"behind the facade of 'charitable giving' is a profoundly anti-democratic tax loophole that allows the super-wealthy to effectively substitute their priorities for what would otherwise be public priorities." thanks for citing our research <3 @ips-dc.org

Robert Reich@rbreich.bsky.social · last wk.

We tend to think of “charitable giving” as unambiguously good because we equate “charities” with organizations that help the poor and equate “giving” with generosity. But both assumptions are wrong.

Talked Giving Pledge with @rameswaram.bsky.social on Today, Explained @vox.com >>>> podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

The world’s stingiest trillionaire

Podcast Episode · Today, Explained · June 24 · 26m

podcasts.apple.com

"what is at first glance a case of hypocrisy at a single sponsor warns of what can happen when financial institutions position themselves at crucial choke points of democracy." great piece by @dpetegorsky.bsky.social on DAF sponsors, SPLC, + leonard leo: inequality.org/article/schw...

The Shameful Hypocrisy of Schwab’s Donor-Advised Fund Affiliate - Inequality.org

Southern Poverty Law Center was targeted by a weaponized DOJ and commercial DAFs paused grantmaking to them. That's a dangerous choice.

inequality.org

fab visualization by @helenofips.bsky.social of the top 20 U.S. charities over the last 34 years: the most important story in 21st century philanthropy is the rise and (concerning) dominance of donor-advised funds, which don't have payout or adequate transparency requirements

I'm excited to be moderating a national conversation on private foundations, as part of the Philanthropy Project's Leadership Briefings. I'll be joined by Vu Le, @bdevaan.bsky.social, and Craig Kennedy. Join us! This Thursday at 4:00 ET. And... it's FREE! business.calnonprofits.org/ap/Events/Re...

NEW: A new Forbes list switches up U.S. billionaire rankings by including wealth they've donated — knocking less generous billionaires down a few pegs. "I commend [Forbes] for being so creative and leveraging their power," IPS scholar @bdevaan.bsky.social tells Daniel de Visé in @usatoday.com:

The world's five wealthiest people – if you count charity work

Forbes has a new ranking of the planet’s wealthiest people, sorting them not just by net worth but also by the value of all they’ve given away.

usatoday.com

NEW: In his new book CONTROL, @glengalaich.bsky.social asks whether philanthropy isn’t just about generosity, but about who gets to decide? Monday 3/30, join his unfiltered conversation on the future of giving with IPS scholar @bdevaan.bsky.social. Register: www.linkedin.com/events/money...

the Giving Pledge is under attack by some for sinister reasons. but! its founders *cannot stop getting richer*... which tells us what we need to know about its efficacy. time for new regs + wealth redistribution! thanks to @teddyschleifer.bsky.social for citing us "left-wing critics" @ips-dc.org:

Don Moynihan@donmoyn.bsky.social · 5mo ago

It is undeniable that there is a) both extraordinary new concentrations of wealth and b) those benefiting don't want to share it any way. The "Giving Pledge" was a nod to some form of social contract. Now, billionaires are walking away from it. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/b...

per @chronphilanthropy.bsky.social's data, over $13.1 billion (or over 58%) of "gifts" from America's 50 biggest donors traveled into foundations & donor-advised funds in 2025. money flows out of them... but basically everyone's getting richer, reaping tax benefits, + retaining control.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy@chronphilanthropy.bsky.social · 5mo ago

The Chronicle's exclusive Philanthropy 50 is out. Michael Bloomberg tops the list for the third straight year — $4.3 billion in 2025 giving. Who are America's top donors? See the full list at: https://phlnthrp.com/47AUIU6 #PHIL50

"The real freeloaders here are the big, profitable corporations that are shifting the cost of people's basic needs onto taxpayers. They are the leeches on the system!" @sarahanderson.bsky.social with @moreperfectunion.bsky.social: youtu.be/VKRLZk98EOg?...

The People Scamming Welfare Are Not Who You Think

YouTube video by More Perfect Union

youtu.be

The tech billionaire and top deputies worked with Epstein for 18 months on a mega-philanthropy idea. We dug into the files to find out more. Michael Kavate(@kavate.bsky.social) Reports: tinyurl.com/4paf8vab #BillGates #JeffreyEpstein #DonorAdvisedFunds #DAFs #ShadowPhilanthropy #TaxPolicy

What Did Bill Gates Do with Jeffrey Epstein? Here’s What the Emails Say

The tech billionaire and top deputies worked with Epstein for 18 months on a mega-philanthropy idea. We dug into the files to find out more.

tinyurl.com

spotted: @ips-dc.org Giving Pledge research on @britannica.com ⭐ www.britannica.com/money/the-Gi...

