The Future of Racial Justice and Equity: Our New Issue

Plus, the Mellon Foundation goes all in on social justice. And foundations are breaking rules in the pandemic; they shouldn’t stop (Dispatches) [Philanthropy Today] Are you working remotely? Many organizations provide access to premium Chronicle content in the office. If your group is one of them, you can maintain that access when you’re at home. Read this helpful [FAQ]( to see how. Your account is easy to set up and will provide you access wherever you are. On Our July Cover: Special Report on Race [Image]( Getty Images Leaders and advocates across the nonprofit world weigh in on the prospects for real change in [equity in the workplace,]( and [black-led groups]( want to seize a rare opportunity to advance racial justice. Will they succeed and will foundations provide the backing they need? Read about the signs of hope and the continuing struggles in our [special report](. Plus, find out how fundraisers are coping with [new stresses]( at work and how [bequests have been growing]( during the pandemic. And there’s more. See the [full issue]( posted today. ADVERTISEMENT [advertisement]( Dispatches [Foundations Are Breaking All the Rules in the Pandemic. They Need to Keep Doing That.]( By Lisa Pilar Cowan Meeting together on Zoom, the walls that hobbled collaboration are falling. How can we keep the spirit going and make grantees a central part of every aspect of our operations? Paid for and Created by Omidyar Network [The Future of Workers and Work]( Covid-19 magnified the scale of an economy that is dramatically out of balance, clearly pointing out the importance and fragile state of worker rights, opportunities, and protections in the US workforce. This series of videos explores these themes in even more detail. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere In a shift in strategy, the Mellon Foundation will focus its entire mission on social justice. The change is the first major shift undertaken by Elizabeth Alexander, who in 2018 started as president of Mellon, the nation’s preeminent arts and humanities grant maker. As part of the overhaul, both current and prospective grant recipients will be asked how their work contributes to a more just and fair society. Part of the strategy is a $5.3 million plan to provide 1,000 prisons with a curated library of books. Alexander, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and former humanities professor, was one of five foundation leaders to announce sharp increases in grant making in response to the pandemic earlier this week. Mellon plans to increase its grant budget from $300 million to $500 million this year. ([New York Times]( Plus: See a Chronicle article on the [Rockefeller Brothers Fund's]( plan to expand grant making on racial justice, and see a [profile of Alexander](. The Supreme Court ruled Monday that foreign affiliates of U.S. nonprofits do not enjoy First Amendment protections and can be required to adopt certain policies in order to receive aid from the U.S. government. Specifically, nonprofits were fighting back against a 2003 law that required their overseas arms to adopt policies against prostitution and human trafficking. Making a freedom-of-speech argument, the groups said that opposing prostitution could complicate efforts to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and that their foreign affiliates and U.S. entities were essentially the same organization. A majority of the justices ruled, however, that they were separate entities because foreign affiliates are incorporated abroad, where U.S. free-speech protections do not apply. ([Reuters]( Companies have stepped up in a major way during the pandemic, donating a range of products and services to those in need and first responders. Crocs gave more than 860,000 pairs of clogs worth almost $40 million to health-care workers around the world. Netflix established a $100 million relief fund for out-of-work, hourly production workers. AT&T has supported distance-learning efforts to the tune of $10 million. Still other companies are offering grants or loans to small or minority- or women-owned businesses. ([Newsweek]( Plus: Companies are becoming more central to addressing social issues and supporting movements as their philanthropy evolves from simply cutting checks and donating supplies. ([Newsweek]( In response to outrages such as the death of George Floyd, African Americans are more likely to protest and donate to racial justice causes than to vote, according to recent studies. Since 2013, researchers at the University of Maryland and Princeton University have looked into how Black people channel their anger at racial injustice. They have found that when donations are possible, the angriest study subjects send their money to Black-led or Black-focused organizations. Researchers surmised that voting or political donations were less popular choices because Black people believe the political process has brought little