VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems.

2. Volunteers came back to nonprofits in 2023, after the pandemic tanked participation - Friday, November 15, 2024

From foster grandparents who volunteer at an early child care center to citizen scientists who collect water quality data in remote locations, nonprofit volunteers have come back after the pandemic.

3. Some US Muslims struggle to find a candidate they can tolerate supporting for president - Friday, November 1, 2024

ATLANTA (AP) — With the death and destruction in Gaza on her mind, Soraya Burhani agonized over how to cast her vote for president.

"For us, Muslims, I see that there's no good choice," she said.

4. AI is being used to send some households impacted by Helene and Milton $1,000 cash relief payments - Friday, October 25, 2024

Nearly 1,000 hurricane-impacted households in North Carolina and Florida will benefit this week from a new disaster aid program that employs a model not commonly used by philanthropy in the United States: Giving people rapid, direct cash payments.

5. GoFundMe bets social media can unlock Gen Z giving. A Meta partnership and new tools will test that - Friday, October 18, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — New GoFundMe tools will make it easier to circulate causes across online platforms in a push to cater toward younger generations.

The crowdfunding site hopes to meet digital natives in the online spaces where they frequently advocate, streamlining the donation experience to encourage more charity and connecting traditional nonprofits with a demographic that prefers direct contributions over institutional giving. Among the features rolling out this fall are fundraising widgets for video game streamers, personalized profiles to highlight users' philanthropic interests and an integrated button on Instagram to donate.

6. Volunteers bring solar power to Hurricane Helene's disaster zone - Friday, October 11, 2024

BAKERSVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Helene downed power lines and washed out roads all over North Carolina's mountains, the constant din of a gas-powered generator is getting to be too much for Bobby Renfro.

7. How to help people affected by Hurricane Milton - Friday, October 11, 2024

Communities in Florida still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Helene are now also grappling with the still-unfolding damage from Hurricane Milton. The storm crashed into a community south of Tampa, drenching counties with torrents of rain, downing power lines and bridges and kicking up dangerous storm surges.

8. Melinda French Gates will give $250M to women's health groups globally through a new open call - Friday, October 4, 2024

Melinda French Gates will grant $250 million to support women's health around the world through an open call for nonprofits to apply for funding.

9. Influential prophesizing pastors say reelecting Trump is a win in the war of angels and demons - Friday, October 4, 2024

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Thousands sang, cheered and prayed as multiple preachers declared Donald Trump to be God's favored candidate to defeat what one called the "forces of darkness."

Headliners denounced Democrat Kamala Harris — Trump's campaign rival — as influenced by demons and the spirit of the wicked biblical queen Jezebel.

10. This year's MacArthur 'genius' fellows include more writers, artists and storytellers - Friday, September 27, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — The 2024 class of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellows includes more writers, artists and storytellers than in years past, though the so-called "genius grants" list also includes multiple scientists.

11. Vanderbilt's Stassun included in 2024 MacArthur 'genius grant' fellows - Friday, September 27, 2024

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced Tuesday its 2024 class of fellows, often known as recipients of the "genius grant."

Among the 22 fellows, who will each receive a grant of $800,000 over five years to spend however they want, is Keivan G. Stassun, 52, of Nashville, a science educator and astronomer at Vanderbilt University who has championed the recruitment of science students from diverse backgrounds, including neurodiverse students, in addition to his research on star evolution.

12. Jews and Catholics warn against Trump's latest loyalty test for religious voters - Friday, September 27, 2024

Former President Donald Trump recently reissued his loyalty test to religious Americans, declaring that he can best protect their freedoms while preemptively blaming members of certain faiths should he lose the presidential election in November.

13. The Clintons pitch philanthropic commitments as pro-democracy work at their 2024 foundation meeting - Friday, September 20, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — With the backdrop of elections worldwide that highlight strains on democracy, former President Bill Clinton urged attendees of his foundation's annual meeting to meet their communities' needs through collective action.

