Small arts organizations were among those hit the hardest by shrinking donations last year, according to a study by the Urban Institute. Small charities nationwide have faced significant losses in charitable giving as donors cut back during the COVID health and economic crisis: Four in 10 have suffered a decline in donations, according to a […]
"Small organizations are often particularly effective because they re very connected to the communities they serve," said Laura Pierce of Washington Nonprofits.
The Gates divorce and the risks of billionaire philanthropy
Relying on the charity of the uber wealthy is a poor substitute for the kind of ongoing support more progressive taxes can provide.
by
In this April 27, 2018, file photo, a person walks by the headquarters of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
When I first heard that Bill and Melinda Gates were divorcing, my first panicked thought was about all the money their foundation distributes locally.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation says it gives out about $300 million in grant money to Washington state organizations every year, which is sizable. That’s about as much money as Gov. Jay Inslee distributed to local governments last year from the federal stimulus package. Indeed, here in Washington State, we’ve grown accustomed to billionaire philanthropy almost as part of our annual revenue stream, relying on it to support the arts, journalism, health care, education, housing in