It’s a Hell of a Lot of Money: Bob’s view of the Giving USA 2011 Report :Bob Hartsook

It’s a Hell of a Lot of Money: Bob’s view of the Giving USA 2011 Report :Bob Hartsook: "How do I offer a fresh perspective on this historic view of giving last year, beginning now almost 18 months ago?

From this report, we learn that Giving by Individuals is still the most promising source of philanthropy. Hmmm. That’s been true since the report was initially published in 1954.

Corporate Giving is still 5% of the total. Yeah. That’s been true for a long time (as long as I have been studying this report)."

Carlo Lorenzo Garcia: Tips for the Everyday Micro-Philanthropist

Carlo Lorenzo Garcia: Tips for the Everyday Micro-Philanthropist: "I have a compiled a list of tips and tools to make the experience more rewarding and educational."

Co-Location, Combination and Inconjunction With: The Future of Events?

Co-Location, Combination and Inconjunction With: The Future of Events?: "This week the #Eventprofs twitter chat discussed the good, bad and ugly of co-location of events. There were mixed feelings on the topic, and a number of definitions shared. In the last six months I have attended three separate events which were co-located. Here are some thoughts and some things to consider."

Donor Giving Trends for Today and Tomorrow, Part 1 : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success

Fundraising Success covers New York Chapters Fundraising Day

Donor Giving Trends for Today and Tomorrow, Part 1 : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success: "A key facet to successful fundraising is studying donor trends and understanding how best to act on them — in the short and long term. At the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater New York Chapter'sFund Raising Day in New York, four fundraising experts discussed donor giving trends and what they mean for fundraisers." #FRDNY

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | What the Government Shutdown in Minnesota Means for Nonprofits and Communities

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | What the Government Shutdown in Minnesota Means for Nonprofits and Communities: "On Wednesday afternoon, NPQ’s Ruth McCambridge talked with Jon Pratt of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and Kate Barr of the Minnesota-based Nonprofit Assistance Fund to get a sense of what a Minnesota state government shutdown would mean for nonprofits and what the two organizations are doing to prepare groups for what is expected to be weeks of life in limbo. As we spoke there was an emergency briefing occurring in Duluth, one of a statewide series of seven. The briefings covered not only contingency planning but advocacy."

Ebay’s Billionaire Founder Knocks Part-Timing Philanthropy - Victoria Barret - Upside Potential - Forbes

Ebay’s Billionaire Founder Knocks Part-Timing Philanthropy - Victoria Barret - Upside Potential - Forbes: "That’s according to Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar, who recently detailed his macro-thoughts on philanthropy with Stu Woo of the Wall Street Journal. Omidyar has had over a decade, since leaving day-to-day duties at Ebay, to ponder the complexities of generosity."

Charity work at the heart of William and Kate's trip to U.S. - USATODAY.com

Charity work at the heart of William and Kate's trip to U.S. - USATODAY.com: "And they're off! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have left the U.K. en route to Ottawa, Canada, where they'll begin their 10-day tour in Canada in the U.S.

High on their list of priorities during the trip? Charity work, which the couple says will be an important part of their lifetime's work together."

SMSC honored in Jefferson Awards ceremony

SMSC honored in Jefferson Awards ceremony: "Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is recognized among
 103 recipients from around the country with the 
“Nobel Prize for Public Service”



Prior Lake, MN – In celebration of its extraordinary contributions to philanthropy and selfless work within the community, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community was honored at a Washington, D.C. awards gala on June 21, 2011. The event recognized 103 Americans and organizations with the 39th annual Jefferson Awards, regarded as one of the nation’s highest honors for community service and volunteerism."

40% of Northern Calif. Nonprofits Won’t Offer Raises This Year - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

40% of Northern Calif. Nonprofits Won’t Offer Raises This Year - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Nonprofit organizations in Northern California are still struggling to increase their workers’ pay, according to a new report. About 41 percent of the 341 organizations that provided data said they had not increased their salary budgets at all this year.

Among groups that had increased their salary budgets, the median increase was 2 percent, meaning that half rose by more than that and half grew by less."

