BUZZ: FPWA's Jennifer Jones Austin ... Politicians' use of nonprofits ... Spark Prize

Just days after doctors told her that a fever was no big deal, Jennifer Jones Austin was in a coma fighting for her life. She was given little chance of living. Now she is CEO of FPWA and the author of the new book Consider It Pure Joy where she discusses her battle with Leukemia and what it’s like to be a fourth-generation leader of faith and social justice. She will discuss the book at an event scheduled for Saturday, March 31 at Riverside Church.

A new report – “Elected Officials, Secret Cash” –  from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law examines how at least two presidents, seven governors and mayors like Bill de Blasio have used nonprofits to raise unlimited and anonymous sums of money. “In recent years, the risk of dark money in our elections has become apparent. But we pay less attention to the politicking that happens after election day – specifically when it comes to dark money channeled through secretive nonprofits,” said Chisun Lee, lead author of the report and senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice. Read the report here.

Brooklyn Community Foundation will begin accepting applications for its annual Spark Prize on April 2, according to a press release. Any Brooklyn nonprofit with an annual operating budget of $350,000 or more and a minimum of five years of operation is eligible. More information on the “no strings attached” $100,000 grants can be found here.