Samwise Nonprofits and Charities Newsletter
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Buffett Skips Gates Foundation in $6B Annual Gift After Epstein Disclosure, Breaking 20-Year Partnership
Warren Buffett made history this week by omitting the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from his annual ~$6 billion charitable distribution, the first break in a two-decade philanthropic partnership. Buffett directed the full allocation to four family foundations instead, following public disclosure of Bill Gates’ meetings with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Though Buffett described the connections as “distasteful,” he found nothing he couldn’t envision himself doing. Gates has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. The split draws attention to how high-profile personal controversies can redirect mega-philanthropy and signals a broader reckoning about donor relationships at the billion-dollar scale.
Sources: Alliance Magazine Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
NPCA Mounts Defense of America’s Historic Sites as Administration Targets Preservation Funding
The National Parks Conservation Association, a 106-year-old advocacy nonprofit, is leading efforts to protect America’s historical sites from what the organization describes as politically driven erasure. NPCA has challenged the Trump administration’s proposal to slash the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund by 95 percent—a cut that would gut funding for thousands of historic sites nationwide. Lawmakers rejected the most severe reductions, but NPCA warns the threat is far from over. The fight arrives as the country marks its 250th anniversary, drawing renewed philanthropic attention to who controls the nation’s historical narrative and which stories receive public investment.
Sources: Inside Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
OMB Federal Grant Overhaul Draws 490,000 Public Comments; Legal Challenges Mount After Deadline Closes
The public comment period for the Office of Management and Budget’s sweeping proposed overhaul of federal grantmaking rules closed July 13, drawing more than 490,000 submissions—one of the largest responses in the history of such a federal rulemaking. Nonprofit organizations, universities, and scientific bodies submitted the vast majority of comments, with surveys indicating approximately 94 percent in opposition. The proposed rule would allow any administration to unilaterally suspend or terminate grants mid-project and impose ideological compliance requirements on grantees. Legal challenges are being organized by coalitions of affected organizations. If finalized without significant revision, the rule would take effect October 1.
Sources: The NonProfit Times Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Chronicle Analysis: Philanthropy Isn’t Broken—but Restricted Grant Models Are Failing the Sector
An opinion essay in the Chronicle of Philanthropy argues that while philanthropy as a concept is not broken, the dominant model of restricted project-grant funding is undermining the sector’s effectiveness. The author contends that foundations systematically underfund operating costs and impose short-term grant cycles that prevent nonprofits from building durable capacity. The piece draws on accumulating evidence that unrestricted general operating support correlates with stronger organizational outcomes and calls for foundations to reckon honestly with whether their funding structures help or constrain mission delivery. The essay has resonated widely, reflecting a growing consensus that practice reform—not simply more dollars—is overdue.
Sources: Chronicle of Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
The New Athlete Philanthropists: NBA Stars Under 30 Are Building Serious Foundations Before Retirement
A growing cohort of NBA players under 30 are establishing sophisticated philanthropic operations—years before retirement—enabled by the league’s landmark $76 billion media-rights deal and supermax contracts that deliver generational wealth in players’ twenties, according to Inside Philanthropy. Among those highlighted: Trae Young built a full-scale athletic center in Norman, Oklahoma while still in his mid-twenties, and Tyler Herro founded his family foundation before playing a single college game. The trend contrasts sharply with historical patterns of athlete philanthropy, which typically emerged in retirement. Analysts say money arriving this early in a career changes the ambition—and potential impact—of sports giving.
Sources: Inside Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Brooklyn Org CEO: Communities Know What They Need—Philanthropy Must Learn to Follow Their Lead
Jocelynne Rainey, president and CEO of Brooklyn Org, argues in Inside Philanthropy that philanthropy’s long habit of deciding what communities need—without meaningful input from those communities—has left residents underserved for decades. Rainey describes how Brooklyn Org, formerly the Brooklyn Community Foundation, restructured its work around listening tours in 2022, letting neighborhood priorities shape investments rather than foundation preferences. The model directly challenges conventional top-down grantmaking. Rainey’s essay contends that communities are not passive recipients but active problem-solvers who need funders willing to follow their lead. The piece arrives amid widening sector debate about trust-based and participatory philanthropy practices.
Sources: Inside Philanthropy Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.