Skoll creates new Urgent Threat Fund

Jeff Skoll, the first President of Ebay, has given $100 million dollars to start a new foundation called the Skoll Urgent Threats Fund.  According to a NY Times article yesterday, the organization will address urgent crises such as water shortages, pandemics and the Middle East conflict.  The Urgent Threats Fund will be led by former [...]

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Jane Wales, President and Co-Founder, Global Philanthropy Forum Recognized as Newsmaker

The Philanthropy News Digest spoke with Jane Wales, the co-founder of the Global Philanthropy Forum and president and CEO of the World Affairs Council about the world’s poor, the global economic crisis, its effect on philanthropy, and the Obama administration’s interest in social innovation.
Read the full interview: Jane Wales, President and Co-Founder, Global Philanthropy Forum: Philanthropy [...]

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More New Philanthropy: Hedge Funds and their results driven approach

An article today on Bloomberg.com explores one of the biggest forces in today’s global philanthropy: hedge fund leaders.  The authors emphasize the weight these hedge fund philanthropists place on results: “If a hedge fund manager is going to give money, we want them to give based on the effectiveness of the charity,” says Martin Brookes, [...]

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Madoff scandal may open a space for New Philanthropists

On Thursday, Wall Street financier Bernard L. Madoff was arrested on charges of fraud totaling losses of $50 billion.   A former head of the Nasdaq stock market, Madoff was a prominent leader in the New York Jewish community and served as Chairmen of the School of Business at Yeshiva University. His fund, Bernard L. [...]

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Bill Gates calls for Obama to Increase Spending

Philanthropist and billionaire Bill Gates spoke in Washington DC yesterday encouraging President-Elect Obama to increase spending. Even in the midst of this financial crisis, Gates urged us not to lose sight of our future and not to sacrifice our long-term goals for short-term gain. He encouraged Obama to follow through on his campaign [...]

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