OVERVIEW: The Joyce Foundation is an influential regional funder in the Great Lakes area with grantmaking across a broad range of organizations and programs related to arts and culture, civics and democracy, education and economic mobility, the … [Read more...] about Joyce Foundation
Joyce Foundation
A ‘Game-Changing’ Gift for Gun Violence Prevention
A Steep Hill to Climb: Six Workers’ Rights Funders to Know
Meet 14 of Chicago’s Top Philanthropic Families
Philanthropy Has a Key Role to Play in Reimagining Public Safety
Should We Pay for Relationships? Why Philanthropy Needs to Invest in Social Capital
When I started my career in venture philanthropy, I got a baptism by fire in how funders think about risk and reward. Since then, philanthropy has shown a greater willingness to take risks in the education and workforce fields, where I now work as a … [Read more...] about Should We Pay for Relationships? Why Philanthropy Needs to Invest in Social Capital
Green Funders Show Improvement on Diversity, But More Than Half Still Don’t Share Data
More environmental grantmakers than ever shared their demographic data this year with the leading project tracking diversity in the field, but green philanthropy still gets a failing grade for participation.Over half — 26 of 50 — of the foundations … [Read more...] about Green Funders Show Improvement on Diversity, But More Than Half Still Don’t Share Data
How This Nationwide Matching Gift Campaign Galvanizes Support for Nonprofit News Outlets
In a recent chat, outgoing Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) President and CEO Sue Cross said that when she assumed the role in 2015, most newsrooms were started by journalists with minimal nonprofit management experience. Now, in a testament to … [Read more...] about How This Nationwide Matching Gift Campaign Galvanizes Support for Nonprofit News Outlets
Eight Questions with Hyphen on Philanthropy’s $4 Trillion Opportunity
Hyphen was built for this moment. The nonprofit intermediary, launched two years ago, is on a mission to ensure philanthropy makes the most of a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve lives in the United States, which the group’s founder and … [Read more...] about Eight Questions with Hyphen on Philanthropy’s $4 Trillion Opportunity
Major Philanthropy Sector Groups Are Dragging Their Feet or Outright Opposing DAF Reform. Why Is That?
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on May 23, 2023. There’s no real way around it: Donor-advised funds represent a fundamental problem for philanthropy. That’s because, especially as they become an ever more prominent part of the … [Read more...] about Major Philanthropy Sector Groups Are Dragging Their Feet or Outright Opposing DAF Reform. Why Is That?
“Part of the Solution.” How the American Journalism Project Is Galvanizing Support from Local Funders
Back in May 2020, I spoke with Sarabeth Berman, who leads the American Journalism Project (AJP), an ambitious philanthropic initiative committed to helping local news outlets build sustainable business models built on a mix of earned income, public … [Read more...] about “Part of the Solution.” How the American Journalism Project Is Galvanizing Support from Local Funders
“Hear New Voices.” A Look at Mellon’s Latest Move to Reimagine America’s Cultural Landscape
Earlier this year, Time magazine named Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander one of the 100 most influential people of 2022. Alexander, wrote playwright Lynn Nottage, “has put real investment into creating spaces that reflect the … [Read more...] about “Hear New Voices.” A Look at Mellon’s Latest Move to Reimagine America’s Cultural Landscape
Can Philanthropy Give Underdog Cities a Leg Up as They Compete for Federal Funding?
Dollar for dollar, successfully influencing where public money goes can be one of the most powerful actions philanthropy can take. While we often think of philanthropy as a wealthy sector, its assets pale next to federal and state resources. That’s … [Read more...] about Can Philanthropy Give Underdog Cities a Leg Up as They Compete for Federal Funding?
“An Epidemic Within the Pandemic.” How Eight Funders Back Gun Violence Prevention
Editor’s Note: This article originally ran March 29, 2021. We are republishing today in response to another devastating school shooting yesterday, in Uvalde, Texas.Two March mass shootings—the first in Atlanta, the second in Boulder—served as grisly … [Read more...] about “An Epidemic Within the Pandemic.” How Eight Funders Back Gun Violence Prevention
How Eight Grantmakers Fund Civic Engagement and Democracy on College Campuses
Back in April, I spoke with William Moses, the managing director of the Kresge Foundation’s education program, about a new round of grants to boost civic engagement among college students.While working on that piece, I came across at least a dozen … [Read more...] about How Eight Grantmakers Fund Civic Engagement and Democracy on College Campuses
IP Briefing: What’s Going on With Philanthropy for Violence Prevention?
In a sentence: Violence is a massive problem in the United States, and though philanthropy supporting efforts to prevent it has long been scant, funding in this area is growing and evolving. What’s Going On “Whether we’re talking about gender-based … [Read more...] about IP Briefing: What’s Going on With Philanthropy for Violence Prevention?
