Tuesday, November 21, 2006

New Congress and Philanthropy

The U.S. 2006 Midterm elections mean new people at the helm of key Congressional and Senate committees. What might the results mean for philanthropy?

Here are some of the changes:
Senate Finance Committee: Bye-bye Senator Grassley, hello new Chair, Max Baucus (MT). Maybe rural issues will rise on the agenda. What have foundations done for farms lately?

House Ways and Means: Welcome new chair, Charles Rangel (NY). A big voice for the little guy, Congressman Rangel might have something to say about philanthropy's track records on inclusivity, poverty, and the inner city.

Speaking of inclusivity, the Council on Foundations' Fall 2006 Community Foundations conference featured Representative Xavier Becerra from California. (Download podcast here.) Representative Becerra is active in the Hispanic Caucus in the House and introduced a bill in 2005 to study the building of a National Museum of the American Latino Community. How is American filantropia serving hispanics?

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