change. ([Washington Post]( Racial Justice Denver Faith and Nonprofit Leaders Form Task Force to Consider New ways to Police the City ([Denver Post]( In Seattle, Protests Over Racial Equity Turn to Land Ownership ([Bloomberg]( 80 Black Photographers Are Selling Prints to Benefit Nonprofits Focused on Justice and Uplift ([Culture Type]( Covid-19 DineOut Nonprofit Looks to Redesign NYC Eateries for Outdoor Dining ([New York Post]( How a Small Charity Pivoted to Get Food to Those Hit by Covid Shutdowns ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) Covid-19 Forces Closure of Nonprofit Health-Care Collaborative in Minnesota ([Star Tribune]( More News Supreme Court Says Religious Schools Should Get State Grants Given to Other Private Schools ([Los Angeles Times]( Mott Foundation Reaches $100 Million in Grants for Flint Water Crisis a Year Early ([ABC 12]( George Soros: “I am proud of the enemies I have” ([European Council on Foreign Relations]( Arts and Culture The Actors Fund Launches Every Artist Insured Campaign ([Playbill]( We Aren't Paying Enough Attention to the Impact of the Pandemic on the Arts ([Washington Post]( What Everyone Else Is Reading [Rockefeller Brothers Fund Launches Program on Racial Justice, Boosts Grants by $48 Million]( The goals of the new racial-justice program still need to be developed, but Rockefeller says much of the work will stem from the foundation’s democracy practice. ADVERTISEMENT [advertisement]( [Stress Forces Fundraisers to Take New Approaches]( The recession, the health crisis, and the social-justice movement are all putting new pressure on development leaders, especially those whose nonprofits serve the neediest. (PREMIUM) [How to Avoid Excuses That Prevent Grant Makers From Aiding Black-Led Organizations (Opinion)]( The notion persists that investing in grassroots organizations headed by people of color is inherently risky. Here are five ways to challenge that thinking from two experts on nonprofit finance. [Foundations Establish $5 Million Covid-19 Response Fund to Focus on the Global Economy]( The Ford, Open Society, and other foundations have pooled $5 million in a fund that seeks to quickly help people harmed by the coronavirus pandemic and work toward long-term changes to a global economic system they view as broken. (PREMIUM) [Fidelity Donor-Advised-Fund Giving Soars, Especially for Food Assistance]( Donors disbursed $2.35 billion in the first four months of this year, an increase of 16 percent over the same period last year, according to a new report. What Donors of Color Want to Hear From Nonprofits [Join us]( on July 9 at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn from experts how to attract and engage donors of color. During this free 60-minute briefing, you will be able to ask questions of the experts and get insights from recent research on high-net-worth people of color and guidance on developing approaches that resonate with diverse audiences. [Sign-up]( today. How to Thank Donors – and Bring Them Closer to Your Cause [Join Our Webinar]( — Donors have stepped up in a big way to help nonprofits respond during the Covid-19 crisis. How are you thanking the supporters who are helping you through these tough times? We all know that showing appreciation, keeping donors involved, and sharing your results helps inspire long-term giving. But it can be hard to do that when so many regular ways of communicating are curtailed. Don’t miss this chance to learn creative ways to thank, engage, and retain donors in a time of social distancing. Two top fundraisers will show you how to shift you donor-relations strategy, adjust fundraising expectations, and redefine success in the year ahead. Join us on July 16 at 2 pm Eastern for a 75-minute webinar. [Sign up today]( for a special discount: 40% off the regular price. We’ll Be Back in Your Inbox on Thursday Philanthropy Today is on an abbreviated schedule ahead of the July 4 holiday. We’ll next send you a newsletter on Thursday and will continue to update our website. Subscribe Now As the outbreak of Covid-19 upends all aspects of nonprofit work, the Chronicle of Philanthropy is dedicated to helping nonprofits deal with this unprecedented threat, care for their clients and staffs, manage financial setbacks, and stay connected with donors. Please consider subscribing today, so that we may continue to provide carefully vetted information in challenging times such as these. [Subscribe Today]( Job Opportunities [Operations Coordinator]( NEO Philanthropy [Major Gift Officer, Global Christian Ministry]( Empart USA [Manager of Development Operations and Data]( Resources for the Future [Assistant Director, Institutional Giving, The Moth]( The Moth [Search the Chronicle's jobs database](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Sign up]( for other newsletters, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2020 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. 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