Happy Monday! How was your weekend? 🤠

Our magazine is out. Look for more from the September/October issue on our site this week. Remember, you can become a member to get your copy of the next issue : https://texasobserver.org/join

Attention #Austin, be sure to get your tickets for Annette Gordon-Reed, in conversation with Kathleen McElroy. Find more information at https://texasobserver.org/agr

#journalism #nonprofit #news #events #Texas

…The application was approved 7 days before #ClarenceThomas joined the 5-4 majority on a decision that would open the door to a new era of major #spending on groups like the one his wife was forming. After putting up $500k, the lion’s share of her #nonprofit’s seed money, #HarlanCrow held an event for #GinniThomas at his palatial home in Dallas. The group later made clear its goal was disassembling President Barack #Obama’s agenda, mainly the #AffordableCareAct.

#DarkMoney #SCOTUS #Corruption

The case followed a highly unusual path —one blazed by a five-justice #conservative majority who seemed determined to strike a blow against #CampaignFinance restrictions.

Initially, the dispute centered on whether a conservative #nonprofit’s unflattering documentary on fmr Democratic presidential candidate #HillaryClinton violated campaign finance #laws.

Two months before the #CitizensUnited decision…, #attorney #CletaMitchell — later to play a role in #Trump’s false claims about the 2020 elections — filed papers for #GinniThomas to create a *#nonprofit* group of a type that ultimately benefited from the decision. #Leo was one of two directors listed on a separate application to conduct business in the state of Virginia. #Thomas was president. She signed it on New Year’s Eve of 2009, & #Crow provided much of the initial #cash.

They also include a for-profit business for which #Leo himself is chairman & which received tens of millions… from his #nonprofit network.

Leo’s role as the central figure in this movement has long been known, culminating in his acquisition last year of what many believe to be the largest #political #donation in history. Few are aware of the extent to which the movement’s baby steps were taken in concert with #GinniThomas.

🎂 Happy Birthday Jennifer.

💔 You are missed every single day.

#Prevention #PublicHealth #Nonprofit

Participants will be trained on a small handful of evaluation methods, select one suitable for their needs, and design a condensed evaluation plan that's ready to be taken home and implemented!

Registration is open now, hope to see you there on October 13th and 14th!

https://www.reimaginingsask.ca/

#saskatchewan #nonprofit #evaluation #regina

"…shortly before NEDA planned to entirely eliminate the phone helpline and transition to Tessa on June 1, the organization announced that it would shut down both the helpline and the chatbot. NEDA no longer offers any resources by phone or online chat." https://prospect.org/labor/2023-09-07-artificial-intelligence-union-buster-neda/ #nonprofit #unions vs #AI

#AlternateReality:

Imagine there's some shift in the #internet #markets, such that #servers #Mastodon and other #Fediverse programs cannot afford to keep going without mandatory #financial #contributions from their users. (I don't think this will ever happen, it's just a #hypothetical)

What is the maximum amount of #money you would be willing to #pay / #donate to keep your #server / #instance running?

What #content would you most want to keep interacting with? #Friends, #art, #science, #news, #politics, #AI, #tech, #VideoGames, #streaming, #LGBTQ, #furry, or something else? What cause would most entice you? #OpenSource, #NonProfit, #Democracy, #Freedom, or just non-#toxic #SocialMedia?

Please respond to and #boost this #poll, and let me know your thoughts in the #replies! (Sorry for #hashtag #spam, trying to maximize #reach for #diversity and volume of #responses)

We need your help! If you can't make it—or can't afford to go—you can still help the Texas Observer survive by:

—sharing this event with others
—becoming a recurring member (membership starts at $0.99/month) https://texasobserver.org/join/
—renewing your existing membership at a higher level
—making a one-time donation to the Observer https://donate.texasobserver.org/b/5kA9EteqHerB5kkbII

#journalism #nonprofit #JournoLife #fundraising

Tickets Available Now!

Join the Texas Observer In Conversation with Annette Gordon-Reed, author of "On Juneteenth" and "Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings."

October 19 at the Stateside at the Paramount Hotel in #Austin. Find more information, and purchase your tickets here: https://www.texasobserver.org/agr/

#TexasNeedsAnObserver—all proceeds from this #fundraising event will help keep the Observer alive!