14. Prince Harry says harms of social media have created an 'epidemic' for today's youth - Friday, September 20, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Prince Harry said today's youth is in the midst of an "epidemic" of anxiety, depression and social isolation due to negative experiences online, as he brought his campaign to help children and their parents navigate cyberspace to this week's Clinton Global Initiative.

15. Jill Biden reveals $500 million plan that focuses on women's health at Clinton Global Initiative - Friday, September 20, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — First lady Jill Biden on Monday unveiled a new set of actions to address health inequities faced by women in the United States, plans that include spending at least $500 million annually on women's health research.

16. These evangelicals are voting their values — by backing Kamala Harris - Friday, September 20, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the Rev. Lee Scott publicly endorsed Kamala Harris for president during the Evangelicals for Harris Zoom call on Aug. 14, the Presbyterian pastor and farmer said he was taking a risk.

17. MrBeast and Amazon sued by competitors from his $5M reality show over alleged 'unsafe' conditions - Friday, September 13, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — MrBeast is accused of creating "unsafe" employment conditions, including sexual harassment, and misrepresenting contestants' odds at winning his new Amazon reality show's $5 million grand prize in a lawsuit filed Tuesday by five unnamed participants.

18. Bill Gates calls for more aid to go to Africa and for debt relief for burdened countries - Friday, September 13, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — The billionaire Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates thinks the richest governments should increase their support for African countries that have been overshadowed by development funding increasingly going toward the humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine as well as support for refugees around the world in recent years.

19. Giving away a fortune: What could Warren Buffett's adult children support? - Friday, September 13, 2024

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett's adult children — Susie, Howard and Peter Buffett — have long track records as philanthropists, giving away more than $15 billion of their dad's money through their foundations since 2006.

20. Next generation of Buffetts is poised to become one of the biggest forces in philanthropy - Friday, September 13, 2024

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The next generation of Buffetts — Howard, Susie and Peter — is poised to become one of the most powerful forces in philanthropy when their 94-year-old father, the legendary businessman and leader of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, eventually passes away.

21. Comic Relief US launches new Roblox game to help children build community virtually and in real life - Friday, August 23, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — The notion that online gaming could help players develop charitable habits seemed bold when the anti-poverty nonprofit Comic Relief US tested its own multiverse on the popular world-building app Roblox last year.

22. Google and Selena Gomez partner to fund teen mental health in the classroom - Friday, August 9, 2024

The unprecedented mental health crisis for children in the United States often surfaces where they spend much of their days: school. With that in mind, Google's philanthropic arm is directly financing high school wellbeing projects on a classroom crowdfunding platform.

23. MrBeast wants 'full assessment' of internal culture amid allegations of impropriety and unsafe sets - Friday, August 9, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — MrBeast has ordered a full assessment of the internal culture in his YouTube empire as well as an investigation into "allegations of inappropriate behavior by people in the company," according to a confidential memo obtained by The Associated Press.

24. No drinking and only Christian music during Sunday Gospel Hour at Nashville's most iconic honky tonk - Friday, August 2, 2024

NASHVILLE (AP) — Robert's Western World is known as Nashville's most authentic honky tonk and synonymous with country music. But for an hour on Sundays, no one can drink alcohol; everyone must listen to Christian music.

25. Bloomberg gives $600M to Meharry, 3 other Black medical schools' endowments - Friday, August 2, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Bloomberg's organization Bloomberg Philanthropies committed $600 million to the endowments of four historically Black medical schools to help secure their future economic stability.

26. MrBeast, YouTube's biggest star, acknowledges past 'inappropriate language' as controversies swirl - Friday, August 2, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — MrBeast, YouTube's biggest star and a philanthropic force with nearly unrivaled influence among young audiences, acknowledged Wednesday that he used "inappropriate language" in his early online days, as numerous controversies bubbled up around him and a former collaborator.

27. Is paying college athletes charity? Even in the confusing NIL era, it looks increasingly unlikely - Friday, July 26, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Three years into the new age of college sports, where athletes are allowed to profit from their successes through name, image and likeness deals, everyone is still trying to find out what the new normal will be.

