Daniel Solomon uses the arts to advocate for rights…HUD announces $216 million in funding for homelessness…High net worth philanthropy research [News, 4.29.11]

ARTS/DEMOCRACY/D.C. | Making a dynamic and unique statement about District voting rights, Daniel Solomon (Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation and WRAG board member) commissioned two artists to paint a large mural of a gagged George Washington on a building at 15th and U streets. (DCist, 4/27) It’s also a testament to the power of the arts.

- Related: PBS Newshour profiles D.C. voting rights (PBS, 4/27)

GIVING | Yesterday, ten more billionaires signed the Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge. A Forbes columnist points out that many of the billionaires have already given (or have planned to give) large portions of their wealth and asks if the Giving Pledge is really spurring new giving. (Forbes, 4/27)

I think the author fails to consider the long-term benefits of simply setting an example. Even if the pledge hasn’t sparked new giving yet, it is bringing an unprecedented amount of attention to the concept of philanthropy.

HOMELESSNESS | The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced $216 million in funding for more than 700 homeless programs.

- Related: HUD grants list by state

REPORT | Bank of America has released a study of high net worth philanthropy. Findings include that in 2009, 98% of wealthy households donated to charity, and 55% of high-net worth households gave their largest gift to fund the general operations of an organization.

ENVIRONMENT | Casey Trees has created an interactive map showing in detail the different types and locations of trees in D.C. My intersection has maples, sycamores, oaks, and a few others. (GGW, 4/28)

METRO | I let out a tremendous wail that shook the pillars of heaven when I found out that Metro plans to suspend Blue/Orange line service through Capitol Hill on Memorial Day weekend. Yes, I live on the Hill, but the wail was mostly for the tourists coming to town – including the 100,000 expected for a weekend-long event at RFK (conveniently located on the Blue/Orange line).

SPACE | UPDATE: Launch canceled due to heater failure in a power united. Bummer. The Space Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to blast off on it’s final mission this afternoon. If you are having a Friday lull at 3:47pm, CNN.com will be streaming the launch.

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A new Transformers 3 trailer will be in front of the surprisingly well-reviewed Fast Five this weekend. But you can see it online now. At the 1:10 mark, there’s finished footage of the scene being filmed in our Transforming Philanthropy video from earlier this year. Very cool indeed!

Anna Smith moves to Capital One…A crucial element of regional planning…Making healthy food appealing to kids [News, 4.28.11]

COMMUNITY NEWS | We heard that after 23 years, Anna Smith is moving on from Freddie Mac to a new post at Capital One. Anna has been a big part of the WRAG community as the co-chair of the CDSC Steering Committee. We wish her the best of luck in her new position!

REGION | A growing region equals higher demand for goods – perhaps as much as 40 tons of freight per person a year – but local governments and regional planners don’t “spend much time thinking about how to move around anything but people.” (Examiner, 4/28)

BUDGETS | A little more information on Mayor Gray’s proposed cuts to TANF, housing programs, and the Interim Disability Assistance Program. (Bread for the City, 4/25)

YOUTH
- WAMU looks at how DCPS is working to make the Healthy Schools Act more kid-friendly. (WAMU, 4/28)

- A pilot program linking Metro fares to student ID cards starts next week. (Examiner, 4/28)

WEATHER | Both locally and nationally, this about sums it up.

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I might have missed something, but it seems like a slow news day. I guess everyone is busy either dodging twisters or getting ready for the royal wedding. In honor (honour?) of our neighbors across the pond, here’s my favorite moment of British Comedy.

What Boards should know about operating reserves…Uline Arena revives…A colorful Council [News, 4.27.11]

PHILANTHROPY |  Rick Moyers of the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation (and a WRAG Board member) writes about Four Things Boards Should Understand About Operating Reserves. (Chronicle, 4/26) “[B]oard-level conversations about operating reserves are mission critical—and in many cases, long overdue.”

