How I wrote it... The Make A Wish Foundation prospect letter. | SOFII

How I wrote it... The Make A Wish Foundation prospect letter. | SOFII: "In the second of a series of interviews with leading fundraising writers, Harvey McKinnon talks with Fergal Byrne about a fundraising letter he wrote for the Make A Wish Foundation, Canada, in 2002. In this conversation Harvey tells how he wrote this letter and expands on his approach, paying special attention to the art and craft of writing and telling fundraising stories."

Competition in THON adds to total and cause - The Daily Collegian Online

Competition in THON adds to total and cause - The Daily Collegian Online: "Disclaimer: I love THON. During my time at Penn State, I have served as a THON Chairman for my fraternity, fundraised thousands of dollars for the cause, spent hours with our Four Diamonds Family and I have danced.
I have also lost both friends and family to cancer and have received meaningful emotional support through THON. As such, I fully support THON's goal of keeping the philanthropy's primary focus on conquering pediatric cancer."

Fairfax County homeless population falls as coalition grows

Fairfax County homeless population falls as coalition grows: "Those working to end homelessness in Fairfax County have made inroads in the past few years and could have even greater results with new efforts aimed at bringing businesses into the effort."

In the Arts: New Leadership Reshapes Major Art Museums - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

In the Arts: New Leadership Reshapes Major Art Museums - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "n the Arts: New Leadership Reshapes Major Art Museums
A new generation of directors is rethinking the roles of art museums, shifting away from the notion of the institutions as “cathedrals of culture” in an effort to remain relevant and reach out to younger and more diverse audiences, says The Wall Street Journal.

Museum chiefs in their 30s and 40s, like Kaywin Feldman, at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Christoph Heinrich, at the Denver Art Museum; and Thom Collins, of the Miami Art Museum, are using new media, interactive exhibits, and social events to make the institutions more than simply places that collect and display art, The Journal writes."

The billionaire Koch brothers’ war against Obama : The New Yorker

The billionaire Koch brothers’ war against Obama : The New Yorker: "The gala marked the social ascent of Koch, who, at the age of seventy, has become one of the city’s most prominent philanthropists. In 2008, he donated a hundred million dollars to modernize Lincoln Center’s New York State Theatre building, which now bears his name. He has given twenty million to the American Museum of Natural History, whose dinosaur wing is named for him."

Score One for Learning 2.0 at ASAE Annual

Score One for Learning 2.0 at ASAE Annual

Will tough times trigger corporate art selloff?

Will tough times trigger corporate art selloff?: "Corporations collect art for a variety of reasons, of which turning a profit is often the least important. Some companies like to see supporting emerging artists as a form of corporate social responsibility, or philanthropy - works can be lent to museums and galleries for shows.

Others use art to flaunt their corporate wealth. Fred Goodwin, former chief executive of the once high-flying but now state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland used to boast about the David Hockney in his office."

Exit interviews for board members � Carol Weisman’s Blog On Fundraising, Philanthropy and Governance

Exit interviews for board members � Carol Weisman’s Blog On Fundraising, Philanthropy and Governance: "Many of you have board members whose terms are ending. As some board members leave, you might feel truly bereft. With others, you might be fighting the urge to run down the street screaming “free at last, free at last.” Regardless of how you feel about the board member who is leaving, an exit interview is invaluable.

Who should do the exit interview? You will want a current board member and the Executive Director/CEO. The board member might be the chair of the board or the chair of the governance/nominating committee. The reason you want two people, one from staff and one from board, is that based on what you learn from the interview, changes might need to be made from the governance or the program side. Also, if promises are made for future contributions, either intellectual or monetary, you will want some depth of institutional memory."

Colleges See Prospective Donors Among New Students

Colleges See Prospective Donors Among New Students: "On a growing number of campuses, first-year students are hearing another message. Please give. Not for tuition, but instead as a young donor.

With alumni-giving rates at record lows and lagging state support of postsecondary education, public and private schools alike are focusing their efforts on building lifetime loyalty among still-impressionable students."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | The Cohen Report | A Community Development Bank Passes

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | The Cohen Report | A Community Development Bank Passes: "ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT stories for the nonprofit sector last week crept by with nary a mention in the press about its connection to nonprofits. ShoreBank, the nation’s preeminent community development bank, finally succumbed to a long spiral of financial troubles. ShoreBank will now be acquired and managed by a new entity, the Urban Partnership Bank, pulled together with investment support from major financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase among others."

Mayors host breaks for children's charity group | thetowntalk.com | The Town Talk

Mayors host breaks for children's charity group | thetowntalk.com | The Town Talk: "Theresa Slater, who runs the Children's Miracle Network at Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, said the two mayors are soliciting participation from businesses and schools for national Miracle Jeans Day on Sept. 15 to raise funds and awareness for Children's Miracle Network hospitals across the country."

