A few weeks back, I mentioned an article in the Wall Street Journal describing an effort by the National Committee for Responsible Philanthropy to get foundations to devote a much larger proportion of their grants to minorities, poverty alleviation and other social causes. If the Committee succeeded, the arts would obviously be disadvantaged.
Today the Journal continues its coverage with an article about reaction to the report. Some foundations are fighting back. One — the California Wellness Foundation — even cancelled its membership with the Committee, the author, Mike Spector reports. And Paul Brest, president of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, called the recommendation “breathtakingly arrogant.”
Kudos to the Journal for its continuing coverage. You can read the whole article here. The comments are good, too.