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Maurice Sendak’s Legacy Of Philanthropy
May 8th
Well known author and illustrator Maurice Sendak passed away today at the age of 83 after suffering a stroke. While Sendak was best known for books such as "Where the Wild Things Are," he also leaves behind a legacy of philanthropy.
The Huffington Post reported today that Sendak was quietly involved in a number of philanthropic causes. In 2010, he gave $1 million to the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, a New York City based agency that provides services to needy families in the state. Sendak decided to make the gift in honor of his partner, Eugene D. Glynn, who died in 2007 after working for the organization as a psychiatrist for 30 years. Sendak told The Wall Street Journal at the time that he was contributing to a cause that Eugene would have wanted to do.
Sendak's donations didn't always come in the form of money. Since the 1960s, he had been donating his books and illustrations to Philadelphia's Rosenbach Museum of Library. Sendak served on the museum's board of directors.
You can read the full story in The Huffington Post.
The Huffington Post reported today that Sendak was quietly involved in a number of philanthropic causes. In 2010, he gave $1 million to the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, a New York City based agency that provides services to needy families in the state. Sendak decided to make the gift in honor of his partner, Eugene D. Glynn, who died in 2007 after working for the organization as a psychiatrist for 30 years. Sendak told The Wall Street Journal at the time that he was contributing to a cause that Eugene would have wanted to do.
Sendak's donations didn't always come in the form of money. Since the 1960s, he had been donating his books and illustrations to Philadelphia's Rosenbach Museum of Library. Sendak served on the museum's board of directors.
You can read the full story in The Huffington Post.
Remembering Whitney Houston’s Philanthropy
Feb 13th
News broke this weekend that six-time Grammy Award winner Whitney Houston died at the age of 48. Last night's Grammy Award Show featured many moving tributes to the late singer, whose cause of death is not yet known. Although she is best known for her great voice and personal troubles, Houston also leaves behind a philanthropic legacy.
Ecorazzi, a pop-culture blog, wrote about Houston's charitable work on Saturday and it showed that as her musical career grew, so did her efforts to help the less fortunate. Like other celebrities, Houston created her own foundation, the Whitney Houston Foundation for Children, a nonprofit that helped kids with cancer and AIDS all over the world. The foundation was founded in 1989 and was awarded an honor by VH1 in June 1995 for its charitable work.
Houston also worked to raise money for other charitable causes. She has worked with a wide variety of nonprofits including the United Negro College Fund, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, and the Children's Diabetes Foundation. Her performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" hit #1 on the charts in 1991, and all the proceeds from that record went to the Red Cross. More recently, according to the site Look To The Stars, Houston and her sister created a line of scented candles, with a portion of the proceeds going to Teen Summit, a nonprofit that helps turn around the lives of young adults.
You can read more about Houston's philanthropy in Ecorazzi.
Ecorazzi, a pop-culture blog, wrote about Houston's charitable work on Saturday and it showed that as her musical career grew, so did her efforts to help the less fortunate. Like other celebrities, Houston created her own foundation, the Whitney Houston Foundation for Children, a nonprofit that helped kids with cancer and AIDS all over the world. The foundation was founded in 1989 and was awarded an honor by VH1 in June 1995 for its charitable work.
Houston also worked to raise money for other charitable causes. She has worked with a wide variety of nonprofits including the United Negro College Fund, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, and the Children's Diabetes Foundation. Her performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" hit #1 on the charts in 1991, and all the proceeds from that record went to the Red Cross. More recently, according to the site Look To The Stars, Houston and her sister created a line of scented candles, with a portion of the proceeds going to Teen Summit, a nonprofit that helps turn around the lives of young adults.
You can read more about Houston's philanthropy in Ecorazzi.
eBay Founder Dedicated To Philanthropy
Feb 8th
Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably have at least heard of the online auction site eBay. Maybe you've even won a few collectable items from it. But if you were asked how the name Pierre Omidyar connected to the site, would you have an answer?
Pierre Omidyar is the founder of the successful auction site and he has lived a fairly quiet life. Prior to a big profile recently published in USA Today Omidyar, 44, avoided the spotlight. He gave an occasional interview now and then, but he spent the majority of time working with his wife Pam on his real passion: Philanthropy.
