What's new in Philanthropy

Articles of interest in philanthropy and nonprofits published in the last 10 days:

1. Policy Making Billionaires; Nytimes.com, November 26, 2011
Brief Introduction: Over the past 30 years, as the gap between wealthy and poor grew ever wider, total philanthropic giving almost tripled, according to annual estimates published by the Giving USA Foundation and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. In an age of widening partisanship and plummeting trust in government, this outpouring of philanthropy has produced a distinct breed of philanthropist: The policy-making billionaire.

2. To advance their cause, Foundations buy stocks; Nytimes.com, November 24, 2011
Brief Introduction: Earlier this year, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invested $10 million to acquire a stake in Liquidia Technologies, a biotechnology company working on new ways to deliver vaccines. The foundation bought its shares using a program-related investment, or an investment that can be counted toward federal requirements that it pay out 5 percent of its assets each year.

3. Great way for boomers to prepare for nonprofit work; Forbes.com, November 22, 2011
Brief Introduction: Today, Civic Ventures, a nonprofit think tank that focuses on boomers and encore careers with social purpose, announced a program with the Santa Clara, CA-based chip maker to offer all of Intel's U.S. employees who are eligible to retire the chance to apply for Encore Fellowships – paid, part-time, yearlong assignments working at local nonprofits.

4. Donations inch back up after recession decline; Usatoday.com, November 28, 2011
Brief Introduction: Giving totaled $291 billion in 2010, according to the 2011 annual report by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. That's up 3.8% from 2009 and follows two consecutive years of declines.