Act of kindness at Trader Joe's sparks outpouring of charitable support on Facebook -

Act of kindness at Trader Joe's sparks outpouring of charitable support on Facebook -: "'I didn't know what to do with the money. I'd thought to mail a check back to Jenni, but in the day and age of Facebook, I turned to my friends to decide what to do with the money instead,' Hazard says.

Several friends suggested giving it to charity, which Hazard loved. In fact, she decided to match the $93 and turned to Facebook once again for suggestions on where the $186 should go. Given that the event occurred at a grocery store, one person cleverly suggested the local Second Harvest Food Bank."

Ten Tips for Taxpayers Making Charitable Donations | Planned Giving Design Center

Ten Tips for Taxpayers Making Charitable Donations | Planned Giving Design Center: "Ten Tips for Taxpayers Making Charitable Donations

Did you make a donation to a charity this year? If so, you may be able to take a deduction for it on your 2010 tax return.

Here are the top 10 things the IRS wants every taxpayer to know before deducting charitable donations."

Bono discusses charity work with Russia's Medvedev; Talks about "pushing the envelope" with "360" - National U2 | Examiner.com

Bono discusses charity work with Russia's Medvedev; Talks about "pushing the envelope" with "360" - National U2 | Examiner.com: "Over tea, Dmitry Medvedev thanked Bono “for writing music that unites generations”. He also commended Bono on all of the charity work he does on behalf of Africa and the HIV/AIDS epidiemic.

“You are doing important things, because taking care of people is not only a job for politicians,” Medvedev told Bono. It’s always so great to see Bono being honored by world leaders for the work he does for people who are unable to let their voice be heard. Bono certainly has a big enough voice to let that happen. So he deserves all the praise coming his way."

Paulette's Point of View: The Gates-Buffett Billionaire Challenge

Paulette's Point of View: The Gates-Buffett Billionaire Challenge

Not In A League With Buffett And Gates, But Still Giving - Forbes.com

Not In A League With Buffett And Gates, But Still Giving - Forbes.com: "Earlier this month I wrote about the Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge and the opportunity it affords donors to pursue a 'giving while living' approach to charitable giving (See 'Stepping Up to the Lifetime Giving Challenge'). As part of their effort to encourage high-net-worth individuals and families to give more, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation invested over $8 million in the creation of educational materials aimed at equipping donors, especially new and emerging donors, with the tools and information they need to become effective, hands-on philanthropists."

The NonProfit Times -Tips For Internal Controls For Big And Small

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "August 24, 2010

Tips For Internal Controls For Big And Small
�
By Gregory M. Coy and Cheryl R. Olson

With the downturn in the economy and the fact that funding from both private and governmental sources has decreased for numerous nonprofits, many of these organizations are considering how to make do with increasingly limited resources. With less funding for technology, personnel and other needs, groups have delayed or scrapped planned technology improvements, are delaying staffing increases or have decreased staff in areas such accounting and administrative functions."

Not Your Father's ASAE | American Society of Association Executives 2010 Annual Meeting

Not Your Father's ASAE | American Society of Association Executives 2010 Annual Meeting: "Not Your Father’s ASAE
Aug 24, 2010 9:00 AM, By Betsy Bair
elissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper, Joy Behar … not exactly standard fare for the annual meetings of ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, the association for associations. But with a totally transformed downtown Los Angeles as its backdrop, ASAE brought out three strong women—two rockers and a comedian—to entertain at its annual meeting for about 5,500 people, which began on Saturday and ends today."

Strategies for Wading Through Charitable Donation Information | BLACKBAUD'S Prospect Research Blog for Non-Profit Fund Raising

Strategies for Wading Through Charitable Donation Information | BLACKBAUD'S Prospect Research Blog for Non-Profit Fund Raising: "cannot remember how many times I would have a major gift officer ask me the age old question: “can you please give me a list of all of John Smith’s charitable giving?”� When I was a researcher in-the-field, some charitable donation search tools existed, but doing my own web research often proved the most comprehensive.� However, my research could have taken hours and I would still have been left with a list of ‘possibilities’ and not confirmed gifts.� Often times it was too difficult for me to tell if the John Smith who made a gift to ABC Organization was the same John Smith my MGO was interested in."

AFP-IR provides students with "Tools to Learn" � TCPalm.com (User story from CYNTHIA FALARDEAU)

AFP-IR provides students with "Tools to Learn" � TCPalm.com (User story from CYNTHIA FALARDEAU): "VERO BEACH — The Association of Fundraising Professionals-Indian River recently hosted its third annual day of service. The membership chooses a local agency to benefit from the volunteer services. This year AFP-IR selected the Education Foundation of Indian River County as the beneficiary."

What is an Advisory Board and Should We Have One? | Blue Avocado

What is an Advisory Board and Should We Have One? | Blue Avocado: "The board of directors of a nonprofit organization is its legal, governing body. In contrast, an advisory board does not have any formal legal responsibilities. Rather, an advisory board is convened by the organization to give advice and support."