EDUCATION | Charter Board approves four new schools (WaPo, 4/27)

ARTS
- The abandoned Uline Arena (formerly the Washington Coliseum) by Union Station, site of the Beatles’ first American concert among other monumental events, is set to host a new show featuring “scenes of a spectacular nature.” (DCist, 4/27) There’s something terrifically intriguing about this building – it is falling apart and covered in graffiti, but it teases really neat history.

- In an effort to “build appreciation” for Metro, a local songwriter is penning 86 songs about the system – one for each station. (WaPo, 4/27) He might have trouble with lyrical flow when he gets to “U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo.”

ELECTION | Mr. Gray, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Orange. No, that isn’t a Reservoir Dogs reference, but instead part of the colorful composition of the D.C. Council if Vincent Orange’s 2 percent margin of victory holds after absentee ballots are totaled. Orange defeated Patrick Mara 28% to 26% in a very close race for the council’s open seat. (WaPo, 4/27)

- In related news, Sulaimon Brown seems to be hiding to avoid a subpoena. Which does not facilitate the appearance of innocence. (City Paper, 4/27)

Don’t forget to vote today…CFNCR’s Groupon is live…Rushern Baker writes to the region’s funders [News, 4.26.11]

ELECTION | District voters: Don’t forget to cast your ballot in today’s special election for an at-large D.C. Council seat. Six Democrats, one Republican, one independent, and one Green Party member are running for the seat – with no front runner.
- About the candidates (DCist, 4/26)
- Voter Guide
- Polling Place Locator

Depending on the outcome, things could stay the same (if Sekou Biddle remains); the Council could legitimately claim to be democratically diverse with a lone Republican voice (Patrick Mara); or, we could wind up with the most colorful D.C. Council ever. (Or somebody else could win the seat.)

GIVING | The Community Foundation’s Groupon is live! Donate $10, $25, or $50 to the Neighbors in Need Fund and your donation will be fully matched.

REGION UNITED | In an open letter to funders, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker talks about the budget, accountability, and working with philanthropy to improve the quality of life in the county. (WG Daily, 4/26)

ARTS | Candide, Oklahoma! Win Big At Helen Hayes (DCist, 4/26)

EDUCATION | Montgomery County has named a replacement for outgoing superintendent Jerry Weast – Joshua P. Starr.  Starr, who will take over in June pending formal approval, currently oversees the school system in Stamford, CT. (WaPo, 4/26)

ENVIRONMENT | Groups seek guarantee for Anacostia cleanup from Pepco (Examiner, 4/25)

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Yesterday was the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, and the President and First Lady took time to read books to young attendees. Late night host Jimmy Kimmel found the choice of books to be rather amusing.

An Open Letter to Funders in Our Region

In an open letter to funders, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker speaks out directly to the grantmaking community. This continues WRAG’s commitment to work with elected officials across the region toward a Region United.

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By Rushern L. Baker, III
County Executive of Prince George’s County, MD

Since taking office on December 6, my administration has been exploring new opportunities to engage the philanthropic, business and nonprofit communities. Why? Because we cannot create the quality of life that the citizens and residents of Prince George’s County deserve without you.

It has been a pleasure for my staff and me to meet with various funders and service providers over the last few months. These meetings have provided a wonderful exchange of information, suggestions and ideas that have helped us as we begin to reshape these relationships and processes. We’ve made some critical proposals that will improve the grant process and monitoring of the nonprofits that provide great service.

• The FY 2012 Proposed Budget eliminates the prior practice of earmarks for selected organizations, and instead provides for a more competitive process that will award grants based upon a set of criteria, including the value added to the identified community, overall program costs, organizational stability, and adequacy of other funding sources. In addition, the County will be ensuring that the funds we invest in organizations will be focused on achieving quantifiable results. Furthermore, organizations will be subject to reporting requirements, including itemization of how County funds were spent, the actual results accomplished relative to estimated results, and the ability of the organization to leverage County funds to obtain additional sources of funds.
• The FY 2012 Proposed Budget contains no earmarks for specific organizations from on-going revenues. Thus, it provides for $4.0 million in competitive grants – an increase of $1.6 million or 68% over FY 2011 in competitive grants.

