Friday, September 30, 2011

Charity Contest Shows How Work Can Help the Poor

Charity Contest Shows How Work Can Help the Poor: WORLD Magazine’s Hope Award for Effective Compassion contest is drawing to a close this week, with online voting for the most successful faith-based charity ending on Friday. The magazine’s sixth annual contest showcases the success of four effective charities in helping individuals escape poverty and achieve sustained self-reliance.

Wearing a Philanthropic Heart on Their Designs - WSJ.com

Wearing a Philanthropic Heart on Their Designs - WSJ.com: The project with San Diego-based lens manufacturer Augen Optics and Mexico's government distributes free eyewear to disadvantaged children in the country. "To me, the need for corrective eyeglasses is such a simple and fundamental problem—if children can't see, they fall behind in school," Mr. Behar says.

19 Major Nonprofits Lobby To Keep Charitable Deductions - TheNonProfitTimes

19 Major Nonprofits Lobby To Keep Charitable Deductions - TheNonProfitTimes: Leaders of 19 nonprofits sent a letter to Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the 12 members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (often referred to as the “Super Committee”), asking them to protect the charitable deduction.

In the letter released yesterday, The Alliance for Charitable Reform (ACR) explains the “potential damage to Americans seeking help from nonprofit services” that limiting the charitable contribution tax deduction.

Lincoln Theatre may have to close without DC funds - Post Now - The Washington Post

Lincoln Theatre may have to close without DC funds - Post Now - The Washington Post: District of Columbia Councilmember Jim Graham, who sits on the theater’s board, told WAMU-FM he doesn’t know how the Lincoln will survive another year. An emergency meeting was scheduled Wednesday night to determine the theater’s fate. An announcement was scheduled for Thursday.

The theater has been on the brink of closing before. Officials were set to announce it was closing this summer, but the city provided $250,000 in last-minute funding. The theater’s annual budget is about $1.2 million.

Sondheim and dinosaurs combine for a charity gala

Sondheim and dinosaurs combine for a charity gala: What do you get when you combine Stephen Sondheim and dinosaurs? No, not "Jurassic Park: The Musical."

Those lucky enough to attend a gala benefit on Monday night at the American Museum of Natural History will find out. Sondheim, a legendary puzzle maker besides being a cherished songwriter, has created his first ever treasure hunt to be held among the dinosaur bones.

Unknown Donor Contributes to Japanese Disaster Relief Efforts � VOA Breaking News

Unknown Donor Contributes to Japanese Disaster Relief Efforts � VOA Breaking News: A bag filled with over $130,000 in cash was deliberately left in a public toilet in Japan, with a note attached that it be used to help the victims of the March earthquake and tsunami.

DVIDS - News - Combined Federal Campaign-Overseas to begin

DVIDS - News - Combined Federal Campaign-Overseas to begin: CAMP FOSTER, Japan - The Combined Federal Campaign-Overseas begins its 2011 campaign here Oct. 3 to raise money for charitable organizations at home and around the world.

Charity Fundraising Results See No Change in First Half of 2011 - MarketWatch

Charity Fundraising Results See No Change in First Half of 2011 - MarketWatch: A much larger percentage of nonprofits were seeing significantly higher fundraising results before the recession," said Andrew Watt, FInstF, president and CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). "With many economists predicting a flat economy for several more years, charities face a very challenging environment in the near future, with fewer funds available while the demand for services and programs remains quite high. This is the reality charities will have to address."

Community Leaders Connect to Give Back at Innovation and Philanthropy Conference - Old Town Alexandria, VA Patch

Community Leaders Connect to Give Back at Innovation and Philanthropy Conference - Old Town Alexandria, VA Patch: A group of Alexandria companies, nonprofits and others gathered Wednesday at the IMPACT Innovation Philanthropy conference to share strategies on how best to serve the children, youth and families of Alexandria.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Judge recuses himself from Three Cups of Tea suit - Houston Chronicle

Judge recuses himself from Three Cups of Tea suit - Houston Chronicle: MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A federal judge has recused himself from presiding over the lawsuit against "Three Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson, who is accused of duping millions of people into buying his books and donating to his charity based on lies.

