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: Shakira Helps Rebuild Haiti School

• Hundreds of British arts groups have their public funding slashed.  [Associated Press]

 

• Shakira helps to rebuild a school in Haiti.  [Associated Press]

 

• Burt's Bees founder Roxanne Quimby wants to create a Maine Woods National Park.  [Associated Press]

News Briefing: Buffett: Failure Key to Successful Philanthropy

• The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's board fires its veterinarian.  [New York Times]

 

• Sanford and Joan Weill donate $12 million to Sonoma State University.  [New York Times]

 

• Warren Buffett says failure is good in philanthropy - it means you are taking risks.  [Bloomberg News]

News Briefing: Help From the U.S. for Afflicted Sister Cities in Japan

• After the earthquake in Japan, American sister cities rally for relief efforts.  [New York Times]

 

• At M.I.T., an emphasis on elimintating gender discrimination brings unexpected consequences.  [New York Times]

 

• The Smithsonian keeps a meteorite that crashed throught the roof of a Virginia medical office.  [Associated Press]

News Briefing: A London University Wrestles With a Qaddafi Gift

• The London School of Economics will divert a donation it received from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation to establish a scholarship fund for North African students.  [New York Times]

 

• College graduates increasingly take public service jobs.  [New York Times]

 

• Newark mayor Cory Booker has raised $43 million so far to match a $100 million challenge grant from Mark Zuckerberg.  [The Star-Ledger]

News Briefing: Opposition Arises to Charities’ Merger

• Opposition arises to the merger of Smile Train and Operation Smile.  [New York Times]

 

• Newcomb College will remain closed.  [NOLA.com]

 

• Dawn Brancheau's family creates a foundation to honor the SeaWorld trainer killed by an orca.  [Chicago Tribune]

News Briefing: Operation Smile and Smile Train Decide to Merge

• Margaret McKenna guides the Wal-Mart Foundation.  [Boston Globe]

 

• Operation Smile and Smile Train decide to merge, saying that they can help more children by working together.  [The Virginian-Pilot]

 

• The University of Connecticut tries to keep its donor lists private.  [Associated Press]

News Briefing: Teach For America receives $100M to launch an endowment.

• Teach For America receives $100M to launch an endowment.  [Associated Press]

 

• Jon Stewart is appointed to the board of the foundation building the September 11 museum and memorial.  [New York Times]

News Briefing: Charter Schools Expand with Public, Private money

• The charter school movement expands with the support of the Obama administration, wealthy donors, and a highly publicized documentary.  [Washington Post]

 

• Walter Collins is named the Executive Director of the California Symphony.  [San Jose Mercury News]

News Briefing: Amid Cuts, Public Colleges Step Up Appeals to Alumni

• As states cut back support for higher education, public colleges and universities across the country turn up their fundraising.  [New York Times]

 

• The MacArthur Foundation grants $350,000 to ARTH, a health nonprofit that works in Rajasthan with expectant mothers.  [Wall Street Journal]