28. Kamala Harris: A Baptist with a Jewish husband and a faith that traces back to MLK and Gandhi - Friday, July 26, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — Black clergy who know Vice President Kamala Harris, now the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, marvel at the fusion of traditions and teachings that have molded her religious faith and social justice values.

29. Oops. Southern Baptist agency announces firing of its leader, then retracts that announcement - Friday, July 19, 2024

In under 48 hours, the head of the staunchly conservative public-policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention rankled fellow Baptists by applauding President Joe Biden's "selfless act" of withdrawing his candidacy for re-election. Then, his agency reported he was fired — and now they have reaffirmed his leadership.

30. Soros' Open Society Foundations say restructuring is complete and pledge $400M for green jobs - Friday, July 12, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Open Society Foundations, the philanthropic organizations that billionaire investor George Soros has built up since the 1970s, revealed its first new major commitment on Tuesday after a years-long internal reorganization, pledging $400 million over eight years to support green economic development.

31. Tiny homes, built largely with philanthropic support, offer more patch than solution to homelessness - Friday, July 5, 2024

In response to a nationwide crisis that has left more than 650,000 people without housing, 100 tiny home villages for the homeless have opened in the United States over the past five years.

That growth, from just 34 in 2019 to 123 today, represents a quadrupling, according to data collected by Yetimoni Kpeebi, a researcher at Missouri State University. At least 43% of these villages are privately funded through donations from philanthropists, businesses, and corporations, Kpeebi said.

32. Post Malone, Doja Cat to headline Global Citizen Festival to mobilize young people - Friday, June 14, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Post Malone and Doja Cat, two of pop music's biggest stars, will headline this year's Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park on Sept. 28, as organizers focus on mobilizing young people to help address the world's pressing problems.

33. Southern Baptists narrowly reject formal ban on churches with any women pastors - Friday, June 14, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptists narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday to enshrine a ban on churches with women pastors in their constitution after opponents argued it was unnecessary because the denomination already has a way of ousting such churches.

34. Alarmed by embryo destruction, Southern Baptists urge caution on IVF by couples and government - Friday, June 7, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptist delegates expressed alarm Wednesday over the way in vitro fertilization is routinely being practiced, approving a resolution lamenting that the creation of surplus frozen embryos often results in "destruction of embryonic human life."

35. Southern Baptists narrowly reject formal ban on churches with any women pastors - Friday, June 7, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptists narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday to enshrine a ban on churches with women pastors in their constitution after opponents argued it was unnecessary because the denomination already has a way of ousting such churches.

36. More than 10,000 Southern Baptists gather for meeting that could bar churches with women pastors - Friday, June 7, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — More than 10,000 voting representatives gathered Tuesday for the opening of the Southern Baptist Convention's two-day annual meeting, where they will vote on whether to ban churches with women pastors and deliberate yet again on how to respond to sexual abuse within churches.

37. Donald Trump tells a group that calls for banning all abortions to stand up for 'innocent life' - Friday, June 7, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Donald Trump on Monday urged a staunchly anti-abortion Christian group to stand up for "innocent life," ambiguously revisiting an issue that Democrats want to make a focus of this year's presidential election.

38. Southern Baptists are poised to ban churches with women pastors. Some are urging them to reconsider - Friday, June 7, 2024

From its towering white steeple and red-brick facade to its Sunday services filled with rousing gospel hymns and evangelistic sermons, First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, bears many of the classic hallmarks of a Southern Baptist church.

39. Less than 2% of philanthropic giving goes to women and girls. Can Melinda French Gates change that? - Friday, May 24, 2024

Melinda French Gates ' has a long history of supporting the women's movement, but it's her new eye-popping funding commitments that could finally change women's groups' long-running lament that less than 2% of philanthropic giving in the United States directly benefits women and girls.

40. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pledges to donate most of his wealth - Friday, May 24, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — The Giving Pledge announced Tuesday that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has joined its list of wealthy philanthropists committed to donating over half their fortunes.

