According to Giving USA’s annual report, foundations across the U.S. increased their giving by 2.5% in 2019, a percentage that had grown nine out of the last 10 years at the time of the report. Many of these foundations disperse donated funds through a discretionary grantmaking process.
A foundation of any kind is only as strong as the leadership behind it. According to Anne Wallestad, president and CEO of BoardSource, a globally recognized nonprofit focused on strengthening nonprofit leadership at the highest level, building a diverse, dynamic board of directors is one of the best ways to create overall organizational success. Here, Wallestad helps define what makes a strong, engaged board for foundations of every size and focus.
As COVID-19 rocked the world and shut down much of the country, 2020 proved to be a lonely and empty year—empty streets, empty stores, empty offices and empty restaurants and bars. Much of everyday life was canceled—holiday parties, weddings, retreats and nights out at local haunts. As a result, the hospitality industry suffered greatly.
Business leaders and corporations are increasingly prioritizing corporate social responsibility—the practice of engaging in philanthropic and charitable endeavors and supporting volunteer and ethically oriented practices. According to the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals, the crises communities continue to face along with the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have only accelerated this practice.
The year 2020 was difficult for everyone, but it seems there is hope to be found in 2021, with more of the population receiving coronavirus vaccines and restrictions lessening. People are starting to feel safe once more and are picking up where they left off before the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to their normal, everyday lives.
While the onset of the coronavirus pandemic took a significant toll on the economy, the manufacturing industry across the country and in West Virginia remains a bright spot. As efforts continue to re-shore manufacturing, evaluate supply chains and integrate new technologies, manufacturing production will continue to rise.