Friday, December 14, 2012

#GivingTuesday: Hype or Hope? | Michael Rosen Says…

#GivingTuesday: Hype or Hope? | Michael Rosen Says…: #GivingTuesday: Hype or Hope?

A headline at Bloomberg excitedly gushed, “Why GivingTuesday is the Social Innovation Idea of the Year.”

We’ve had Black Friday immediately following Thanksgiving. We’ve had Cyber Monday on the Monday immediately following Thanksgiving. Now, on the heels of those two days dedicated to consumerism, we have Giving Tuesday, as a way to promote philanthropy on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving.

Number of library volunteers has risen by more than half in four years

Number of library volunteers has risen by more than half in four years: The UK Annual Libraries Survey, published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, reveals that 23,397 people volunteered in UK libraries in 2011/12

The number of volunteers working in UK libraries has risen by more than half in the past four years, according to new figures.

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s UK Annual Libraries Survey, published this week, shows there were 23,397 people who volunteered in UK libraries in 2011/12 compared with 15,008 in 2007/8 – a rise of 56 per cent.

Progressive Grant-Making Collaborative Ceases Operations - The Giveaway - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Progressive Grant-Making Collaborative Ceases Operations - The Giveaway - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Progressive Grant-Making Collaborative Ceases Operations

December 14, 2012, 8:18 am

By Caroline Preston

The Funding Exchange, a 33-year-old organization that helped to pioneer social-justice giving, announced this week that it is ceasing operations.

Financial woes stemming from declining investment earnings from the group’s donor-advised funds led to the decision, said Casey Cook, executive director of the Bread and Roses Community Fund and chairman of the Funding Exchange’s board.

Nonprofit money crunch spurs urge to merge - San Francisco Business Times

Nonprofit money crunch spurs urge to merge - San Francisco Business Times: Nonprofits are merging to make ends meet.

With stiff competition for resources, looming government budgets cuts and more demand for measurable results from funders, nonprofits are joining forces to stay afloat.

2 nonprofits serving children in need merge | Metro Louisville - WLKY Home

2 nonprofits serving children in need merge | Metro Louisville - WLKY Home: Text Size:


LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Two local nonprofits have merged, creating one of Kentucky's largest agencies catering to children in need.

Association works to boost private colleges, universities � Philanthropy North Carolina

Association works to boost private colleges, universities � Philanthropy North Carolina: Working to address all those issues and others affecting private higher education in the state is North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities.

Formed in 1969, the Raleigh-based association serves as the statewide office for the state’s 36 private, nonprofit colleges and universities.

And Now for Something Different on the Charitable Tax Deduction . . . editor notes issue #83 | Blue Avocado

And Now for Something Different on the Charitable Tax Deduction . . . editor notes issue #83 | Blue Avocado: And Now for Something Different on the Charitable Tax Deduction . . . editor notes issue #83

How #GivingTuesday Built a Powerful Network - Social Good - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

How #GivingTuesday Built a Powerful Network - Social Good - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: For Henry Timms, the unexpected success of #GivingTuesday isn't a story about how Twitter and Facebook helped fuel a national day of giving.

Instead, the deputy director of New York's 92nd Street Y says it is a testament to the power of community.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Reductionism in the So-Called Science of Giving? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Reductionism in the So-Called Science of Giving? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: As we are in the end-of-year period when people traditionally think about making charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations and causes, we recognize that there are almost as many reasons to give as there are donors. But what donors give to and what they should expect to see from their gift has been a fairly hot topic, particularly with the growing emphasis on outcomes in the sector. As one article in NPQ has reported, there have been many studies and much investment in looking at what donors want. With no firm conclusions to be had, there are nonetheless legions of advocates who are wed to the idea that even if metrics are not what donors want as deciders in their giving, they should be. Now, in a blog on the New York Times website, Tina Rosenberg writes about a researcher from Oxford University, Toby Ord, who suggests that donors should give to those organizations that are the most effective in having an impact on the most significant issues (by the way, if you read this blog posting, do open up the comments section, as there have been some very interesting and intelligent responses posted there from around the world).

IRS Gives Additional Time to Small, Automatically Revoked Tax-Exempt Organizations Affected by Hurricane Sandy | Planned Giving Design Center

IRS Gives Additional Time to Small, Automatically Revoked Tax-Exempt Organizations Affected by Hurricane Sandy | Planned Giving Design Center: As part of the administration’s efforts to bring all available resources to bear to support state and local partners impacted by Hurricane Sandy, the IRS is postponing the filing date until Feb. 1, 2013, for some small tax-exempt organizations affected by Hurricane Sandy to take advantage of transitional relief when applying for reinstatement of their exempt status.

Good Data Help Ensure Collaboration Success

massnonprofit.org ::: The potential benefits are obvious: better service to clients through program synergy, lower overhead costs via economies of scale, increased scope of service, or simply letting someone else do something that they’re better at. However, there are complexities at every turn, and critical decisions need to be made in every phase of the process.

This is why using data to help shape the collaboration process is so important.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Catholic Charities has new way to take services to poor, needy | Fort Worth | News from ...