Philanthropy Is Difficult but 'Fun,' eBay Founder Says - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Philanthropy Is Difficult but 'Fun,' eBay Founder Says - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Philanthropy Is Difficult but ‘Fun,’ eBay Founder Says

June 30, 2011, 9:45 am

Large-scale giving is “much more difficult than it sounds,” the eBay founder Pierre Omidyar tells The Wall Street Journal."

How to woo the best: stress your good deeds - The Globe and Mail

How to woo the best: stress your good deeds - The Globe and Mail: "Soon after Ramon Gutierrez and his wife emigrated from Mexico in 2001, he began noticing Vancity Credit Union’s logo at community events in Vancouver. Then his wife took part in financial literacy seminars that Vancity held for newcomers to Canada. “Ever since that moment,” he says, “I had a connection with the organization.”"

NS Raghavan on way to change Indian philanthropy - The Economic Times

NS Raghavan on way to change Indian philanthropy - The Economic Times: "Now, another of their ilk, Nadathur S Raghavan, or NSR, as he is popularly known, cofounder of Infosys, wants to deploy his millions, expertise and network to change the dynamics of philanthropy itself: how it is set, organised , governed and practised. Samhita Social Ventures , the newlyminted arm of the Nadathur Trust, hopes to alter the Indian philanthropic landscape through a series of initiatives. The first of these is Samhita.org, a philanthropy exchange or aggregator, like Give India or GuideStar India, that connects givers with causes and NGOs."

Results key for charity

Results key for charity: "Hong Kong is a city of loving residents where charity and benevolence are core values. Many business people and wealthy individuals not only donate to charitable causes in their own names but also have set up charity funds. Through these they are able to benefit education, health, culture and welfare/social services regularly, providing assistance to those in need."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Fundraising Success Paints Brighter Picture for Barnes Foundation

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Fundraising Success Paints Brighter Picture for Barnes Foundation: "une 28, 2011; Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | What a difference $200 million makes. That's the amount the Barnes Foundation said it has raised for its capital campaign, and more than enough to pay for a new facility going up in downtown Philadelphia to house its multibillion-dollar art collection."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Seattle Foundation Sponsors Day of Giving - Matching Donations to Nonprofits

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Seattle Foundation Sponsors Day of Giving - Matching Donations to Nonprofits: "On Thursday, June 23rd from 7 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. the Seattle Foundation sponsored “Give Big”, a day of giving to promote community contributions to 1,000 local nonprofits. To sweeten the pot the foundation and some key donors committed $500,000 to match whatever was donated by the public, which appears to have been somewhere in the neighborhood of $3.5 million. Here are two of the many postings on the Foundation’s Facebook page:"

Study: Nonprofit Managers Eyeing The Door - TheNonProfitTimes

Study: Nonprofit Managers Eyeing The Door - TheNonProfitTimes: "More than two-third of nonprofit executives say they will leave their jobs within the next five years and only one-fifth think their boards are doing a good job.

Some 7 percent of nonprofit executives said at some point already this year they have given notice of their intention to leave. The survey shows 26 percent of organizations downsized during the previous year, with 45 percent of nonprofit executives expressing happiness in their current position."

How To Train Your Celebrity: Five Hollywood Charity Myths | Fast Company

How To Train Your Celebrity: Five Hollywood Charity Myths | Fast Company: "Yes, Hollywood Stars can live up (or down) to their stereotypes. But they can also be invaluable in promoting a good cause. Here's how the best partnerships work."

THURSDAY’S CUP: Gulf Coast nonprofits forced to merge || Gulf Coast Business Review | Tampa Bay, Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Naples

THURSDAY’S CUP: Gulf Coast nonprofits forced to merge || Gulf Coast Business Review | Tampa Bay, Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Naples: "In May, it was the South Sarasota County YMCA that absorbed the Fort Myers YMCA, which had struggled financially since 2007. The Fort Myers Y still maintains its own board, but the merger allowed it to survive and potentially expand under the bigger South Sarasota County Y in Venice.

Now, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida, with 500 children-clients in Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Hendry and Glades counties, seeks a lifeline. The national organization that oversees more than 350 Big Brothers Big Sisters shuttered the Southwest Florida chapter earlier this month. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida officials couldn’t be reached for comment."

