Big Philanthropy

Philanthropy
A Conversation with Duke University’s Kristin Goss (Part 2 of 2)
The professor of public policy and political science talks to Michael E. Hartmann about how policy plutocrats actually go about trying to get their way, the effects of this plutocracy,…
by Michael E. Hartmann on March 31, 2022

Foundation Watch
Foundations Should Disclose Investments and De-Politicize Giving
An increasing number of private foundations are inserting sociopolitical considerations into their investment portfolios, just as many already do in their grantmaking. Those that choose to do so should be…
by Robert Stilson on March 7, 2022

Philanthropy
Leaders of Aggressive Congressional Investigations of Philanthropy—Past, and Potential Future?
Progressive and populist, and academic and popular, critiques of grantmaking certainly seem to be on the rise of late. These is an increasing intensity to them. Congressional curiosity, it sure…
by Michael E. Hartmann on February 28, 2022

Foundation Watch
The Private Investments of Private Foundations: Philanthropy’s “Dark Money”?
The IRS instructs private foundations to attach a detailed schedule of investments to their annual publicly available Form 990-PF. Some, however, do not include meaningful detail on how their vast…
by Robert Stilson on February 17, 2022

Foundation Watch
The Private Investments of Private Foundations: Incongruous Investments
Investment portfolios shouldn’t be battlefields for ideological conflict, but many foundations—and particularly the activist groups they fund—are increasingly choosing to make them so. This can result in a marked disconnect…
by Robert Stilson on February 17, 2022

Foundation Watch
The Private Investments of Private Foundations: Capitalism for Me, But Not for Thee
The specifics of a given foundation’s investments—indeed, whether those investments are properly disclosed and itemized at all—is rather less relevant when that foundation’s grantmaking evidences wholesale antagonism to market capitalism…
by Robert Stilson on February 17, 2022

Foundation Watch
The Private Investments of Private Foundations: Depoliticize Philanthropy
The point here is not that foundation investments should be politicized. They should not. Foundations should, however, abide by what appear to be unambiguous IRS transparency instructions and be prepared…
by Robert Stilson on February 17, 2022

Philanthropy
The Hypocrisy of Unmasking Fidelity’s Leftists
Unmasking Fidelity is a coalition of far-left “social justice” groups aiming to choke off donations to conservative nonprofits through the country’s biggest grantmaker, Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, which is…
by Hayden Ludwig on February 3, 2022

Philanthropy
A Conversation with David Hines About Activism and Organizing (Part 1 of 2)
David Hines writes that the left “has professionalized organizing leadership” and “they train their people, professionals and volunteers alike, to design, plan, execute, and learn from actions—they teach them how.”…
by Michael E. Hartmann on February 2, 2022

Philanthropy
A Conversation with David Hines About Activism and Organizing (Part 2 of 2)
In the conversation’s second part, David Hines talks more about infrastructure, incrementalism, involvement, and new institutions, as well as good giving tactics.
by Michael E. Hartmann on February 2, 2022