Pierre and Pam have given over $1 billion to hundreds of causes both through individual giving and four organizations they created: Omidyar Network, Humanity United, HopeLab, and Ulupono (which is Hawaiian for "doing the right thing") Initiative.
Yet the Omidyars don't just throw their money around without a plan. More often than not, their donations go to charities that have solid business plans that allow them to produce the needed funds to keep its programs running. Think of it as a venture-capitalists' approach to philanthropy: They want their money to go to organizations that have the best chance to create social change. And that all starts with having a solid business strategy.
What do you think about the Omidyar's approach to philanthropy? Do you think we will start seeing more philanthropists take this venture-capital-like approach?
Make sure to read the full story in USA Today.
Pierre Omidyar is the founder of the successful auction site and he has lived a fairly quiet life. Prior to a big profile recently published in USA Today Omidyar, 44, avoided the spotlight. He gave an occasional interview now and then, but he spent the majority of time working with his wife Pam on his real passion: Philanthropy.
Pierre and Pam have given over $1 billion to hundreds of causes both through individual giving and four organizations they created: Omidyar Network, Humanity United, HopeLab, and Ulupono (which is Hawaiian for "doing the right thing") Initiative.
Yet the Omidyars don't just throw their money around without a plan. More often than not, their donations go to charities that have solid business plans that allow them to produce the needed funds to keep its programs running. Think of it as a venture-capitalists' approach to philanthropy: They want their money to go to organizations that have the best chance to create social change. And that all starts with having a solid business strategy.
What do you think about the Omidyar's approach to philanthropy? Do you think we will start seeing more philanthropists take this venture-capital-like approach?
Make sure to read the full story in USA Today.
Garth Brooks Gets His Donation Back
Feb 1st
An Oklahoma hospital has been ordered to pay $1 million to country singer Garth Brooks after failing to build a women's health center in honor of his late mother.
The details of the case were laid out in a story that originally appeared in the previous edition of NPT Weekly. Brooks donated $500,000 to Yukon, Okla.-based Integris Canadian Valley Region Hospital with the understanding that the gift would help fund a women's health center named after his mother, Colleen Brooks, who died in 1999. He filed a suit against the hospital after the center had been built without his mother's name attached. The jury ruled in favor of Brooks on Jan. 24, awarding him his original donation plus an additional $500,000 in punitive damages. A spokesperson for Integris said that the hospital does not expect to have to cut any services or programs in light of the settlement, as the money will not come from their operating budget.
This case shows the importance of the donor having a written agreement with the nonprofit when making a major gift. Jeffrey Tenenbaum, a nonprofit attorney at Venable LLP in Washington, D.C., told NPT that it's uncommon to have only a verbal agreement with the client. Said Tenenbaum: “This case is the perfect example of why verbal commitments do not work out.”
Tenenbaum goes on to say that the written agreement should lay out the dollar amount that will be paid, whether or not the contract is enforceable, and provide contingencies if the original purpose of the contribution cannot be fulfilled. While the case ultimately worked out in Brooks' favor, these steps are highly advisable to prevent legal issues like this from happening.
You can read the full story in The NonProfit Times.
The details of the case were laid out in a story that originally appeared in the previous edition of NPT Weekly. Brooks donated $500,000 to Yukon, Okla.-based Integris Canadian Valley Region Hospital with the understanding that the gift would help fund a women's health center named after his mother, Colleen Brooks, who died in 1999. He filed a suit against the hospital after the center had been built without his mother's name attached. The jury ruled in favor of Brooks on Jan. 24, awarding him his original donation plus an additional $500,000 in punitive damages. A spokesperson for Integris said that the hospital does not expect to have to cut any services or programs in light of the settlement, as the money will not come from their operating budget.
This case shows the importance of the donor having a written agreement with the nonprofit when making a major gift. Jeffrey Tenenbaum, a nonprofit attorney at Venable LLP in Washington, D.C., told NPT that it's uncommon to have only a verbal agreement with the client. Said Tenenbaum: “This case is the perfect example of why verbal commitments do not work out.”
