The Daily Tell

The Lodestar Foundation has announced the eight finalists for its 2011 Collaboration Prize. The nonprofit is a grant-making organization that leverages philanthropy and promotes capital investment, aiming to expand the impact and growth of philanthropic organizations and effort.

It increases resources for nonprofit organizations through its support of their programs and projects that aim to encourage philanthropy, public service and civic engagement. Additionally, it increases philanthropic impact by supporting collaborations within nonprofits. The prize will award each of the eight finalist organizations with $12,500 for their collaborations and, from this group, a grand prize winner will be chosen to receive an additional $150,000.

In order to be eligible for the award, finalists' collaborative efforts must incorporate at least two nonprofit organizations. The efforts were judged on a set of criteria determining how effective the campaign was in achieving social good, using human and financial resources and responding to a challenge or opportunity. Additionally, it had to demonstrate how the collaboration was a model within its field, sector or community.

The eight finalists include the Adoption Coalition of Texas, which teamed with the Austin Community Foundation, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and five other child-placing organizations to increase the number of children relocated from foster families to permanent homes.

Another organization, Community Voice Mail Federation, worked with a variety of human services organizations to help connect people in the throes of crisis via telecommunications, thus enabling them to secure information regarding employment, housing and other important information.

Other nonprofits to receive Lodestar's funding include Feed More, Graduate! Philadelphia, Gulf Coast Consortium, Merger Network for Good, Groundspring, The WAICU Collaboration Project and Westside Infant-Family Network.

Ohio State University has announced its largest gift ever of $100 million, with $65 million from Leslie Wexner and the additional $35 million from Limited Brands Foundation. The funding will go to benefit the university's medical center and The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. A select portion of the funding will also go to benefit the university's Wexner Center for the arts and other initiatives at the school.

Wexner is an alumni of Ohio State, graduating from its business administration program in 1959 and founding Limited Brands in Columbus four years later. The company has since risen to a $9 billion firm, with more than 2,600 stores nationally. Wexner serves as the university's chair of the Board of Trustees and helped found The Ohio State University Foundation. He has extended almost $200 million to Ohio State.

"I've always believed that you have to do good while doing well," said Wexner in a statement.

"It's not enough to succeed in business. You have to give back. Ohio State's Medical Center and The James do critically important work. My hope is this gift can help save lives, and maybe even help to cure cancer. It is certainly within our grasp," he added.

Ohio State also recently received a $100 million grant for a construction project at its Medical Center from the Health Resources and Services Administration, which was awarded to the university through a program created under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The funding will help support ProjectONE, the school's largest construction project, which aims to expand its Medical Center. The project is slated to finish in 2014 and will include a new cancer hospital, critical care tower, outpatient center and research laboratories, according to Healthcare Finance News.

Head of Global Health to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Tachi Yamada, signed on with the world's richest philanthropic organization in 2006 with the understanding that he would only stay for five years. In five years a person can be "energetic, enthusiatic, innovative and very, very engaged," Yamada said in an interview with The Seattle Times. However, the medical leader now believes that his time is up and the organization will benefit more from someone new. In June, someone else will fill his role.

His role as Head of Global Health has gained him a spot as one of Forbes magazine's most powerful figures in medicine. He helped grow the Gates Foundation, tripling its staff, and under his leadership, in 2009, its health programs accounted for $1.8 billion of its $3 billion in grants. Yamada also saw to it that the organization changed the way it approached diseases and public health conditions that affect the poor. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also honed its focus on vaccine development as a cost-efficient way to tackle diseases in developing countries, according to the newspaper.

"He came with a strong product development background at [GlaxoSmithKline], which made him think about outcomes and products and milestones … in a way that academics don't often think," said Dr. Roger Glass, director of the Fogarty International Center, a federal global health research center, to the source.

Yamada's departure from the Gates Foundation shouldn't negatively impact the organization. Currently, it is searching for eligible candidates to replace the Head of Global Health, who plans on doing something "substancial" in Japan, his native country.

The University of California at Los Angeles will establish a community-based fund to support medical research and academic programming at the university and a variety of charity work across the country. The endeavors are being funded by a private foundation's gift of $200 million.

Las Vegas-based Lincy Fund will finance the Dream Fund. The Lincy Fund was first establisged in 1989 by Las Vegas resort and casino investor Kirk Kerkorian, who named his fund after his daughters. Once the Lincy Fund transfers its capital to the Dream Fund, it will cease operations. Prior philanthropic efforts include more than $1 billion in donations to schools, hospitals and Armenian charities, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported.

