The NonProfit Times - One-Third Of Web Donations Didn’t Go Through

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "Amergent, in Peabody, Mass., decided to contact 30 Catholic organizations and test their responses to $25 online and offline donations sent out this past June. Amergent wanted to analyze the ease of donating, how organizations cultivated and renewed donors, and what were the differences between giving online and offline.

The 30 organizations weren’t informed of the test until after Amergent gathered the responses"

amednews: Donations to health care institutions drying up :: Nov. 18, 2009 ... American Medical News

amednews: Donations to health care institutions drying up :: Nov. 18, 2009 ... American Medical News: "An increasing number of pledges are going unfilled, and donated stocks have become less valuable, according to a report issued Oct. 26 by the Assn. for Healthcare Philanthropy.

'People are still supporting the institutions they care about, but they are giving less,' said AHP President William C. McGinly, PhD."

Report Urges Congress to Expand National Service to Create Youth Jobs - Philanthropy.com

Report Urges Congress to Expand National Service to Create Youth Jobs - Philanthropy.com: "The center, a liberal think tank in Washington, proposes increasing the federal funds for AmeriCorps, Vista, Youth Corps, and Youth Build in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 in a way that would create the equivalent of more than 100,000 new jobs."

The Push-And-Pull Within Jewish Philanthropy

The Push-And-Pull Within Jewish Philanthropy: "One of the fascinating dynamics in American Jewish life today involves the complex and evolving relationship among three key groups: the Establishment organizations, symbolized by the federations, the primary engine that drives the organized Jewish community; the family foundations, which have generated great sums of philanthropic money in recent years; and the hundreds of emerging start-ups, or small, independent and youth-driven nonprofit ventures that have become increasingly popular in the last decade, especially among Generations X and Y."

Pie in the Sky fund-raiser at City Hall Plaza - The Boston Globe

Pie in the Sky fund-raiser at City Hall Plaza - The Boston Globe: "Pie in the Sky depends on the goodness of a synergistic team of pie buyers, sellers, and above all, bakers. Some of the volunteers bake in the Community Servings kitchen. That contribution alone consists of 1,000 classic sweet potato pies, which start with the whittling down of one ton of fresh whole potatoes."

A Fresh Look at Diversity and Boards | Blue Avocado

From Blue Avocado

A Fresh Look at Diversity and Boards | Blue Avocado: "Just last week a new report showed that while 57% of California's population is comprised of people of color, just 28% of nonprofit board members reflect that demographic reality. While not all boards want to diversify their racial and ethnic composition, many who do are struggling to clearly define their reasons for diversification and are uncertain as to how to proceed effectively."

Exempt Magazine-The Cost Of A Nonprofit Merger

Exempt Magazine: "The Cost Of A Nonprofit Merger
ByThomas A. McLaughlin

With nonprofit mergers in full swing -- one state association executive recently pronounced them “trendy” -- this is a good time to be clear about their costs. The benefits of mergers are what motivate organizations to consider this option, but the costs are not always clear at the outset."

Charleston Regional Business Journal | ShareThis Email Print Blackbaud CEO gives advice to nonprofits on how to thrive during tight times

Charleston Regional Business Journal | Charleston, SC: "ShareThis

Blackbaud CEO gives advice to nonprofits on how to thrive during tight times

By Chelsea Hadaway
chadaway@scbiznews.com
Published Nov. 17, 2009

Blackbaud CEO Marc Chardon opened the company’s annual Conference for Nonprofits on Monday with a speech on how nonprofits are faring and ways to succeed amid lower spending levels."

Majority of Donors Plan to Keep Giving to Same Number of Charities Next Year - Philanthropy.com

Majority of Donors Plan to Keep Giving to Same Number of Charities Next Year - Philanthropy.com: "Majority of Donors Plan to Keep Giving to Same Number of Charities Next Year

Despite the bad economy and rising unemployment rates, a majority of American professionals say they will give to the same number of nonprofit organizations next year as they did in the preceding 12 months, according to preliminary results from a new survey."

3 in 4 U.S. Adults Would Prefer to Receive Gifts that Give | Christianpost.com

3 in 4 U.S. Adults Would Prefer to Receive Gifts that Give | Christianpost.com: "More than three out of four U.S. adults would prefer to receive a meaningful gift this holiday season that would help someone else instead of a traditional gift like clothing or electronics, according to the results of a new survey on charitable giving."

Mission Inn luncheon marks National Philanthropy Day | Inland News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California

Mission Inn luncheon marks National Philanthropy Day | Inland News | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California: "The Inland Empire Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals will host 'Change the World with a Giving Heart,' a National Philanthropy Day luncheon celebration at the Mission Inn.

The Thursday event will honor local individuals and organizations throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties that exemplify the spirit of giving and philanthropy. Nominees will receive recognition for their dedication and commitment in accomplishing the goals of charitable organizations."

The Business of Giving | Microsoft alumni find productive niche in non-profits | Seattle Times Newspaper

The Business of Giving | Microsoft alumni find productive niche in non-profits | Seattle Times Newspaper: "Microsoft alumni have been a generous bunch. They've started at least 150 non-profits and given millions, if not billions, to causes from global health to education to equal rights.

