Challenges for nonprofits and philanthropy : the courage to change : three decades of reflections / by Pablo Eisenberg ; edited by Stacy Palmer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Eisenberg, Pablo.

Contributor:

Palmer, Stacy.

Series:

Civil society

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Charities--United States.

Charities.

Nonprofit organizations.

Endowments.

United States.

Endowments--United States.

Nonprofit organizations--United States--Endowments.

Physical Description:

xvi, 242 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Medford, Mass. : Tufts University Press ; Hanover, NH : University Press of New England, [2005]

Summary:

For nearly three decades, Pablo Eisenberg's speeches and articles have provoked thoughtful, and at times contentious, debate in the nonprofit world. Intellectually vigorous, rigorously honest, and unstintingly courageous, he has addressed the questions and challenges facing philanthropy today. The works collected here include the best of Eisenberg's published and unpublished pieces on American and global philanthropy-its challenges, responsibilities, hits and misses, accountability, and leadership-and make clear his views of what lies ahead as the greatest intergenerational transfer of wealth in U.S. history looms. The book incorporates tributes to many of the leading lights in late-twentieth-century American philanthropy, including John Gardner, Paul Ylvisaker, John Filer, and David Hunter, men Eisenberg knew well. Every nonprofit leader, donor, grant maker, anyone involved with poverty-fighting organizations, as well as faculty members and researchers who study nonprofit organizations, will need this collection of writings by of one of the nation's most prominent leaders in the nonprofit world.

Contents:

1 The Challenges for Today's Nonprofit World-and a Look at the Past 1

Introduction: The Key Issues Facing Nonprofit Groups in the Twenty-first Century 1

The Voluntary Sector in the 1970s: Problems and Challenges 23

2 A Critique of the Philanthropic Process 37

The Filer Commission: A Critical Perspective 37

Vision of Philanthropy: The Challenge to Foundation Trustees 41

Philanthropy Under Fire: How Foundations Should Respond 49

How Much Should Foundations Give?

Congress Should Increase the Amount Foundations Must Give 55

Don't Cry for Thee, Foundations 59

A Nonprofit Leader's View of Philanthropic Leadership

Penetrating the Mystique of Philanthropy: Relations Between Fund Raisers and Grant Makers 63

A Lack of Guts and Intellectual Vigor Hobbles the Foundation World 66

Desperately Seeking Leadership 69

The Left Doesn't Have It Right on Grant Making 74

Philanthropy's Opportunities

The Case for General Support: Why Nonprofits Need Operating Funds 76

Capacity Building: Beware the Easy Fix 80

Redrawing the Map of Philanthropy: Addressing Inequities 83

Why Foundations Should Aid Local Charities 86

Foundation Grants Shouldn't Mix with Politics 89

Grant Makers Should Turn the Evaluation Spotlight on Themselves 93

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Philanthropy: More "Self-Interested" Than Enlightened 95

September 11th Attacks Challenge Philanthropy to Stand Up to Corporate Opportunism 99

Bad Research on Corporate Philanthropy 102

Philanthropy's Achievements

Drucker on Philanthropy: Without Foundation 106

Hospital Offers Glad Tithings to South Bend: Supporting Community Groups 109

Philanthropy in the Twenty-First Century

The "New Philanthropy" Isn't New-or Better 111

Raising Some $25-Trillion Questions: Making Sure the Wealth Transfer Benefits Society 114

3 How Best to Help the Needy 117

After the Los Angeles Riots: The Solution Lies in Neighborhoods 117

Time to Remove the Rose-Colored Glasses: Community Groups Demand Scrutiny 121

Philanthropy and Community Building 126

4 Philanthropy's Global Role 131

How Philanthropy Could Improve Foreign Policy 131

The Problems and Challenges of International Philanthropy 134

Turning Grief over a Princess's Death into Sound Philanthropy 138

5 Nonprofit Organizations and Citizen Advocacy 140

Grant Makers' Aversion to Advocacy Ignores the Lessons of History 140

Shifting Power Requires Better Citizen Watchdogs 144

United Way's Timid Response to a Lobbying Bill 147

Ducking Debate on the Repeal of the Estate Tax 150

6 Accountability: A Major Gap at the Nation's Nonprofit Groups 153

The Buck Stops with the Board of Directors 153

Corporate Values Could Poison Nonprofits 157

In the United Way Case, All the Guilty May Not Pay 160

Will Charities Learn from the United Way Mess? 163

Is It Time to End the Promise?: The Failed Volunteerism Crusade 165

General Powell's About-Face on Private Aid 168

Accountability and the Weinberg Foundation 171

Press Coverage Sends a Message to Nonprofits: Clean Up Your Act 174

The Nonprofit World Must Improve Its Ties to the Press 179

How to Help the IRS Improve Charity Oversight 182

IRS Must Slam the Door on High Salaries 185

Why Charities Think They Can Regulate Themselves 187

Filer Redux: Philanthropy at a Crossroads 190

7 Leadership 193

Separate, We Lose: Fragmentation Weakens the Nonprofit World 193

Nonprofit Leaders for the Twenty-first Century 198

A Lack of Civic Commitment: Will Today's Young People Become Leaders? 202

Why Nonprofit Workers Should Get Sabbaticals 204

Philanthropy Misses a Chance to Show a Commitment to Diversity 206

How to Improve Nonprofit Research 210

Role Models

Paul Ylvisaker: A Master of the Art of Inducing Epiphanies 213

Remembering David Hunter: Risk-Taker, Visionary, Activist 215

John Filer: The Standard-Setter for Corporate Philanthropy 218

Philanthropy's Loss: Remembering James Patrick Shannon 220

The Unsung Heroes of Philanthropy 223

Remembering John Gardner, an Idealist Who Knew How to Lead 225

8 Looking Ahead: What Is the Future for the Nonprofit World? 228.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

158465421X

OCLC:

55948102