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Cindy Eggleton has always believed in the power of a story. But the CEO and co-founder of Brilliant Cities, a Detroit-based early childhood development nonprofit that supports learning in underserved communities, never expected someone to tell hers. And definitely not in a sleek documentary with a slick soundtrack and plenty of images of other Detroit institutions, such as General Motors, Diana Ross, and the historic Fox Theatre. Its never been about me, said Eggleton, adding that participating in the Nevertheless: The Women Changing the World documentary series on YouTube was her way of honoring her late mother, Geraldine, who inspired her to speak out and help others in their community. However, as they face an increasingly uncertain funding landscape, nonprofits are focusing more on storytelling in outreach to donors both big and small and raising production values for videos and podcasts. Storytelling is how were able to draw people in and get them to connect to a deeper truth about themselves or about the world or a problem that needs to be solved, said Elevate Prize Foundation CEO Carolina Garcia Jayaram. Its connecting those issues back to you as a human and not saying, Well, thats their problem. Thats all the way over there. The story allows it to be human. Elevate Prize Foundation launches its own storytelling arm The foundation launched the production house Elevate Studios earlier this year to tell more of those stories, Garcia Jayaram said. Nevertheless: The Women Changing the World, Elevate Studios first series, has already generated more than 3 million views on YouTube and will debut its second season in the fall of 2026. Its been incredible to see the growth weve had on YouTube and how its resonated so quickly with so many people, Garcia Jayaram said. We know were on to something here. Philanthropic support of storytelling has been ongoing for decades, mostly through donors funding documentary projects. Open Society Foundations created the Soros Documentary Fund in 1996 before the Sundance Institute took it over in 2002, with the George Soros-backed nonprofits continued monetary support. The Ford Foundation formalized its funding plans in 2011, creating its JustFilms program that still supports 25-30 documentary films annually. Earlier this month, Firelight Media, a New York-based nonprofit supporting documentary filmmakers of color, launched the Firelight Fund, which will offer directors $50,000 grants for their projects. But Lance Gould, founder and CEO of media strategy firm Brooklyn Story Lab, says what Elevate Prize Foundation and others are doing is different. He says it reflects both technological improvements that have lowered the cost of documentary storytelling and the rise of social media, which allows nonprofits to interact with donors directly. Being able to tell your story well is paramount, said Gould, whose firm works with nonprofits to help them produce their own story-driven content. But storytelling is not only about reaching viewers, its also about having the right message for the right viewers. He suggests that nonprofits connect their work to larger initiatives like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals an ambitious list of 17 efforts from eliminating extreme poverty and hunger to guaranteeing every child a quality secondary education by 2030 to attract more attention and support. How storytelling can strengthen connection Gould, who was previously executive editor of The Huffington Post and editor in chief of The Boston Phoenix, said everyone can be their own media company at this point. Thats a point Nicole Bronzan, vice president of communications and content for the Council on Foundations, hopes is not lost in the push for more storytelling. We dont want people to feel that they have to make big technological investments in order to tell better stories, Bronzan said. We wouldnt want anyone to feel like they have to have a big fancy studio, but certainly the news that folks are investing in storytelling is great for us and for the whole sector. In a Council on Foundations report released last year, A New Voice for Philanthropy: How Deeper Stories and Clearer Language Can Build Trust, researchers, including Bronzan, reported that people had positive attitudes toward foundations, but most didnt really understand how foundations worked. Bronzan said stories that provide more transparency about how donations are used and how those decisions are made help connect people to a nonprofit and its work. If youre telling those stories, she said, I can only imagine that people will be more inclined to open up their pocketbooks and say, Oh, OK, these are causes that need my support. Documentary sparks donations So far, that has been the case for Brilliant Cities, which saw an increase in donations after Eggletons episode debuted on YouTube. We have a funder who wants to increase his gift from $7,000 to $100,000, said Eggleton, whose nonprofit turns a neighborhoods vacant homes into community centers with family services ranging from tutoring to mental health support groups. She said new donors have also reached out. Its kind of incredible. Though Brilliant Cities doesnt rely on federal funding for its services, Eggleton said government aid cuts have made a tough funding environment even tougher because the competition for non-governmental donations becomes even tougher. Everybodys being told whats being taken away, she said. People are pulling at grant officers and individuals with stock market gains. I think its more than the funding, though. I think its about really recognizing how the world already feels so disconnected and now feels even more so. Storytelling, Eggleton said, helps reduce that. By focusing on female changemakers, Elevate Studios makes an even stronger point, she said, adding shes been quoting Spanish poet Antonio Machado There is no path/We make the path by walking as she explains the power of the series. This is the time that we really do need to figure out how we build empathy through stories and not necessarily saying, Youre wrong or youre right, she said. You just show the world what can be and what should be. Glenn Gamboa, AP business writer
