Friday Rewind

The Friday Rewind offers a snapshot of PhilanthroNews —  that means news stories, articles, events of note, or information updates — from around our network and throughout the broad world of philanthropy. Whether you take a quick skim of the material or a deep dive through each item we hope to help inform your work and inspire your thinking.

1. Foundations use grant agreements to serve as a contract, typically to confirm details regarding the amount and period of the grant, its purpose, terms and conditions, and required reports and deadlines. Unfortunately, in some cases, the grant agreement may be the last contact a funder has with a grantee until they receive a final report, if that, 12 months later. The timing of a grant agreement presents a unique opportunity for funders to set the stage for an engaged and mutually beneficial relationship. If you are a funder seeking to have a greater connection with your grantees or play a more strategic role in supporting their work, the content of your grant agreement may be the right place to spell this out. Read more from Exponent Philanthropy here
2. Kim Brimhall, assistant professor of social work at Binghamton University’s College of Community and Public Affairs, noticed how the nonprofit sector generally suffers from high employee-turnover rates, low work performance and deficits among the leadership, and wanted to find out what could be done to break this cycle. She partnered with a large nonprofit hospital in Los Angeles, surveying employees on topics such as leader engagement, inclusion, innovation, job satisfaction and perceived quality of care. The full study also included one-on-one qualitative interviews, as well as several organizational observations. She describes how to obtain increased innovation, employee job satisfaction and quality of services in nonprofit organizations in her report.
3. Drug epidemics have historically been limited to inner cities, but recent spikes in opioid overdoses have also taken place in suburban and rural areas – spurring unprecedented bipartisan efforts throughout the nation to combat opioid abuse. New York provides a stark illustration of the demographics of the epidemic, with the per-capita rate of opioid overdoses in New York City being significantly lower than the rest of the state. Read more statistics about opioid overdose hotspots in New York State here
4. As the world is still reeling from the terrorist attack in Christchurch on Friday 15 March leaving 50 people dead and many injured, Philanthropy New Zealand is committed to helping their members and the wider community connect to the networks and resources they need to respond. They will also work with funders who want to increase their support for reducing discrimination and peace-building in the wake of this tragedy. Read more about their responses on their website, and access a disaster playbook for philanthropy in response to difficultCommunities across the United States have faced a growing number of difficult events. Acts of violence, terrorism, oil spills, rioting, and a water crisis have created many unique needs for philanthropy to fill
5. Women Give 2019: Gender and Giving Across Communities of Color is the first study to explore the intersection of race, giving and gender. The report finds that generosity is a value shared by all communities, and that women across race and ethnicity are leading through philanthropy. As communities of color grow in wealth and influence, the study demonstrates the unique perspectives women of color bring to philanthropy and underscores the importance of understanding and engaging donors from diverse backgrounds.