Small Nonprofit Organizations: A Profile of Form 990-N Filers

Small Nonprofit Organizations: A Profile of Form 990-N Filers: "ABSTRACT
In an effort to keep better track of nonprofit organizations, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 mandated that the more than 714,000 nonprofits with gross receipts less than $25,000 needed to file the new Form 990-N, also known as the e-Postcard. This new form requests basic information such as an organization's address, officer name, and website and is the first data to ever be collected on the smallest nonprofit organizations.

This brief provides an overview of the new 990-N filing requirement, profiles the organizations filing the 990-N, compares 990-N filers to larger filers, and provides a brief look at small nonprofits reporting terminations on Form 990-N."

I Pledge: Making the most by giving it away

I Pledge: Making the most by giving it away: "Thanks to a philanthropic campaign led by two of the world's most financially blessed — Warren Buffet and Bill Gates — dozens of billionaires pledged recently to give at least half their fortunes to charity. According to estimates by Forbes magazine, that basically means at least $150 billion could potentially be committed to a range of causes.

They did what?!

The Giving Pledge campaign, launched initially in June, saw Buffett as well as Gates and his wife Melinda, approach close to 20% of the richest folk in the United States hoping to convince them to let a large chunk of their fortunes go. The idea was they would donate — whether during their lifetime or after their death — to philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice."

IUPUI launches philanthropic studies program for undergrads | Indianapolis Business Journal | IBJ.com

IUPUI launches philanthropic studies program for undergrads | Indianapolis Business Journal | IBJ.com: "A surprising number of undergrads has committed to IUPUI's new degree in philanthropic studies, the program's director said.

Julie Hatcher, who this summer was named director of Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy undergraduate programs, said eight students have declared their majors in philanthropic studies, offered through the School of Liberal Arts. Hatcher's goal is to have 20 students in the major by next fall."

Nonprofits face drop-off in giving, driven by decrease in individual donations, survey finds

Nonprofits face drop-off in giving, driven by decrease in individual donations, survey finds: "Leaders from 278 charities in the District, Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland responded to the survey, performed June 14-28, and the local results track the nation closely. Of the local organizations, 37 percent said contributions of all types were down from last year; nationally, 40 percent of organizations said the same. Another 28 percent in both groups said contributions were the same as last year, and about 30 percent in both said contributions had increased."

Funders tie communications to policy work | Philanthropy Journal

Funders tie communications to policy work | Philanthropy Journal: "Foundations increasingly believe communications should play a key role in boosting their policy work but they face big challenges in developing and carrying out effective communications strategies, a new research paper says.
'Communications, far from being an afterthought or occasional add-on, is at the very center of successful policy engagement,' says the paper by the Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy at the University of Southern California. 'The days when foundations ‘spoke only through their grantees,'' it says, 'are over.'"

Philanthropy not just for the wealthy - The Denver Post

Philanthropy not just for the wealthy - The Denver Post: "magine what we would do if we could transform our community in just one way. Would we feed hungry children? Assist teen parents? Support the arts? Or would we look more broadly? Would we cure a disease? Save the rain forest? Provide education to women and children in Third World countries?

The answer is obvious .�.�. we'd do all that we could! There are literally thousands of ways we can transform the world to make it a place where all people and other living things can thrive."

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - entry Alaska nonprofits could lose tax exempt status if they don t file paperwork

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - entry Alaska nonprofits could lose tax exempt status if they don t file paperwork: "A national database shows that 286 small nonprofit groups in Alaska are in danger of having their tax-exempt status revoked �if they don’t file the proper paperwork with the IRS by Oct. 15.


If they don’t file, they will have to pay to have the tax-exempt status reinstated. The Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Foundation is on the list, along with the Kiwanis of Delta Junction.


The local groups on this list range from the Nordale Elementary PTA �and the North Pole Lions to the Alaska Federation for Community Self-Reliance."

Stuff The Bus helps as some can't afford back-to-school supplies - The York Daily Record

Stuff The Bus helps as some can't afford back-to-school supplies - The York Daily Record: "Elijah handed bags filled with notebooks, crayons and glue to employees of 96.1 WSOX. The radio station had a school bus parked at Walmart in West Manchester Township to collect back-to-school items and cash donations for York's Helping Hand for the Homeless -- which will distribute the items to York County students next week.
This is the fourth year WSOX hosted the Stuff The Bus program, said Dave Crockett, a morning show co-host."

Disaster Philanthropy: Why Are Some Disasters More Appealing than Others?

Disaster Philanthropy: Why Are Some Disasters More Appealing than Others?: "Some disasters are just more popular. It's a terrible thing to say, but charity does discriminate. Sometimes the cash flows and sometimes it just doesn't.

In the case of the Gulf Oil Spill, it hasn't. An article at MSNBC.com explores the possible reasons: few human lives lost, fury at BP and a belief that the company should be paying for everything, uncertainty about the final dimensions of the disaster, and confusion about where to send the money.