The Missoulian (http://bit.ly/qbOLsg ) reports that U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy recused himself Tuesday because he owns the bestselling book and attended a lecture by Mortenson. The judge also says various family members bought the book and have discussed it with him and with each other.

New Ethics Tool Available for Fund Raisers - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

New Ethics Tool Available for Fund Raisers - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: New Ethics Tool Available for Fund Raisers

September 29, 2011, 9:35 am

By Maria Di Mento

Fund raisers now have a new online tool available to figure out whether they give ethical issues enough priority and to measure how well their organization does in treating donors ethically.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals says that the tool—called the AFP Ethics Assessment Inventory—will help fund raisers identify steps they can take to do better in conforming to fund-raising codes of ethics. The tool asks fund raisers to gauge their accountability, courage, integrity, and whether they operate in a transparent and trustworthy manner.

What the Tech?

What the Tech?: Most associations have two or three different websites (or in some cases, as many as 10-15) plus LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, and countless other platforms. Going forward, Reggie says associations are going to need to act more like curators, pulling together the best stuff and making it readily available for people who need it.

10 Resources for Small Nonprofits

10 Resources for Small Nonprofits: What is a small nonprofit? Are you one?

Karen Zapp has recently tried to set up some standards for the size of nonprofits. She has identified two categories of smaller nonprofits that she calls "micro," that have gross receipts of less than $1-million, and "small," that have gross receipts between $1-million and $10-million per year.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Grantmakers Love Annual Report Postcards Too

Grantmakers Love Annual Report Postcards Too: Grantmakers Love Annual Report Postcards Too

by Kivi Leroux Miller on September 28, 2011

in Annual Reports,Nonprofit Communications

I have yet another fabulous example of an annual report postcard to share with you. I’m so excited that people are giving this a try!

This one comes from Claudia Herrold, vice president of communications and public policy at the Ohio Grantmakers Forum.

Foundation awarding infrastructure grants to nonprofits | Fort Worth | News from Fort Wo...

Foundation awarding infrastructure grants to nonprofits | Fort Worth | News from Fort Wo...: Nonprofits that promote the arts or social services sometimes struggle to find money for what some organization leaders call "the less sexy" tools of their mission, like technology, outreach, marketing plans or even stage lighting.

That's why the Community Foundation of North Texas is distributing money to help nonprofits pay for infrastructure important to their operations.

Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System

By Caroline Preston

The watchdog group Charity Navigator revamped its ratings system this week as part of a plan to move beyond evaluating charities based solely on their financial performance.

The Web site now places equal weight on a charity’s governance and openness about its operation sas it does on financial information.

Foundations 'spending too much' to sustain value of investments - Third Sector

Foundations 'spending too much' to sustain value of investments - Third Sector: Permanently endowed foundations might be spending too much to maintain the real value of their investments, the Charity Finance Directors’ Group investment conference heard last week.

Elroy Dimson, emeritus professor of finance at London Business School, said data he had collected with two colleagues, based on 111 years of returns from major equity markets, suggested that the real "equity premium" – the amount by which returns on stocks and shares outperform inflation – was between 3 per cent and 3.5 per cent.

Charleston Regional Business Journal | Charleston, SC

Charleston Regional Business Journal | Charleston, SC: A board member for a Charleston nonprofit organization that helps guide school-age children has donated $1 million to the organization. The money will allow the organization to launch a campaign to expand nationally, organizers said.

Wings for Kids combines educational, social and emotional development using an after school program to connect with kids.

massnonprofit.org ::

massnonprofit.org ::: eptember 22, 2011 — While nonprofits would be able to reduce the payroll taxes they pay if President Obama’s American Jobs Act becomes law, certain benefits available to for-profits under the proposed bill would not be available to nonprofits, raising concerns among some in the sector.