The Art of the Naming |

The Art of the Naming |: "For donors and organizations alike, the negotiations of naming rights for a building or program can be a tricky process. Donors are protective of their investment while the organization must think through the long-term impact a naming may have. The following are a few tips to consider before sitting down in the conference room to negotiate:"

Averages are Deceiving � Bob Ottenhoff Blog

Averages are Deceiving � Bob Ottenhoff Blog: "Averages are Deceiving
Posted By Bob Ottenhoff on June 29th, 2011, in these categories: Fundraising | Nonprofit Practice

Are the newly released Giving USA numbers good news or bad news?"

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Social Entrepreneurship as Fetish

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Social Entrepreneurship as Fetish: "First, despite the many constructive and positive impacts created by nonprofit organizations both locally and nationally, there exists a looming doubt that our current efforts are reaching far enough fast enough, and that traditional ways of addressing community needs and social issues have the transformational capacity to deal with many of today’s complex and new social problems. In other words, the search is on for a new paradigm—a “game-changer”—based on fresh and different ways to create systemic change."

Tufts completes record fundraising campaign - Boston.com

Tufts completes record fundraising campaign - Boston.com: "The school reported on Wednesday that it raised $1.2 billion for its 'Beyond Boundaries' campaign."

Meyer Foundation - Meyer Foundation

Meyer Foundation - Meyer Foundation: "Two-thirds of the 3,000 nonprofit executive directors surveyed plan to leave their jobs within five years. Executives express frustration with nonprofit funding models, amplified by the recession, but remain resolved and engaged.

Washington, DC—Daring to Lead 2011, a new national study of nonprofit executive directors conducted in the aftermath of the deepest economic recession in decades, reports that a significant number of executives plan to leave their jobs within the next five years, citing frustration with their organizations’ shaky finances, under-performing boards of directors, and the difficulty of maintaining healthy work-life balance in their demanding roles."

OPM honors charitable giving efforts - The Federal Eye - The Washington Post

OPM honors charitable giving efforts - The Federal Eye - The Washington Post: "The 2010 Combined Federal Campaign raised more than $281.5 million for charities, and Tuesday federal employees got their kudos at a White House ceremony. Those efforts yielded only less than half-percent of the record-setting 2009 results of $282.6 million."

Summer activities to strengthen your fundraising program

Summer activities to strengthen your fundraising program: "hat should my charity focus on over the summer to strengthen our fundraising program?

Cynthia's response:

July and August are good months to refocus your fundraising strategy so you can hit the ground running come the autumn. While June is often taken up AGMs, July and August are usually slower times for most charities. Many boards of directors don’t meet and staff members take holidays with their families. You will have to balance between a quieter time to complete projects and adequate human resources to cover the tasks, but if you have a summer student, some projects can be delegated effectively."

Thatcher handbag fetches $40,000 at charity auction | Reuters

Thatcher handbag fetches $40,000 at charity auction | Reuters: "Best-selling author and former Conservative politician Jeffrey Archer was wielding the gavel at the auctioneer's London showrooms at a sale where proceeds went to the charity chosen by each contributing sportsman, politician or musician.

Top price on the night was paid for the chief timekeeper's stop watch that recorded Roger Bannister's first four-minute mile in 1954."

ForeverGreen Day launches Philanthropy Council - News - The Greyhound - Loyola University Maryland

ForeverGreen Day launches Philanthropy Council - News - The Greyhound - Loyola University Maryland: "Loyola's student body was introduced to the Student Philanthropy Council (SPC) last Thursday, April 14, at their first event: 'ForeverGreen Day.' The group was stationed on the quad outside of Maryland Hall not only to give out free Rita's, but also to spread awareness of their cause.

The Council's overall mission is to educate current students about Loyola's operating fund, the Evergreen Fund. This fund takes donations made to the university and goes toward many of the extra aspects of Loyola life, such as clubs and activities, campus maintenance, technology upgrades, sports and athletics, scholarships and more. Each student's tuition covers only 75 percent of daily campus life expenses, and the money from the Evergreen Fund supports the remaining quarter."

In brief | SeacoastOnline.com

In brief | SeacoastOnline.com: "YP4M, a new and local initiative to the agency, is designed to offer an attractive opportunity for young professionals in their 20s and 30s to contribute their talents to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Seacoast, and to promote a commitment of philanthropy among the next generation of professionals. As an arm of the agency's development initiatives, YP4M will plan and implement at least one fund-raising event each year and will be responsible for shaping the future of the group."