Tenenbaum goes on to say that the written agreement should lay out the dollar amount that will be paid, whether or not the contract is enforceable, and provide contingencies if the original purpose of the contribution cannot be fulfilled. While the case ultimately worked out in Brooks' favor, these steps are highly advisable to prevent legal issues like this from happening.
You can read the full story in The NonProfit Times.
Global Fund Gets Major Gift From Gates Foundation
Jan 26th
These are tough economic times we live in, but philanthropic organizations are still willing to give big money to causes that improve the lives of people in need.
That was the key message that Bill Gates sent when his organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, committed $750 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The major gift came in the form of a promissory note, a new funding mechanism that allows an organization to distribute funds based on immediate needs, which leads to greater impact.
The Gates Foundation has always placed a high priority on deadly diseases with its philanthropic efforts. The organization has already contributed $650 million to the Global Fund since its inception 10 years ago at the World Economic Forum, which is a gathering of the world's top business and political leaders. In addition, the foundation has a Global Health Program that uses advances in technology to help save lives in poor nations. Most of this work is done through grants to partner organizations.
Since 2002, investments to the Global Fund have helped develop innovative treatments for AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in developing countries around the world. The organization has provided antiretroviral treatment to 3.3 million people, detected and treated 8.2 million people with tuberculosis, and provided 230 million bed nets to families to prevent malaria. These efforts and more have helped save 100,000 lives every month.
You can read more about this story in The NonProfit Times.
That was the key message that Bill Gates sent when his organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, committed $750 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The major gift came in the form of a promissory note, a new funding mechanism that allows an organization to distribute funds based on immediate needs, which leads to greater impact.
The Gates Foundation has always placed a high priority on deadly diseases with its philanthropic efforts. The organization has already contributed $650 million to the Global Fund since its inception 10 years ago at the World Economic Forum, which is a gathering of the world's top business and political leaders. In addition, the foundation has a Global Health Program that uses advances in technology to help save lives in poor nations. Most of this work is done through grants to partner organizations.
Since 2002, investments to the Global Fund have helped develop innovative treatments for AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in developing countries around the world. The organization has provided antiretroviral treatment to 3.3 million people, detected and treated 8.2 million people with tuberculosis, and provided 230 million bed nets to families to prevent malaria. These efforts and more have helped save 100,000 lives every month.
You can read more about this story in The NonProfit Times.
Grath Brooks Sues Hospital Over Donation
Jan 24th
When country music superstar Garth Brooks made a $500,000 donation to Yukon, Okla.-based Canadian Valley Regional Hospital, he did so with the understanding that a new wing of the building would be named after his late mother. That's why he was shocked when it never came to fruition.
That's the basis of a lawsuit the singer filed against the organization. Brooks himself took the stand in the trial last week, according to a report by Fox 23, and pleaded with the jury to get his donation returned. He appeared choked up at times when discussing his late mother, Colleen, especially when he talked about the hope that her name would be a part of the hospital's new women's center. His testimony differed greatly from Canadian Valley's CEO, James Moore.
While Moore testified that there was never any agreement about how Brooks' gift would be used, the singer told a much different story. He testified that not only was there an agreement, but that he was even showed an architect's rendering showing the new building with his mother's name. He wants the hospital to either refund his donation or transfer it to a charity in Colorado called the Teammates for Kids Foundation.
Brooks' lawyers also presented e-mails sent by Moore in March 2009 that said "We may not deny Garth access to the money, however, we can sure as hell make him work to get it." The judge has told the jury she expects to wrap up the case sometime today. Read more about the case on Fox 23.
That's the basis of a lawsuit the singer filed against the organization. Brooks himself took the stand in the trial last week, according to a report by Fox 23, and pleaded with the jury to get his donation returned. He appeared choked up at times when discussing his late mother, Colleen, especially when he talked about the hope that her name would be a part of the hospital's new women's center. His testimony differed greatly from Canadian Valley's CEO, James Moore.
While Moore testified that there was never any agreement about how Brooks' gift would be used, the singer told a much different story. He testified that not only was there an agreement, but that he was even showed an architect's rendering showing the new building with his mother's name. He wants the hospital to either refund his donation or transfer it to a charity in Colorado called the Teammates for Kids Foundation.