The move comes after a tumultuous six months for Altman, the co-founder of the San Francisco-based company behind ChatGPT and a venture capitalist who Forbes says amassed much of his $1 billion through investments. His removal and subsequent reinstatement as CEO last November stunned the rapidly commercializing industry as internal conflicts threatened to sink one of the most sought-after voices on artificial intelligence.

41. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joins Giving Pledge, focusing his money on tech that 'helps create abundance' - Friday, May 24, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — The Giving Pledge announced Tuesday that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has joined its list of wealthy philanthropists committed to donating over half their fortunes.

The move comes after a tumultuous six months for Altman, the co-founder of the San Francisco-based company behind ChatGPT and a venture capitalist who Forbes says amassed much of his $1 billion through investments. His removal and subsequent reinstatement as CEO last November stunned the rapidly commercializing industry as internal conflicts threatened to sink one of the most sought-after voices on artificial intelligence.

42. All that 'checkout charity' adds up. Domino's plans $174M from it for St. Jude hospital - Friday, May 17, 2024

The world's top-selling pizza chain is betting big on the generosity of its customers. And it is not alone.

Domino's recently pledged $174 million over the next ten years to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, expecting the funds to come from its longstanding roundup campaign that invites customers to donate the difference between their purchase total and the next-highest dollar amount. The pizza chain has already raised more than $126 million this way across the past two decades for ALSAC, the fundraising organization for the Tennessee-based hospital.

43. The larger the nonprofit, the more likely it is run by a white man, new Candid diversity report finds - Friday, May 17, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — White men are most likely to lead the largest, best-funded nonprofits, while women of color tend to lead the organizations with the fewest financial resources, according to a study from the nonprofit data research organization Candid.

44. New Builders initiative looks to fight polarization by encouraging collaboration, alliances - Friday, May 10, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Adam Luke remembers entering the first meeting of what would become the Citizen Solutions pilot project thinking, "Oh god, this is going to suck."

45. Melinda French Gates resigns as Gates Foundation co-chair, 3 years after divorce - Friday, May 10, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Melinda French Gates will step down as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the nonprofit she and her ex-husband Bill Gates founded and built into one of the world's largest philanthropic organizations over the past 20 years.

46. The $230 billion donor-advised fund industry gets an IRS hearing - Friday, May 3, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress and the Biden administration are considering what, if anything, should be done to tighten restrictions on donor-advised funds, an increasingly popular way for donors to set aside money to spend on charitable causes.

47. Seeking engagement and purpose, corporate employees turn to workplace volunteering - Friday, April 26, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Michelle Barbin's job does not always fill her bucket. Yes, she likes her nine-to-five helping improve consumer experiences at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. She emphasizes she wouldn't have spent nearly 19 years working for the health insurance provider otherwise.

48. Obstacles remain as women seek more leadership roles in America's Black Church - Friday, April 26, 2024

No woman had ever preached the keynote sermon at the Joint National Baptist Convention, a gathering of four historically Black Baptist denominations representing millions of people.

That changed in January when the Rev. Gina Stewart took the convention stage in Memphis, Tennessee, — the Southern city home to Christ Missionary Baptist Church where she serves as senior pastor — and delivered a rousing message, asserting that Jesus not only included women in his ministry, but identified with their suffering.

49. Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson pledged $10M for Maui wildfire survivors; they gave much more - Friday, April 19, 2024

Lana Vierra misses the swing set at her Lahaina home, which was reduced to ashes in the wildfires that swept through her community last summer.

"Multiple generations went through there playing in my front yard," she said. "Just with the animals and the turtles and the deer and goats that we once had in that little tiny yard."

50. Conservative Christians praise Trump's anti-abortion record but say he's stopped short of the goal - Friday, April 5, 2024

For conservative, anti-abortion Christians, former President Donald Trump delivered in four years what no other Republican before him had been able to do: A conservative majority U.S. Supreme Court that would go on to overturn Roe v. Wade, a Holy Grail of the movement.

