Philanthropy Today - Philanthropy.com

These are items on other Web sites that are of interest to the nonprofit world. The Chronicle has no control over their content or availability. To reach the Philanthropy Today staff, send an e-mail message to daily.news@philanthropy.com

Compiled by Noelle Barton, Caroline Bermudez, Maria Di Mento, Audrey Hill, and Anne W. Howard.

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May 17, 2008

Foundation Leader Chosen to Head NAACP

Benjamin Todd Jealous, president of the Rosenberg Foundation, in San Francisco, has been named the new president of the NAACP, reports the Sun, in Baltimore.

Mr. Jealous, 35, was previously director of Amnesty International’s human-rights program and worked as executive director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a federation of more than 200 black community newspapers, according to the NAACP’s announcement of his appointment.

Mr. Jealous takes over for Bruce Gordon, who resigned last year after conflicts with the organization’s board of directors.

May 16, 2008

Obituary: Robert Mondavi, California Winemaker and Philanthropist

Robert Mondavi, the California winemaker, died Friday morning. Read an article from the Chronicle archive about his leadership role in philanthropy among American vintners.

Chinese Donate More Than $192-Million for Relief Effort

In the wake of a massive earthquake in China on Monday, the Chinese people have donated $192-million toward the relief effort, an unprecedented philanthropic campaign for the country, reports The Washington Post.

In a country with no organized philanthropy or independent nonprofit organizations, Chinese officials’ request for aid was an unusual move. Many Chinese, either as individuals or through their workplaces, have responded to the need to help the estimated 10 million people affected by the earthquake.

Many Chinese people are wary of Chinese nonprofit organizations, which are controlled by the government and are frequently accused of corruption, the paper says. It reports that many are instead giving to foreign nonprofit organizations like the Chinese Red Cross.

In response to concerns, the Chinese government has said it will allow independent supervision of the way aid funds are spent, as well as an audit after the relief effort is completed.

(Free registration is required to view this article.)

Red Cross Makes Rare Request for Federal Money

The American Red Cross, facing a $200-million deficit, requested $7-million in federal support to help it pay for the employees it needs to respond to disasters, reports The New York Times.

The group — which normally relies on private donations, not federal money — made its request at a Congressional hearing on Thursday.

The Red Cross, under the National Response Framework, must have an employee at the 10 regional offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “While these positions bring value to the community’s response, they were not sustainable under our current budget guidance,” said Joseph Becker, Red Cross senior vice president for disaster services, in written testimony for the hearing.

The organization is laying off 1,000 people at its Washington, D.C., headquarters, which constitutes about one-third of the staff members there. It is also reducing staff sizes elsewhere.

The Red Cross attributed its current financial difficulties to a lack of recent major disasters, which spur financial support from donors. While the group has accepted federal money before, this is the first time it has requested money dedicated for a federally mandated task.

(Free registration is required to view this article.)

Judge Rejects Suit to Stop Art Collection's Relocation

A lawsuit to prohibit the relocation of the Barnes Foundation’s $5-billion art collection to a Philadelphia exhibition space was thrown out by a Montgomery County judge, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer.

A citizens’ group, Friends of the Barnes Foundation, and the Montgomery County government were both ruled to have insufficient standing in the case, which sought to keep the art collection in its current location, Pennsylvania’s Lower Merion Township. The collection’s founder, Albert C. Barnes, had stipulated that the dozens of Renoirs, Cézannes, and other masterpieces he donated remain there.

The lawsuit hinged on a December 2004 court ruling that allowed the art foundation to overturn the will of Mr. Barnes.

The two plaintiffs in the lawsuit have not decided if they will appeal the ruling.

Microsoft Joins Inexpensive-Laptop Campaign

The One Laptop Per Child project has formed a partnership with Microsoft, despite a contentious history between the nonprofit group and the software giant, reports the Associated Press.

The laptop organization produces inexpensive “XO” computers for schoolchildren to spread access to technology in the developing world. Currently the group sells the computers for $188, but it would like to reduce the cost to just $100.

In the past, the two organizations have traded barbs, with Microsoft publicly criticizing the XO computer’s small screen and processing power.

Nicholas Negroponte, the nonprofit group’s founder, hopes the addition of Microsoft Windows software will increase sales of the laptops. He says he has received 600,000 laptop orders but had hoped to be selling millions at this point.

From The Chronicle: Judge Sides With Red Cross in Logo Dispute

A federal judge in New York has rejected an effort by Johnson & Johnson to prevent the American Red Cross from using the charity’s logo on retail products, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports.

Government and Politics Watch: AmeriCorps Bill and a Controversial Endorsement

New on The Chronicle’s Government and Politics Watch:

Sen. Christopher Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, plans to introduce legislation to increase the value of the educational awards earned by participants in AmeriCorps, the federal national-service program, and make them tax-exempt.

NARAL Pro-Choice America, the abortion-rights group, is feeling a backlash after endorsing Barack Obama for president on Wednesday.

Prospecting: Cellphone Fund Raising

One Washington consultant predicts that raising money with text messaging and cellphones will expand greatly in the United States in the near future, according to Prospecting, the online fund-raising column published by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Online Discussions: Marketing Good Causes, Changes at United Ways, and Reaching the Millennial Generation

Charities need to find new ways to market their causes as the communications landscape has changed so significantly.

To learn how your organization can best compete for attention and reach out to new supporters, join marketing expert Seth Godin for a live online discussion on Tuesday, May 20, at noon Eastern time.

Plus: We have added a special discussion on Thursday, May 22, at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time (please note the different day and start time) to focus on the changes United Way of America just announced this week. Brian A. Gallagher, president of the organization, will take questions about the United Way’s new 10-year strategic plan and what it will mean to local charities.

And mark you calendars for our discussion on Tuesday, May 27, at noon Eastern time with Allison Fine, an expert on how charities can more effectively engage members of the millennial generation.

These discussions are open to everyone, not just Chronicle subscribers.

People who ask questions in advance have a better chance of receiving answers during the online discussions.

For more details and transcripts of past discussions, go to http://philanthropy.com/live.