Brooks' lawyers also presented e-mails sent by Moore in March 2009 that said "We may not deny Garth access to the money, however, we can sure as hell make him work to get it." The judge has told the jury she expects to wrap up the case sometime today. Read more about the case on Fox 23.
Using Celebrities For Breast Cancer Awareness
Nov 21st
It's not uncommon to see nonprofit organizations enlist the help of celebrities to generate buzz. When they a cause is paired together with big names, it is often a recipe for success. That has certainly been the case with the Los Angeles, Calif.-based Noreen Fraser Foundation's campaign for breast cancer awareness.
An article in last week's edition of The Times of Northwest Indiana highlighted how the organization has used celebrities in their recent Men For Women Now (M4WN) campaign, which provides a forum for men to support each other while helping their loved ones fight breast cancer. The campaign has already garnered some big names in show-biz, like Russel Brand, Neil Patrick Harris, Zach Galifianakis, and Jack Black.
The campaign is notable for bringing some comic relief to a painful subject. For example, Black appeared in an ad for M4WN to encourage women to get mammograms:
Make sure to read the full article on M4WN on NWI.com.
An article in last week's edition of The Times of Northwest Indiana highlighted how the organization has used celebrities in their recent Men For Women Now (M4WN) campaign, which provides a forum for men to support each other while helping their loved ones fight breast cancer. The campaign has already garnered some big names in show-biz, like Russel Brand, Neil Patrick Harris, Zach Galifianakis, and Jack Black.
The campaign is notable for bringing some comic relief to a painful subject. For example, Black appeared in an ad for M4WN to encourage women to get mammograms:
"All of us guys, dudes, and bro–imgos are getting off our lazy butts and making appointments for our beloved ladies to meet with this bad boy."The campaign also partnered with Chicago, Ill.-based Threadless to create a t-shirt creation contest. Artists were encouraged to submit their designs for a shirt that would raise awareness towards breast cancer using humor. 25 percent of the proceeds from the shirt, which will be sold by Threadless, would go to the Noreen Fraser Foundation in an effort to conduct more research on breast cancer. The creator of the winning design is set to receive $750 in cash, a $250 Threadless gift card, and an iPad 2 prize pack. Not a bad haul for a little bit of creativity.
Make sure to read the full article on M4WN on NWI.com.
Steve Jobs And Public Giving
Oct 6th
In light of the passing of Steve Jobs yesterday, I thought I would bump this post. The world truly lost a visionary in his passing. He will be missed.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you are probably aware that Steve Jobs recently announced his resignation as CEO of Apple. Jobs leaves behind an impressive legacy at Apple, with products like the iPhone and iPad revolutionizing our society. He also has accumulated a great deal of wealth, nearly $8.3 billion through his shares in Apple and Disney. Yet, as The New York Times reports, there is no public record of Jobs ever giving money to charity.
Millionaires are often at the forefront of philanthropic activities. Bill Gates is well known for his work in philanthropy, and Warren Buffett has gotten many billionaires to sign a so-called "Giving Pledge." The NYT piece examines why Jobs has never been involved in the philanthropic sector, at least publicly, but it came away with few answers. The article mentions that Jobs did create a foundation in his name in 1986, but closed it after a year. There has also been speculation that he has been hesitant to give because he has been focused on expanding Apple and dealing with his declining health.
Given his somewhat private nature, it is possible that Job has given anonymously. The Times article mentions that there has been speculation that a $150 million donation to the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center came from him.
To read the full article on this subject, head on over to The New York Times.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you are probably aware that Steve Jobs recently announced his resignation as CEO of Apple. Jobs leaves behind an impressive legacy at Apple, with products like the iPhone and iPad revolutionizing our society. He also has accumulated a great deal of wealth, nearly $8.3 billion through his shares in Apple and Disney. Yet, as The New York Times reports, there is no public record of Jobs ever giving money to charity.