51. Black pastors see popular Easter services as an opportunity to rebuild in-person worship attendance - Friday, March 29, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many churches moved their services online, the Rev. William H. Lamar IV initially shuddered at the thought that he needed to morph into a "video personality" to stay engaged with his parishioners.

52. A year after deadly Nashville shooting, Christian school relies on faith — and adopted dogs - Friday, March 22, 2024

NASHVILLE (AP) — Nearly a year after a shooting at a Christian elementary school in Nashville that left three adults and three children dead, the students and their families have formed tight bonds out of their shared suffering. They've also adopted a lot of dogs.

53. Southern Baptists pick a California seminary president to lead its troubled administrative body - Friday, March 22, 2024

A top Southern Baptist administrative body has selected its first permanent leader in nearly two-and-a-half years, a time when it has navigated a tumult of controversies ranging from a sexual abuse scandal to financial struggles — to its own stumbling efforts to find a new president.

54. US Jews upset with Trump's latest rhetoric say he doesn't get to tell them how to be Jewish - Friday, March 22, 2024

Since the start of his political career, Donald Trump has played on stereotypes about Jews and politics.

He told the Republican Jewish Coalition in 2015 that "you want to control your politicians" and suggested the audience used money to exert control. In the White House, he said Jews who vote for Democrats are "very disloyal to Israel."

55. Southern Baptist agency says U.S. investigation into sexual abuse has ended with 'no further action' - Friday, March 8, 2024

A Southern Baptist Convention leader said Wednesday the U.S. Department of Justice has ended its investigation of a top denominational agency's handling of sexual abuse and doesn't anticipate further action.

56. Bloomberg tops the Chronicle of Philanthropy's list of America's biggest donors in 2023 - Friday, March 1, 2024

Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor, gave the most to charitable causes last year, followed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, and Michael Dell and his wife, Susan, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy's exclusive list of the 50 Americans who donated the largest sums to nonprofits last year.

57. Voucher expansion leads to more students, waitlists and classes for some religious schools - Friday, March 1, 2024

The Miami Archdiocese's superintendent of schools says Catholic education is increasingly in demand in South Florida, now that all K-12 students regardless of income are allowed to use taxpayer-funded programs to pay for private school tuition.

58. How Jeffries' Black Baptist upbringing and deep-rooted faith shapes his House leadership - Friday, February 23, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stood together at the annual National Prayer Breakfast — an opportunity, in the words of one introductory speaker, to "put our political differences aside."

59. Bible-quoting Alabama chief justice sparks church-state debate in embryo ruling - Friday, February 23, 2024

When the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered children under state law, its chief justice had a higher authority in mind.

By citing verses from the Bible and Christian theologians in his concurring opinion, Chief Justice Tom Parker alarmed advocates for church-state separation, while delighting religious conservatives who oppose abortion.

60. GoFundMe says $30 billion has been raised on its crowdfunding and nonprofit giving platforms - Friday, February 2, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — GoFundMe crowdfunding campaigns have generated $30 billion since 2010, the fundraising platform announced Tuesday, as younger generations look beyond institutions to make their donations.

61. Warren Buffett, James Simons and Phil Knight are among the top charity donors of 2023 - Friday, December 29, 2023

The Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list of the biggest charitable donations from individuals or their foundations totaled more than $3.5 billion in 2023. Four universities received big gifts in 2023, along with four scientific research institutes and a health-care system. The other gifts went to a family foundation and a racial-justice group.

62. Two Nashville churches, wrecked by tornadoes years apart, lean on each other in storms' wake - Friday, December 8, 2023

NASHVILLE (AP) — After a March 2020 tornado destroyed the Rev. Jacques Boyd's Nashville church, his friend, the Rev. Vincent Johnson, lent him space to worship in. Nearly four years later, Boyd has offered to return the favor for the exact same reason.

63. Open Society Foundations commit $50M to women, youth groups' work on democracy - Friday, December 1, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Open Society Foundations, the major philanthropy now led by Alex Soros, said Tuesday it will commit $50 million to increase civic engagement among women and young people over the next three years as part of its strategy to support democracy in the U.S.

