Samwise Nonprofits and Charities Newsletter
Thursday, June 25, 2026
Ballroom Culture as Democratic Model: Philanthropists Investing $1.4 Million in Black Trans Femme-Led Organizations
Ballroom culture — the underground dance and performance world that Black and Latino queer and trans communities created decades before mainstream recognition — is being reframed as a model for democracy and civic belonging. NPQ’s Lupe Mahida explores how ballroom’s structures of chosen family, mutual support, and radical inclusion prefigured the inclusive democracy its members were denied. The philanthropic stakes are real: only 3.5 cents of every $100 in philanthropy currently reaches trans communities. The Fund for Trans Generations doubled its grant amount in 2026, committing $200,000 to 25 trans-led organizations, while the Flower Crown Project is investing $1.4 million over two years in 10 Black trans femme-led groups.
Sources: Nonprofit Quarterly Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
MIT’s Schwarzman College of Computing Marks Seven Years: $1 Billion Raised, 50 New Faculty, Ongoing Ethics Questions
When Stephen Schwarzman gave $350 million to MIT in 2018, he launched what became one of the most significant efforts to reshape how artificial intelligence is taught and governed. The Chronicle of Philanthropy revisits that gift seven years on, finding a mixed but consequential legacy. The Schwarzman College of Computing raised $1 billion in total, hired 50 new faculty across 19 departments, and introduced a new undergraduate major in AI and decision making. Its ethics counterpart, the Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing institute, now engages more than 300 students across 25 departments and reaches over 1,000 students annually — but key questions about AI’s societal impact remain open.
Sources: The Chronicle of Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Giving USA 2026 Reports Record $617 Billion in Charitable Donations as Donor Base Shrinks for Fifth Year
Giving USA’s 2026 report puts American charitable giving at a record $617.2 billion, but Tiltify CEO Michael Wasserman argues the headline misses the real story. The donor base shrank for the fifth consecutive year, falling 3.6 percent even as total dollars climbed. More critically, Giving USA’s methodology is blind to the explosion of digital and peer-to-peer fundraising: platforms powered by streamers are generating tens of millions per campaign. Piotr Hancke raised $70 million in nine days; Ryan Trahan brought in $11.6 million for St. Jude; TeamWater raised $40 million. A sector measuring success in dollars while losing donors may be reading its own health backwards.
Sources: The Chronicle of Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
LA Event Producer Tammy Dickerson Marks 25 Years in Philanthropic Events, Eyes World Cup and Olympics Opportunities
Tammy Dickerson, founder of LA-based tbg Events, has spent 25 years producing philanthropic gatherings that blend storytelling with high-impact fundraising. Her clients include the Milken Institute, Magic Johnson Foundation, LA84 Foundation, and Dodgers Foundation. In a conversation with Inside Philanthropy, Dickerson reflects on how nonprofit events work has grown to represent 30 percent of her firm’s portfolio — and why that growth has changed how she thinks about the purpose of a room. With the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics converging on Los Angeles, she sees a rare opportunity to embed equity-focused programming into the city’s biggest moment on the global stage.
Sources: Inside Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Living Billionaire Founders Now Lead 20 of America’s 50 Largest Foundations, Up From Six in 2000
The face of American philanthropy has changed dramatically in a generation: 20 of the 50 largest U.S. foundations now have living founders, compared to just six in 2000 and one in 1984. Inside Philanthropy’s Michael Kavate traces the arc of this shift, which reflects the extraordinary wealth creation of the tech era. Today’s roster of founder-led philanthropies includes the Gates Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Elon Musk’s foundation, and the new Huang Family Foundation linked to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. The concentration of philanthropic power in the hands of living individuals raises questions about accountability, institutional independence, and whether big-donor priorities are crowding out other voices.
Sources: Inside Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Billionaire Women Commit Over $1 Billion to Women’s Health Research as Funding Gap Persists
Women’s health has been chronically underfunded in medical research — just 5 percent of R&D dollars were dedicated to women’s health as recently as 2020. Inside Philanthropy profiles four billionaire donors working to close that gap. Melinda French Gates has committed $215 million in new funding for menopause and midlife health, part of more than $600 million over two years. MacKenzie Scott directed $275 million to Planned Parenthood. Alexandra Cohen has focused on menopause research, giving $4.7 million in 2024. Nicole Shanahan pledged $100 million for reproductive longevity. Meanwhile, the Gates Foundation has made a separate $2.5 billion five-year commitment to global women’s health through 2030.
Sources: Inside Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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