September 13, 2023 Why This Major Antipoverty Funder Is Ramping Up Its Investment in HBCUs September 13, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Against the backdrop of rising funder interest and a controversial Supreme Court decision, the big-donor funding collaborative Blue Meridian Partners is tripling its investment in the HBCU Transformation Project.Read More
August 31, 2023 As the Opioid Crisis Rips Across America, Where Is Philanthropy? August 31, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Some of the country’s largest health philanthropies have shifted their focus away, and only a handful of others have stepped up. Why isn’t philanthropy doing more about this national health emergency?Read More
May 03, 2023 This Los Angeles-Based Foundation Is Giving Children With Disabilities a Welcome Boost May 03, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The S. Mark Taper Foundation may not be widely known in the world of philanthropy, but it is making a big difference in the lives of low-income children with disabilities, a neglected cause.Read More
March 30, 2023 Education Voucher Policies Are on the Rise Nationwide. What Role Is Philanthropy Playing? March 30, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Increasingly widespread voucher policies divert public school funding to pay for private and home schooling, which experts say poses a dangerous threat to public education. Who’s funding them? And who’s keeping their distance?Read More
March 15, 2023 Why a Relatively Small Funder Made a Big Donation to Study Neglected Diseases March 15, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The $78 million gift from a foundation built by an heir to the du Pont fortune will fuel research and clinical care for children with cancer, sickle cell disease and other life-threatening blood disorders.Read More
September 29, 2022 Keeping it in the Family: A Foundation Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren September 29, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Millions of Americans are raising their grandchildren for a range of reasons, but they face unique challenges and receive little support. A new initiative by one regional foundation provides funding to help grandfamilies thrive.Read More
April 21, 2022 What We Learned From a Deep Dive Into Funding for Early Childhood Education April 21, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen As part of our State of American Philanthropy series, our new brief examines funding for early childhood education. The pandemic has pushed the issue into the spotlight and philanthropy’s role is more important than ever.Read More
December 03, 2021 Can We Close the Educator Diversity Gap? A Funder With a Big Footprint Wants to Find Out December 03, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen The teacher workforce remains mostly white, even as schools grow more diverse. As CZI leans into DEI, a new round of grants backs organizations working to expand the ranks of teachers of color.Read More
October 19, 2020 New Walton Initiative Funds Charter Schools From the Ground Up October 19, 2020/ Connie Matthiessen Charter schools struggle to find building space for their operations. The Walton Family Foundation has long been laser-focused on this challenge, most recently teaming up with PNC Bank to provide $100 million in loans to charters.Read More
October 05, 2020 Zeroing in on Student Advising, a Foundation Aims to Pave the Path to College October 05, 2020/ Connie Matthiessen Providing extra support for low-income kids hoping to attend college has become more important than ever in the pandemic. The Stupski Foundation is teaming up with Bay Area public schools to make sure students get the help they need.Read More