November 12, 2009
A Critique of the USAID Nominee, and More: Thursday's Roundup
- While some people might have preferred a “visionary” like the nonprofit founder Paul Farmer to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development, Rajiv Shah, the administration’s pick, may be no less well-suited for the job, says Matthew Bishop, co-author of the book Philanthrocapitalism, on his blog. Mr. Bishop calls Mr. Shah one of the “more creative thinkers” at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he worked previously, and says he should ask his old employer to form an advisory group of philanthropists focused on fighting poverty abroad.
- Roger Carr, a writer and public speaker, points to a new social-networking Web site for people who participate in charity fund-raising walks on Everyday Giving.
- Thanks to focused and generous donors in Omaha, the city has been able to work with philanthropy to revitalize its downtown, a collaboration other cities should consider, writes Kevin Collison, a columnist for The Kansas City Star.
- The Council on Foundations’ president, Steve Gunderson, says philanthropy is about to enter a “golden age,” despite the huge financial losses donors have endured in the past year, writes Jacob Berkman on the Fundermentalist blog. Mr. Gunderson spoke at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America earlier this week.
- “Just because a charity emphasizes its best programs doesn’t mean it’s spending most of its funds on them,” writes Holden Karnofsky, a founder of the group GiveWell, in a blog post about the nonprofit Carter Center.
- Julio Vasconcellos, who works for Experience Project, a social-networking site, writes on his blog that online social media hasn’t proven itself as a good way for small charities to raise money. His post is a response to Beth Kanter, a social-media expert, who argued in a blog post that small groups can reap financial rewards with social media.
Previous: Foundation Invites Poetry About National Debt
Next: Defending Profit-Minded Corporate Philanthropy, Plus More: Friday's Roundup