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Next Week!
Senator Christine Kehoe Talks CA Budget
For the first time ever, State Senator Christine Kehoe is coming to SDG to speak to grantmakers about the challenges of the California budget.
In addition to the Senator, two local school district representatives and a budget analyst will speak about the potential impacts to education and health and human services:
- Richard Barrera, Board President, San Diego Unified School District
- Dr. Edward Brand, Superintendent, Sweetwater Union High School District
- Scott Graves, Senior Policy Analyst, California Budget Project
Together we will better understand how the proposed budget will change the state's ability to meet these and other community needs and impact the daily lives of San Diegans.
SAVE THE DATE! Mark your calendars for October 10 -- the date of this year's SDG Annual Conference, taking place at the Joe & Vi Jacobs Center!
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The "CA Delegation" meeting with representatives from the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.
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Representing California Philanthropy on Capitol Hill
California philanthropy descended on Washington D.C. for two days in late March as part of Foundations on the Hill (FOTH), the annual legislative and public policy event organized by the Council on Foundations (COF) and the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers. FOTH provides an opportunity for grantmakers to meet with their elected members of Congress while in the nation's capitol, to build relationships and advocate COF's legislative agenda. This year, however, Northern California Grantmakers, Southern California Grantmakers and San Diego Grantmakers coordinated an approach to enhance that strategy. Attending as a unified "California Delegation," we set out to find opportunities to connect the work of our collective members to federal efforts underway. Read more about who we met and what we learned from the departments of Justice, Education, and Housing and Urban Development that could help you and your work. |
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The Grey Area of Philanthropy's Role in Providing Public Services
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Bear vs. Butterfly:
A representation of the vast difference between public and philanthropic funding.
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Whenever the three California grantmaker associations meet with elected officials at events like FOTH or during local one-one-one meetings, we emphasize that philanthropy cannot replace the sheer magnitude of government funding in providing essential public services. Rather, we explain, philanthropy can leverage its dollars and use its innovation, expertise, and flexibility to partner with government to more effectively meet community needs. Yet it seems that there's a grey area of understanding about the extent to which philanthropy can augment public services. For example:
- Eleven of the 70 California state parks, beaches, and historic areas set for closure due to budget cuts have received at least temporary reprieves as a result of state agreements with private donors, foundations, and federal and local agencies.
- The new library being built in downtown San Diego wouldn't be happening without significant financing from private philanthropy.
- The proposed redevelopment of the Plaza de Panama in Balboa Park is heavily supported and influenced by private philanthropy.
In fact, at one point during SDG's March 26 mayoral forum, candidates seemed to start talking about philanthropy and nonprofits supporting the government instead of the other way around. A recent article in the Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ) demonstrates how this grey area is getting even greyer with the creation of 501(c)(3) philanthropic arms by agencies such as the CDC, FDA, NASA and CIA to raise money that will supplement what they do with their public funds (similar to what public and state universities do). What does this mean for the world of organized philanthropy?
Is the line between augmenting public services with philanthropy and relying upon philanthropy in order to continue those services being blurred?
We'd love to hear your thoughts!
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 about Grantmakers & Public Policy Map shows impacts of CDBG cuts in San Diego This interactive map shows which San Diego Neighborhoods will be impacted the most by cuts to Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). DOE has web-based interactive feature
As part of the Obama Administration's Open Government Initiative, the Department of Education has developed data.ed.gov, a website to share data about its grant programs. HUD releases web feature
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has released partner.hud.gov, a site designed to provide information on HUD grant programs for interested partners and stakeholders. Online Training Resource on Lobbying and Advocacy Worth Your Time
To help provide some clarity on foundation lobbying and advocacy, the David and Lucile Packard, Bill & Melinda Gates, William and Flora Hewlett, and Gordon and Betty Moore foundations launched a free online course to help well-intentioned foundation staff stay out of trouble with the IRS and the law. Nonprofits get their own super PACThanks to the new political action committee (PAC) CForward (which actively tweeted about our San Diego Mayoral Candidate Forum), nonprofit organizations now have a voice on Capitol Hill. Mapping the future of California elections
A diverse group of civic organizations and election officials, brought together by the Irvine Foundation, recently released its vision for modernizing and improving the state's election systems. Read more about their Roadmap for the Future of California Elections. Foundation report analyzes federal spending
The New America Foundation has released its Assets Report 2012, which examines how federal benefits delivered through tax subsidies favor higher-income households. Families with lower incomes and fewer resources who would benefit the most the report claims, receive a fraction of the support. IRS releases final Form 990
The Internal Revenue Service released the final Form 990 for 2011, which includes significant changes in key areas for exempt organizations, such as joint ventures and investment partnerships, activities and investments directed toward foreign countries, reportable compensation, and hospitals. |
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 Articles, Opinions & Insight New happenings at the California Association of Nonprofits First, its new nickname is CalNonprofits (instead of CAN). Second, a new Vote with Your Mission campaign. Social services funding outlook improves for 2013 (except in CA)
According to a new report, even though most state budgets are recovering, 16 states -- including California -- still project budget deficits in the coming fiscal year. |
We'd love to hear from you!
Thank you for being a member of San Diego Grantmakers. We are always trying to improve our services to members, and we welcome your feedback. Please send your thoughts, comments and suggestions to nancy@sdgrantmakers.org.
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Federal Funding Opportunities & More
Promise Neighborhoods 2012 Grant Competition now open
The Department of Education (DOE) has announced the FY2012 Promise Neighborhoods Planning Competition. In addition to the DOE website, the Promise Neighborhoods Institute website has very useful information for those interested in applying for the funding.
DOJ Releases New Neighborhood-focused Grant ApplicationThe U.S. Department of Justice has released its grant application for the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program, which is the Justice Department's equivalent of Promise and Choice Neighborhoods programs run out of the Department of Education and HUD, respectively. Applications are due June 7.
Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund Call for Grantmakers to be Peer Reviewers!When SDG met with the Department of Education in March, department staff expressed great enthusiasm for having grantmakers use their expertise to serve as peer reviewers for the FY 2012 Investing in Innovation (i3) grant competition. If you can't do it this time around, stay tuned for the next opportunity!
Senate Approves New Head of National-Service AgencyWendy Spencer, the President's nominee to head the Corporation for National Service, was approved by the Senate. Spencer, a longtime advocate of volunteerism, replaces Patrick Corvington who stepped down from the post nearly one year ago.
COF Hires New PresidentVikki Spruill has been named the new president and CEO of the Council on Foundations. Spruill, who is currently the president and CEO of Ocean Conservancy, will start July 1, 2012.
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Simplification of Excise Tax
The Council on Foundations (COF) supports federal legislation that would simplify the excise tax on the investment income that private foundations pay by replacing the current two-tiered system with one flat rate of 1.39%. On May 8, COF encouraged its members to encourage members of the Transportation Conference Committee to attach the excise tax proposal to the larger transportation bill they were considering. The outreach from the sector raised some important procedural questions, and helped impress upon legislators the importance of excise tax simplification.
Hearing on Expired Tax Benefits (Including IRA Charitable Rollover)On April 26, the House Ways and Means Committee held a that have expired, including the IRA charitable rollover. The extension of the IRA Charitable Rollover (which expired at the end of 2011) received strong support. Read more about this on the
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