Additionally, we are exploring the possibility of an office that will be dedicated to addressing the needs of nonprofit and faith-based organizations that will streamline processes that can impose expenses on them. We are also working on ways to improve our grant research, writing and tracking efforts among agencies in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget.

We believe that these efforts show our commitment to creating an environment that is accountable to and responsible for our partners as we improve the quality of life in Prince George’s County. By implementing these practices, you will know that your resources are not being wasted. Everyone – from the employee who writes the grant to the person who receives the service – will be able to celebrate not only the investment of funds and talent but also the outcome.

Community Foundation partners with Groupon for campaign [News, 4.25.11]

The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region is partnering with Groupon for an innovative matching campaign. Starting tomorrow, Groupon users will have the option of donating $10, $25, or $50 with each donation being matched by the foundation.

The Community Foundation’s Terri Freeman says that raising money for local charities isn’t the only goal – “We might be able to distribute hopefully $4,000, including our match, but we may have opened up the eyes of people to the organizations that we’re giving to.” (WaPo, 4/25)

GIVING | Americans Gave a Lot Less in the Recession Than Experts Predicted (Chronicle, 4/22) “The decline is far sharper than experts had expected—and much more substantial than in previous downturns.”

JOBS | A rise in self-employment is making the local employment rate tough to read. (WaPo, 4/25)

EDUCATION | Charter schools suffer leadership shortages (WaPo, 4/25)

BUDGETS | Here’s some trashy news for you – the District’s Department of Public Works will begin charging $45 each for new trash can and recycling cart to help close the budget gap. (WTOP, 4/23)

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The weather was pretty crazy yesterday.  I like DCist’s article title – Thor’s Easter.

Post a job listing ($60 for 60 days)

Looking to hire? Spread the word with WRAG’s job board!

Positions appear for 60 days on the WRAG website, are featured in WRAG’s blog and newsletter, and enter the Simply Hired database to appear on LinkedIn, Myspace, and others. The latest postings include:

• Development Consultant – ALIVE! (NoVa)
• Associate Director for Recruiting Services- Arabella Advisors (District of Columbia)
• Director of Social Innovation – The Case Foundation (District of Columbia)

Click here to post/view all jobs. (WRAG members post for free.)

Upcoming events…Increased scrutiny on youth detention programs…The impact of arts cuts [News, 4.22.11]

EVENTS
In honor of Earth Day, we wanted to share a couple of upcoming environment-related events of interest:

- DC Appleseed will present recommendations from their new report, “A New Day for the Anacostia: A National Model for Urban River Revitalization,” at the Yards Park on May 2, along with Mayor Vince Gray, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, and others. The report lays out a strategy to clean up the Anacostia River and “turn it into a centerpiece for recreation and economic development throughout DC and Maryland.” More information about the event is available here.

- WRAG Board member Anna Powell passed along this upcoming Wells Fargo-sponsored workshop on May 11 that will be of interest to corporate grantmakers. The tactical workshop, put on by the Association of Corporate Contributions Professionals, will explore the landscape of organizations focused on environmental grantmaking, current trends in sustainability, and promising practices in corporate grantmaking. More information and registration is here.

ENVIRONMENT | Eric Kessler of Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors writes about the Potomac Conservancy, which, with the support of several WRAG members, “contributes to a united region by working to safeguard the lands and waters of the Potomac.” (WRAG Daily, 4/20)

JUVENILE JUSTICE| After four DC teens escaped from a youth detention facility in South Carolina earlier this week, Councilmember Jim Graham, who oversees the Committee on Human Services which has oversight of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, is calling for review of the city’s use of detention facilities in other states. The city sends about 225 teens to these facilities, which costs the city $20 million per year. (Examiner, 4/21)

ARTS | The deep cuts to the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs’ grants program that came out of the recent federal budget agreement already got some attention on the Daily this week, but I thought that this quote from Morey Epstein, the director of institutional development at Studio Theatre, was worth sharing, as it serves as a reminder of the economic impact that a diminished arts and culture scene in DC will have on the city (City Paper 4/20):

“This is just a terrible time for the city to be losing $7 million that goes to arts organizations and from there into the city’s economy,” Epstein says. “They’re the economic engines that revitalize neighborhoods. They pay vendors and salaries. The nation’s capital should be a shining light where the country showcases its arts and cultural life. This cut is going to diminish that.”