According to Independent Sector, a national network for charities, foundations, and corporate giving programs, nonprofits would not be able to take advantage of:

I need my space: Deciding the right course for your nonprofit’s office needs | Balancing the Mission Checkbook

I need my space: Deciding the right course for your nonprofit’s office needs | Balancing the Mission Checkbook: September 27, 2011
I need my space: Deciding the right course for your nonprofit’s office needs
Filed under: Budgets,Facilities — Tags: MCN, resources, training — Steve Boland @ 1:58 pm

Personnel costs are the number one expense for most nonprofit organizations. Many of our clients have made some very difficult choices in the last few years to reduce expenses, including reducing staff, cutting wages or eliminating some benefits. These emotionally-difficult changes can have serious impacts on services, but may be necessary for the long-term health of the nonprofit.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Chow Tai Fook’s Increasingly Public Face - Scene Asia - WSJ

Chow Tai Fook’s Increasingly Public Face - Scene Asia - WSJ: Chow Tai Fook, one of Asia’s biggest jewelry players, is aiming to go public later this year, but last week, it was raising its profile in charity circles instead of financial ones.

The Hong Kong jeweler sponsored a gala that raised $2.5 million for the Diamond Empowerment Fund and China Charity Federation, which manage education initiatives in Africa and relief efforts in China, respectively. The night also honored Cheng Yu-tung, the chairman of both Chow Tai Fook and the vast New World Development real-estate company.

FASB Panel Recommends Areas of Improvement in Standards for Nonprofits

FASB Panel Recommends Areas of Improvement in Standards for Nonprofits: The NAC heard feedback from three working groups that formed recommendations for FASB to add to its standard-setting agenda. FASB has not yet considered the recommendations.

The NAC created the working groups earlier this year (see previous JofA coverage, “FASB Not-for-Profit Panel’s Subgroups to Study Possible Improvements”). The NAC charged the subgroups with studying ways for FASB and others to improve financial reporting for nonprofit entities and to develop recommendations and alternatives for the full committee to consider.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium CEO David Yates envisioned Winter as 'Dolphin Tale' star - St. Petersburg Times

Clearwater Marine Aquarium CEO David Yates envisioned Winter as 'Dolphin Tale' star - St. Petersburg Times: During Yates' first five years as CEO, the nonprofit aquarium known for its rehabilitation of rescued marine animals has boomed. Tax records show revenue and animal-care spending have doubled. Salaries and education expenses have tripled. The volunteer pool has quintupled to 1,000 strong.

But nothing matches the jump in annual advertising spending, which has multiplied 13 times over, to more than $500,000. The aquarium, more than ever, intends to build a brand.

Charities should treat face-to-face fundraisers as 'part of the family' - Third Sector

Charities should treat face-to-face fundraisers as 'part of the family' - Third Sector: Consultant Giles Pegram tells Institute of Fundraising conference that they're regarded as an 'off-the-shelf' resource

Charities must treat their face-to-face fundraisers better, delegates at the Institute of Fundraising’s Face to Face Fundraising 2011 conference heard yesterday.

[onPhilanthropy] Change and Challenge at the Clinton Global Initiative

Some related Clinton CGI2011 Stories

[onPhilanthropy] Change and Challenge at the Clinton Global Initiative: Here are some top stories from the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York, which has become an opportunity for leaders to take a fresh look at approaches to the world's major issues, and seek commitments to making measurable progress.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Where to donate $1 billion? Local philanthropist seeks ideas - The Washington Post

Where to donate $1 billion? Local philanthropist seeks ideas - The Washington Post: World-class financier and philanthropist Bill Conway, 62, of McLean plans to give away at least $1 billion before he dies, much of it in the Washington region. He wants your ideas on where to donate.

No joke. This is for real.

Collaboration key to success, nonprofits say | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

Collaboration key to success, nonprofits say | The Tennessean | tennessean.com: Lipscomb is collaborating with two other Nashville organizations — the Center for Nonprofit Management and the HCA Foundation — to present “Collaboration College.” Charla Long, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Professional Studies, said representatives of 170 organizations attended the first training session, “Collaboration 101,” earlier this month.

Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Watchdog Group Adopts Change in Rating System

By Caroline Preston

The watchdog group Charity Navigator revamped its ratings system this week as part of a plan to move beyond evaluating charities based solely on their financial performance.

The Web site now places equal weight on a charity’s governance and openness about its operation sas it does on financial information.

