Philanthropy

For the long 4th of July weekend, I traveled to the Berkshires and was reminded of the rich cultural heritage in the region when I attended a reading of the Declaration of Independence at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Led by local leaders and Berkshire County residents, the reading moved me as much by the parallels between 1776 and today as by the audience's gasps, cheers and applause. This reminded me of the many cultural outings I’ve had in the region. James Taylor and Carol

Nonprofits have spent the first half of 2026 absorbing federal funding cuts, stricter immigration enforcement affecting the populations many organizations serve, and a philanthropic sector that — despite rising asset values — has been slow to expand support beyond statutory minimums. I got curious about how much optimism (or pessimism) is actually warranted here, so I went digging through recent reports to try to answer a simple question: is there basis for hope? Turns out: s