How to Demonstrate Your Nonprofit’s Impact: Dos and Don’ts

Plus, a $150 million gift to support cancer research; and a U.S. historian draws attention to Ukrainian POWs ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. DEMONSTRATING IMPACT [Show How Your Nonprofit Is Making a Difference: 10 Dos and Don’ts]( By Lisa Schohl [STORY IMAGE]( Tips from experts that can help you measure results, share them in meaningful and inspiring ways, and avoid common pitfalls. GIFTS ROUNDUP [Father-Daughter Duo Gives $150 Million for Pancreatic Cancer Research]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Plus, billionaire businessman and former Florida politician Hyatt Brown gave $150 million for an extensive construction project at Daytona Beach’s Museum of Arts and Sciences, and University of Illinois at Chicago got a $36 million bequest for its pharmacy school. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS [U.S. Historian Leads Charity Run in Kyiv to Highlight the Plight of Ukrainian POWs]( By Derek Gatopoulos And Evgeniy Maloletka, Associated Press [STORY IMAGE]( Timothy Snyder, who has organized fundraisers as part of the country’s war-relief effort, enjoys near-celebrity status in Ukraine. WEBINARS [October 10 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Nonprofits that focus on capturing planned gifts can reap big benefits: Charitable bequests totaled $42.7 billion last year. Join us for Steps to Take to Build a Planned Giving Program to learn from Aquanetta Betts, director of planned giving at George Mason University, and Sean Twomey, senior director of planned giving and impact at the Wilderness Society. They’ll share smart advice and examples to help you start or step up your planned-giving efforts. Online Forums [Tomorrow, September 24 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( Join the Chronicle’s Stacy Palmer for The Future of Race-Based Grant Making, a conversation with Roger Colinvaux of The Catholic University of America, Marc Philpart of the California Black Freedom Fund, Carmen Rojas of Marguerite Casey Foundation, Thomas Saenz of MALDEF, and Olivia Sedwick, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. They’ll discuss what comes next now that the Fearless Fund settled a court case that was widely watched as a barometer of what grant makers can do in the wake of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling. 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 Once an inspiration for the White House and schools around the world, the healthy-food nonprofit started by legendary chef and activist Alice Waters is drifting into chaos and deficits, some insiders say. At the Edible Schoolyard’s five-acre farm in Stockton, Calif., current and former staff complain of a crushing workload and meager resources. The organization, which receives public and private grants, is on track to run a $670,000 deficit. One executive blamed the pandemic for fundraising woes, although the nonprofit’s grants and contributions have more than doubled since 2019. Others blame an organizational focus on the future Alice Waters Institute, a partnership with the University of California, Davis, that will honor the legacy of the octogenarian chef but whose purpose has repeatedly shifted. ([San Francisco Chronicle]( — Opinion) Background from the Chronicle: [Throwing Food at Hunger Won’t Help Americans Eat Better. Philanthropy Needs to Consider a New Approach]( The recent settlement of the Fearless Fund lawsuit, which challenged racial preferences in grant-making, helped limit the implications of the case and showed other philanthropies how to avoid such suits themselves. The lawsuit, brought by opponents of affirmative action, stopped before it reached the Supreme Court, averting a nationwide precedent like the one in 2023 that banned racial considerations in college admissions. Meanwhile, given the plaintiffs’ argument that the Fearless Foundation was writing racial discrimination into its contracts, experts are advising “organizations to ensure they limit any requirements placed on potential grantees so a grant can’t be construed as a contract.” ([Barron’s]( Background from the Chronicle: [Nonprofits, Legal Experts React to the Fearless Fund Decision to Shutter Grant Program to Black Entrepreneurs]( More News - A Republican and a Democrat Sit Across From Each Other. There’s No Punchline. ([New York Times]( - Background from the Chronicle: [‘It’s Hard to Hate Up Close': Philanthropy, Polarization, and the Art of Conversation]( - Western Philanthropies Drum Up Climate Finance Ahead of UN Meetings ([Financial Times]( subscription) - Berks County, Pa., Nonprofit Founder Used Men in Addiction Program for Free Labor, State Prosecutors Say ([Philly Voice]( - California Bible College Students Claim They Were Confined, Surveilled, and Made to Do Unpaid Labor ([Los Angeles Times]( - Oops! Army Training Mislabeled Nonprofits as Terror Groups for Years ([Army Times]( - After Crisis, “Everything Is Up For Evaluation” at Detroit Riverfront Conservancy ([Axios]( - Nonprofit Opens Detroit Office to Push for ‘Gun Sense’ Legislation Ahead of Election ([Detroit News]( 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 [America’s Giving Crisis — and the Plan to Fix It]( By Sara Herschander [STORY IMAGE]( Generosity Commission concludes a three-year study with a roadmap to boost charitable giving and volunteering in the U.S. RURAL PHILANTHROPY [Native American Group Gives to Individuals to Build Community Wealth]( By Jim Rendon [STORY IMAGE]( The NDN Collective is giving out $25,000 and $50,000 awards, thanks to a $50 million foundation grant. ELECTIONS [Can Elections Ever Be Normal Again? These 22 Nonprofit Leaders Have a Plan.]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( After the tumult of 2020, a new set of organizations aims to reinforce how votes are tallied on November 5 as well as in 2026, 2028, and beyond. Upcoming Webinar [Join our webinar]( —We all know program officers are flooded with requests for support. They certainly can’t endorse every proposal that crosses their desks, so what makes one proposal rise to the top? Join us to learn the hallmarks of a winning proposal — from strong writing to well-constructed programs and a compelling vision. Join us on Thursday, November 7 at 2:00 PM ET to learn tips to ensure your proposal resonates with foundation decision makers, instills confidence, and makes a compelling case for support. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES Find your next nonprofit role in The Chronicle Career Center: - [Development Manager]( — New America [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