The Autonomous A.I. Tool That is Already Raising Money

Plus, $10 million goes to Franciscan University; and a nonprofit works to make culinary careers accessible ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. TECHNOLOGY [The A.I. That’s Already Raising Money]( By Rasheeda Childress [STORY IMAGE]( A new start-up is testing autonomous fundraisers that will interact directly with donors. Some tech experts have questions. [A $10 Million Gift to Franciscan Univ. Aims to Bring Catholic Church’s Teachings to Washington]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Plus, Arizona PBS lands $10 million for a new broadcast tower and expanded education programming, and a children’s hospital and two universities receive big gifts. JOB TRAINING [Nonprofit Seeks to Make Culinary Careers More Accessible]( By James Pollard, Associated Press [STORY IMAGE]( The Food Education Fund provides hands-on experiences and mentoring for low-income students of color at 10 New York high schools. 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. SPONSOR CONTENT | The California Endowment [Why is Community Power the Key to Climate Resiliency in California?]( Online Forums [Tomorrow, 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 consistent and user-friendly experience for supporters. 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, how to keep donors informed and engaged on many channels. [September 24 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( A June appeals court ruling put philanthropists on notice: Any grants limited to people of a specific race may be illegal. Join The Future of Race-Based Grant Making to hear from Marc Philpart, executive director of the California Black Freedom Fund; Dr. Carmen Rojas, CEO of Marguerite Casey Foundation; Thomas Saenz, president of MALDEF; and Olivia Sedwick, counsel for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, as they explore the American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Fearless Fund decision. 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 Going door to door with hidden cameras in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods, the Heritage Foundation has been creating videos that falsely claim noncitizens are voting in significant numbers in swing states, according to a New York Times report. An arm of the conservative think tank has taken tiny samples — 50 people in Georgia, 40 in North Carolina — to conclude that noncitizen voting poses a threat to the coming elections. Repeated analyses of the issue, including one by the Heritage Foundation itself and another by Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, have found no such evidence, and some of those recorded as saying they were registered have backed away from such declarations. Heritage stands by its claim. ([New York Times]( Background from the Chronicle: [As ‘Pro-Democracy’ Philanthropy Grows, Experts Warn of Many Obstacles to Combating Misinformation]( A Texas energy magnate is pushing a $300 million lawsuit that could drive Greenpeace USA into bankruptcy. Billionaire Kelcy Warren’s Energy Transfer, an oil- and gas-pipeline provider, is suing the environmental group over its role in impeding the Dakota Access pipeline beginning in 2016. The lawsuit “alleges several Greenpeace entities incited the Dakota Access protests, funded attacks to damage the pipeline, and spread misinformation about the company and its project.” Greenpeace denies involvement in violence or property destruction, and critics of the suit say it threatens activists’ free speech. ([Wall Street Journal]( subscription) More News - The Future of J.D. Vance’s Charity in Ohio Is Unclear ([New York Times]( - Background from the Chronicle: [J.D. Vance and His Many Philanthropy Grievances: What’s at Stake]( - ‘Knowing When to Stop’: Why a Kalamazoo, Mich., Nonprofit Abandoned Its Homeless Pod Plan ([MLive]( - Background from the Chronicle: [Foundations Are Funding Tiny Home Villages for the Homeless. Is It a Worthwhile Effort?]( - The Shelter and the Storm: What Happened When the Nation’s Immigration Crisis Came to a Small Town in Massachusetts ([Washington Post]( - An Unlikely Line of Defense During Heat Waves: Food Banks ([Grist]( - Background from the Chronicle: [Did Taylor Swift Create a New Era for Food Bank Donations?]( - Boston’s Combined Jewish Philanthropies Increasingly Take on Antisemitism: ‘American Jewish Life as We Know It Has Changed’ ([Boston Business Journal]( - Background from the Chronicle: [In the Face of Growing Antisemitism, Silence From Secular Philanthropy Is Unacceptable]( - Warren Buffett Has Donated Over Half His Wealth to These Five Foundations ([Business Insider]( Opinion - Scholarly Associations Aren’t Entitled to Their Opinions ([Wall Street Journal]( subscription) - Why I Am Resigning as a Brown Trustee: Allowing a Vote On Divestment From Israel Is an Act of Cowardice. ([Wall Street Journal]( subscription) - Background from the Chronicle: [The Donor Revolt Comes to Annual Giving: Israel, Gaza, and Campus Unrest]( 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 OPINION [Steph and Ayesha Curry’s Plea to Philanthropy: Don’t Let Pandemic-Era Tutoring Programs End]( By Stephen Curry and Ayesha Curry [STORY IMAGE]( Individualized support helped our own children. We’re committing $25 million to Oakland schools so all students have the same opportunity. DATA & RESEARCH [Big Giving Changes Wealthy Donors’ Identities]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( An analysis shows that making a big gift can contribute to a donor’s psychological well-being. INNOVATION [Can 50 Nonprofits Really Build Something Together? A Hopeful Idea Begins to Spread]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( Inside an effort dubbed “mutual aid on steroids” that’s getting a tryout in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and Lexington, Ky. LinkedIn Live [Join our live event]( —Future Caucus CEO Layla Zaidane is betting that Gen Z and millennials can bring an end to partisan warfare. In a conversation with Chronicle deputy opinion editor Nandita Raghuram, Zaidane talks about her organization (formerly the Millennial Action Project) and its work with young leaders in Congress and at the state level to bridge political divides. The Commons in Conversation is a series of exclusive, one-on-one conversations with national and local leaders working to strengthen a fractured America. Chronicle editors and writers will host individuals from across the country in casual lunchtime discussions about what it will take to bring Americans together. Guests will talk about ideas and promising solutions and how the philanthropic world — from major philanthropists to everyday nonprofit leaders — can contribute. Join us for this exclusive live event on Wednesday, September 18 at 12:30 PM ET to learn from our expert guests. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES Find your next nonprofit role in The Chronicle Career Center: - [Director of Development]( — Gateways Music Festival - [Senior Major Gifts Officer]( — The Land Institute [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. Washington, D.C. 20037