The AFP Blog

The AFP Blog: Ready to Hire
Excellent column in Forbes on Monday about the nonprofit sector being ready to hire again in the U.S. and encouraging people to consider a job with a charity. Optimism continues to build after giving increased a little in 2010, and charities seem ready to set new goals with additional staff in place.

Getting Ready for Gala Season

Getting Ready for Gala Season: Organizing a fundraising gala is not getting any easier. Aside from the fallout of an unpredictable economy that keeps previously generous hands firmly in pockets, any number of unexpected hurdles can suddenly appear on the scene.

The Vancouver Aquarium, for instance, found its annual Night At The Aquarium fundraiser threatened not by inclement weather or economic constraints. The culprit was the unexpected fifth game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs featuring the local Canucks. With BC Place's almost 60,000 seats filled by roaring fans, and thousands more crowding the city streets to watch the action on giant outdoor screens, who would be left to eat, dance, or bid on silent auction items?

Dar es Salaam Charity Goat Races

Home: The eleventh edition of Dar es Salaam Charity Goat Races will be held this afternoon at the Green alongside the Kenyatta drive of Oysterbay.

The most important part of the event is raising money for worthy causes in Tanzania. About seven races will be staged as persistent sponsors of British Airways, Tanzania Brewries, Southern Sun and Vodacom Tanzania will be on show..

Our Most Generous City - Pittsburgh Magazine - October 2011 - Pittsburgh, PA

Our Most Generous City - Pittsburgh Magazine - October 2011 - Pittsburgh, PA: Now, Pittsburgh is adding “most generous” to its lengthening list of laurels. In 2010, Charity Navigator, an independent online analyzer of nonprofit effectiveness, placed the city at the top of metro areas in nonprofit performance, based in part on its strong contributions record.

Tulalip Tribes donate record $5.5 million in grants | HeraldNet.com - Local news

Tulalip Tribes donate record $5.5 million in grants | HeraldNet.com - Local news: TULALIP -- The word "potlatch" means "to give" or "gift."

It's also the name of an ancient tradition practiced by the Coast Salish people, when families invited guests for a feast and shared what they had.

The Tulalip tribal members are continuing this tradition in a new way.

The tribes' charitable donations program gave away a record $5.5 million worth of grants this year to more than 300 nonprofit organizations.

Waterbury Sessions - Business - The Litchfield County Times

Waterbury Sessions - Business - The Litchfield County Times: WATERBURY—The Nonprofit Assistance Initiative (NAI), a joint program of the Connecticut Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Waterbury, is teaming up with the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits and the Association of Fundraising Professionals-Connecticut Chapter, to offer five half-day workshops on Thursdays from Oct. 6 to Nov. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on all days.

Donors beware – new due diligence guide offers philanthropists insight on giving well | Philanthropy UK

Donors beware – new due diligence guide offers philanthropists insight on giving well | Philanthropy UK: A 10-point guide to due diligence has been published on the Stanford Social Innovation Review’s website. It may help philanthropists to make strategic decisions about their funding.

Salvatore LaSpada, chief executive of the Institute for Philanthropy has written the guide, Looking Beyond the Surface: Ten Pieces of Practical Advice on Due Diligence. He urges philanthropists to examine the leadership of an organisation and not to be “dazzled by a chief executive’s charisma”.

Teaching Resource Packets | Philanthropy Journal

Teaching Resource Packets | Philanthropy Journal: The Institute for Nonprofit Research, Education and Engagement is providing this packet of materials from the Philanthropy Journal to demonstrate the range of free resources available through the on-line journal. We hope the material will be useful to you as discussion stimulators and examples of what is happening in the nonprofit sector. The selections have been chosen by a faculty member at NC State University who teaches courses related to the topics covered in the packet.

13 elements to the philosophy of integration - TheNonProfitTimes

13 elements to the philosophy of integration - TheNonProfitTimes: By now, just about anyone involved in fundraising is aware of the concept of integration, of using all the media possible in order to maximize results.

Speaking during the DMA Nonprofit Federation conference, David DeBetta of Russ Reid said that although the term integration might be vague to some in the sector, there is actually a philosophy of integration that helps to make it clearer to understand and easier to implement.