#events #books #Texas #nonprofit #fun #news #politics #USpol #history

#ElonMusk’s threat to #sue the #ADL extends platform’s war of words

Since buying #Twitter last year, Elon #Musk has developed a seeming obsession w/the Anti-Defamation League.

Over the past several days, the owner of #X …has posted at least 25 times about the ADL, a #nonprofit #Jewish group that fights #antisemitism.

#StopHate4Profit #HateSpeech #Privilege
https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2023/09/07/elon-musk-anti-defamation-league/

Every year Communities Foundation of Texas holds #NorthTexasGivingDay, a time to give to your favorite charities. I just donated to Dallas Area Parkinson Society, a #nonprofit who does so much with so little. I invite you to add your support to mine to help fund the free exercise classes, care partner support groups, education, etc. they provide. These resources are so valuable to those struggling with Parkinson's disease. https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/Dallas-Area-Parkinson-Society
#Parkinson #PD #Giving #Charity

2023 Winning Critical Thinking games announced:
🌐https://criticalthinker.games/2023-Winning-Games-Press-Release--Critical-Thinking.pdf

@CriticalThinkingGames @gamingagainstv
#CriticalThinking #Videogames #Education #Misinformation #Disinformation #Edutooter #PublicHealth #Prevention #Indie #Nonprofit #GameDev #Teaching

PINE TREE POWER
Consumer-Owned Power Could Slash Your Electric Bill

This could change everything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aELimf6ct60&ab_channel=MorePerfectUnion

Maine residents will vote this November on whether to create the first statewide consumer-owned utility in the country.
They're facing skyrocketing electricity bills and frequent power outages, while the corporate utilities (CMP and Versant) that dominate the state brought in $187 million in profit last year. Both the companies are owned by foreign entities.
Residents are organizing to take power back into their own hands — literally. A ballot measure on the November ballot could create the consumer-owned utility non-profit Pine Tree Power, and put it under community control.

We talked with residents about what this would mean for them.
#Interview #reverseprivatization #publicowned #statepowergrid #climateresiliance #publicinterest #nonprofit #takethepowerback

Layoffs at the @TexasTribune - the #nonprofit #journalism world's most significant success story - raise concerns about whether nonprofit news sites can function at scale. The Tribune laid off its entire copy desk and most of its criminal justice team. https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/08/the-texas-tribunes-first-ever-layoffs-worry-the-news-industry/

📣 Announcing the winning critical thinking games:

⭐ Corporation, Inc.
- KSU Narrative Game Lab

⭐ Figure It Sprout
- David Li, Quang Nguyen, Gaby Sanchez, Kitty Huang, Isaac Orozco

⭐ Mushwhom?
- Collin Lang, Knitwit Studios

The winning critical thinking games and remaining finalists will be published over the next 6 months.

Congratulations to all of the finalists! And a big thank you to the outstanding judges whose expertise and wonderful feedback will help us prepare these games for publishing.

#CriticalThinking #Videogames #Nonprofit #PublicHealth #Education @edutooters @publichealth @communicationscholars @stopTDV @gamingagainstv

As a public-interest product development organization, we aim to be transparent and democratic. So, we've made the 🛣️ roadmaps for Hush Line, Pi Relay, and our internal development public.

Check them out. We'd love your feedback!

Hush Line: https://github.com/orgs/scidsg/projects/12/views/3
Pi Relay: https://github.com/orgs/scidsg/projects/14/views/1
Org: https://github.com/orgs/scidsg/projects/15/views/1

#roadmap #planning #opensource #publicinterest #publicgood #foss #nonprofit

Small business support is available! Grants, workshops, consultations, COVID-19 relief, training, and more are ready and waiting across the local and state level. As always—"Shop local, Alameda!"

https://alamedapost.com/news/navigating-challenges-support-for-small-businesses/

#alameda #CovidReliefGrants #EatLocal #GoBiz #grants #MiaBonta #nonprofit #ShopLocal #SmallBusiness

Opportunities: #nonprofit #YSOM consultancy, arts, #GNHCC business policy summit: Building and Equitable Economy and more events on #GNHCommunity. #GrtNewHaven #NewHaven #NHV http://gnhcommunity.ning.com/events