Wealth Matters - In Shaky Recovery, Pledging Fortunes Takes Extra Effort - NYTimes.com

Wealth Matters - In Shaky Recovery, Pledging Fortunes Takes Extra Effort - NYTimes.com: "Setting an Example

Any announcement as visible as the Giving Pledge is meant to do more than to show what a small group of very rich people is doing. Its value is in the knock-on effect, in getting other people to pledge half or more of their vast wealth to charity.

“I hope it will inspire other people to think about their own philanthropy,” said Timothy L. Seiler, director of the fund-raising school at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University."

To Survey or Not to Survey your�List - Online Fundraising, Advocacy, and Social Media - frogloop

To Survey or Not to Survey your�List - Online Fundraising, Advocacy, and Social Media - frogloop: "Wednesday
Aug112010
To Survey or Not to Survey your List
DateWednesday, August 11, 2010 at 08:48PM | by AuthorAllyson Kapin

I have always been a firm believer in surveying your online adovacy and donor list every six months or at the very least once a year. But a couple of weeks ago, Kelly O'Neal, an online marketing consultant, asked me 'Why should nonprofits survey their list? What value will they truly get out of the results?' I rattled off some answers and reflected on my answers as she raised some great points. Here's some questions that nonprofits should ask themselves that Kelly and I have been discussing ever since."

Gwent hospices left �400,000 in wills (From South Wales Argus)

Gwent hospices left �400,000 in wills (From South Wales Argus): "GWENT hospices benefited from more than �400,000 left to them in peoples' wills last year.

St David's Foundation Hospice Care was one of five Welsh hospices and hospital charities which were left a combined total of more than �2 million."

Burk’s Blog � Blog Archive � Donor-Centered Door-to-Door

Burk’s Blog � Blog Archive � Donor-Centered Door-to-Door: "Donor-Centered Door-to-Door
August 12th, 2010 by Penelope Burk

I’ve written about door-to-door canvassing before…a form of fundraising that I think is seriously underrated. Any program that brings a fundraiser face-to-face with a donor is one with enormous potential. It’s major gifts fundraising, mistakenly downgraded to direct marketing."

A newsmaker you should know: New leader wants nonprofit to continue for 100 more years

A newsmaker you should know: New leader wants nonprofit to continue for 100 more years: "A newsmaker you should know: New leader wants nonprofit to continue for 100 more years"

The Giving Pledge | eJewish Philanthropy: The Jewish Philanthropy Blog

The Giving Pledge | eJewish Philanthropy: The Jewish Philanthropy Blog: "The Jewish names on the Giving Pledge list represent many billions of dollars: Michael R. Bloomberg, Eli and Edythe Broad, Barry Diller and Diane Von Furstenberg, Larry Ellison, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, George B. Kaiser, Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest, Lorry I. Lokey, Alfred E. Mann, Bernie and Billi Marcus, Bernard and Barbro Osher, Ronald O. Perelman, David M. Rubenstein, Herb and Marion Sandler, Jim and Marilyn Simons, Jeff Skoll, Sanford and Joan Weill, and Shelby White (widow of Leon Levey)."

Bill Clinton Taps Revamped Causes ‘Birthday Wish’ To Raise Money For Charity

Bill Clinton Taps Revamped Causes ‘Birthday Wish’ To Raise Money For Charity: "Former President Bill Clinton is looking to turn his 64th birthday into an opportunity to counter malnutrition in Colombia, reduce childhood obesity in the US, and improve lives around the world. And to do it, he’s turning to Birthday Wish, a service powered by Causes that makes it easy to ask your friends for charity donations in honor of your big day. Clinton will be sharing his Birthday Wish with his 366,000 Facebook fans, making this the most widely shared wish on the platform to date (and the first time a major celebrity has used it). You can find his Wish here"

As people in distress turn to Twitter, the Red Cross seeks the most efficient ways to respond

As people in distress turn to Twitter, the Red Cross seeks the most efficient ways to respond: "But the Red Cross, like many other disaster-relief organizations and emergency responders, didn't have a good way to handle those pleas. Relief workers went through messages manually, contacting search-and-rescue teams, trying to pinpoint locations. It was the first big sign that humanitarian response was being changed dramatically by new technology.

But if someone screams for help on Facebook or Twitter, will anyone hear?"

Giving circles growing in Central Texas

Giving circles growing in Central Texas: "Seven years ago, giving circles were an anomaly in Austin.

Back then, Impact Austin was one of the few such groups in the city. In typical giving circle form, its members got together, pooled their money and donated it to charity. Since then, the group has donated $2.6 million to area nonprofits.

But these days, Impact Austin isn't the only game in town. Since the group's 2003 inception, other giving circles have emerged, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into local charities."

Finding the Right Measures - Making Change - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Finding the Right Measures - Making Change - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Jan Masaoka, a management expert and editor in chief of the Web site Blue Avocado, explains why charities should evaluate how much good they do and not focus so much on other measures of success."

If you build it they will come, IF… - netwitsthinktank.com

If you build it they will come, IF… - netwitsthinktank.com: "Unlike Field of Dreams, people are not magically going to appear on your site. What are you doing to really drive people to your new site? Is there a plan to get those ghosts from the internet world playing baseball on your new field? If you build it they will come, IF you have a clear and defined plan as to how to get the buzz started about your new site."

