News Briefing: Michelle Obama, Jill Biden to Lead Effort to Help Military Families

• The Home Depot Foundation refocuses its giving to support veterans' organizations and rehabilitating houses.  [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

• Five new high schools in New Jersey have been awarded nearly $1M in grants from Mark Zuckerberg.  [Associated Press]

• Michelle Obama and Jill Biden launch a national initiative to support service members and their families.  [The Washington Post]

News Briefing: Gates Foundation Works to Boost Food Production

• The Gates Foundation forges a new effort to support agricultural research projects in Africa and Asia.  [Reuters]

• More than 90 chief executives meet in New York for International Corporate Philanthropy Day.  [Reuters]

News Briefing: Folk, Native American Arts Could Gain Millions from M.A.C. Foundation

• Feed The Children's fired president dismisses his wrongful-termination lawsuit.  [The Oklahoman]

 

• PepsiCo revamps its charitable-giving program.  [Wall Street Journal]

 

• The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, with potentially $4 billion in assets, is gearing up a hefty grant to help raise the profile of folk and Native American art forms.  [Los Angeles Times]

News Briefing: Brands Help Fight Childhood Obesity

Big brands are steering millions in charitable dollars to building neighborhood playgrounds for children to help fight Childhood Obesity.  [New York Times]

Boston Foundation grant will pay for teacher development, curriculum development in math and literacy, and a clicker system that will boost participation.  [Boston Globe]

News Briefing: Save the Children Breaks With Soda Tax Effort

• Obama meets with Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett to discuss the Giving Pledge.  [USA Today]

 

• Pedro Espada is indicted for embezzling from a nonprofit he controlled.  [New York Times]

 

• Save the Children abandons efforts to tax soft drinks and claims grants from Coca-Cola and Pepsi are not a factor in the decision.  [New York Times]

News Briefing: Pepsi Refresh Contestant Claims Rules Were Broken

• A group battling childhood cancer has filed a complaint against Pepsi, contending that its fundraising contest, Pepsi Refresh, has been infiltrated by organizations with a political agenda.  [New York Times]

• Saturday's Farm Aid concert will feature 15 musical acts, including Willie Nelson, one of its founders.  [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

• Ten U.S. cities are recruiting volunteers to help with local problems as part of a nationwide emphasis on service led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  [Associated Press]

News Briefing: Companies Donate Employees' Time, Service Instead of Cash

• Companies' donations of time, advice, and service - rather than cash - rose 5% last year.  [USA Today]

• Wal-Mart is the top corporate giver in 2009.  [USA Today]

• Teach for America and the KIPP Foundation each win $50 million grants from the Department of Education.  [New York Times]

News Briefing: Panera Co. to Open More Pay-What-You-Wish Eateries

• Prince Harry spends three days in New York, visiting West Point, promoting his charity, and throwing the first pitch at the Mets game.  [Associated Press]

• Panera plans to expand its new nonprofit model around the country.  [Associated Press]

• Lawmakers fund charities with earmarks.  [USA Today]

News Briefing: Boston Asks Exempt Sector for Help

• Wal-Mart Stores gave more than $467 million in charitable donations in the U.S., a 23 percent increase.  [Reuters]

• Boston's hospitals, universities, and other tax-exempt nonprofits may be asked to contribute tens of millions of dollars more to help pay for basic municipal services such as police and public works.  [Boston Globe]

News Briefing: Donations from Americans for Haiti top $1 Billion

• The former chief operating officer of Catholic Charities has called on the organization to reverse its recent decision to change health benefits for employees' spouses.  [Washington Post]

• According to Charles Bronfman, the new crop of philanthropists is focusing on smaller start-up organizations and looking for ways to leverage their gifts.  [Wall Street Journal]

• Experts who track charitable giving say donations from Americans for earthquake relief in Haiti have passed the $1 billion mark.  [Associated Press]

• Giving by U.S. companies endured the worst recession in decades with mixed results as some pared back philanthropy in the face of tough times, others increased budgets, and most predicted a steady 2010.  [Reuters]