64. Total GivingTuesday donations were flat this year, but 10% fewer people participated in the day - Friday, December 1, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Nonprofit organization GivingTuesday estimates that donors gave $3.1 billion this year on what has become one of the most important fundraising days of the year — the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

65. Supporting nonprofits on GivingTuesday this year could have a bigger impact than usual - Friday, November 24, 2023

Supporting nonprofits on GivingTuesday this year could have a bigger impact than usual. Why? Because nonprofits and industry groups say donations so far are down compared with previous years.

Many organizations will look to make up the difference on GivingTuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which started as a hashtag in 2012 and has grown into one of the biggest fundraising dates on the calendar. Many nonprofits will run matching campaigns, meaning a supporter has pledged to double or sometimes triple the donation of other, smaller donors.

66. Can the new film 'Uncharitable' change people's minds about "overhead" at nonprofits? - Friday, October 20, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — All Hands and Hearts makes a promise in big letters on the front page of its website: "95 cents of every dollar is spent on our programs."

The Massachusetts-based disaster relief nonprofit, like so many charitable organizations have for decades, feels the pressure to operate as leanly as possible. Izzy Smith, chief information officer for All Hands and Hearts, which mobilizes volunteers to respond to natural disasters, called it an "enduring challenge for nonprofits" to explain to donors and the public about the need to invest in operations and shared services.

67. Southern Baptist leader resigns from top administrative post for lying on his resume about schooling - Friday, August 18, 2023

Tennessee pastor Willie McLaurin, who leads the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, resigned Thursday from his position as interim president and chief executive after it came to light that he presented false information about his educational qualifications on his resume.

68. Foundations seek to advance AI for good — and also protect the world from its threats - Friday, August 11, 2023

While technology experts sound the alarm on the pace of artificial-intelligence development, philanthropists — including long-established foundations and tech billionaires — have been responding with an uptick in grants.

69. Pope Francis urges students in Portugal to fight economic injustice, protect the environment - Friday, August 4, 2023

CASCIAS, Portugal (AP) — From a university campus to a seaside town, Pope Francis challenged young people on Thursday to make the world a more just and inclusive place, as he focused the second day of his Portugal trip on inspiring young people to use their privilege to combat global warming and economic inequalities.

70. Some critics see Trump's behavior as un-Christian. His conservative Christian backers see a hero - Friday, July 21, 2023

For eight years, Donald Trump has managed to secure the support of many evangelical and conservative Christians despite behavior that often seemed at odds with teachings espoused by Christ in the Gospels.

71. Families form nonprofits to address gun, school safety after Nashville school shooting - Friday, July 21, 2023

NASHVILLE (AP) — Pausing at the microphone, 6-year-old Noah took a breath and softly stated, "I don't want any guns today or any day in my school."

His mom, Sarah Shoop Neumann, wiped away tears as she held the young boy. It had been more than four months since a shooter indiscriminately opened fire while Noah was at a private elementary school in Nashville, killing three of his schoolmates and three adults. And Neumann wanted action.

72. Quick grants from tech billionaires aim to speed up science research. But not all scientists approve - Friday, July 14, 2023

In March 2020, an experiment in science philanthropy was hatched in the span of a five-minute call.

Patrick Collison, the now 34-year-old billionaire CEO of the online payments company Stripe, and economist Tyler Cowen were chewing over a shared concern: Scientific progress seemed to be slowing down. As the first pandemic lockdowns went into effect, researchers were in a holding pattern, waiting to hear if they could redirect their federal grants to COVID-related work. Collison and Cowen worried that the National Institutes of Health wasn't moving quickly enough, so they launched Fast Grants to get emergency research dollars to virologists, coronavirus experts, and other scientists rapidly.

73. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ms. Lauryn Hill will headline Global Citizen Festival to fight inequality - Friday, July 7, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ms. Lauryn Hill and Megan Thee Stallion will headline this year's Global Citizen Festival as the anti-poverty nonprofit looks to focus attention on increasing inequality for girls and young women around the world.

