Jeff Raikes, former president of the Microsoft Business Division, has been selected as the next CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He will assume the role Sept. 2, 2008. Raikes has been deeply involved in philanthropy in the Pacific Northwest, focusing particularly on education and children's issues. "Jeff is the right CEO to lead the strategies we have in place to help reduce inequities in the United States and around the world," said Melinda Gates, foundation co-chair.   Click here to read more.

SVP invites interested individuals in King County to apply for a two-year "Brainerd Fellowship" intended to widen and strengthen the circle of partners involved in SVP. This fellowship is named in honor of SVP’s co-founder, Paul Brainerd, and reflects his spirit and ethos.  The fellowships are funded by current Partners, and cover the annual partner contribution.  Click here for more information and to apply.

AT&T recently announced a $100 million initiative to address high school success and college and workforce readiness.  The gift, which will be distributed over four years, is among the largest corporate donations on record, but it is the second $100 million donation announced by a company this year. Last month, Goldman, Sachs & Company announced it would spend at least the same amount over 10 years to advance women’s business education in the developing world.  To read more about the program, click here. 

The Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound will celebrate a significant milestone – one that has significantly improved the lives of countless Washingtonians since 1951 – Boeing’s employees’ and retirees’ charitable contributions now total more than $500 million. The United Ways of Washington will commemorate the ECF of Boeing Puget Sound’s longtime strategic contributions and how they have transformed the lives of so many with a celebration and a proclamation from Gov. Christine Gregorie from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 22, in the Bill & Melinda Gates Conference Room at the United Way of King County.

The Idaho Statesman's April 13 edition featured two editorial articles on philanthropy - one by Cathy Silak, President & CEO of Idaho Community Foundation and a member of the Philanthropy Northwest board, and the other by Carol Lewis, CEO of Philanthropy Northwest.

The board of directors of the Northwest Area Foundation announced the selection of Kevin F. Walker as the new president and CEO of the 74-year-old organization. Walker replaces Karl Stauber, who resigned in June 2007 to become president and CEO of the Danville Regional Foundation in Danville, Virginia. Kari Schlachtenhaufen was named interim president in July 2007 and will continue to serve in that position until Walker joins the Foundation May 19. Walker assumes this leadership post at a time of significant change for the Foundation. After nearly 10 years of sharp focus on a single mission – to reduce poverty long term – and an unconventional grantmaking approach – to engage a few communities in long-term initiatives – the Foundation’s board of directors has decided that significant changes in that approach would enable the Foundation to achieve greater impact.

The Regence Group, the largest health insurer in the Northwest/ Intermountain region, recently announced the launch of its corporate foundation dedicated to transforming health care in the United States. The Regence Foundation estimates it will contribute $2.5 million in its first year and $4 million per year thereafter to organizations addressing its three funding priorities: health care access and quality, the use of technology to engage and educate health care consumers, and improvements to the way the health care system supports individuals and families during the end-of-life process.

The seed for Seeds of Compassion, a gathering in Seattle featuring the Dalai Lama, was sown in a central Idaho resort community on the fourth anniversary of an American tragedy. Delivering a "healing address" in Sun Valley on Sept. 11, 2005, the world's most famous Buddhist monk offered guidance on dealing with heartbreak and injustice, be it a terrorist attack or lesser difficulties in life. "Through more effort you can change, then share with others. Compassion begins with one person," he told a rapt audience of 10,000 people. One of them was Dan Kranzler, president of the Bellevue-based Kirlin Charitable Foundation, which supports projects that help children and families become lifelong learners and compassionate members of society. Inspired by the address, Kranzler met with the Dalai Lama's emissary, Lama Tenzin Dhonden, and began sharing his vision for putting compassion into action.  Click here to read more.

Peggy Saika, President/Executive Director of Asian American/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) will receive the 2008 Leadership, Equity And Diversity (LEAD) Award from Women & Philanthropy, a project of the Council on Foundations, at a Capitol Hill May 6 ceremony in Washington DC that is scheduled to include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The LEAD Award recognizes innovators in the philanthropic community who have increased resources for programs that promote gender equity and diversity. Ms. Saika joins a distinguished list of twelve previous recipients of the LEAD Award, which is endowed by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Founding Washington Women's Foundation member and former Microsoft executive Carla Lewis has agreed to succeed Colleen Willoughby as president of the foundation.  In addition to her professional background in strategic planning, business management, finance, and communication at Paccar and Microsoft, Carla has extensive experience in the nonprofit arena. Carla's involvement with WWF began when she became a founding member in 1995. Colleen will remain on the WWF Board and plans to work on several initiatives to promote what has grown into a nationally known model for collective giving.

Washington Health Foundation was recently honored with a Pollie Award for their "Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign.  The Pollie Awards are given by the American Association of Political Consultants and are the highest honors the political consulting and public affairs community awards to the best in the business. Click here to read more.

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation is seeking proposals to help community partnerships develop innovative ways to support those family, friends and other nonprofessional caregivers who provide care for frail older adults. The Foundation encourages non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, including aging and human service agencies, faith-based and other community-based organizations, tribal organizations, and units of local government to participate.  Letters of inquiry must be received by June 12, 2008.  Click here for more information.

CARE
Medicines Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
Myanmar Red Cross
Save the Children
U.N. World Food Programme
World Vision

In addition, Give2Asia has set up a fund for relief efforts with local partners including Metta Development Foundation and Foundation for the People for Burma. The U.S. Campaign for Burma is working to support grassroots advocacy efforts for human rights issues in Myanmar, and the International Rescue Committee has mobilized emergency teams.