Now the Microsoft Alumni Foundation is kicking off a new awards program to honor former employees working to improve the world through their philanthropy and socially motivated business."

Report: Charities using telemarketers reap little cash

Report: Charities using telemarketers reap little cash: "Charities in the Long Island region actually receive the lowest amount of money through telemarketing calls among all regions in the state - and lower than the state average of 39.5 cents, the report found. Still, Long Island is doing better than in 2007, when the region's nonprofits received only 16.81 cents per dollar raised through telemarketers."

New Online Catalogue for Philanthropy in Washington, DC | Leading Companies for Good | Fast Company

New Online Catalogue for Philanthropy in Washington, DC | Leading Companies for Good | Fast Company: "Now more than ever, individuals, corporations, and foundations want to make informed choices when they make financial contributions to nonprofit organizations. And people want to volunteer where their time and talents will be put to good use. So how do you know which organizations to support?

A valuable print resource since 2003, the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington went online tonight. 'We offer a wide variety of giving options, including a gift registry and gift cards,' according to Barbara Harman, President and Editor, CFP-DC, and Executive Director, Harman Family Foundation."

Congress May Consider Extending IRA Tax Break for Charitable Gifts - WSJ.com

Congress May Consider Extending IRA Tax Break for Charitable Gifts - WSJ.com: "t's crunch time for a tax break that lets people tap their IRAs and give the proceeds to a charity without the Internal Revenue Service claiming part of the money.

The provision that lets people aged at least 70 ½ pull money out of their individual retirement accounts and channel it tax-free to charity expires at the end of the year. With charitable giving down 2% last year and expected to be off in 2009 as well, there's a push on Capitol Hill to keep the tax break – and even to broaden it."

Penn State Live - Student designs winning logos for two largest student-run events

Penn State Live - Student designs winning logos for two largest student-run events: "University Park, Pa. -- For the second time this academic year, Penn Staters will sport a Lindsay Stork original. This winter, hundreds students participating in THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, will wear T-shirts with a logo designed by Stork, a Penn State senior from Birdsboro, Pa., just outside of Reading."

Giving It Away is the American Way - FOXBusiness.com

Giving It Away is the American Way - FOXBusiness.com: "“Americans are incredibly generous,” says Eileen Heisman, CEO of the National Philanthropic Trust [NPT], the 4th largest donor-advised fund in the United States. Since the founding of this country, she says, Americans have been forming associations and rallying around a variety of causes."

Secretary Of State Releases 2009 Charities Report - Jackson News Story - WAPT Jackson

Secretary Of State Releases 2009 Charities Report - Jackson News Story - WAPT Jackson: "JACKSON, Miss. -- Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, along with Mark McCrary, executive director of the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits, kicked off the secretary of state's 'Check your Charities' campaign Monday by releasing the 2009 Charities Report."

Reclusive Donor's Gifts Remake Small Massachusetts Town - Philanthropy.com

Reclusive Donor's Gifts Remake Small Massachusetts Town - Philanthropy.com: "Reclusive Donor's Gifts Remake Small Massachusetts Town

A reclusive Central Massachusetts businessman has given the small town that houses his manufacturing company a series of new municipal facilities valued at about $20-million, according to The Boston Globe."

MaineBusiness.com | Hard times fail to undermine Maine philanthropy

MaineBusiness.com | Hard times fail to undermine Maine philanthropy: "'There is good news,' said Meredith Jones, who took over as chief executive officer on Jan. 2.

Not only are the foundation's grants ahead of last year, but its assets by the end of September were slightly ahead of where they were last year at that time. Some other philanthropic foundations are reporting similar stories as they emerge from one of the toughest economic crises in years."

Pacific Coast Business Times - Santa Barbara’s new philanthropic innovation

Pacific Coast Business Times - Santa Barbara’s new philanthropic innovation: "The group has formed a newly announced chapter of a nascent national organization called Social Venture Partners. Social Venture Partners presents a combination of financial and professional skills to attack social problems and build management expertise within small organizations.

The Santa Barbara Chapter was founded a year ago, and it operates under the auspices of the Santa Barbara Foundation. It has moved cautiously to examine issues and get engaged."

Giving for charities, arts stretched thin | argusleader.com | Argus Leader

Giving for charities, arts stretched thin | argusleader.com | Argus Leader: "'Obviously, with the economy the way it is and with people donating to so many things across the area, it only goes so far,' said Nancy Hanneman, executive director of the Sioux Empire American Red Cross where donations are down from this time last year."

Ball State Daily News - Greeks 'stuff the bus' to help Muncie Mission

Ball State Daily News - Greeks 'stuff the bus' to help Muncie Mission: "Members of Ball State University’s Greek community helped Muncie Mission, a local food pantry, by hosting a canned food drive this weekend.

The second annual “Stuff the Bus” took place Saturday at the Marsh at 3910 W. Bethel Ave.

“Stuff the Bus” is part of the “Feed Muncie” campaign created as a greek community philanthropy project. The goal of “Feed Muncie” is to donate more than 5,000 canned goods to Muncie Mission.