Eleven Ways Funders Are Supporting Social Justice Within and Through the Arts
Art both reflects societies and has the potential to transform them. And although conventional cultural organizations like museums, opera houses and the like have historically received the lion’s share of arts philanthropy, today, some notable … [Read more...] about Eleven Ways Funders Are Supporting Social Justice Within and Through the Arts
Seven Questions for Ellen Alberding, President and CEO of the Joyce Foundation
Ellen Alberding is president and CEO of the Joyce Foundation, the Chicago-based grantmaker that distributes $50 million annually and has assets totaling $1 billion. Under Alberding’s leadership, the foundation, which is active in fields like … [Read more...] about Seven Questions for Ellen Alberding, President and CEO of the Joyce Foundation
Democracy Funders Are Forgetting About One of the Biggest Threats to Democracy
It’s the most overused quote about journalism and probably should be retired from public life. But desperate times require desperate measures.Thomas Jefferson: “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or … [Read more...] about Democracy Funders Are Forgetting About One of the Biggest Threats to Democracy
IP Briefing: What’s Going on with Philanthropy for Music?
In Inside Philanthropy’s weekly briefings, we provide an overview of what’s happening in a particular area of philanthropy, loaded with links to our past coverage and State of American Philanthropy research. This week: music. In a sentence Music gets … [Read more...] about IP Briefing: What’s Going on with Philanthropy for Music?
Funder Spotlight: How 3Arts Supports Undercapitalized Artists in the Chicago Area
IP Funder Spotlights offer quick rundowns of the grantmakers that are on our radar, including a few key details on how they operate and what they’re up to right now. Today, we take a look at a Chicago-based nonprofit arts service and grantmaking … [Read more...] about Funder Spotlight: How 3Arts Supports Undercapitalized Artists in the Chicago Area
How a Diverse Group of Funders and Advocates Came Together for Justice Reform in Michigan
A new fund that aims to help nonprofits make major changes in Michigan’s criminal justice system announced its first grants in June. The initial $2 million-plus in grants to 12 organizations is good news for activists and organizations working to … [Read more...] about How a Diverse Group of Funders and Advocates Came Together for Justice Reform in Michigan
Backing Up Biden: Grantmakers Get Behind a New Federal Anti-Violence Collaborative
Violent crime has trended downward for decades, and it’s been an issue of only moderate importance for philanthropy at large. But that may be changing. Rates of homicide and other violent offenses are still nowhere near their late 20th-century peak, … [Read more...] about Backing Up Biden: Grantmakers Get Behind a New Federal Anti-Violence Collaborative
How the Joyce Foundation Is Going Long With a New Five-Year Plan
When the Joyce Foundation announced its new, five-year grantmaking strategy in early May, the news might have seemed like more of the same old thing: Yet another foundation switching directions, leaving current and prospective grantees wondering what … [Read more...] about How the Joyce Foundation Is Going Long With a New Five-Year Plan
“Striving Toward Equity.” How a New Funding Initiative Reimagines Support for Disabled Artists
In a piece on the Pop Culture Collaborative’s blog, cultural producer Claudia Alick argued last fall that “disabled artists have not received funding on the same levels as abled artists and institutions.”This statement doesn’t quite track with arts … [Read more...] about “Striving Toward Equity.” How a New Funding Initiative Reimagines Support for Disabled Artists
“The ‘Big Lie’ That Fanned the Flames.” Philanthropy’s Role in Fighting Misinformation
In the aftermath of the 2016 election, civic-minded funders ramped up efforts to combat the proliferation of online misinformation propagated by an array of bad actors and conspiracy theorists, and facilitated by untouchable tech giants.In many … [Read more...] about “The ‘Big Lie’ That Fanned the Flames.” Philanthropy’s Role in Fighting Misinformation
Behind Ford’s Bold Effort to Back Arts Groups Serving Communities of Color
At some point over the summer, the fate of the arts sector shifted from “uncertain” to “existential.” With government aid running out and the likelihood that in-person events may not safely resume for another year, some organizations are beginning to … [Read more...] about Behind Ford’s Bold Effort to Back Arts Groups Serving Communities of Color
Fault Lines: How a Leading Criminal Justice Funder Is Navigating a Historic Moment
It’s been a turbulent several months for criminal justice reformers. First, a pandemic highlighted the defenselessness—and massive size—of the nation’s incarcerated population. Then a nationwide reckoning on race put abuses of the justice system … [Read more...] about Fault Lines: How a Leading Criminal Justice Funder Is Navigating a Historic Moment
Funders and Schools Partner in Chicago for Digital Equity. What Are the Lessons?
In recent weeks, several major school districts have shifted their plans from reopening physically to remote learning as cases of COVID-19 surge once again throughout the nation with nine of the 15 largest school districts announcing they will not … [Read more...] about Funders and Schools Partner in Chicago for Digital Equity. What Are the Lessons?
Collective Action: An NFL Player Steps Up for At Risk Youth in Chicago
Over the past few years, some of the NBA’s top earners have emerged as philanthropists, including stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. That stands to reason—of the four major American sports leagues, NBA players earn more on … [Read more...] about Collective Action: An NFL Player Steps Up for At Risk Youth in Chicago
