The 5 Percent Foundation Payout Requirement May Be a Floor, but the Ceiling Is Awfully Low
Most private foundations stick quite closely to their 5 percent payout requirement. And America’s largest are unlikely to give much more than the minimum.
Cop City and the Escalating War on Environmental Defenders
From laws targeting fossil fuel protests to the crackdown on Stop Cop City activists, corporations are calling in militarized law enforcement to crush dissent.
Dwight Was Right: Congress Must Say No to Military Contractors
The world Eisenhower warned about has materialized. We need more members of Congress to stand up to the arms industry and fight for social investments instead.
Private Foundations Gave $2.6 Billion in Grants to National Donor-Advised Funds in 2021
Private foundations are currently allowed to make grants to donor-advised funds, or DAFs, and to count those grants toward their charitable distribution requirement of 5 percent of their assets each year.
A Tale of Two Tragedies at Sea
Why should lost billionaires get an international rescue effort while hundreds of refugees are left to die at sea?
The Power of Fiction in Social Change
IPS Executive Director Tope Folarin and Chuck Collins explore how can fiction shape new narratives for the future.
The 2022 Giving Slump Exposes the Fragility of Top-Heavy Charity
When ultra-wealthy donors dominate philanthropy, our charities are less resilient.
Debt Ceiling Deal Reinforced Washington’s Old Double Standard for Military Spending
The budget deal was supposed to slow spending, but the most expensive federal agency didn’t get a budget cut — it got a raise.
Unlikely Allies Warren and Vance Join Forces to Claw Back Banker Pay
Their bipartisan plan is a step forward, but regulators already have the power to crack down on Wall Street’s reckless bonus culture.
Could We Actually End the CEO Defense Contractor Gravy Train?
FDR put the kibosh on military contractor windfalls during World War II. We could do the same.
There’s No Debate Over Debt—Only About Priorities
If the GOP cared about debt, they’d stop cutting rich people’s taxes and give the Pentagon a haircut. So what’s this really about?
REPORT: The Warfare State: How Funding for Militarism Compromises Our Welfare
Nearly two-thirds of the federal discretionary budget goes to militarized federal programs, leaving just over a third for our communities — a sliver some lawmakers want to cut even further.
Raise the Debt Ceiling, and Invest in America
The debt ceiling is an arcane artifice without a real connection to the economy. But how well we invest in our families and workers directly relates to it.
In DeSantis’ ‘Free’ State of Florida, Union Freedom Is Under Attack
A slate of new bills signed by Florida’s billionaire-friendly governor will make it harder for public sector unions to collect dues, worsening the state’s teacher shortage and public school funding.
The Ultra-Wealthy Have a Private Jet Problem
This expensive, carbon-intensive form of travel is bad for both the earth and the taxpayers who subsidize it for the ultra-rich.