June 05, 2023 New Funder Survey Explores the State of Ed Philanthropy and Where It’s Headed June 05, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Last week, Grantmakers for Education released the results of its first national survey of ed funders since the pandemic. We caught up with co-Interim Executive Director Ulcca Joshi Hansen to discuss the results.Read More
April 04, 2023 A Conversation With Sushma Raman, the New President and CEO of Heising-Simons Foundation April 04, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen This Bay Area funder moved $155 million last year for a mix of science, education, climate and more. We talked to the head of the foundation about her plans, the state of philanthropy, and what she likes to do in her free time.Read More
March 30, 2023 Education Voucher Policies Are on the Rise Nationwide. What Role Is Philanthropy Playing? March 30, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Increasingly widespread voucher policies divert public school funding to pay for private and home schooling, which experts say poses a dangerous threat to public education. Who’s funding them? And who’s keeping their distance?Read More
December 21, 2022 What the Marino Family Charitable Foundation Supports in California December 21, 2022/ Alyssa Ochs Gary and Gail Marino created their own family foundation after being inspired by their daughter, who was born with Down syndrome. Here are a few things to know about the Marino Family Charitable Foundation’s California giving.Read More
December 15, 2022 The U.S. Is in a Mental Health Crisis, but Funding Is Still Scarce. This Group Hopes to Change That December 15, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Mindful Philanthropy, which was founded by a group of mental health foundations, is pushing funders to boost support for an urgent — and still vastly underfunded — issue.Read More
September 19, 2022 Celine Coggins Reflects on Her Time at the Helm of Grantmakers for Education September 19, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen After four years at Grantmakers for Education, Executive Director Celine Coggins is moving on. We talked to Coggins about changes she has seen in education philanthropy, changes she’d like to see, and her plans for the future.Read More
March 04, 2022 How and Where the Judith Atkins Wall Foundation Gives in the Southeast March 04, 2022/ Alyssa Ochs The Judith Atkins Wall Foundation is a good funder to know if you run a nonprofit in North or South Carolina. Here’s an overview of the Wall Foundation’s local philanthropy.Read More
March 03, 2022 Getting to Know the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation’s Arizona Giving March 03, 2022/ Alyssa Ochs As an overview for Arizona grantseekers, here are a few things to know about the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation right now.Read More
November 04, 2021 What L.A. Nonprofits Should Know About the John and Maria Laffin Trust November 04, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs The John and Maria Laffin Trust is an accessible funder that focuses on Los Angeles, backing causes like animal welfare and medical research. Here’s what SoCal nonprofits should know about the trust’s giving.Read More
October 07, 2021 Eight Questions for Jamie Merisotis, President and CEO of the Lumina Foundation October 07, 2021/ Mike Scutari Jamie Merisotis leads one of the sector’s biggest education funders, the Lumina Foundation, and writes critically acclaimed books on the future of work. We chat with him about his influences, advice for nonprofits, and much more.Read More
October 05, 2021 How the Chenwu Foundation Approaches Grantmaking in the Bay Area October 05, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs Dr. Fusen Chen’s foundation maintains a minimal web presence and is not particularly accessible to grantseekers. We dig deep to share some important insights about what this funder’s priorities are for grantmaking in Northern California. Read More
October 05, 2021 Five Things to Know About the J. Philip and Jennifer DiNapoli Foundation October 05, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs The J. Philip and Jennifer DiNapoli Foundation is not the most accessible foundation in the region, but as a funder of education and other Bay Area causes it’s definitely worth getting to know because of its future potential.Read More
September 30, 2021 A Focus on Immigration: The Basics of the Chavez Family Foundation’s Bay Area Giving September 30, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs The Chavez Family Foundation is a San Francisco-based grantmaker that is often involved in immigration-related collaborations. Here's how local nonprofits in nine Bay Area counties can get involved with this funder.Read More
September 21, 2021 Three Things to Know About the 3M Foundation’s Minnesota Grantmaking September 21, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs The 3M company has a philanthropic foundation that makes a priority of local giving. Education is a top interest. For Minnesota grantseekers, here are three things to know about the 3M Foundation. Read More
September 21, 2021 Four Reasons Why Minnesota Nonprofits Should Know the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation September 21, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs The Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation does not have a website and rarely makes the news, but there are plenty of reasons Minnesota nonprofits should keep it on their radar. Read More
September 21, 2021 How the Katherine C. Carmody Charitable Trust Awards Grants Locally in Texas September 21, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs The Katherine C. Carmody Charitable Trust is a Texas-specific grantmaker that welcomes unsolicited grant applications from local nonprofits. It supports education, reducing juvenile incarceration, and other human services work. Read More
September 21, 2021 Four Things to Know About the Byerly Foundation’s Local Giving in South Carolina September 21, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs Here are four things that grantseekers should know about the hyper-local Byerly Foundation and its commitment to Hartsville, South Carolina. Read More
September 03, 2021 What Nonprofits Should Know About the Aspen Community Foundation’s Local Giving in Colorado September 03, 2021/ Alyssa Ochs Over a dozen community foundations focus on specific geographic regions in Colorado. One such group, the Aspen Community Foundation, addresses needs of working-class families and children in a region known for vast wealth disparities. Read More
June 23, 2021 Why Major Funders Are Teaming Up to Support Early Childhood Educators June 23, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen The Early Childhood Investment Collaborative is supporting six programs that aim to improve early educator preparation and pay. It’s part of larger push by some major philanthropic players to make early education the norm.Read More
May 27, 2021 An Education Funder Tackles the Achievement Gap—One Preschooler at a Time May 27, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen The Kenneth Rainin Foundation has spent the past seven years supporting a program to foster early literacy for low-income kids and kids of color. Results, so far, have been impressive.Read More