THE CHRONICLE OF
PHIL A NTHROPY®
The Newspaper of the Nonprofit World
Volume XXIII, No. 10 • April 7, 2011 • $5
Inside the Searches for Filling
Philanthropy’s Biggest Jobs
Critics wonder if America’s richest foundations
rely too heavily on outside recruiters for finding talent
By Caroline Preston
FAT GRANT-MAKING BUDGETS, sizable staffs, and prominent board mem- bers aren’t the only things the
leaders of America’s wealthiest foundations have in common.
Many of them have been recruited by
Russell Reynolds Associates and Spencer Stuart, two global search firms that
have played a significant behind-the-scenes role in helping major-league philanthropy determine its leadership.
People tapped by the headhunters
represent a “who’s who” of grant mak-
ing: Robert Gallucci (John D. and Cath-
erine T. MacArthur Foundation), Al-
berto Ibargüen (John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation), Gara LaMarche
(Atlantic Philanthropies), Carol Lar-
son (David and Lucile Packard Foun-
dation), Jeffrey Raikes (Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation), Rip Rapson (Kresge
Foundation), and Luis Ubiñas (Ford
Foundation), among many others, along
with Diana Aviv (Independent Sector),
Steve Gunderson (Council on Founda-
tions), and Bradford Smith (Foundation
Center). Two weeks ago, the Wallace
Foundation announced the appointment
of William I. Miller, one of the newest
foundation executives recruited by the
firms.
Feared by Groups
Serving the Poor
‘Donor Fatigue’
By Ben Gose
AT LOAVES & FISHES, a network of 18 pantries in the Charlotte, N.C., area, the number of people seeking food has risen every month since the
economy went into free fall in the fall
of 2008. But total giving to the charity
remained flat in 2010, and the average
gift actually dropped slightly, to $211.
Beverly Howard, the charity’s executive director, says the organization
benefited when donors “pared down
their giving to the essentials” during
the early days of the recession. But as
the economy recovers, the charity’s donors are now slowly migrating back
The I Live Here, I Give Here drive
is designed to spur giving
to charities in Austin, Tex.
to the education and arts groups that
they rebuffed during the recession. Ms.
Howard worries that her charity may
one day not raise enough money to feed
the 11,000 people who visit its pantries
each month.
“Folks are now spreading their benevolent dollar a little further,” Ms.
Continued on Page 7
Foundation CEO’s Recruited
by 2 Search Firms: a Sampling
Robert Gallucci
John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation
Recruited by: Spencer Stuart
Alberto Ibargüen
John S. and James L. Knight
Foundation
Recruited by: Spencer Stuart
Carol Larson
David and Lucile Packard
Foundation
Recruited by: Russell
Reynolds
Jeff Raikes
Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation
Recruited by: Russell
Reynolds
Rip Rapson
Kresge Foundation
Recruited by: Spencer Stuart
Luis Ubiñas
Ford Foundation
Recruited by: Russell
Reynolds
Fund-Raising and Program Goals
Often Clash, Say Charity Officials
By Caroline Preston
AS DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT at he Public Justice Center, Jen- nifer Pelton seeks to inspire donors with stories of people whose lives
have been changed by the Baltimore le-gal-advocacy group. At the same time,
the charity’s lawyers must remain sensitive to the needs and privacy concerns
of the Maryland families they represent
in cases aimed at protecting the rights
of poor people.
Those two goals are occasionally at
odds. The fund-raising appeals that
tend to bring in the most money—those
that feature detailed accounts of real
people—at first made lawyers and other
program staff members nervous about
the confidentiality of their clients and
worried that the broader tale of the
group’s work to change the legal system
isn’t getting told.
Form and Function
n A look at how some architects
are donating their expertise and
helping nonprofit organizations
construct new buildings that
enable them carry out their
missions better. Page 21
Senior Service
n As colleges prepare to unleash
a new class of idealistic young
graduates into the job market,
charities can take smart steps
to recruit the cream of the crop.
Page 13
