Mapping to learn: Applying a systems lens to local journalism
By Tom Glaisyer | Originally posted on the Democracy Fund blog This week, we released a visualization and accompanying narrative that seeks to represent the dynamics facing local news institutions and levels of participation of the public in civic affairs. We hope that this interactive tool—which seeks to reflect the collective wisdom of many funders, […]
The importance of funding documentaries to drive policy change
Vince Stehle, our executive director, spoke with Ethan McCoy and Ellie Buteau of the Center for Effective Philanthropy about how documentaries can drive real change, and what foundations are doing to be more involved.
Philly’s 2 largest newspapers are donated to a local nonprofit
Note: This piece was updated on Feb. 1 to reflect comments from David Haas, a board member for Media Impact Funders and a member of the board of managers for the Institute for Journalism in New Media. Last week, in a bold move to save Philadelphia’s three largest, most influential journalistic entities, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily […]
It's time for newspapers to become nonprofit organizations
Throughout the journalistic world and elsewhere, speculation about the future of newspapers has grown fatalistic. Advertising revenue is declining and stock values are plummeting in the face of competition from Google and Craigslist and countless news blogs. At newsrooms across the country, thousands of journalists have been laid off as publishers attempt to cut costs […]
Heinz Endowments funds indoor air quality monitor to help reduce potential health risks
By Megha Satyanarayana | Originally from h Magazine As Judy McAuley chats with customers at her baby supply store, a small white box on the counter flashes numbers on its digital display: 20, 19, 21. The customers at Happy Baby Company stop to look before paying for natural teething necklaces, cloth diapers and BPA-free baby bottles. The […]
Foundations and venture capitalists vie to reform funding for educational technology
The recent release of the 2016 National Education Technology Plan reflects a growing interest in supporting a national vision to “ensure equity of access to transformational learning experiences enabled by technology.”
How CPI’s State Integrity Investigation Taps Data to Spur Reform
by Elizabeth Christopherson President and Chief Executive Officer, Rita Allen Foundation Can competition spur states to be more transparent, accountable, and beholden to the public trust? That’s one question the Center for Public Integrity set out to answer through its State Integrity Investigation, an ambitious effort to rank all fifty U.S. states in terms of […]
As Paris Talks Wrap Up, Foundations and Media Must Join Hands to Push Climate Action
By Vincent Stehle | Originally from The Chronicle of Philanthropy Once the United Nations Conference on Climate Change wraps up this weekend, it will become more important than ever that foundations step in and persuade citizens around the world to make sure government leaders follow through on the pledges made in Paris. We have already […]
To Strengthen Democracy in America, Think Tech
By Micah L. Sifrey | originally posted on PhilanTopic.
A decade-and-a-half into the digital century, the vast majority of large foundations concerned with strengthening American democracy don’t seem to get tech. According to the new Foundation Funding for U.S. Democracy tool recently launched by Foundation Center, out of a total of 18,446 grants awarded since 2011 by more than 1,300 funders focused on the broad range of issues and efforts related to democracy, just 962 have been focused on technology.
Ten University Research Centers That Offer Key Insights for Supporting Environmental Media
With the hottest summer on record drawing to a close, and the pope gearing up to address Congress, environmental issues are dominating the news. However, finding effective ways to address these complex and controversial topics can be tricky for both public interest media makers and the foundations that support their work. To feature some of […]
Evalu-cations: The indispensable alliance between evaluation and communications
By Jonathan Sotsky | Originally published on the KnightBlog A hallmark of my time supporting research and evaluation at Knight Foundation has been a close working relationship with our communications team. This partnership has been a key ingredient for the development and dissemination of a series of successful reports Knight has published in recent years. […]
Effective Communications and Creating Momentum for Social Change
By Vince Stehle |Originally posted on the Center for Effective Philanthropy blog Foundations are in the business of making the world a better place. Preserving the environment, reducing violence, and improving education are a few examples among the many philanthropic objectives that foundations may pursue. But are we applying ourselves as effectively as we might?