Philanthropy Has Overlooked Rural America, But There Is Hope

Plus, funders are handing off grant-making duties to intermediaries; and a letter-writer objects to a characterization of Ibram X. Kendi's work. ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. RURAL PHILANTHROPY [Rural America Is Struggling. Where’s Philanthropy?]( By Ben Gose [STORY IMAGE]( New donor collaboratives are experimenting, but few national foundations bring big dollars or a strategy. Plus, see the rest of our [September issue,]( posted online today. ADVERTISEMENT [Rural America Is Struggling. Where’s Philanthropy?]( FOUNDATION GIVING [More Funders Are Handing Off Grant-Making Duties to Intermediaries. Is It a Good Idea?]( By Stephanie Beasley [STORY IMAGE]( A new report from the Center for Effective Philanthropy finds that nonprofits are not as enamored with intermediaries as consultancies and foundations. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [No Misalignment Between DNC’s Hopeful Message and Ibram X. Kendi’s Work]( A reader objects to characterization of Kendi’s ideas in recent op-ed. 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 | Classy [What Are We Getting Wrong About Community?]( Online Forums [Today, 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 Climate activism among California’s young people often springs from personal experience, ranging from pollution-linked health problems to the devastation of wildfires. Three young plaintiffs who are suing the Environmental Protection Agency over fossil-fuel pollution, for example, have suffered asthma and nosebleeds, been trapped at home amid rushing rain, and lost beloved childhood getaways to wildfires. Activism is a way not only to stem the effects of climate change but also to deal with the trauma, anxiety, and depression that experts say climate change can feed, especially among children and adolescents. ([Los Angeles Times]( Background from the Chronicle: [Federal Climate Funds are Plentiful – But nonprofits Should Move Quickly]( Tim Ballard, who became a hero in conservative circles as the leader of an anti-human-trafficking nonprofit, faces multiple accusations of sexual assault and harassment. Ten women have told the New York Times that while they worked with Ballard, often on missions for his organization, Operation Underground Railroad, he coerced or forced them into sex acts. Sometimes those encounters included the type of people, including seemingly underage sex workers, they were supposed to be saving, some of the women said. Ballard, the subject of the hit movie “Sound of Freedom” last year, denies the allegations, which have resulted in six pending lawsuits. He stepped down from Operation Underground Railroad last year “as concerns about his conduct began percolating.” ([New York Times]( More News - Southern Poverty Law Center Union Expresses No Confidence in Nonprofit’s Leadership ([Alabama Reflector]( - Background from the Chronicle: [Here Come the Nonprofit Unions]( - Finding Philanthropy’s Forgotten Founder ([Atlantic]( - Background from the Chronicle: [Today’s Racial Justice Grant Makers Could Learn a Lot From an Early-20th-Century Philanthropist]( - New Arts Workers’ Group Will Fight Inequities Maintained by Museum Management ([ARTnews]( - These Are the Highest-Paid Nonprofit CEOs in Michigan ([Crain’s Detroit Business]( - Cycling Feels Like Freedom. These N.H. Volunteers Are Working to Make It Accessible to All. ([Boston Globe]( - Just One Asian Organization Is Among the Top 20 Largest Donors in the World, as the Region’s Philanthropy Lags the U.S. ([Fortune]( - “The Great Elephant Migration,” a Touring Public-Art Exhibition in New York, Not Only Depicts Wildlife But Also Helps Save It. ([New York Times]( 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 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. 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. 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: - [Development Director, Leading Independent Book Publisher]( — Graywolf Press - [Senior Director of Campus Operations & Planning]( — The Bishop's School [Search all job openings →]( Hiring? [Post a Job.]( [Chronicle of Philanthropy Logo]( This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. 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