Nonprofit leaders study major gifts | Philanthropy Journal

Nonprofit leaders study major gifts | Philanthropy Journal: "His new appreciation for the investment required in fundraising, he says, is the result of his participation in the inaugural class of the Leadership Gift School, a privately-funded effort to develop the philanthropic culture of nonprofits and the community.

The first class, which just graduated and included teams of executive directors and development directors from 12 nonprofits, plus the chief fundraiser at United Way of Central Carolinas, met for 8� hours roughly once a month for eight months.

Led by Karla Williams, a national fundraising consultant based in Charlotte, the school's faculty consisted of development directors at local nonprofits."

Turning Stress into an Asset - Amy Gallo - Best Practices - Harvard Business Review

Turning Stress into an Asset - Amy Gallo - Best Practices - Harvard Business Review

Campaign Competition

Campaign Competition: "Some organizations spend millions of dollars and months of time developing an advocacy campaign. National Children's Alliance, an association of children's advocacy centers, has found a way to give all its members top-notch multimedia campaign content on the cheap with the help of some friendly competition."

GoLocalProv | Politics | PowerPlayer: Kate Brock

GoLocalProv | Politics | PowerPlayer: Kate Brock: "My story is this: when I was twelve I spent five mornings a week for several months volunteering at the Amos House. Day in and day out, I cut vegetables, organized the stock room and served meals in South Providence. And each one of those days, I would see people who didn’t have enough to eat. Kids, just like me, who, if not for the charity of others, would go to bed hungry. And the only difference between us was that I was born to a different family in another neighborhood. This violated the fundamental value of fairness that I had been taught to cherish. It also taught me that through simple acts, cutting vegetables, or spooning mashed potatoes onto a plate, a single person could ease the suffering of another."

Median foundation salary totals $70,000 | Philanthropy Journal

Median foundation salary totals $70,000 | Philanthropy Journal: "The median salary at U.S. foundations totaled $70,000 in 2010, a new report says."

Carnival Submissions: Handling Objections

Carnival Submissions: Handling Objections: "Carnival Submissions: Handling Objections

by Jason Dick on June 2, 2011ShareThis

I’m hosting the Nonprofit Blog Carnival for the month of June featuring links and summaries of the top posts from around the blogosphere around handling objections. I also wanted to reach out see if anyone from the A Small Change community had anything to add on an earlier conversation."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | National Increases in Corporate Giving Not Seen in Abilene

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | National Increases in Corporate Giving Not Seen in Abilene: "June 25, 2011; Source: Abilene Reporter-News | In Abilene, Texas nonprofits are finding the challenge of raising corporate money more difficult than ever. Last week, the Giving USA 2011 report said that charitable giving by corporations in 2010 actually rose 10.6 percent. How does that make sense to groups like the Abilene Education Foundation, whose latest grant from the Citi Foundation was only half of last year’s amount? As the Education Foundation’s executive director, Jean McMillon, explained, 'The gentlemen we go through had contacted me and said they were having to cut their funding.”"

Nonprofit Collaboration: Myth or Reality?

Nonprofit Collaboration: Myth or Reality?: "Center for Nonprofit Excellence


e-Newsletter: Connect to Solutions
Nonprofit Collaboration: Myth or Reality?

by Susan Griffin, Director of Operations, Center for Nonprofit Excellence

Collaboration is one of the big buzz words in the nonprofit sector. This is in part because fundraising in 2010 remains a huge challenge. As Ohio’s 2011-2012 biennial budget predictions paint an even gloomier picture for the State’s nonprofit sector, the fundraising pressure will continue for at least the next few years."

Editorial: Protecting charitable giving | Deseret News

Editorial: Protecting charitable giving | Deseret News: "The associational freedom, volunteerism and charity that help to address social needs precede, both historically and conceptually, a tax-funded administrative state attempting to do similar things. While we generally support tax reforms that scrape away many of the encrusted exceptions that have attached themselves to our tax code over the years, the charitable tax deduction is not one of them. The exceptional habit of the American heart to voluntarily pool resources to solve problems deserves renewed attention and care, not an unprecedented tax."