Giving Pledge | Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Billionaire Philanthropy, Criticism, & Impact | Britannica Money

In the first 50 years of his life, Charles Feeney went from being the child of a nurse and an insurance...

britannica.com

"I wanted to inspire really rich people — billionaires — to pony up some dough," Craig Newmark tells Ben Gose @chronphilanthropy.bsky.social. More on the new Giving Pledge signatory, who calls Leonard Cohen his rabbi and loves CUNY, ft. our @ips-dc.org take: www.philanthropy.com/news/craigsl...

Craigslist Founder Signs Giving Pledge and Narrows Focus

Craig Newmark's philanthropic strategy is shaped as much by what didn’t work as by what did — leading to an approach that favors scale, networks, and trusted intermediaries over scattershot giving.

philanthropy.com

NEW: In 2025, U.S. billionaire wealth surged to $8.1 trillion — an increase of over 20.8%. The top 15 U.S. billionaires alone saw their wealth surge to $3.2 trillion, a whopping 33% increase over 2024. IPS scholars @chuck77.bsky.social and @ocampomar.bsky.social:

Richest 15 U.S. centi-billionaires see wealth surge 33 percent to $3.2 trillion - Institute for Policy Studies

Richest 15 U.S. centi-billionaires see wealth surge 33 percent to $3.2 trillion

ips-dc.org

Melinda French Gates on our @ips-dc.org Giving Pledge report: "I wish we had been even more successful with the pledge than we have been to date... I believe to whom much is given, much is expected, & they should be giving back more. Far more than they are." @wired.com www.wired.com/story/the-bi...

Melinda French Gates on Secrets: ‘Live a Truthful Life, Then You Don’t Have Any’

On this week’s episode of The Big Interview podcast, the philanthropist offers her insights on billionaire donors, kids on phones, and the importance of women’s health care.

wired.com

NEW: Since 2010, some 14% of our country's billionaires have pledged to give away at least half of their wealth. Instead, most of them have collectively grown far, far richer, IPS @inequality.org researchers found. IPS scholar @bdevaan.bsky.social on @katiecouric.bsky.social:

Billionaires Promised to Give Wealth Away — So Why Are They Richer Than Ever?

Even the billionaires who’ve promised to donate their wealth can’t seem to make a dent in it.

katiecouric.com

NEW: In an era of staggering inequality — and tax avoidance — privately held fortunes are larger than anyone can fathom. Charitable donations simply aren't keeping up with what could be raised from a fairer tax code. IPS scholars @chuck77.bsky.social and @bdevaan.bsky.social in @newsweek.com:

These Billionaires Pledged To Give Away Wealth. Most Are Getting Wealthier

At 15 years old, the Giving Pledge shows we can't rely on the best intentions of billionaires to win a fairer economy.

newsweek.com

NEW: 15 years into the Giving Pledge, billionaires’ broad failure to donate money faster than they can hoard it shows the need to overhaul philanthropy — and tax the rich, says @bdevaan.bsky.social. “There’s only so long that we can take them at their word.” @eshugs.bsky.social in @sfstandard.com:

America's billionaires promised to give away their money 15 years ago. How's that going? - The San Francisco Standard

Only one local bigwig is even close to giving away half their wealth.

sfstandard.com

NEW: In 2010, 57 billionaires pledged to give away at least half of their wealth. In the 15 years since, 32 of them have instead collectively grown 283% wealthier. “We must enact measures to ensure more donations actually reach working charities,” says IPS scholar @bdevaan.bsky.social:

IPS’s Giving Pledge at 15 report: wealth growing alarmingly faster than it’s given away - the Giving Review

Warns of coming supercharged dynastic philanthropy.

thegivingreview.com

NEW: Hundreds of rich people have signed the Giving Pledge to donate half of their wealth. 15 years on, their lack of progress shows our critical need to fix philanthropy — and tax them more. REPORT by @chuck77.bsky.social, @bdevaan.bsky.social, @helenofips.bsky.social and @dpetegorsky.bsky.social:

