Nonprofit Resources of the Week – 9/22/24

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Stay informed of the week’s notable events and shared resources with this curated list of Nonprofit Resources of the Week.

Notable Nonprofit Posts, Articles, & Other Resources:

Nonprofits, Legal Experts React to the Fearless Fund Decision to Shutter Grant Program to Black Entrepreneurs (Alex Daniels, Chronicle of Philanthropy) [Ed. Regarding the issue of whether a grant agreement is a contract for purposes of Section 1981 enforcement, this statement in the article foretells where we’re headed: “The Fearless Fund’s grant language was clearly a contract, [Sylar Croy, a lawyer at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, a conservative legal nonprofit,] said, but a lot of future cases will likely be “closer calls” that delve into the language used in agreements between donors and grantees.”]

Opinion: What the Fearless Fund Settlement Means for Philanthropic Freedom (Roger Colinvaux, Chronicle of Philanthropy)

As Fearless Foundation Settles Case, Council on Foundations, Independent Sector Encourage Funders to Continue Giving in Line With Values (Council on Foundations, Independent Sector)

What is the Importance of the Board of Directors? (BoardSource)

How Understanding Endowment Law Is Key to Liberating Philanthropic Assets (Mohit Mookim, Nonprofit Quarterly) [Ed. The article identifies the critical need to distinguish a “true” endowment, subject to legal spending limitations, from a “quasi-endowment,” not subject to legal limitations.]

Burnout is Still the Story for Nonprofits in 2024 (Linda Rosenthal, For Purpose Law Group)

Why Nonprofits Need to Be Aware of New Crypto Accounting Standards (BDO USA)

Warren Buffett’s death plan dodges taxes and will make his kids ‘philanthropic titans,’ says wealth inequality guru (Theron Mohamed, Business Insider)

Korea’s Experiment With Pay-for-Success (Hyun Shin, Gayoung Imm, Myung Eun Jeong, Hyun-Joong Kim & Haeun Kim, Stanford Social Innovation Review)

For-Profit Philanthropy Wins ARNOVOA Outstanding Book Award (Elaine Waterhouse Wilson, Nonprofit Law Prof Blog)

Significant Events:

“Israel’s pager attack an intelligence triumph, with uncertain ends After Israel turned Hezbollah’s communications system against it with deadly force, officials and experts wonder if a bigger war is coming.” Washington Post
“In a momentous trio of Jan. 6-related cases last term, the court found itself more entangled in presidential politics than at any time since the 2000 election, even as it was contending with its own controversies related to that day. The chief justice responded by deploying his authority to steer rulings that benefited Mr. Trump, according to a New York Times examination that uncovered extensive new information about the court’s decision making.” NY Times
“Former President Donald Trump is safe following what the FBI says “appears to be an attempted assassination” while playing golf two months after another attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania.” AP [Ed. Some news stories have focused on the suspect’s statement to Iran in a self-published book in 2023 – “You are free to assassinate Trump” – while others have pointed to Elon Musk’s since-deleted and equally deranged statement on Twitter – “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala”.]