Millionaires are often at the forefront of philanthropic activities. Bill Gates is well known for his work in philanthropy, and Warren Buffett has gotten many billionaires to sign a so-called "Giving Pledge." The NYT piece examines why Jobs has never been involved in the philanthropic sector, at least publicly, but it came away with few answers. The article mentions that Jobs did create a foundation in his name in 1986, but closed it after a year. There has also been speculation that he has been hesitant to give because he has been focused on expanding Apple and dealing with his declining health.
Given his somewhat private nature, it is possible that Job has given anonymously. The Times article mentions that there has been speculation that a $150 million donation to the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center came from him.
To read the full article on this subject, head on over to The New York Times.
Myra Kraft Passes Away At 68
Jul 21st
Note: This is a summary of a story from an outside news organization. To read the full article, follow the links in this post.
Myra Kraft, a powerful figure in the world of philanthropy, passed away yesterday at the age of 68 after a long battle with cancer. Although she may be best known as the wife of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Myra used the fame that came with her last name to create a lasting legacy of philanthropy.
In an obituary in today's Boston Globe, that legacy was recounted in great detail. The piece recounted how Kraft manned phone-banks for fundraising drives for countless charities, rather than just staying in the background as a benefactor. She was also chair of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston and of the Boys & Girls Club of Boston. Her hands on approach to philanthropy was so effective that the Boys & Girls Club waived its normal term limits to keep her on board.
According to the Globe article, Myra was concerned that, when her husband bought the Patriots in 1994, the large amount of money spent and borrowed on behalf of the team would hurt their giving. This did not happen. On the contrary, the couple's philanthropy increased. Their last major gift as a couple was a $20 million donation to Partners HealthCare this year. This donation was used to pay off the student loans of doctors in exchange for them working at community health centers for the needy.
Myra was a powerful force in the philanthropic sector. By the time she reached adulthood, she had already donated more than $100 million to various different causes. Her work will surely be missed, not only by those who knew her personally, but by those who benefited from her generosity. To read the full obituary of Myra Kraft, visit the Boston Globe online.
Myra Kraft, a powerful figure in the world of philanthropy, passed away yesterday at the age of 68 after a long battle with cancer. Although she may be best known as the wife of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Myra used the fame that came with her last name to create a lasting legacy of philanthropy.
In an obituary in today's Boston Globe, that legacy was recounted in great detail. The piece recounted how Kraft manned phone-banks for fundraising drives for countless charities, rather than just staying in the background as a benefactor. She was also chair of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston and of the Boys & Girls Club of Boston. Her hands on approach to philanthropy was so effective that the Boys & Girls Club waived its normal term limits to keep her on board.
According to the Globe article, Myra was concerned that, when her husband bought the Patriots in 1994, the large amount of money spent and borrowed on behalf of the team would hurt their giving. This did not happen. On the contrary, the couple's philanthropy increased. Their last major gift as a couple was a $20 million donation to Partners HealthCare this year. This donation was used to pay off the student loans of doctors in exchange for them working at community health centers for the needy.
Myra was a powerful force in the philanthropic sector. By the time she reached adulthood, she had already donated more than $100 million to various different causes. Her work will surely be missed, not only by those who knew her personally, but by those who benefited from her generosity. To read the full obituary of Myra Kraft, visit the Boston Globe online.
26 Years of Live Aid
Jul 14th
Even with today's technology, the concept of Live Aid is still extremely impressive. At the time, the event was one of the most ambitious broadcasting events of the time, with both concerts being carried by different networks: BBC in London and ABC in America. In addition, MTV carried an entirely separate feed of the US concert. During the broadcast, viewers were urged to call in and donate money to the cause.
And donate they did; the concerts raised over $100 million for famine relief in Africa. Adjusted for inflation, that number would be $200 million today. Imagine if one of your fundraisers got that kind of money; you'd be set!
While there were other fundraising concerts before and after, Live Aid was an important event in the history of philanthropy and fundraising. It led directly to other "aid" concerts, like Farm Aid, and was the pre-cursor to benefit concerts like those for Haiti and Japan, and Stand Up 2 Cancer, aired on most major television networks. Feel free to share your thoughts on how Live Aid may have impacted philanthropy and fundraising below, as well as any memories you may have of the concerts.
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