The Giving Pledge at 15

15 years on, the Giving Pledge is unfulfilled, unfulfillable, and not our ticket to a fairer, better future.

ips-dc.org

New Study Shines a Light on the Impact of Donor-Advised Funds nonprofitquarterly.org/new-study-sh... @chuck77.bsky.social‬ @helenofips.bsky.social‬ @ips-dc.org #nonprofits

New Study Shines a Light on the Impact of Donor-Advised Funds - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly

Where do DAF dollars go—and how quickly do these donor dollars actually arrive at operating nonprofits? The answers, derived from a new study, may be surprising.

nonprofitquarterly.org

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott’s “stealth giving” — giving money directly to nonprofits, letting them handle the funds as they see fit — is “shifting common sense towards trust-based philanthropy,” says @ips-dc.org charity reformer @bdevaan.bsky.social. fortune.com/2025/05/24/g...

Hundreds of billionaires pledged to give away $600 billion to charity—but the Bill Gates and Warren Buffett era of philanthropy may be over

A new tax proposal aimed at crippling liberal philanthropic foundations may bulldoze a billionaire giving norm—but women like MacKenzie Scott and Melinda French Gates are expected to step up instead.

fortune.com

Tagging for #nonprofitsky 🤝... #ARNOVA ... #NVSQ ... And my team at @inequality.org @ips-dc.org @dpetegorsky.bsky.social @bdevaan.bsky.social @chuck77.bsky.social @rachelleighcash.bsky.social!

Brian Mittendorf@countingcharity.bsky.social · last yr.

New research with @helenofips.bsky.social on donor-advised funds (DAFs) now in NVSQ: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... A short thread. 1/4

“We need to just really change the relationship between money and influence in politics through the nonprofit sector.” IPS Charity Reform Initiative's Bella DeVaan talks about how dark money is funneled through nonprofits on our webcast www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-yE...

It's out! The 1st-ever independent rep't on donor-advised funds, w. REAL percentages for what goes out in grants (not much) & the REAL average size of individual DAFs (huge!). Well done, @chuckcollins.bsky.social @helenofips.bsky.social Dan Petegorsky & Bella DeVaan! inequality.org/article/the-...

The Independent Report on DAFs

Demystifying donor-advised funds and their impacts on charitable giving, fair taxation, and our democracy itself.

inequality.org

Excited to share our Charity Reform Initiative's first Independent Report on DAFs! @chuck77.bsky.social @helenofips.bsky.social @dpetegorsky.bsky.social and I seek to shed a little more light on the flow of these tax-benefited billions... @ips-dc.org @inequality.org inequality.org/article/the-...

The Independent Report on DAFs

Demystifying donor-advised funds and their impacts on charitable giving, fair taxation, and our democracy itself.

inequality.org

my brilliant sister on 50 years of The Power Broker and today's possibilities for the public authority, in @jacobinmag.bsky.social -- jacobin.com/2024/12/an-u...

An Urban Legend

Fifty years after the publication of The Power Broker, the legacy of urban planner Robert Moses is ripe for revisiting.

jacobin.com

"Philanthropic cakeism" is changing how the wealthy give www.axios.com/2024/12/16/p...

Billionaires like Musk give to charity and get something from it too

"Philanthropic cakeism" is the new paradigm for donors.

axios.com

Right now, $1.7 trillion in donations is sitting in private foundations and DAFs — money that's needed by working charities. Popular philanthropy reforms could get this money flowing to nonprofits faster. IPS @inequality.bsky.social scholars Chuck Collins and @bdevaan.bsky.social: #nonprofitsky

Let’s Make This a Season of Giving, Not Hoarding - OtherWords

Billionaires and Wall Street exploit our charitable giving laws to dodge taxes and collect fees, hurting real charities in the process.

otherwords.org

Great piece from @insidephilanthropy.com (citing our new report!) 🤝 The financial industry is blurring the distinction between investment and philanthropy, "encouraging the idea of a seamless continuum from for-profit investment through ESG screening and microloans to traditional philanthropy.”

On Giving Tuesday, Four Sobering Thoughts

The end of the year is a time for big fundraising hauls, but it’s also a time for reflection. Here are several troubling trends funders and fundraisers face.

insidephilanthropy.com