Philanthropy News for Higher Education
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Agreeing to Disagree: A $20 Million Donation to Northwestern to Combat Polarization
Alec Litowitz and Jennifer Leischner Litowitz are backing the Center for Enlightened Disagreement in hopes of teaching young people how to navigate differences.
The Afeyans: This Billionaire Family Focuses on Humanitarianism, Education and More
Moderna cofounder Noubar Afeyan and his wife and daughter spearhead the family’s giving in the U.S. and Armenia. They also back a prize for global humanitarians.
Why the World’s Richest Woman Is Focused on Improving the Healthcare System
Alice Walton’s new medical school aims to equip future doctors with a more holistic set of tools to improve health and wellbeing.
“Threats to Our Communities”: Stupski Foundation Accelerates Its Spend Down — and Giving
CEO Glen Galaich explains why the San Francisco-based funder is ramping up grantmaking and winding down ahead of schedule.
Philanthropy in the Ivory Tower: Four Top University Programs on Giving
University programs focused on the study and practice of philanthropy offer distinct perspectives on giving away money. Here are four that should be on your radar.
What’s Keeping Higher Ed Fundraisers Up at Night?
It’s an inherently stressful job, and one made all the more anxiety-inducing in recent years. We delved into a survey of advancement professionals to get a sense of how the work is evolving.
The Stoic Philanthropist: Robert Rosenkranz on His Giving
From channeling classical thinkers to supporting public debate and extending the human “healthspan,” here’s what stands out about this longtime Wall Streeter’s approach.
Major Funders Line Up Behind OpenStax’s Mission: Free Digital Textbooks
With philanthropic support, this initiative at Rice University provides no-cost, peer-reviewed texts for K-12 and college students, paving the way for a burgeoning open educational resources movement.
Slash and Burn: Trump Cuts Open Up More Funding Gaps in Native American Education
From closing Head Start offices to staff cuts at tribal colleges, Trump policies threaten the future of Native communities. Modest increases in philanthropic funding could go a long way.
Joseph Neubauer and Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer’s Philanthropic Journey
Recent recipients of a Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, the Philadelphia-based couple share the story behind their hands-on approach to giving for higher ed, the arts and more.
Here’s What Stands Out About This Community Foundation’s Scholarship Program
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a new scholarship program that goes well beyond what is typical.
King Charles’ Charity Helps Young People with Confidence, Courses and Careers
The King’s Trust has been working outside its home country for 10 years, continuing a long legacy of youth development begun in the U.K.
How Arnold Ventures Seeks to Help Policymakers Implement Programs That Work
Arnold Ventures’ Justin Milner discusses how the Partnerships for Proven Programs initiative drives new funding for evidence-based social and educational initiatives in three states.
Amazon Wealth Powers Liesl and Jeff Wilke’s Giving for Lyme Disease, Education and More
Getting in early at Amazon has its perks. For this Seattle couple, that includes standing up a foundation and a family giving tradition for the next generation.
A New Midwest Giant: Missouri’s $1.4 Billion Patterson Family Foundation
The foundation’s assets recently jumped 500-fold, making it Missouri’s second-largest private foundation and one of the Midwest’s top 20. What does it fund?
The Morenos: A Billionaire Latino Family Gives in Arizona and Southern California
Here’s a look at the giving of Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno and his family, focused on two main geographic regions of interest.
Universities Raised an Enormous Amount of Money Last Fiscal Year. Can They Do It Again?
Federal cuts, market volatility and other factors cast a pall over the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s finding that higher ed giving increased by 3%.
How Chicago’s Square One Foundation Fosters Economic and Civic Opportunity
As funders navigate a post-election landscape, this place-based family foundation will continue to play an important role in supporting civic engagement infrastructure.
Trump Says He’s Defunding Columbia Over Antisemitism. Will That End the Donor Boycott?
With Columbia University facing $400 million in canceled federal grants and dozens of other schools in the line of fire, private donations will be more important than ever.
Want to Strengthen K-12 Education? Support HBCUs
Guest author Kristina Joye Lyles, equity programming lead at DonorsChoose, calls for more funders to support HBCU-educated teachers of color at every step of the education pipeline.
Record Funding for Hillel Amid Rising Antisemitism on Campus
The world’s largest and most inclusive Jewish campus organization has raised more than $200 million in its just-concluded centennial campaign.
Meet the Ogunlesis: An Emerging Philanthropic Family to Watch
International billionaire Adebayo Ogunlesi and his family have begun establishing a giving footprint in the U.S. Here’s what they’ve supported so far.
Sign of the Times? The Dells Grow Their Foundation by a Cool $5 Billion
As their wealth doubled, the billionaire couple have grown their foundation more than four-fold in roughly two years. Is this a preview of what’s to come as tech founders overtake traditional philanthropy?
At 100 Years, the Duke Endowment Ups Payout, Stays Perpetual
The powerhouse regional funder has been a philanthropic bedrock in the Carolinas since 1924. It’s aiming to give away $5 billion over the next 15 years.
The King of Wall Street South: Checking in on Kenneth Griffin’s Giving
In 2022, the hedge fund manager and his company moved from Chicago to Miami, setting off a seismic shift in the billionaire’s place-based giving.
David Steward Is Now the Richest Black American. How Does This Family Give?
The World Wide Technology cofounder and his family have a well-established track record as donors. Here’s a look at what they’ve backed so far, and what might lie ahead.
Reid Hoffman and the Complexity of the Modern Megadonor
The LinkedIn cofounder has a $1 billion foundation and gives tens of millions of dollars via a DAF for science, AI, democracy and other causes. But it’s impossible to get a full picture of his giving.
Mike Curb’s Long Commitment to Music Education
A major player in the record industry (and former lieutenant governor), Curb emphasizes a perennially underfunded cause in his higher ed giving.
To Advance Our Social Missions, Philanthropy Needs to Address Climate Change
As climate disasters devastate communities, guest authors Jamie Merisotis, Eloy Ortiz Oakley and Lande Ajose call for funders of all stripes to factor the global crisis into their work.
Jean Trebek Continues Her Late Husband’s Philanthropic Legacy
Game show host Alex Trebek died of pancreatic cancer in 2022. Here’s how his wife and children are shaping their foundation today.
