Philanthropy

Big Bet Philanthropy: These Gifts of $25 Million or More Target Society's Toughest Problems

Large fortunes beget large gifts, and more than ever, prominent philanthropists and foundations are anteing up $25 million-plus to help tackle problems of poverty, disease, substandard education and more. Boston's Bridgespan Group found 74 such gifts in 2016, totaling $6.7 billion. Its panel of outside experts then ranked the 10 most promising.

How Michael Bloomberg Landed in the Center of the Virgin Islands' Hurricane Recovery
Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire known for his activism on climate change and gun safety, said he had no grand scheme to become involved in hurricane recovery in the Caribbean.

But what started off as an effort to provide quick emergency assistance in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where his Bloomberg L.P., co-founder Tom Secunda has a home, has turned into a new kind of project for Bloomberg and his key aides, putting them at Ground Zero of efforts to rebuild the tiny U.S. territory.

And there's a chance it could grow into a Bloomberg specialty as coastal communities and islands like these cope with increasingly extreme weather.
Michael Bloomberg on the Timeliness of His Coal Industry Doc 'From the Ashes'
President Trump ran on a campaign that promised to bring the coal industry back in America. But to billionaire mogul, former New York City mayor and philanthropist Michael Bloomberg, that’s an empty promise given that long before climate change activists began railing against it, the industry was on a downward trajectory because of technology and cheaper alternatives like natural gas. In 2015, the founder of the privately-held Bloomberg L.P. asked top lieutenant Katherine Oliver to back a film that could explain the issue from both sides — the workers displaced when coal plants close and the health costs of the polluting industry when they remain open. The result is Michael Bonfiglio’s From the Ashes, one of the environmental-themed contenders in this year’s Oscar documentary feature race.
Today: A Giving Tuesday Chat With Cool Effect at #CarbonCantHide!
Join Cool Effect, March for Science, The Redford Center, and TriplePundit at #CarbonCantHide on “Giving Tuesday” – today, November 28th at 9am PT / Noon ET – to discuss ways that individuals and organizations can fight climate change and “give back” to Mother Earth!
Agxa Achieves FSC Chain of Custody Certification
agxa, an AG International company, is an international trade and offshore business entity operating in Australia, Sri Lanka, India, and Singapore with principal networks in Asia, Europe and North America. It has now gained the most credible certification in the forest trade – Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody Certification through SCS Global Services.
It's Giving Tuesday! - Best Buy's Open Giving Format Encourages Employee Giving
Best Buy’s 12,000 employees are enjoying the retailer’s new employee giving program that matches 40 per cent of their donations to registered Canadian charities. The retailer’s new open giving program, called ‘myGiving’ launched in June.

“We’ve had lots of really great feedback,” says Karen Arsenault, Manager, Community Relations at Best Buy Canada Ltd. “People are excited about the program because they often have personal connections to charities and want to give back, whether it’s in support of a family member that has gone through cancer or helping a friend participating in a run or a ride in support of a specific charity.”

The program uses a simple online tool that makes giving to charities that “are near and dear to our employees’ hearts” really easy.
Nespresso Announces Investment in Post-Conflict Colombian Coffee
espresso today announced it will expand its coffee-sourcing programme for the first time into several former conflict zones as part of a USD 50 million investment in sustainable high-quality coffee cultivation in Colombia.

President Juan Manuel Santos addressed the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board where he welcomed the company’s commitment. He cited the investment as an important contribution to the development of post-conflict areas.
Cool Effect Rolls Out Its Holiday Gift Packs
With Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah just around the corner, crowdfunding platform Cool Effect is rolling out a new set of holiday gift packs for the eco-conscious consumer. The six innovative concepts aren’t just designed to make gift-buyers feel good about their choices, though. They send that all-important message to recipients that Mother Earth should be on all of their gift lists as well. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that all gifts purchased with Cool Effect are tax-deductible!
Replanting Our Nation's Forests
Thanks to generations past, our forests are our heritage. The conservation of these forests will be our legacy for the future.
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