Lauren McHugh, a graduate student who works in the Student Life office, said she was happy with the results of “Stuff the Bus.”"

Charity shoe box gift collection billed as world's largest Christmas program - Santa Cruz Sentinel

Charity shoe box gift collection billed as world's largest Christmas program - Santa Cruz Sentinel: "In what charity Samaritan's Purse calls the largest Christmas project, the boxes are disbursed with notable precision via plane, boat, camel or whatever transportation necessary. They can even be tracked to their destination online, if one registers the box, spokesman Aaron Bensoua said.

The annual one-week collection begins Monday."

Fundraising group helps raise bar on philanthropy scene | mydesert.com | The Desert Sun

Fundraising group helps raise bar on philanthropy scene | mydesert.com | The Desert Sun: "In order for charitable giving and philanthropy to work, there has to be public trust,” AFP spokesman Michael Nilsen said.

He cautioned donors against “haphazard giving” and encourages those who give to check out the nonprofit group in advance of writing a check.

“Giving is a personal thing. Look into it. Check out the organization's programs or annual reports to make sure it's doing what it stands for,” he said."

Charities get creative in unusually hard times

Charities get creative in unusually hard times: "The recession also has generated a renewed energy around nonprofit collaboration. One-quarter of our survey respondents said they are collaborating with other agencies to provide services. United Way is tapping this energy to accelerate the launch of SparkPoint Centers, one-stop community resource centers that help low-income families achieve lasting financial stability."

Dream-home raffles having mixed success

Dream-home raffles having mixed success: "At least eight Northern California nonprofits have sponsored dream-home raffles this year. While some have hit the jackpot, others have been canceled or forced to scale back their grand prizes because they didn't sell enough tickets."

Endowment Hardships and the Power of Nice | The Citizen

Endowment Hardships and the Power of Nice | The Citizen: "Harvard recently reported that the value of its endowment declined by $11 billion, or 27 percent of the total. This is the equivalent of 35 years’ worth of tuition from the combined 20,230 undergraduate and graduate students. For the University, this represents the most severe financial setback in its 373 year history and will undoubtedly have serious consequences. The ambitious Allston Science Complex, scheduled for completion in 2011 at a cost $1.2 billion, has been put on hold. Capital spending overall has been cut by half."

State officials promote wise charitable giving - Journal Advocate

State officials promote wise charitable giving - Journal Advocate: "DENVER — Amid the upcoming holiday season, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers and Secretary of State Bernie Buescher appealed to residents to consider charitable giving but also to give wisely.
“Undoubtedly, these are tough economic times,” Buescher said. “However, for those traditional donors or people wanting to give for the first time, my office has developed a user-friendly site that helps people maximize their donations by highlighting charities' financials. In this season of giving, we want Coloradans to be seasoned-givers.”
In Colorado, charitable organizations and paid solicitors that ask for contributions must file registration documents with the Secretary of State's Office. That information is then made available on the Secretary of State's web site through a searchable database. Residents can use the system to learn about an organization's charitable purposes, see who governs the charity and review the charity's financial information. The information enables potential donors to determine at a glance how much a charity is spending on its core programs in comparison to its spending on administration and fundraising."

Charity chic: happy hour for a good cause - Living - MiamiHerald.com

Charity chic: happy hour for a good cause - Living - MiamiHerald.com: "Happy hour events have been popping up all over South Florida in the past few months. They vary from venue to venue in cost and scale and how much they donate to nonprofits. And while they're clearly not as lucrative as large-scale fundraising, some organizers say they're becoming an inevitable, even helpful, part of raising money and awareness."

Deer meat essential for soup kitchen | jacksonsun.com | The Jackson Sun

Deer meat essential for soup kitchen | jacksonsun.com | The Jackson Sun: "Ward manages the soup kitchen in Jackson for the Regional Inter-Faith Association, better known as RIFA. He said deer meat is essential for the feeding of hundreds each year at the soup kitchen."

Record number of poppies distributed, says Royal British Legion - Telegraph

Record number of poppies distributed, says Royal British Legion - Telegraph: "he charity sent out 42 million poppies to meet demand, four million more than average and two million more than last year. It is the most that have ever been distributed.

Graham Akins, of the Royal British Legion, said that because poppies were bought by donations rather than a fixed price it was not possible to say how much money had been raised."

Hawaii nonprofit’s donors go over the edge - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

Hawaii nonprofit’s donors go over the edge - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):: "The nonprofit said 120 people signed up for the event, which asked donors to raise at least $1,000 each in exchange for the opportunity to rappel off the 31-story Waikiki hotel."

Wealth Matters - Philanthropy Thrives, Even With Reduced Resources - NYTimes.com

Wealth Matters - Philanthropy Thrives, Even With Reduced Resources - NYTimes.com: "Yet Charles Bronfman, the former co-chairman of the Seagram Company and founder of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, was quick to correct me when I asked him how philanthropists felt about the pressure to give back. “I never give back,” he said. “I don’t like that term. I give because I want to give. Other people give because they want to increase their social standing.”"