An easy guide to fundraising for your walkathon

From Marc Pitman
An easy guide to fundraising for your walkathon: "Lately I’ve been getting lots of questions about how individuals can fundraise for walkathon events and many other -athons: bike-a-thons, bowl-a-thons, etc."

Oxfam condemns sluggish Pakistan donation response as DEC hits �7m - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits

Oxfam condemns sluggish Pakistan donation response as DEC hits �7m - Civil Society - Fundraising - News - providing news and in-depth coverage of charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profits: "Oxfam condemns sluggish Pakistan donation response as DEC hits �7m
Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 10 Aug 2010
Topics: Digital fundraising

Oxfam has slammed the sluggish response of international governments to the Pakistan crisis, reporting that the amount pledged amounts to just $3.20 per affected person."

Indiana University sees big private funding jump - BusinessWeek

Indiana University sees big private funding jump - BusinessWeek: "ndiana University announced Monday that it has seen a 38 percent increase in private sector grants and contributions from a year ago, when such revenue declined during the recession."

102 Brits grin and bare it on roller coaster ride for charity -

102 Brits grin and bare it on roller coaster ride for charity -: "More than 100 British thrill-seekers have bared all to raise money for a breast cancer charity by setting a record for riding a roller coaster naked."

Fifteen tips for developing an ethical culture in your organziation

Fifteen tips for developing an ethical culture in your organziation: "Ethics Q & A
Doing Good Right

Jane Garthson By Jane Garthson, Garthson Leadership Centre
August 3, 2010


In honour of CharityVillage�'s 15th Anniversary, this week I'll be sharing 15 tips for helping leaders develop an ethical culture in their organizations."

Rethinking the Career Ladder: The Multi-Generational Workforce and Nonprofits

Rethinking the Career Ladder: The Multi-Generational Workforce and Nonprofits: "Civic Ventures, a think tank that explores and develops 'encore' opportunities for people at or approaching retirement age, has published a trio of reports that explore generational issues in nonprofits."

Big Companies Hold Steady in 2010 Gifts - Corporate Giving - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Big Companies Hold Steady in 2010 Gifts - Corporate Giving - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Corporate profits are on the rebound, but most big businesses say it will be some time before they can give as much cash as they did before the recession, according to a Chronicle survey of 162 of the country’s largest corporations."

Nonprofit Survival of the Fittest: Crisis Management and the New Normal | Center for Nonprofit Advancement

Nonprofit Survival of the Fittest: Crisis Management and the New Normal | Center for Nonprofit Advancement: "Economist Dr. Alice Rivlin, Brookings Institute senior fellow and former head of the White House Office of Management and Budget under the Clinton Administration, addresses the state of our economy and how it is impacting the nonprofit sector."

40 U.S. Billionaires Accept Gates, Buffet Giving Challenge - Press - AFP

40 U.S. Billionaires Accept Gates, Buffet Giving Challenge - Press - AFP: "40 U.S. Billionaires Accept Gates, Buffet Giving Challenge

August 4, 2010

(Aug. 4, 2010) Forty billionaires have now signed on to Bill and Melinda Gates’ and Warren Buffett’s 'Giving Pledge,' promising to donate a majority of their fortunes to charity. The announcement comes six weeks after the project was originally announced.

The Giving Pledge is an effort to help address society's most pressing problems by inviting the wealthiest American families and individuals to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes."

Mercury News editorial: It isn't just the wealthy who should be philanthropists - San Jose Mercury News

Mercury News editorial: It isn't just the wealthy who should be philanthropists - San Jose Mercury News: "Silicon Valley has many fine attributes, but a tradition of charitable giving is not one of them. A 2007 study found that the 68,000"

Oklahoma Billionaires Promise To Donate Wealth To Charity - KTUL.com - Tulsa, Oklahoma - Coverage You Can Count On

Oklahoma Billionaires Promise To Donate Wealth To Charity - KTUL.com - Tulsa, Oklahoma - Coverage You Can Count On: "A pair of Oklahoma-born billionaires are promising to donate the majority of their wealth to charity.

T. Boone Pickens and George Kaiser are among 40 people who have signed 'The Giving Pledge.'

It was started by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates."

Reliable Source - This just in...: Wyclef resigns from Haitian charity, files Presidential paperwork

Reliable Source - This just in...: Wyclef resigns from Haitian charity, files Presidential paperwork: "Yeah, he's really going to go through with it. Rapper Wyclef Jean arrived in Port-au-Prince Thursday afternoon and submitted paperwork declaring his candidacy for president of Haiti. If accepted, he'll be in the race. Jean also announced that he is stepping down as chairman of the Y�le Haiti foundation --"

Why Foreign Aid Is Dwindling - Newsweek

Why Foreign Aid Is Dwindling - Newsweek: "At the last G8 summit in June, the world’s leading nations agreed to work hard on the usual litany of good causes—peace, global warming, etc.—with one notable exception. The issue that had dominated the summit just five years ago, foreign aid, got little mention. Perhaps that’s not surprising, given how many rich nations are busy bailing themselves out of the debt crisis, but it is emblematic of a wider malaise: the death of generosity itself."

Health-Care Endowments Saw Modest Signs of Improvement in 2009 - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Health-Care Endowments Saw Modest Signs of Improvement in 2009 - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Health-Care Endowments Saw Modest Signs of Improvement in 2009, Report Says

By Caroline Preston

Nonprofit health-care organizations recovered some of their investment losses last year, according to a study by the Commonfund Institute, in Wilton, Conn. But their endowments did not perform as well as those of some other types of nonprofits."