STAFF
staff-bio-image Request an Interview Follow on Twitter/X
staff-bio-image

Rebecca Richards

Director of Fund for Academic Renewal (FAR)

Request an Interview Follow on Twitter/X

Rebecca Richards is the Director of the Fund for Academic Renewal (FAR), a program of ACTA that works closely with higher education donors to design, monitor, and evaluate transformative gifts that meet their philanthropic objectives. Prior to joining FAR, she was a fellow with the John Jay Institute. Rebecca graduated from Baylor University with a University Scholar’s degree in philosophy and is currently enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Kent in Philanthropic Studies. Her work has been published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Philanthropy Daily, Law and Liberty, and the Washington Examiner.

RECENT WORK
ACTA in the NewsPhilanthropy

Philanthropy still needs small-dollar givers

Online shopping on Black Friday hit a record high this year, with consumers spending nearly $12 billion in one day. This 4.1% increase from last year is surprising given widespread concerns about the affordability of groceries, housing, and healthcare costs. Americans’ willingness to spend may bode well for GivingTuesday. In 2024, GivingTuesday reported $3.6 billion raised and 36.1 million participants, giving time or money. It […]
ACTA in the NewsArtificial Intelligence

AI Is Not a Teacher, Let Alone a Friend

Meta recently published an ad titled, “Talk it out with Meta AI – Book Club,” where AI serves as both an event planner and literary professor within the span of 30 seconds. The ad clearly misses the irony of its own title as talking things out is the point of a book club. Cringeworthy enough on its own, the ad inspires broader concerns with turning too quickly to AI to outsource some of the most human things in life.
WHO WE ARE

Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.

Discover More