Gift Hub

Ted Turner Philanthropist

"Ted Turner passionately believes that the earth's future is in jeopardy. To help nations work together to care for the environment and reduce the threat from weapons of mass destruction, Mr. Turner has donated more than a billion dollars of his own money to found a number of nonprofit foundations. Following are brief descriptions of each organization...."

Tutor Mentor Connection

Building social capital where it is needed most. Tutor Mentor Connection, via Dan Bassill.

A Professional Advisor's Guide to Working with Non-Profit Organizations

For advisors considering working with nonprofits, here at Planned Giving Design Center, is an excellent article by Betsy Mangone.

Jed Emerson on Blended Value

Excellent paper, "The Investor's Toolkit," at blendedvalue.org by Jed Emerson, outlining many ways that a foundation can increase its impact by investing corpus as well as grants to advance its mission. A foundation might choose socially screened investment funds, sub-market loans or equity investments in pro-social startup ventures, or aquire stock in publicly traded companies to exert pressure through voting the proxies. In these ways a foundation can leverage the whole corpus for social good, rather than just spinning off the interest.

Social Capital On-Line and Off

An interesting, if naive, article by Paul Lamb on using technology to create social networks to help the poor find jobs. "Social capital" is that network of people with whom you trade jokes, favors, tidbits of information, job leads, even dates. The social circles of the poor are so far removed from those of Linked-in, how will be they find friends and allies, and what do they have to trade in those gift circles? As we become two societies, have and have not, the bonds of sympathy and reciprocity are less and less likely to cross class lines. When I read, fo example, Jay Hein it seems to me the work of a man waving goodbye to the poor, "Well, then, welfare failed, you all take care of yourselves now."

The Happy Tutor Interviewed by Chronicle on Philanthropy

Today, I wandered over to Wealth Bondage to see the new Facility. Looks very nice. Class A Office Space. All in excellent taste, if your taste runs to a cross between an Old Line Law Firm and a TX Chicken Ranch. They have a huge new marquee with their faces plastered all over it. Quite the celebrities. When I arrived, the Happy Tutor was on the speakerphone with Peter from the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Tutor was being interviewed about why there are so few nonprofit blogs.

Peter: Tutor, thanks for taking my call. We go to press this week. My editor has one more question. She wants to know who supervises all these blogs?

Tutor: Ah, Peter, good question. Candidia does mostly, though she delegates some of that responsibility to Smoky Joe & Associates.

Peter: I knew she supervised Pony Boy, grooming him for Public Service, and running him for office, and of course everyone knows she supervises the Free Market, but I didn't know she also owned and controlled the Independent Sector.

Tutor: Peter, her ambitions are unlimited. Free Speech, Freedom of Assembly, the Free Market, Volunteerism, the Independent Press, Citizenship; all of it. It all reports directly to her.

Peter: So, is that bad?

Tutor: No, not at all. Not for organized Philanthropy. Candidia's Rooster Foundation (Crowing in the New American Century) is a member of the Council on Foundations and The Philanthropy Roundtable. She and Jay Hein are on good terms. Bill Schambra is a close friend. Lenore Ealy is her protege. She is well connected with all the big philanthropic mucky-mucks. Having the Independent Sector report to her is a good thing. Prevents any kind of unrest.

Peter: OK, Tutor, thanks. Sounds like blogging is under control.

Tutor: Exactly. No cracks in the system. Everything is going strictly according to plan. All editorial decisions go right up the chain of command to Candidia herself, who talks with God, and tells Pony Boy what God said so he can tell Fox News, so they can keep the public informed.

Peter: May I quote you?

Tutor: No. This is for deep background only, unless Candidia approves, which she won't, unless properly compensated. My thoughts are her Intellectual Property.

Peter: Is she available?

Tutor: No, but I can transfer you to Dick Minim, her Personal Assistant..... Sorry he is on the other line. Let me try her Senior Ghost-Writer, Dr. Chadwallah. Sorry, he is on the phone with The Times. Let me try Chastity in PR....

After the call, I asked Tutor what he really thought. He told me that he now understands why there are so few non-profit blogs. Candidia has put the kibosh on the whole thing. She wants to drive us like cattle, 24/7, from one WB property to another. In her view, there is no "outside" of Wealth Bondage. Other than aprecious few recalcitrant bloggers, it is all her own show.

Photos from Open Space Giving Conference

Wonderful pictures of the Open Space Giving Conference. Thanks to Charles MacLean for the great photography, and to Michael Yacavone for posting them.

Susan Kerr

Welcome Susan Kerr, who attended the Open Space Giving Conference, to the blogosphere.

Grants to Individuals

Can private foundations make grants to individuals, as opposed to charities? Yes, but.... An excellent article from wealth.bloomberg.com explains the rules. (Via [email protected] list serv).

Causes and Catalysts

Ted Ernst: "There are lots of ways to change the world, through activism of all kinds, philanthropy, organizing, voting, etc, but one of my favorite ways is to simply act as if the world we want to live in already exists. "