Philanthropy Can Help Restore Trust in Science (Opinion)

Plus, how one university used data to eliminate ‘zombie proposals’ and improve big-gift fundraising ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. You can now follow The Chronicle on [Apple News]( [Flipboard]( and [Google News](. OPINION [Trust in Science Has Eroded Since the Pandemic Began. How Should Philanthropy Respond?]( By Sam Gill and Elizabeth Christopherson [STORY IMAGE]( Both historical mistreatment of people of color and widespread misinformation have diminished confidence in medical science. Grant makers can foster a culture that acknowledges and addresses science’s imperfections. ADVERTISEMENT MAJOR-GIFT FUNDRAISING [How One University Used Data to Eliminate ‘Zombie Proposals’ and Improve Big-Gift Fundraising]( By David Lively and Brijesh Jani [STORY IMAGE]( Among the insights: The longer it took to close a proposal, the less chance for its success, but other factors played a role, too. Webinars [Build a Diverse Pool of Donors]( [STORY IMAGE]( Many fundraising leaders are figuring out how to build trust with donors who may be quite different than the people who supported their nonprofit a decade ago. Join this 75-minute webinar on March 23 at 2 p.m. Eastern (or on demand later) to learn how your nonprofit can tap into the generosity of donors of all backgrounds and broaden its support. You’ll get practical ways to create inclusive fundraising strategies that attract support from donors large and small. [Sign up today.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | Independent Sector [Overcoming the Hurdles to our Humanity]( ONLINE BRIEFINGS [Using Data to Improve Online Fundraising]( [STORY IMAGE]( Digital fundraisers can gain all sorts of insights from data about online campaigns. Whether its testing subject lines or social posts, analyzing email or newsletter open rates to see which messages resonate with supporters, or tracking people’s online engagement with your organization — data can take digital fundraising from good to great. Join us on March 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern to learn from your peers how to make the most of digital data, even without a big budget. [Sign up today]( SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online The National Audubon Society’s Board of Directors has voted to keep the conservation group’s name, despite its links to a slaveholder and white supremacist. Even as local chapters of the nonprofit have changed their names, the national group’s CEO said its board had decided that “Audubon” had come to symbolize the 118-year-old group’s mission and achievements, “transcending” the name of John James Audubon. The 19th-century naturalist was a white supremacist and slaveholder, for whom the group was named more than 50 years after his death. The Seattle chapter, which has dropped “Audubon” but has not yet settled on a new moniker, said in a statement it was “shocked, confused, and deeply disappointed” by the decision. The national organization’s employee union changed its name to the Bird Union last month, saying, “We will not elevate and celebrate a person who would reject and oppress our union members today.” ([New York Times]( The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank is part of a shifting landscape giving major nonprofit investors more leverage to demand environmental, social, and corporate-governance goals from the venture capitalists taking their money. Before the government bailout of SVB was announced, some large institutional investors considered offering cash to the startups stuck in limbo in exchange for their setting diversity and ESG goals. In the long term, observers say the power is shifting away from venture capitalists who offered huge returns to foundations and endowments but often dismissed requests by these investors to establish and record socially responsible practices. Ascendant now are deep-pocketed foundations and others “as economic headwinds for the venture-capital industry have given more power to its investors to make demands.” Those demands are likely to extend to the startups funded by venture capitalists as well. ([Semafor]( Plus: Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Leaves a Huge Gap in the Affordable-Housing Ecosystem ([Market Watch]( More News - Chuck Schumer Gives Campaign Donations From Silicon Valley Bank’s Ex-CEO, PAC to Charity ([CNBC]( - Walgreens Is Pulling Back on the Abortion Pill; These Startups and Nonprofits Aren’t Backing Down ([Fast Company]( - Ukraine Needs Armored Vehicles. This Ukrainian Charity Bought Dozens. ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - Catholic Charities of Omaha Active-Shooter Drill Lawsuit Raises Legal Question ([Omaha World-Herald]( - The Maine Lobster Industry Sues Calif. Aquarium Over a Do-Not-Eat Listing ([NPR]( - St. Louis Creates Philanthropic Fund, Other Programs to Direct Capital to Disinvested Areas After Federal Pandemic Dollars Run Out in 2026 ([St. Louis Business Journal]( - City Council Committee OKs Pro-Union Ordinance Aimed at Chicago Nonprofits Despite Opposition ([Chicago Tribune]( - Stories of Nonprofit Heroes and Social-Change Innovators ([Savvy Altruism]( - ‘Rough Sleepers': How One Person Can Make a Difference Caring for the Unhoused ([NPR]( Museums - The Metropolitan Museum of Art Owns 77 Works Linked to Trafficker Subhash Kapoor ([Observer]( - Thank you, Ellen Futter: 30 years on the job, American Museum of Natural History president leaves a dino-sized legacy ([New York Daily News]( - Museum Watch Group Decries Ousting of Moscow’s Tretyakov Gallery Director, Warns of ‘Loss of Art Autonomy’ ([ARTnews]( SPONSOR CONTENT | The James Irvine Foundation [Investing in an Economy of Belonging]( How one organization is working towards reinstituting morals in our economy. Editor's Picks BANKING CRISIS [How the Ripple Effects of Bank Turmoil Could Affect Nonprofits — and How to Avoid Them]( By Drew Lindsay [STORY IMAGE]( Damage to nonprofits appears limited so far, but charity leaders and experts urge groups to protect assets amid fears about the banking industry’s health. LEADERS OF COLOR [Racial-Justice Leader Who Left Her Job Alleging Racial Bias by Board Starts New Nonprofit]( By Jim Rendon [STORY IMAGE]( Anne Price, former head of Insight Center for Community and Economic Development, says the new group will focus on improving the economic conditions of Black women. GIVING [How Philanthropy Helps Coal Communities Access Historic Levels of Federal Funding]( By Sono Motoyama [STORY IMAGE]( Thanks to the good ideas of local nonprofits — and to an influx of federal and state funds — projects such as turning West Virginia coal mines into greenhouses, launching training programs in sustainable trades on the Crow Reservation in Montana, and expanding West Virginians’ access to broadband have seen the light of day. OPINION | WHAT WE'VE LEARNED [Want to Help Communities Thrive? Invest in Residents Eager to Disrupt the Status Quo.]( By Bobby Milstein [STORY IMAGE]( A Wisconsin area known as the Fox Cities is showing what’s possible when individuals are given the support needed to bridge divides and work together to create healthy and hopeful communities. INTERVIEW [Growth of Organizations That Advance the Work of All Nonprofits Poses Challenges, Research Finds]( By Alex Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( Lack of funding stymies innovation for these groups, and the lack of any way to evaluate the quality of services provided means nonprofits often face tough choices when seeking help for training, advocacy, and other needs, according to scholars at the Urban Institute. ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join Our Next Webinar]( — More and more fundraising leaders are figuring out how to tap the generosity of donors from a range of cultures, faiths, and sexual identities. Their lessons can help your nonprofit engage and build trust with donors who may be quite different than the people who supported your nonprofit a decade ago. Join this 75-minute webinar on March 23 at 2 p.m. Eastern (or on demand at your convenience) to learn how your nonprofit can tap into the generosity of donors of all backgrounds and broaden its support. You'll learn from an expert on wealthy BIPOC donors and a nonprofit leader who has worked in 17 countries to advance gender and racial equity who will share practical ways to create inclusive fundraising strategies that attract support from donors large and small. [Register today.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Search other jobs.]( NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. [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. © 2023 [The Chronicle of Philanthropy]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037