During better economic times, the arts sector has had a significant impact on local neighborhoods. WRAG’s 2009 report Beyond Dollars explained how the revitalized Atlas Theater anchored the new development along the H Street NE corridor, which is now a thriving business district.

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Happy Earth Day! Apparently if everyone lived like me, it would take 5.1 Earths to provide enough resources. And that’s without owning a car, not eating much meat, living with a few too many roommates, and recycling religiously.  Hopefully some of you live greener than me. 

-Rebekah

Taking Steps to Make the Potomac Healthy

By Eric Kessler
Principal and Managing Director
Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors

Last November, the Potomac Conservancy and I co-hosted the inaugural Potomac Table, which brought together over 30 regional philanthropic leaders to learn about the state of the Nation’s River. Although there has been much progress since President Lyndon Johnson declared a polluted Potomac River a “national disgrace,” many stretches of the river remain unhealthy.

85 percent of the region’s residents get our drinking water from the Potomac. As we open our taps, few of us think about polluted soil from construction sites, farm runoff carrying hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides, or rainwater running off steaming asphalt parking lots. These pollutants flow unchecked into the ecosystem.

With Earth Day and spring upon us, thousands of people are enjoying the watershed’s trails and parks. When I am out with my family on our boat this summer, I want to know that we can swim in the Potomac without the risk of getting sick.

We can achieve reasonable goals through actions on the land that support and sustain healthy waters, including:

• Protecting forests and replanting more trees;
• Limiting pollution running off roofs and roads;
• Building a community of champions for the Potomac.

With the support of WRAG members such as the Cafritz Foundation, Prince Charitable Trust and the MARPAT Foundation, the Potomac Conservancy contributes to a united region by working to safeguard the lands and waters of the Potomac. Together, they understand that water is not a waste product, but a resource.

As individuals and communities who care about the health of our lands and waters, we must embrace stronger protections for our rivers and forests.

The steps we take – or fail to take – today will have a profound impact on the future of the Potomac River as well as the region’s quality of life and our own health.

Major recognition for education reformers…An “ecodistrict” in downtown DC…Cuts to affordable housing programs…Pro bono consulting for nonprofits [News, 4.21.11]

EDUCATION | Michelle Rhee and Geoffrey Canada: two of the most influential people in the world, according to TIME magazine. (TIME, 4/21)

ENVIRONMENT
- The Downtown Business Improvement District is announcing plans to create an “ecodistrict” across downtown DC. This will entail encouraging downtown property owners to purchase green power and working to “improve parks and transportation options,” among other goals. (City Paper, 4/19)

- Community Gardens Flourish As Food Costs Increase (WAMU, 4/21)

HOUSING | DC Fiscal Policy Institute takes a close look at the deep cuts to affordable housing in Mayor Gray’s proposed FY 2012 budget. In a city where the cost of rent seems to be continuously on the rise, these cutbacks will fall hard on DC’s low-income residents. In case you missed it, DCFPI’s executive director Ed Lazere spoke to WRAG members about the city’s budget situation earlier this month.

WATER | DC Water general manager George Hawkins has his work cut out for him as he balances the need to improve the utility’s public reputation, an expensive new project to prevent storm-water runoff from polluting the Chesapeake, and frustrated residents whose water bills will increase significantly in the years to come. (WaPo 4/21)

TRANSPORTATION | Popular Bikeshare Program Expands in DC (WAMU, 4/1)

NONPROFITS | WRAG member Julia Baer-Cooper passed along this great opportunity for area nonprofits to apply for pro-bono consulting services from Compass. More information about available services and an application to apply can be found here. There is also an optional informational session on April 27 from 9am – 10:30am at 15 Dupont Circle, and the deadline to RSVP is tomorrow.

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Christian is wrapping up this week’s edition of Giving Matters this morning, but he insisted that I include this in today’s news roundup. – Rebekah