Philanthropy Tidbits

Giving Circles here to stay,
report claims 

Groups of people getting together to give raised $100 million for charity in 2006, according to a new report issued by the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers. (You can get a copy at www.givingforum.org/givingcircles.)

It's a growing force, says Daria Teutonico, director of the New Ventures in Philanthropy Initiative at the Forum. "With the same amount of money you'd use to write a check to charity, you get to make more of a difference, spend more time with friends, and learn more about what your community needs."

The report found that the number of giving circles has more than doubled in the past two years, to at least 400 giving circles nationwide. Nearly 12,000 people participate in the 160 giving circles surveyed by the Forum, and almost half of those have men participants, apparently a rarity previously..

The Forum houses the New Ventures in Philanthropy Initiative, launched in 1998 to encourage the growth of philanthropic giving across the country.

"Philanthropy" puts its name
on a new part of El Paso 

Long used to making grants to benefit the city, the El Paso Community Foundation went a creative step further recently when it donated the Plaza Theatre Philanthropy Annex to local citizens. The multi-functional facility "mirrors the beauty and elegance of the adjoining Plaza Theatre," according to the El Pasoan newspaper.

The description continues: "At street level, the building's plethora of French doors open into the Oasis, a sophisticated cocktail area. The wall behind the semicircular bar is done in red onyx stone and backlit to highlight the gorgeous color. To the left of the bar, French doors open onto Arts Festival Plaza, providing a perfect place for evenings alfresco. Outside, color kinetic lighting illuminates the exterior facade, creating a mural of light across the walls.

"On the second level of the annex, the Philanthropy Theatre provides a perfect venue for movie screenings, small theatre productions and presentations. The facility, dedicated to all permanent fund donors to the El Paso Community Foundation from 1977 to 2006, seats 184 people and is...easily the most capable presentation facility in El Paso. Up on the third level of the building, the Joe Alcantar, Jr. Sky Garden stretches across the roof to offer a stunning outdoor venue complete with a bird's eye view of historic downtown."

A nice way to honor the word "philanthropy".

Speaking of spaces, here's
"one stop shopping" for giving 

The United Way of Washington County and the Community Foundation of Washington County have made life easier for grantseeking agencies in Hagerstown, Maryland by sharing a downtown building and some common rooms...but they're not merging.

Brad Sell, executive director of the Community Foundation, told the Herald-Mail, "We look for collaboration of agencies during our own granting process, so it only makes sense for us to practice what we preach."

The organizations grant similar amounts of dollars: $1.4 million for the United Way in its last fiscal year; $1.55 for the community foundation. But like many of their colleagues across the nation, the agencies focus on workplace giving and planned giving respectively to earn their major assets.

The heads of the two organizations have promised to explore other ways to work together in the future.

30 celebrities who give big

The Giving Back Fund thinks it has determined the top 30 (or so) philanthropists among celebrities based on their giving in 2006. No surprise, Oprah Winfrey tops the list, but there might be some surprises among the rest.

Finishing out the first five are the estates of the late fashion designer Geoffrey Beene and the late actor Jack Lord and his wife Marie. Then Barbra Streisand and Tiger Woods. 

The remaining, in alphabetical order, include: Andre Agassi (tennis), Carmelo Anthony (basketball), Lance Armsrong, Tiki Barber and twin brother Ronde Barber (both football), Bob Barker (game show host), Pat Boone and wife Shirley, Nicolas Cage, Gloria Estefan, David Geffen (entertainment), Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (actor) and his wife Dany, Angelina Jolie, Jeffrey Katzenberg (entertainment) and wife Marilyn, Paul McCartney, "Dr. Phil" McGraw and wife Robin, LeRoy Neiman (artist), Rosie O'Donnell, Arnold Palmer, Dolly Parton, Brad Pitt, Susan Saint James (actress) and husband Dick Ebersol (TV exec), Mike Sexton (poker player), George Steinbrenner (baseball owner), Martha Stewart, Tony Stewart (race driver), Elizabeth Taylor, and Denzel Washington..

Sorry we missed this class!

The department of classical studies at DePauw University hosted "Graeco-Roman Philanthropy and Christian Charity" in the Spring. It was supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation through a David Stevenson Fellowship.

According to Jinyu Liu, assistant professor of classical studies, "The goal of the symposium [was to] examine the socio-political and socio-cultural contexts of ancient philanthropic activities, and the connection, if any, between the Graeco-Roman concept of philanthropy and the Christian ideas of almsgiving."

Distinguished scholars were expected from across the United States to discuss such topics as "The Language of Beneficence," "Ancient Attitude Towards the Poor and Poverty," "Subsidies for Athletes in the Roman Empire," and "Benefaction and Honor in Early Christianity."

Contact Professor Liu by sending an email to jliu@depauw.edu.

Georgetown U. has advice for disaster relief philanthropy 

Donors should look beyond immediate relief to include prevention, response, and recovery for effective disaster relief, according to Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM).

ISIM's new report, "Philanthropic Grantmaking for Disaster Management: Trend Analyses and Recommended Improvements," applauds the generous giving that comes with disasters. But, "We found, however, that disaster prevention and recovery -- as contrasted with emergency relief -- have remained substantially under-funded despite cost-benefit analysis that shows disaster prevention to be cost efficient and important in reducing serious human suffering and economic loss," says Susan F. Martin, director of ISIM and co-author of the report. 

"We believe foundations and corporations are particularly well-suited to take the longer-term view of disasters and encourage them to provide funding for these critical areas of prevention and recovery.

"Given the frequency and intensity of natural and man-made disasters, no one can question that the philanthropic community will be pressed into service again and again as these humanitarian crises pose threats to the safety and security of people throughout the world.”