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U.S. stocks are tumbling on Tuesday, and some of Wall Street’s biggest stars are leading the way lower.The S&P 500 sank 1.2% and was on track for its worst loss in a month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 498 points, or 1.1%, as of 9:37 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was down a market-leading 1.4%. All three are still close to their recently set records.Nvidia and other companies that have benefited from the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology were some of the heaviest weights on the market. They have soared for years on expectations that they’re at the vanguard of the next revolution for the global economy. But they’ve also shot so high that critics say their prices have simply become too expensive.Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the move into AI, fell 2.3%. Broadcom, another chip giant, fell 2.1%.The overall stock market was feeling pressure from rising yields in the bond market, where the 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.27% from 4.23% late Friday. When bonds are paying more in interest, investors are less willing to pay high prices for stocks.Longer-term bond yields are on the rise around the world, in part because of worries about how difficult it will be for governments to repay their growing mountains of debt.In the United States, Treasury yields are feeling additional pressure from President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Federal Reserve for not cutting interest rates sooner. The fear is that a less independent Fed will be less likely to make the unpopular decisions needed to keep inflation under control, such as keeping short-term interest rates higher than investors would like.Tuesday was also the first opportunity for trading in the U.S. Treasury market after a federal appeals court ruled that Trump overstepped his legal authority when announcing sweeping tariffs on almost every country on Earth, though it left the tariffs in place for now. While the tariffs have created confusion and may have hurt the U.S. job market, they also have brought in revenue that could help the U.S. government pay some of its debt.In another signal about increasing worries in financial markets, the price of gold rose 1% and was near its record. The metal has often provided a haven for investors in times of uncertainty.On Wall Street, Constellation Brands tumbled 6.4% after the beer, wine and spirits company warned that it’s seen a slowdown in purchases of its high-end beers, particularly among its Hispanic customers. That pushed it to slash its forecast for profit this fiscal year.Kraft Heinz slipped 1.4% after announcing that it’s splitting into two, a decade after a merger of the brands created one of the biggest food companies on the planet.One of the companies will include shelf stable meals and include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include the Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables brands. The official names of the two companies will be released later.Among the market’s few gainers was PepsiCo, which jumped 3.5% after an investment firm said it sent suggestions to the company’s board to reaccelerate its growth and boost financial performance. The investor, Elliott Management, has a history of buying into companies and then pushing for big changes that can lead to better stock performance.In stock markets abroad, indexes slumped across Europe, with Germany’s DAX losing 2%. That was after a more mixed finish in Asia, where indexes rose 0.9% in Seoul but fell 0.5% in Hong Kong. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Stan Choe, AP Business Writer
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Packaged food giant the Kraft Heinz Company announced on Tuesday that its board of directors has unanimously approved a plan to split into two separate, publicly traded companies. The proposed split will essentially reverse a merger between the companies from 2015, which has not provided favorable long-term results. Shares of Kraft Heinz (NYSE:KHC) were down more than 4% in early trading on Tuesday after the announcement. The stock is down 13% year to date and more than 25% over the last 12 months. What will the breakup look like? The names of the two separate companies have yet to be decided. The first company, referred to in the news release as Global Taste Elevation Co., will primarily feature shelf-stable meals. It will include brands like Heinz, Kraft Mac & Cheese, and Philadelphia. The second company, referred to in the news release as North American Grocery Co., will feature a scaled portfolio of North American staples. It will include brands like Kraft Singles, Lunchables, and Oscar Mayer. The proposed separation is intended to be tax-free, with the transaction expected to close in the second half of 2026. According to Kraft Heinz, the split is intended to maximize Kraft Heinzs capabilities and brands while reducing complexity, allowing both new companies to more effectively deploy resources toward their distinct strategic priorities.” “By separating into two companies, we can allocate the right level of attention and resources to unlock the potential of each brand to drive better performance and the creation of long-term shareholder value,” said Miguel Patricio, executive chair of the Kraft Heinz board, in a statement. A question-and-answer session is scheduled for today, Tuesday, September 2, 2025. Mega-merged companies are thinking smaller The proposed split follows a recent trend in which larger companies are splitting into two smaller entities, sometimes undoing the size and scale they’d achieved by merging in the first place. In 2023, The Kellogg Companys board of directors approved a plan to split into two separate entities: Kellanova, which would focus on snack foods, and WK Kellogg Co, which would primarily focus on cereals. The separation was finalized in October 2023. Unilever, meanwhile, announced plans in 2024 to spin off its ice cream division as a separate company. The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which will operate as a stand-alone business featuring brands such as Ben & Jerrys, Magnum, and Wall’s, is expected to go public during the last quarter of 2025. And just last week, Keurig Dr Pepper announced its ultimate plans to split into two separate companies. It will acquire JDE Peets, then operate as two businessesone focused on coffee and another on other beverages, such as sodas and energy drinks.
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