January 2007 Newsletter

<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> January 2007 Newsletter

Vol. 1, No. 1
January, 2007

Grants/Contributions Received to Support AGF

News & Notes is a monthly email newsletter designed to keep the Arizona community updated on local and national developments in the philanthropic sector. This service is provided free of charge by the Arizona Grantmakers Forum - please feel free to forward this on to your colleagues.

AGF January Program | Funding Faith Based Initiatives

Forty funders met at the Flinn Foundation on January 25, 2007 to participate in the AGF January Program on Funding Faith Based Initiatives.

Panel members included John S. Hall, Professor, Public Affairs and Public Service, ASU, Wayne Tormala, Community Initiatives and Faith Based Initiatives Coordinator, City of Phoenix, and Jannah Scott, Governor's Office, Policy Advisor, Faith and Community Initiatives.

John Hall provided an overview of the sector, drawing from his article Faith, Hope and Charitable Choice. Next, Wayne Tormala of the City of Phoenix described the City's role as a convener, trainer, and communicator for faith based organizations.

Jannah Scott of the Governor's Office for Faith & Community Initiatives then presented on the key challenges and opportunities for the faith and community initiatives in Arizona. Jannah informed the group of the White House Conference on Faith & Community Initiatives that is scheduled for April 19-20, 2007 in Arizona.

This program provided Arizona grantmakers with a better understanding of the role that faith based charities play in the delivery of social services in Arizona. Click here to read AGF's Primer on Funding Faith-Based Organizations.

Upcoming Programs

To reserve a seat at any of the programs listed, please contact Madia Logan at mlogan@arizonagrantmakersforum.org.

Thurs Feb 22 Funding Youth Civic Engagement Programs This will be an informal session which will allow funders to discuss existing youth civic engagement programs, using materials supplied by various agencies. AGF will invite nonprofits with youth civic engagement programs to submit a brief overview of their program based on a template supplied by AGF. 11:30am - 1:30pm, Location: Arizona Community Foundation Open to AGF Members only

Thurs March 22 Engaging Boomers in Nonprofit Endeavors Nonprofit Organizations will be going through a dramatic transformation in the next few years as they experience the exodus of many of their Boomer leaders to retirement. Speakers include Nancy Henkin, Cofounders of Coming of Age and founder and Executive Director of Temple University's Center for Intergenerational Learning Carol Kratz, Senior Program Officer, The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Jacky Alling, Senior Program Officer, Arizona Community Foundation . 11:30am - 1:30pm, Location: Burton Barr Public Library Open to Nonprofits & AGF Members

2007 Grants in Support of AGF

AGF receives revenues from three primary sources: Dues, Program Revenues and Grants/Sponsorships. We are grateful to the following members who, in addition to their dues, committed to supporting AGF in 2007 with general operating dollars and/or program underwriting:

Leadership Circle:

BHHS Legacy Foundation
Dorrance Family Foundation

Partners Circle:

Mr. Tom Chauncey

Program Hosts:

Mr. Tom Chauncey
F2 Family Foundation

AGF Welcomes New Members

Bank of America | Giving is inextricably woven into the fabric of Bank of America. The company and its associates are committed to supporting high-impact initiatives and organizations, developing visionary leaders now and for the future, providing general operating support and funding flexibility, and access to innovative programs that will build strong, diverse communities for the future.

Giving at the national and local levels typically falls into four generic categories: Community Development - with an emphasis on affordable housing, workforce development, and neighborhood revitalization. Education - with an emphasis on K-12, including after-school programs; early childhood development; English as a second language (ESL); financial literacy, and youth mentoring programs. Health and Human Services - with an emphasis on United Way support, affordable child care, family support services, and affordable healthcare. Arts and Culture - with an emphasis on multicultural programs and access to the arts for underserved communities.

Choice Hotels International Foundation | The Choice Hotels International Foundation was established in January of 2000 in order to formalize and focus the company's philanthropic giving. The goals of the Foundation have been enhanced to include guiding the company's overall corporate social responsibility strategy. The Choice Hotels International Foundation grants funds to charitable organizations that meet the Foundation's guidelines and are located in the areas where Choice Hotels International has a corporate presence. The primary areas of focus that define the Foundation's giving are: Providing shelter and food to those in need, Supporting the educational efforts of schools, workforce entry organizations and the hospitality industry, Enhancing the quality of life in local communities where Choice Hotels International has a presence, and promoting the growth and development of tourism.

