November 03, 2009
Nonprofit Research and Philanthropists
Do charity researchers and philanthropists have too cozy a relationship sometimes?
The Fundermentalist blog is examining this question regarding a study released last month by Brandeis University that showed that a Jewish charity that offers free trips to Israel is increasing the number of marriages within the faith.
The study was good news for Taglit-Birthright Israel and its donors, Charles Bronfman, Lynn Schusterman, and Michael Steinhardt, who also paid for the Brandeis research.
The philanthropists used the release of the study to solicit donations for Birthright, writes Jacob Berkman, a reporter with the Jewish Telegraph Agency who writes the blog.
“Does such a coordinated campaign, with the same funders backing the project and the research, risk undermining the credibility of the final study?” he asks.
Len Saxe, the researcher who oversaw the study, told Mr. Berkman that he would have preferred that the philanthropists wait a “couple of weeks before using the study in their pitches.”
But he added that he felt no pressure to gin up the findings to please his financial supporters.
What do you think?
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