Wealthy Donors
February 9, 2017 at 9:35 am
The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, the nonprofit medical research organization launched by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his pediatrician wife, Priscilla Chan, has selected the first wave of applicants to receive funding for their research into deadly diseases. The organization announced Wednesday an initial investment of $50 million, which will support 47 researchers from the University…
February 8, 2017 at 9:02 am
The University of Notre Dame says it has received a $25 million donation toward the new music building that is under construction at the school's football stadium. University officials say the music building is among three structures being added to the exterior of Notre Dame stadium as part of the $400 million Campus Crossroads project.…
February 7, 2017 at 8:48 am
Barack Obama gave away more than $1 million while he was president of the U.S., more than half of which went to charities supporting children, according to a Forbes analysis of his tax returns from 2009 to 2015. The biggest recipient was the Fisher House Foundation, which supports families of veterans and received $392,000 from…
February 6, 2017 at 10:36 am
Tim Cullen ran into an unexpected obstacle recently when he decided it was time his cannabis business should start donating money to nonprofit organizations. “I have been shocked at how few places will take our money,” said Cullen, CEO of the Colorado Harvest Company chain of shops and a shareholder with O.penVape, a company that…
January 20, 2017 at 9:13 am
Madison, Wis., has long leaned on philanthropy. When John Nolen had a vision of a city built on an isthmus, it was a small group of philanthropists led by John M. Olin who ponied up the $2,500 to publish the unique architectural plan. Since then, nearly everything people love about Madison has been built at…
January 17, 2017 at 11:13 am
Oxfam today released an analysis of global wealth that suggests eight men have a combined wealth comparable to that of the poorest 3.6 billion people on the planet. The Telegraph provides interesting analysis of potential flaws in the research methodology, but what is most interesting is that these eight men, these supposed symbols of the…
January 13, 2017 at 12:46 pm
Looking back on the philanthropic efforts of well-heeled donors over the past 12 months, it turns out that 2016 was a big year for charity. The number of big gifts last year far outshone those of 2015. By “big gifts” I mean megagifts, or charitable donations of more than $100 million. According to a recent…
January 12, 2017 at 8:00 am
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have vowed to put their enormous wealth toward philanthropic causes. Now the couple are putting infrastructure in place to make sure their money and efforts will make an impact on policy as well. Zuckerberg and Chan have hired a top political operative to lead the next…
January 9, 2017 at 8:40 am
Most fundraisers spend an inordinate amount of time and energy worrying about making the case for their organization. But a far more productive undertaking is to get to know your major donors—particularly why and how they want to give. Find that out and you’ll have a sense of what you should ask them for and…
January 6, 2017 at 12:32 pm
The philanthropy pie is growing, but the slices are getting bigger. Those slow to the table are going to be left hungry. The evolving behavior of philanthropists will also require an innovative approach from the nonprofit organizations and leaders that seek their investment. Focusing on improvement and activity in three key areas will best position nonprofits to win in an increasingly competitive market...