74. Buffett has given $50.7B toward historic pledges to the Gates Foundation, others - Friday, June 23, 2023

After 17 years of steady payments, Warren Buffett has to date given annual donations totaling $50.7 billion toward his historic multibillion-dollar pledges to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and to four foundations connected to his family, according to a Chronicle tally. He announced his latest annual payments toward his pledges on Wednesday.

75. Google backs creation of cybersecurity clinics with $20M donation - Friday, June 23, 2023

WASHINGTON (AP) — Free medical clinics and legal aid clinics, where college students and their instructors help their communities while also learning more about their professions, are now commonplace. Google hopes to add cybersecurity clinics to that list.

76. Charitable giving in 2022 drops for only the third time in 40 years: Giving USA report - Friday, June 16, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — Charitable giving in the United States declined in 2022 — only the third time in four decades that donations did not increase year over year — according to the Giving USA report released Tuesday.

77. Southern Baptists refuse to take back megachurch because it has women pastors - Friday, June 16, 2023

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Southern Baptist Convention has refused to welcome Saddleback Church back into its fold, rejecting an appeal by the California megachurch over its February ouster for having women pastors.

78. Southern Baptists refuse to take back megachurch because it has women pastors - Friday, June 9, 2023

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Southern Baptist Convention has refused to welcome Saddleback Church back into its fold, rejecting an appeal by the California megachurch over its February ouster for having women pastors.

79. Impassioned appeals by ousted churches spotlight Southern Baptists' stance against women pastors - Friday, June 9, 2023

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Longtime pastors of two churches — one massive and one modest-sized — made their final appeals to Southern Baptists on Tuesday, asking to have their churches returned to the denomination's fold after being ousted for having women pastors.

80. For many Southern Baptists, the only campaign question is which Republican candidate to support - Friday, June 2, 2023

Southern Baptists form a core part of the white evangelical Christian bloc that has reliably and overwhelmingly voted Republican in recent elections, and is expected to again in 2024.

But Southern Baptists are weighing their options in the GOP presidential primary field — some already lining up behind Donald Trump, others wary of the former president, whom most evangelical voters supported in previous elections despite his vulgar language, serial marriages and sexual bravado. Some are looking at what Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or other candidates might offer.

81. Saddleback Church appeals ouster from Southern Baptists over female pastor - Friday, May 12, 2023

Saddleback Church, the Southern California megachurch founded by best-selling author Rick Warren, is appealing its ouster from the Southern Baptist Convention for having women pastors on staff, according to the denomination.

82. HBCUs get donations 178 times lower than Ivy League: study - Friday, April 28, 2023

The average historically Black college and university received 178 times less funding from foundations than the average Ivy League school in 2019, according to a new report on the underfunding of HBCUs released Tuesday.

83. Southern Baptist leader selection process fails amid dispute - Friday, April 28, 2023

A powerful Southern Baptist committee was looking to appoint a new leader Monday who could navigate controversies over its handling of sexual-abuse reforms and the ousting of churches with women serving as pastors.

84. Corporate volunteerism: 'Not charity. It's good business.' - Friday, April 14, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — The one-day volunteering event — where employees give back to their communities by packing boxes of food or cleaning up a park or fundraising — is so ingrained in corporations that it's long been lampooned by pop culture.

85. Cisco still faces caste bias suit; engineers' case dismissed - Friday, April 7, 2023

The California Civil Rights Department has voluntarily dismissed its case alleging caste discrimination against two Cisco engineers, while still keeping alive its litigation against the Silicon Valley tech giant.

86. Americans know very little about charities, new poll finds - Friday, April 7, 2023

The first comprehensive poll to measure public attitudes on foundations and nonprofits offers signs that charitable organizations are more trusted than other institutions, such as businesses, governments, and the news media. But it shows many warning signs for nonprofits, given how little Americans know about charities and the pessimism they have about the ability of charities to make a positive difference in the world.

