Private Philanthropy Update—January 2019
Happy New Year!
As I settle back into the office after a relaxing holiday break, the Council is preparing for an exciting year ahead: our office is moving back to downtown Washington D.C. in February, our new President & CEO Kathleen Enright arrives in March and we are finishing plans for our 2019 Leading Together Conference in Miami in April.
As we march ahead into 2019, January is a month for predictions about what will most impact philanthropy and foundations in the coming year and an opportunity to reflect on 2018. Several recent analyses reflected what we regularly see and hear from foundations around the country, as we look back at 2018 and ahead to 2019:
- Council member Global Giving published a series of predictions for 2019 philanthropy by non-profit leaders and across the globe.
- NPQ outlines a vision for how civil society can flourish in 2019, which includes a challenge to foundations to build inclusive local economies, address racial inequities head-on, improve disaster response, and make our sector more representative of the communities we serve.
- Next City features 19 urban leaders who analyze the future of cities, in the US and around the world. This is a great complement to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s December special report on Philanthropy and Cities.
- Inside Philanthropy’s 2018 Philanthropy Awards highlighted the great work of several Council members like the Surdna Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, and more.
I also see the Council’s work for 2019 reflected in these predictions – including the themes of inclusive economic prosperity, climate change, and bridging divides as themes for programming at our 2019 Leading Together conference in Miami.
Working to build a diverse talent pipeline for philanthropy also remains a deep commitment of the Council. In December, we announced the new class of philanthropic leaders in our 2019 Career Pathways program, which includes staff from 19 private and family foundations across the country. See the full list and congratulate your peers who are taking an important step in their leadership journey.
As I look ahead to 2019, I’m incredibly excited by the changes that will come, at the Council and in our sector and look forward to partnering with all of you. Thank you to Council members who have already renewed for 2019 – if you have any questions about your 2019 membership at the Council, please contact us at membership@cof.org.
Happy New Year,
Natalie Ross
Vice President, External Relations
Ph.: 703-879-0627
natalie.ross@cof.org
Racial Equity Forum: Philanthropy and Government
Louisville | January 14, 2019 | 9:00am – 11:30am EST
Join Greg Fischer, the Mayor of Louisville, and Walter Woods, the Humana Foundation’s CEO at the Council on Foundations’ Racial Equity Forum as they discuss the role of philanthropy and government in addressing structural racism.
Registration is free, thanks to support from the Lumina Foundation and our partner, the National League of Cities.
Telling Stories with Data | January 16, 2019 | 2:00 PM EST
Learn how data visualization can be a communication tool to help educate external constituents and encourage audiences to take actions to help achieve programmatic goals. Register Now
Updates on Global Giving and Non-Tax US Regulations that Impact Funders | January 23, 2019 | 2:00 PM EST
Join the Council’s senior counsel Suzanne Friday to discuss US regulation and compliance issues outside of the U.S. Tax Code that affect global grantmakers, including the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), US Treasury’s voluntary anti-terrorism guidelines and more. Register Now
Philanthropy’s Focus on the Southern U.S. Border Crisis is Urgent via Chronicle of Philanthropy—How can philanthropy support asylum seekers, migrants, and immigrants with financial and non-financial assets over the long term?
The Art of Philanthropy: Checks and Balances via Center for Effective Philanthropy
This is the third post in a series on “The Art of Philanthropy,” a high-altitude look at the power foundations hold, related issues, and potential solutions.
What I Learned at Work This Year via Gates Notes
Reflections from Bill Gates on 2018, including advances in global health, medical research, and climate action supported by the Gates Foundation.
In Asia, Rockefeller Foundation wants to invite ‘unusual actors’ to the table via Devex—The Rockefeller Foundation’s $75 million Smart Power for Rural Development initiative incentivized seven energy companies to expand services by convening partners across sectors.