Member News

The Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona Celebrates Exemplary Teachers
The Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona will be celebrating the 16 Rodel Exemplary Teachers for 2007 at a banquet in February. These teachers were selected for their exceptional achievement in high-poverty schools and their potential to be outstanding mentors for Rodel Promising Student Teachers. This year, the program expanded to include teachers in kindergarten, special education, and high school math. If you missed any of the winners as they were announced in the Arizona Republic and Arizona Daily Star, you can read their stories at www.rodelfoundationaz.org.

Lynn Timmons, Board Member and Grants Coordinator for the City of Phoenix, was elected to serve as the Vice President of the Arizona Chapter of the American Association of Grant Professionals (AAGP)for 2007. She looks forward to strengthening the communication between AAGP, the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and the Arizona Grantmakers Forum.

Philanthropy News & Resources

Wealth Transfer Outpacing Estimates
The biggest transfer of wealth in history is exceeding expectations, say the researchers who predicted it. "We have new data that indicates the wealth transfer is not only on track, but is exceeding the conservative estimates we have been emphasizing," says Paul Schervish, director of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College.

In 1999, Schervish and John Havens, the center's senior associate director, estimated at least $41 trillion would be transferred between generations over a period of 55 years through taxes, charitable bequests, gifts to heirs and costs for settling estates, with at least $6 trillion of those funds going to charity. Click here to read more.

Native American Tribes in Arizona Give Millions for Charity
Native American tribes in Arizona whose finances have been bolstered by thriving casino businesses contribute millions of dollars each year to charitable causes, the Mohave Daily News reports.

In the most recent fiscal year, the fifteen Arizona tribes with casino operations earned $1.8 billion in gross gaming revenues and were required to contribute $91.7 million to cities, counties, and state agencies. Voter-approved legislation requires that tribes share 1 percent to 8 percent of their net casino winnings, with most of the funds distributed to nonprofit organizations across the state.

Native American officials said that giving is woven into the fabric of their culture, but that tribes are reluctant to draw attention to their community involvement or publicize their charitable giving. Members of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, for example, pooled funds for the Red Cross and victims of Hurricane Katrina, with tribal officers matching the funds. Between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, Fort McDowell's median household income nearly tripled from $18,182 to $50,313, making it the most prosperous reservation community in Arizona. To read the full article, click here.

For AGF's Report on Tribal Philanthropy, click here.

Charities Have Raised at Least $25-Million From New Tax Break
Nonprofit groups have jumped on a temporary tax break that allows older people to donate up to $100,000 a year to charity from their individual retirement accounts, reports The Wall Street Journal. The provision, part of August’s Pension Protection Act, allows for tax-free donations as long as the money goes directly to charities and is not funneled through another type of account. Charities have netted at least $25-million from the new donation method, the newspaper says. Organizations have pursued those donations aggressively because the tax break expires at the end of this year. However, charities are pressing Congress to extend the provision.

Gates-Financed Group Helped Save Millions of Lives, Report Says
A grant made by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 1999 has resulted in 2.3 million lives being saved, reports The Seattle Times. The progress report, prepared by the World Heath Organization, was delivered by Bill and Melinda Gates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The foundation has given a total of $1.5-billion to the GAVI Alliance, an international coalition of groups that provide vaccinations to impoverished children. The foundation made a $750-million grant to GAVI in 1999, its first major venture into global health.

'Filmanthropist' Uses Movies for Social Change
Ted Leonsis, who produced a documentary called “Nanking,” about the rapes and murders that took place in that Chinese city, sees a future for “filmanthropy,” reports The Washington Post.

The movie relates the story of the 300,000 Chinese killed, raped, and tortured in 1937 and 1938 by the Japanese Imperial Army and the 200,000 people saved by a group of Westerners who created a “safe zone” within the city. Mr. Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals hockey team, paid $2-million for the film to be made, handpicked the director and actors, and helped with the editing. The movie was viewed at the Sundance Film Festival, in Utah, and Mr. Leonsis is hoping it will be shown in theaters and on television. “It’s where you can shed light on a big issue,” said Mr. Leonsis. “It brings together philanthropy and understanding how media works. You’re going to see a lot of people doing this because a studio probably wouldn’t do a story like this.”

If you have comments or questions regarding News & Notes, please contact Madia Logan at 602.977.2756 or via email mlogan@arizonagrantmakersforum.org. Feel free to comment, suggest articles ideas or submit news items. We're always happy to hear from you.