Transparency, fiscal responsibility, accountability: not words that sound very appealing to most. Rather than pouring over cash flow projections, or preparing prospective budgets, many nonprofit executives and staff would prefer to focus on implementing programmatic activities, and positively impacting their communities. However, financial health is crucial to the success of any nonprofit. Funding sources, in…
Concerned with issues of youth opportunity and racial equity in Michigan, the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) hosted State of Opportunity? The Road Ahead for Michigan on March 27. The Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP) was in attendance, representing the Arab American community while the convening tackled structural racism in philanthropy and “cradle to…
In the latest edition of LAU Magazine (from the Lebanese American University), The Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP) received a special mention as the only full services philanthropic organization based on a community foundation model in the Arab American community. Multiple CAAP donors leverage their giving in support of scholarships for students attending LAU…
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) is a national membership association of foundations concerned with improving philanthropic strategy and practice. Coinciding with their national conference, GEO released “Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter?: A national study of philanthropy,” a report based on the results of a 2011 survey of 370 foundations. “Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter?” weighs the recent…
As anyone who has been involved in any aspect of the grantmaking cycle knows, reviewing grants is a very involved process. Now, members of the Center for Arab American Philanthropy’s Teen Grantmaking Initiative (TGI) are learning about this process firsthand. Members of the group began reviewing grant applications in February after having released their first…
Sunday, March 11 marked the one-year anniversary of the fifth-largest earthquake in recorded history. Striking 45 miles off the coast of Sendai, Japan, the earthquake sparked a series of disasters that dramatically changed the lives of Tohoku region residents. The ensuing tsunami, destruction of buildings and land, as well as complications from the Fukushima nuclear…
Who knows their community best? Many would argue the answer lies in community members themselves. The latest report from the C.S. Mott Foundation and the Aga Khan Foundation explores the rising trend of community-based philanthropy, evident in the growing numbers of community foundations not just domestically, but globally. For a sector characterized by grants and…
One author argues that the stock market crisis of 2008, the economic downturn, and subsequent Occupy Wall Street movements were caused not only by a faulty economic system, but by our collective mindset. Charles Eisenstein argues not only that we should turn our mindsets to become more socially/economically/environmentally aware, but that the shift is inevitable…
Philanthropy serves as the most complete model of community development. While a donor may be attracted to a one-time cause, a philanthropist invests in long-term impact for their community. Additionally, philanthropy comes in all sizes and forms. And philanthropy’s potential to influence communities at all levels cannot be underestimated, whether it be a major gift…
One promising sign that Americans are moving forward from the 2008 economic recession comes from a recent report on college giving from the Council for Aid to Education. In 2011, universities raised more than $30 billion, nearly reaching the 2008 high of $31.6 billion. After nearly two years of stalled support, the nation’s top universities…