The world of the golden donors-the rich and influential philanthropic foundations-is quite likely the least known and yet most pervasive of all the invisible money and power networks in America. Nielsen explores the 36 largest of the 22,000 currently active foundations. He takes the reader inside each of the giants to analyze its people, policies, and performance. From the most famous, Ford and MacArthur, to the most obscure, Mabee and Moody, the author lets in daylight and lets out the bats as well as the butterflies. Golden Donors is a journey through 36 fiefdoms, each of which controls upwards of $250 million dollars, beyond the reach of the IRS, in order to encourage medical research, support cultural and artistic endeavors, and not least, to buttress immensely expensive educational institutions. Which of the great foundations in recent years have been spectacular successes and which are failures? Is today's leadership in the third-stream economy equal to the task? Are foundations, seedbeds or killing grounds of new social and political ideas? And what is the federal government, and a variety of administrations, doing to help or harm this new economy? Nielsen provides many surprising and some quite startling answers for the millions of Americans whose lives the golden donors directly or indirectly affect. When Golden Donors first appeared, A. Bartlett Giamatti praised it as an historical guide, a shrewd critique, and an impassioned warning. "This remarkable book on the nation's largest foundations must be read by anyone concerned with America's unique not-for-profit sector and the quality of our national life." Kingman Brewster saw the book as "a revealing mirror held up to the faces of big philanthropy...a must book for foundation creators and leaders." Thornton F. Bradsahw said, "Golden Donors describes the large American foundations, what they are how they got that way, and wherein lies their strength and their potential. The book is wise, witty, and perceptive-indispensable reading." Waldemar A. Nielsen was born in Pennsylvania, educated in Missouri and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. He served as a naval officer, diplomat, expert on Africa, foundation officer and trustee, and foreign affairs analyst. He has written for The New Yorker, Harper's, and other publications. A leading counselor on philanthropy policy, Nielsen has advised a number of present and former clients, including John D. Rockefeller 3rd, J. Paul Getty, and Robert O. Anderson, as well as major corporations and foundations.

Great Foundations is a practical guide for people working in not-for-profit organisations, especially aspiring Board members and CEOs and people for whom this is new territory.

For the past fifteen years, Stephen Isaacs and Paul Jellinek have been go-to advisors to foundations. They have consulted on everything from basic governance and management to strategic planning, program development, and impact assessment. Distilling more than fifty years of hands-on philanthropic experience into a short, highly readable book, the authors guide founders and leaders of foundations through many of the issues and challenges they are likely to encounter. These include the technical aspects of starting and running an effective foundation as well as critical insights about what it takes to become a truly great foundation. Indispensable for board and staff members of new and established foundations alike-and for individuals who may be considering launching a new foundation of their own-the book is available through Amazon.com and other major outlets.

Peter Thomas has lived a tremendously successful and fulfilling life, despite personal tragedy and occasionally grave financial circumstances. He founded and built Century 21 Real Estate into the largest real estate network in Canada, and profitably spearheaded dozens of large-scale real estate developments all over North America. He has founded several more wildly successful businesses, the not-for-profit organizations LifePilot and the Todd Thomas Institute for Values-Based Leadership, flown a helicopter, dived to 850 feet in a submarine, and raced motorcycles. So why him? Peter Thomas doesn’t believe he is a particularly gifted person or any smarter than the average man or woman in the street, but his achievements in business and philanthropy are world class. So what is the secret to building an exceptional life? The answer is that there are many paths to success, but what they all have in common is being true to the people on them, and you get to – have to – pick your own. Thomas shares his life, experience, and wisdom with you to illustrate his Five Foundations for achieving the life you want: Values: Clarify your personal values and live them. Focus: Understand the power of focus and how to apply it. Visualization: If you can picture your goal, you can work towards it. Inspiration: Celebrate the genius within you. Reflection: Tap into positive forces you control. For Peter Thomas, learning and applying these principles has brought him fame and fortune, aligned with a resolute conviction to help the less fortunate. There is no limit to what we are capable of achieving. Be Great is a manual for unlocking human potential.

An easy and fun approach to teaching your child to read A stand-alone phonics & reading program, flexible for use in either kindergarten or first gradeA workbook filled with lessons, instructions, and suggested hands-on activities for a full semester of studySuggested hands-on activities will utilize materials typically found in the kitchen or playroom (e.g., crayons, markers, flour, rice, play-dough) This unique curriculum will take your student on a journey from the beginning of creation to the Resurrection of Christ as they learn each letter and corresponding sound. Designed to meet the needs of students who are ready to begin writing, as well as those who may not have mastered the hand-eye coordination skills yet that are needed for writing.

Now with engaging National Geographic images, the new edition of the Great Writing series helps students write better sentences, paragraphs, and essays. The new Foundations level meets the needs of low-level learners through practice in basic grammar, vocabulary, and spelling, while all levels feature clear explanations, student writing models, and meaningful practice opportunities. The new edition of the Great Writing series is the perfect writing solution for all learners from beginning to advanced.