Catholic Charities has new way to take services to poor, needy | Fort Worth | News from ...: Catholic Charities now provides more than three dozen services, including utility bill assistance, financial counseling, English and parenting classes, and help for refugees. The agency, with a $19.1 million annual budget, served 124,096 people last year, compared to about 50,000 people nine years ago.

The agency's efforts got a big boost Monday when it unveiled its newest tool -- a shiny, new customized bus dubbed the "mobile unit" -- that will be used to expand service such as financial counseling and English classes far outside the city or as an outreach to the homeless living in shadows along city streets.

Leadership Lessons From Nonprofit Mergers And Closings | Fast Company

Leadership Lessons From Nonprofit Mergers And Closings | Fast Company: Financial challenges facing nonprofits are driving organizational mergers and closings. Because the role of the nonprofit board is to ensure that the organization’s assets are used for designated purposes, the board must be thoughtful in deciding if and when a nonprofit is no longer viable, and then exploring options for the future. There are valuable leadership lessons to be learned from boards that have undertaken the serious responsibility of merging or closing a nonprofit.

Grateful patient philanthropy and the doctor-patient relationship

Some additional Grateful Patient material 

Grateful patient philanthropy and the doctor-patient relationship: Grateful patient philanthropy and the doctor-patient relationship

December 10, 2012 in Other

Physicians associated with "patient philanthropy" – financial donations from grateful patients to a medical institution – are concerned with how these contributions might affect their own behavior and attitudes, and how they might impact the doctor-patient relationship. A new study by Scott Wright, MD and Joseph A. Carrese, MD, MPH of Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues, explores this topic. The paper considers the perspectives of internal medicine physicians working in an academic medical center who have had experiences with these situations. Their findings appear in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer.

IAEE Plans Co-Location With ASAE Annual Meeting: Associations Now

IAEE Plans Co-Location With ASAE Annual Meeting: Associations Now: With all the recent talk about co-location of meetings, it only makes sense that ASAE would jump on board, right?

That’s why the association is co-locating with the International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ Midyear Meeting during the 2013 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition in Atlanta. The events overlap on Monday, August 5, and Tuesday, August 6, 2013.

Philanthropy study funded by $5 million grant

Philanthropy study funded by $5 million grant: How do you study philanthropy? Through philanthropy, apparently.

UW-Madison and two other colleges are sharing a $5 million grant to explore the motives behind philanthropy and what strategies can be developed to get the most dollars.

The Science of Philanthropy Initiative (SPI) is a collaboration among UW-Madison, the University of Chicago and Georgia State. The $5 million grant is from the John Templeton Foundation.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Ten Tips for Staying Sane While Fundraising This Holiday Season

Ten Tips for Staying Sane While Fundraising This Holiday Season: Ten Tips for Staying Sane While Fundraising This Holiday Season

December 2012

Reprinted from Benevon

Dreading the holidays? You are not alone. Rather than falling prey to the slippery slope of holiday overwhelm and busy-work, follow these top 10 tips for mastering the season while developing long-term relationships with your donors.

Donor Intent Decision Appealed - TheNonProfitTimes

Donor Intent Decision Appealed - TheNonProfitTimes: Donor Intent Decision Appealed - 12/06/2012

A dispute regarding the development of a suburban Maryland farm will continue as the family behind the original lawsuit has filed an appeal.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Ronald Rubin sided with Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in granting summary judgment, saying that the sale of the 138-acre Belward Farm for $5 million was an arm’s length real estate transaction rather than a gift. A formal trial was scheduled to begin Nov. 13 but both parties filed for summary judgment in September.

Ed Norton's Crowdrise Brings Fundraising (And Fun) To The Masses | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation

Ed Norton's Crowdrise Brings Fundraising (And Fun) To The Masses | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation: Ed Norton’s Crowdrise Brings Fundraising (And Fun) To The Masses

Written by: Rachael Chong

The serial philanthropist’s project is helping people raise tons of money for their causes, while keeping the attitude light and funny.

Nonprofit theaters' fiscal mood improving, national survey shows - latimes.com

Nonprofit theaters' fiscal mood improving, national survey shows - latimes.com: America's nonprofit theaters are feeling a bit better about their finances these days, according to a recent survey conducted by the sector's main national service organization, Theatre Communications Group.

But the actors, directors and designers who work in those theaters shouldn't bank on a trickle-down effect boosting their standard of living.

Post-Sandy Donor Fatigue Worries N.Y. Charities - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Post-Sandy Donor Fatigue Worries N.Y. Charities - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: he rush of donations to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy is straining giving to other New York City-area nonprofit groups, writes The Wall Street Journal.

Better communications seen as critical for nonprofits � Philanthropy North Carolina

Better communications seen as critical for nonprofits � Philanthropy North Carolina: Nonprofits believe government, the media and the general public do not understand the distinct values that make the social sector indispensable to society, and nonprofits also believe they need to communicate more effectively about their role and impact, says the report by the Listening Post Project of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies.

#GivingTuesday Drew 103 Mass. Nonprofits to Start Yearend Drive

massnonprofit.org ::: November 30, 2012 — One hundred three Massachusetts nonprofits joined #GivingTuesday, a one-day campaign held this week to celebrate and encourage charitable activities and support nonprofit organizations, and likely benefited from as much as a 53% increase in online donations on that day.