November 24, 2008
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Electronic Grant Reporting Boosts Transparency
Our electronic grant reporting initiative enables grantmakers to send us their most recent grants lists in a standard electronic format. This ensures that the most current grant information is available to the thousands of people who use the Center's database of U.S. funders and their grants. Our goal is to double the number of electronic grant reporters by 2010. The initiative has already attracted the participation of more than 175 foundations throughout the nation, and leading grants management software providers have signed on to partner with the Center, making it easy for their clients to supply grants information. All electronic reporters are offered complimentary links to dynamic maps and charts of their grantmaking activity in Foundation Directory Online Professional. Participating foundations can link to the maps and charts at their web sites and share them in a variety of other ways. And, grants are now mapped by congressional district, a feature offered only by the Foundation Center. The maps and charts make giving trends more transparent than ever, making the need for current grant data even more critical. If you are interested in becoming an electronic grant reporter, contact Kati Neiheisel at kmn@foundationcenter.org. - Read the press release» - View a list of our electronic grant reporters» International Grantmaking Programs in New York and Washington, DC, Area December 8: New York City December 9: Washington, DC, area 
The Foundation Center, in cooperation with the Council on Foundations, will publish the fourth edition of its International Grantmaking benchmark series of reports in early December. At our special programs, "International Grantmaking IV: Recent Trends and the Outlook for Giving in Challenging Times," the study's authors and a panel of grantmakers will examine how international funding priorities of U.S. foundations have changed since the early 2000s, explore current perspectives on giving for international purposes, and identify challenges and opportunities that international grantmakers will have to address in light of the current economic crisis. These programs are free of charge, but space is limited and advance registration is required:
New York City: Monday, December 8, from 2:00 to 4:30 pm at the Foundation Center. Register» Washington, DC, area: Tuesday, December 9, from 9:00 to 11:00 am at the Council on Foundations in Arlington, VA. To register, e-mail Patricia Marshall at marsp@cof.org. Foundation Giving Priorities Remain Consistent During Economic Slowdowns, New Advisory Shows 
We recently issued the Foundation Center's second research advisory related to the economic crisis, "Do Foundation Giving Priorities Change in Times of Economic Distress?". Steven Lawrence, our senior director of research, examines trends in foundation giving priorities during times of financial difficulty. His analysis suggests that grantmaking priorities in most areas do not shift suddenly in the face of reduced resources and are remarkably consistent over the long term. The advisory is part of the Focus on the Economic Crisis feature at our web site (see below).
- Read the press release» - Read the research advisory» Focus on the Economic Crisis: Online Maps, News, Research, and More 
If you haven't visited the Center's online Focus on the Economic Crisis feature lately, you might be interested in our new interactive maps, Grantmakers With an Interest in Employment and Grantmakers With an Interest in Food Assistance. These maps show distribution by location of U.S. grantmakers that have, respectively, employment/job training and food assistance among their fields of interest. You can also drill down to view a snapshot of each grantmaker. We are regularly updating Focus on the Economic Crisis with additional maps, news, research, and other resources designed to help our sector during this unstable economy, and we encourage grantmakers and nonprofits to bookmark the page and visit it often.
Foundation Center, United Way of New York City, and NYRAG Co-Sponsor Forum on the Economic Crisis On November 19, more than 200 thought leaders from nonprofits, foundations, business, academia and government in the New York metro area met to discuss ways to manage and strengthen the nonprofit sector in these challenging times. A summary and recording of the event will be available soon. - Read the press release» |
New in PND
 Newsmaker Interview 
Paul Brest, president, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, on the impact of the economic crisis on Hewlett and other foundations, the importance of a strategic approach in philanthropic work, the key elements of such an approach, and why the stakes have never been higher.
Commentary & Opinion  Bob Wise, president, Alliance for Excellent Education, on the difficulty of assessing the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act without standardized parameters and systems for tracking high school graduation rates.
5 Questions For…  Agnes Gund, arts patron and president emerita, Museum of Modern Art, on her lifetime commitment to the arts, her perspective on the changing of the guard at several major arts organizations, and her family's ongoing philanthropic ventures.
Expanded Hours for Live, Online Reference Help  We know times are tough, and to lend a hand, we are expanding the hours of our live reference service beginning December 1. To get answers fast to questions about foundations, fundraising, nonprofit management, and related topics, anyone can connect with a Foundation Center librarian in real-time: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 9:30 am to 8:00 pm EST, Thursday and Friday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm EST. Go ahead, Ask Us!
And remember that we welcome grantmaker inquiries at our free Grantmaker Services Hotline, (212) 807-2446. Holiday Closing  The Foundation Center's five library/learning centers (and online reference service) will close for Thanksgiving at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, November 26, and will be closed November 27 and 28. Enjoy your holiday!
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- E-Updates for Grantmakers is published by the Foundation Center to keep grantmakers informed on philanthropy news and resources. Please feel free to forward this E-Update to your colleagues.
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