine, president of Every.org, Mardi Moore, executive director of Rocky Mountain Equality, and Stacy Bridavsky, executive director of Lil BUB’s Big FUND, to get tips on giving donors a better online experience without spending a lot. 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 The movement to diversify the U.S. tech industry is flagging amid dwindling corporate and donor support. The nonprofit Girls in Tech closed in July due to lack of funding after 17 years, almost simultaneously with the demise of Women Who Code for similar reasons. Companies and donors are pulling back as they cut costs and face a conservative backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, even as the share of women and Black workers in tech remains essentially stagnant. ([Washington Post]( - Background from the Chronicle: [Will Giving Grants Based on Race Survive the Fearless Fund Case?]( A federal lawsuit in Texas that would deal a crippling blow to a local Planned Parenthood affiliate is part of a conservative activist’s long campaign against the organization. The litigation, brought by an anonymous whistleblower against an affiliate operating in Texas and Louisiana, has ties to Leonard Leo, who guided efforts to appoint a conservative U.S. Supreme Court and overturn Roe v. Wade. Joined by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the suit accuses Planned Parenthood of Medicaid fraud for accepting reimbursements while Texas’s effort to kick it out of the Medicaid program was being litigated in courts. It seeks $1.8 billion in penalties, which amounts to almost 90 percent of the organization’s annual revenue. ([KFF Health News]( - Background from the Chronicle: [More about abortion]( More News and Opinion - CEOs Earn Big Bucks at Nonprofit Hospitals. But Does That Benefit Patients? ([NPR and KFF Health News](. Background from the Chronicle: [Nonprofit Executive Pay Rises, but Inflation and Gender Gap Issues Persist, Report Finds]( - Russia Declares U.S. Clooney Foundation an Undesirable Organization ([Reuters]( - Warren Buffett’s Friendship With Bill Gates Has Soured. What That Means for the $77 Billion Gates Foundation ([Fortune](. Background from the Chronicle: [Warren Buffett Has Given $50.7 Billion Toward Historic Multibillion-Dollar Pledges to the Gates Foundation and Others]( - Hawaii Clean Energy Think Tank Blue Planet Foundation Closes as Part of Restructuring ([Honolulu Civil Beat]( - Nicaragua Shutters 1,500 Nonprofit Groups, Many of Them Churches ([New York Times]( - How One Pop Band Is Trying to Turn Concertgoers Into Climate Activists ([NPR](. Background from the Chronicle: [U.S. Law Permits Charities to Encourage Voting and Help Voters Register, Making GOP Concerns About This Assistance Unfounded]( - Opinion: Charity Is Helping N.C. Public Schools, but It’s Not a Sustainable Plan ([Durham Herald-Sun]( — subscribe). Background from the Chronicle: [Education Success Starts With Family Involvement. Why Aren’t Donors Funding It?]( 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 PHILANTHROPISTS [What Does It Mean When You Get Two MacKenzie Scott Gifts? Recipients Aren’t Sure Either]( By Jim Rendon [STORY IMAGE]( The philanthropist has made grants to more than 2,300 nonprofits. Thirteen have received more than one. ENVIRONMENTAL PHILANTHROPY [On Second Anniversary of Climate Bill, Funders Top Goals to Help Nonprofits]( By Jim Rendon [STORY IMAGE]( Two years after the Inflation Reduction Act was passed, a report finds that a group of 33 grant makers exceeded its goals for helping communities and organizations learn about, access, and implement funding through the act. OPINION [Advice for ‘Speak Truth to Power’ Activists: Build Power of Your Own]( By Deepak Bhargava [STORY IMAGE]( Democracy advocates are doubling down on the wrong strategies, writes a veteran organizing strategist. They should take lessons from abroad and the pre-1964 civil rights movement. RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our webinar]( —Grant makers and individual donors want to see the lasting impact of their contributions. But at many nonprofits ― especially those with modest budgets — there are no staffers assigned solely to measuring and evaluating results. So, fundraisers, communications professionals, and program staff often must work together to show the difference their organizations make. It can be hard to know which kinds of metrics show progress toward long-term goals, how to capture and analyze data, and how to communicate your impact in ways that are compelling and easy to digest. Join us for a 75-minute webinar on Thursday, September 19 at 2 PM ET to learn from our expert guests. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES Find your next nonprofit role in The Chronicle Career Center: - [AVP Annual Giving - HonorHealth Foundation]( — HonorHealth - [Executive Director for Planned Giving]( — University of Texas at El Paso [Search all job openings →]( Hiring? [Post a Job.]( [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2024 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. 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