"The UCLA Foundation and the entire UCLA community are grateful for a magnificent act of support by a private foundation," said Gene Block, chancellor of UCLA.

"Mr. Kerkorian and the Lincy Foundation have a long history of major charitable giving, and the UCLA Foundation is honored to have been entrusted to continue their mission," he added.

The Dream Fund will be managed and administered by the UCLA Foundation. It will support nonprofit organizations and will work to solve social problems in addition to creating challenge grants. Furthermore, it will match funds for scholarships and endowed faculty chairs at the school. Because the money will be used to encourage a boost in donations, the funds will stimulate more philanthropy to UCLA rather than being used as the "be-all, end-all," the Chronicle reported.

According to UCLA, the Dream Fund will adjust to the needs of society and will constantly search for funding partners and recipients worthy of its support.

President Barack Obama recently proposed fiscal year 2012's budget, revealing a limit to the number of charitable tax incentives that will be made available to those that fall within the highest tax brackets. He said he wants to limit itemized deductions to 28 percent for tax payers who are among the well-heeled, an idea that is similar to one he introduced in last year's budget.

"While it's absolutely essential to live within our means, while we are absolutely committed to working with Democrats and Republicans to find further savings and to look at the whole range of budget issues, we can't sacrifice our future in the process," Obama said, according to the New York Times.

"Even as we cut out things that we can afford to do without, we have a responsibility to invest in those areas that will have the biggest impact in our future – and that's especially true when it comes to education," he added.

The new fiscal year begins on October 1, with this proposal reducing the value of itemized deductions for those people who fall within the top tax bracket by 30 percent. The top tax bracket, which is currently at 35 percent, will rise to 39.6 percent in 2013 without further action to extend tax cuts for those who earn more than $250,000 annually.

Additionally, the budget will cut back on or eliminate more than 200 programs, while still investing in education, transportation and research – areas that the country must back, the president told students in Baltimore, the New York Times reports. It would also cut billions of dollars of funding from domestic programs during the next decade, many of which are strongly supported by Democrats.

President Obama said he would push to end tax breaks for those falling within this income range when they expire in two years. He will also attempt to reduce the exemptions in estate tax, which cuirrently allow couples to pass on estates valued at up to $10 million to heirs, tax-free, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts-based Berkshire Community College has received a $1 million endowment for its Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which supports non-credit bearing educational programs for lifelong learners above the age of 50. This is the second $1 million endowment that the institute has seen from The Bernard Osher Foundation and sets the program apart from the other 118 OLLI programs nationwide as one of 18 to receive this level of funding.

The initial $1 million challenged the Berkshire OLLI to reach 500 members before it could receive the funding, but in May 2009, it received its first award by reaching 883 members. Its second $1 million award was contingent upon the OLLI reaching 1,000 annually paying members, which it met in September. The OLLI currently has 1,063 members who pay an annual membership fee of $50, according to the Berkshire Eagle. The average program member is 70 years old and remains active.

"This program at BCC has earned the distinction of being one of only a handful of [OLLI] programs at colleges around the country that have been recognized by the Osher Foundation at the two million dollar level," said Dr. Paul Raverta, president of Berkshire Community College.

OLLI is committed to lifelong learning and supports a multifaceted experience by offering courses, lectures, trips and special events. Courses run year-round and professors teach pro-bono. OLLI offers a range of course topics, from ballroom dance to modern science and even a film club, which begins this spring.

The Bernard Osher Foundation supports OLLI programs nationally, with at least one program in every state and in the District of Columbia.

"This is a place where people retire. They come here for culture. We can offer that," said OLLI liaison Arthur Sherman to the Berkshire Eagle.

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art is anticipating some expansions over the upcoming months, but according to museum director Thomas Campbell, they won't come in the form of a new wing. Instead, Campbell is looking to advance the museum with virtual and digital updates.

Campbell began his position three years ago, filling in for his predecessor Philippe de Montebello, who served as director for 31 years. Montebello relied largely on attracting visitors via the Met's sheer grandeur, while, in contrast, Campbell is focused on welcoming and educating a new generation of visitors.

The Met will soon install WiFi throughout the museum's 21 buildings, most of which were built with thick walls, making the effort quite a feat. It will also relaunch its website this summer.

