Samwise Nonprofits and Charities Newsletter
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Carnegie Corporation Names Foreign Policy Expert Jonathan Tepperman as Vice President of International Program
Carnegie Corporation of New York has appointed Jonathan Tepperman as vice president of its International Program. Tepperman previously served as editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine, managing editor of Foreign Affairs, and deputy editor of Newsweek’s international editions, and most recently as a senior fellow at the George W. Bush Institute. He will oversee a grantmaking portfolio with an annual budget exceeding $70 million, focusing on international peace and security, conflict prevention, and migration policy. Carnegie Corporation, founded in 1911, is among the oldest private foundations in the United States. The appointment brings prominent editorial experience to Carnegie’s international philanthropy leadership.
Sources: The NonProfit Times
AFP Issues Standards for Online Fundraising Platforms Following Flipcause Collapse and GoFundMe Controversy
The Association of Fundraising Professionals has released a set of principles governing online fundraising platforms, responding to the bankruptcy of Flipcause—during which $29 million in donor funds vanished—and revelations that GoFundMe created pages for more than 1.4 million nonprofits without their consent. The AFP framework covers fee transparency, discoverability and public data, responsible data use, responsible fund management, and resolution and accountability. AFP warned that donors may not realize they are transacting with a platform rather than directly with a nonprofit, and that funds may be delayed, reduced by undisclosed fees, or lost when platforms fail. The guidance applies to fundraising platforms, payment processors, donor-advised fund platforms, and cause-discovery tools.
Sources: The NonProfit Times
Higher Education Captures 71 Percent of All Gifts Above $10 Million as Healthcare Philanthropy Drops to Lowest Level Since 2020
Higher education institutions received 71 percent, or approximately $10 billion, of all philanthropic gifts exceeding $10 million in 2025—the largest share directed toward any single category since 2018—according to a new analysis of top-net-worth donor activity by The NonProfit Times. Healthcare nonprofits, the second-largest recipient category, received $1.7 billion, marking the first year since 2020 that sector fell below $2 billion. The number of donors employing a planned gift strategy rose from 22 in 2024 to 33 in 2025, a 50 percent increase. Analysts attributed higher education’s dominance to strong alumni networks and sustained capital campaign activity, while healthcare philanthropy reflected post-pandemic donor fatigue.
Sources: The NonProfit Times
Massachusetts Nonprofits Warn Income Tax Ballot Initiative Would Eliminate Charitable Deduction and Cost Sector $480 Million by 2031
A proposed Massachusetts ballot initiative that would reduce the state income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent would automatically suspend the charitable deduction beginning in 2028, the Massachusetts Council of Nonprofits warned Monday. CEO Jim Klocke said the combined effect would increase the cost of charitable giving by $480 million by 2031. A statutory provision ties the deduction to a 5 percent tax rate; if the rate falls below that threshold, the deduction lapses. Klocke noted that 90 percent of Massachusetts nonprofits rely on charitable donations, and that federal funding cuts have made private giving more critical than ever. The initiative is expected before voters in November.
Sources: GBH News
Habitat for Humanity Launches 40th Carter Work Project in Atlanta, Building 24 Homes for First Time in City Since 1988
More than 1,000 volunteers gathered Monday in southwest Atlanta to build 24 new homes as part of Habitat for Humanity’s 40th annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. The five-day blitz build runs through May 8 and returns the landmark event to Atlanta for the first time since 1988, coinciding with Habitat for Humanity International’s 50th anniversary. Volunteers are raising the walls of 10 single-family homes and completing the interiors of 14 townhomes at Langston Park, a new master-planned community in historic Sylvan Hills designed for low- and moderate-income families. Future homeowners are working alongside volunteers throughout the build week.
Sources: PR Newswire / Habitat for Humanity
Curated by JD · samwise.agency