87. Lauder family pledges $200M to its Alzheimer's research work - Friday, March 31, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — The sons of cosmetics giant Estée Lauder, along with her four grandchildren, pledged $200 million Tuesday to the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, a nonprofit the family founded to support research into finding a cure for the disease.

88. Pastors: Palm Sunday a balm after Nashville school shooting - Friday, March 31, 2023

FRANKLIN (AP) — It's Palm Sunday, and across the greater Nashville, Tennessee, region, many Christians headed to worship services grief-stricken and hurting for the lives stolen too soon in The Covenant School shooting.

89. Southern Baptists oust Saddleback Church over woman pastor - Friday, February 17, 2023

The Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday ousted its second-largest congregation — Saddleback Church, the renowned California megachurch founded by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren — for having a woman pastor.

90. Elevate Prize expands to 12 winners in 2023 for strong field - Friday, January 20, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — The winners of this year's Elevate Prize include social entrepreneurs who help Detroit children prepare for school, build technology labs in rural Kenya, and improve road safety in India.

91. How nonprofits help millions tackle their medical debt - Friday, December 23, 2022

Nikiesha Barnett had knee surgery in 2006 and took unpaid leave from her job as a Georgia hospital coordinator while she was recovering. When Barnett wasn't able to keep up with the payments for the surgery, she ended up owing about $4,500.

92. Memphis nonprofit puts money behind drive to curb gun deaths - Friday, December 9, 2022

MEMPHIS (AP) — Tanita Hilliard made a wish the night a shooter livestreamed himself driving around Memphis, firing at people: "I hope it isn't one of my babies."

She paused the video to study the young man.

93. GivingTuesday raises $3.1B for charities in tough economy - Friday, December 2, 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — GivingTuesday raised a record $3.1 billion in 24 hours for charitable causes in the U.S. earlier this week, as the event that started as a hashtag in 2012 celebrated its 10th anniversary and its status as a staple of fundraising for nonprofits, the group's leader said Wednesday.

94. MacKenzie Scott acknowledges another $2B in donations - Friday, November 11, 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — Megadonor and novelist MacKenzie Scott announced almost $2 billion in donations to 343 organizations in a short blog post Monday, emphasizing her interest in supporting people from underserved communities.

95. FTX bankruptcy also endangers founder's philanthropic gifts - Friday, November 11, 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — The rapid collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX into bankruptcy last week has also shaken the world of philanthropy, due to the donations and influence of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried in the "effective altruism" movement.

96. Gates Foundation donates $1B to prioritize math education - Friday, October 14, 2022

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced Wednesday that it is making grants of more than a $1 billion as part of a sweeping national plan to improve math education over the next four years. Its goal: to help students succeed in school and land well-paying jobs when they graduate, given research that shows the connection between strong math skills and career success.

97. Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy celebrates 20th anniversary - Friday, October 14, 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton was jokingly uncharitable after the crowd at the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy ceremony tried singing along with her during her acceptance speech at Gotham Hall.

"That was terrible," the Grammy-winning country superstar said after a muted sing-along of "Books, Books," the song she wrote to support her Imagination Library initiative. That philanthropic program, which provides children under five a free book every month, was one of the reasons she was part of this year's class of Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy honorees, as well as her donation to coronavirus vaccine research in 2020 that helped develop the Moderna vaccine.

98. Clergy strive to reconcile politically divided congregations - Friday, September 23, 2022

One member of Rabbi David Wolpe's diverse congregation left because Wolpe would not preach sermons criticizing Donald Trump. Scores of others left over resentment with the synagogue's rules for combating COVID-19. But Wolpe remains steadfast in his resolve to avoid politics when he preaches at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles.

99. Moscow patriarch: Russian war dead have their sins forgiven - Friday, September 23, 2022

Russian soldiers who die in the line of duty in Ukraine have all of their sins forgiven, the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church proclaimed in a sermon, comparing their sacrificial death to that of Jesus.

100. Water.org unveils $1 billion plan for water access at CGI - Friday, September 16, 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — Water.org announced a $1 billion plan Tuesday to help 100 million people in Africa, Asia and Latin America get lasting access to water and sanitation.