One of the largest endeavors the museum is preparing for is the roll-out of a self-guided tour that will be delivered directly to a visitor's mobile device. It will be tailored to fit the needs of the visitor, whether he or she is young, old, an art aficionado or a first-time visitor.

"The Met is an absolutely astounding museum, but it is a better museum for people who already know something about art and have a familiarity with the place, which can be intimidating," said Ford Bell, president of the American Association of Museums in Washington, to The New York Times.

"They face a big challenge trying to address that because of their sheer size and complexity. Smaller museums can try these things out much more quickly," he added.

Another effort that The Met has signed on with is a the Google Art Project, which brings art museums and collections to the internet. The website offers more than 1,000 pieces by almost 500 artists and lets visitors take virtual tours of galleries. Seventeen museums have signed on with the project, four of which are located within the U.S., the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has extended a $2.1 million grant to the New Tech Network, which is a subsidiary of KnowledgeWorks, in an effort to help the high school development organization expand its capacity to focus on teaching that is more relevant and aligned with the Common Core State Standards.

The Cincinnati, Ohio-based organization functions in 62 high schools across 14 states. It will use the funding to promote the importance of deeper learning, helping to prepare high school students for college and future careers. It will develop online and professional opportunities that will offer teachers support as the organizations continues to expand nationally.

"New Tech Network offers a re-imagined teaching and learning environment that high school students find engaging and teachers find empowering," said Lydia Dobyns, New Tech Network president.

"The grant provided by the Gates Foundation enables us to expand our core capacity and partner with public school districts around the country that are committed to transforming high schools to be aligned with 21st century skills. We aren't simply aiming for high school diplomas, our model prepares students for post-secondary success, whether that is a community college, university or other training programs," she added.

New Tech Network aims to improve projects developed by teachers that are related to student literacy and will introduce modules that help students understand math. It will also create a training environment that integrates its learning management system with technology in educational environments.

The Walmart Foundation and Goodwill have teamed up to support single mothers through a program that will help them find employment and succeed at work in order to support their families. The program, Beyond Jobs, will be funded by a $2.5 million grant from Walmart, and will be hosted by Goodwill in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Detroit and New York City through 2012.

In addition to training and placing participants in jobs, Beyond Jobs will help single mothers to remain successful by creating an individual plan outlining their responsibilities and how they can advance their careers in order to sustain financial stability for themselves and their families. Beyond Job participants will receive a career assessment, personal career planning, job skills training and job placement. They will also receive financial education, family strengthening services, child care assistance, educational services and support in nutritional initiatives on a continuing basis.

The U.S. Census Bureau revealed that 26 percent of children grow up with single mothers, many of whom face financial and employment struggles. In fact, single mothers are twice as likely to be unemployed than their married counterparts. During the recession, the number of unemployed single mothers rose to 12.3 percent, which was the highest rate ever recorded by the National Women's Law Center.

"Now more than ever, we are looking for ways to provide opportunities for those who are out of work and facing tough times," said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation.

"This grant to Goodwill will support single mothers across the country by assuring they have access to gaining the necessary skills for today’s jobs. We are pleased to support this project because it gives single mothers the opportunity to continue to play a vital role in the workforce while providing for themselves and their families," she added.

The UPS Foundation will disperse $7 million in grants to more than 80 nonprofit organizations that work to support diverse populations. The funding was awarded through its diversity initiative and will help support programs that develop leadership skills, promote education and include all individuals. The UPS Foundation's diversity program aims to attract and retain employees and provide development to groups through programs such as Women's Leadership Development and Diversity Leadership Development.

"UPS's commitment to developing women and minorities is a pledge that extends beyond philanthropy and into [our] approach to business," said Eduardo Martinez, director of philanthropy and corporate relations at the foundation.

"We are pleased to support these organizations in pursuing their missions and goals as they work to positively impact citizens throughout our community with education and leadership development opportunities," he added.

Grant recipients include the National Council of La Raza, which was awarded $900,000 in order to expand its regional network of community-based organizations. Girls Inc. was awarded $150,000 for its Leadership and Community Action Program and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation was extended $100,000 to fund a project that will encourage workplace inclusion practices.

Additionally, the UPS Foundation will give $155,000 to the NAACP to support its Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics, which is a year-long program that encourages the achievement, recruitment and stimulation of African-American students to boost their academic and cultural achievements. It will also use the funding to defray the expenses of its national conference and Spingarn Dinner, which is held annually.

Other organizations receiving grants include the National Federation of the Blind, the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the National Urban League, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Human Rights Campaign.