Thursday, December 20, 2012

Charleston Regional Business Journal | Charleston, SC

Charleston Regional Business Journal | Charleston, SC: The holiday season is magical, something to truly enjoy — through fellowship and celebration with colleagues and friends, through family traditions, and through donations of time, talent and treasure to nonprofits we care about. All three of these are true for me, things I enjoy — and take joy — in doing.

CFO Fitness Quiz: Are You Tough Enough for the Caring Sector?

CFO Fitness Quiz: Are You Tough Enough for the Caring Sector?: Contemplating a switch to the nonprofit sector? Here are seven questions that can surface your readiness for the Olympic-level challenge of financial management in the social sector.

Five Secrets to Keep Your Fundraiser from Losing Money

Five Secrets to Keep Your Fundraiser from Losing Money: Five Secrets to Keep Your Fundraiser from Losing Money

December 2012

Reprinted from the GuideStar Blog

A 2007 study by Charity Navigator revealed that for many nonprofit groups, fundraisers are actually fund-losers: the average organization spends $1.33 on an event for every $1.00 the event raises. Efficient events, however, spent as little as $0.71 for every $1.00 raised, making the event a financial as well as a social success.

Hearts Broken - How to Help Newtown

Hearts Broken - How to Help Newtown: Update: The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported on Tuesday that donations are pouring in to several memorial funds set up for the families of the Sandy Hook victims. More Than $1-Million Raised for Newtown's Survivors.

It's been a very hard week for everyone. The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut on Friday took away our breath and our joy.

My emotions have been both grief and helplessness. But I also experienced a deep need to do something, anything to help.

IRS Offers Tips for Year-End Giving

IRS Offers Tips for Year-End Giving: RS Offers Tips for Year-End Giving

IRS Videos: Exempt Organizations Select Check: English | Spanish
Fair Market Value of Charitable Donations: English | Spanish | ASL

Podcasts: Exempt Organizations Select Check: English | Spanish

IR-2012-102, Dec. 19, 2012

WASHINGTON — Individuals and businesses making contributions to charity should keep in mind some key tax provisions that have taken effect in recent years, especially those affecting donations of clothing and household items and monetary donations.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Philanthropy beat: Hotel donates instead of liquidates | StarTribune.com

Philanthropy beat: Hotel donates instead of liquidates | StarTribune.com: Home
Local
Minneapolis

Philanthropy beat: Hotel donates instead of liquidates

Article by: Jean Hopfensperger , Star Tribune
Updated: December 17, 2012 - 7:21 PM


When the Millennium Hotel in downtown Minneapolis closed its doors for a major renovation last week, it did something new for the upscale hotel chain.

The hotel donated about 1,900 pieces of furniture -- as in dressers, bed frames, lamps, desks and chairs -- to local charities instead of shipping them off to liquidators or landfills.

Council on Foundations 'Redesigns' Organization and Sheds 19 Jobs - The Giveaway - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Council on Foundations 'Redesigns' Organization and Sheds 19 Jobs - The Giveaway - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Council on Foundations ‘Redesigns’ Organization and Sheds 19 Jobs

December 17, 2012, 8:26 am

By Caroline Preston

The Council on Foundations, an organization that represents many of the nation’s biggest grant makers, has eliminated 19 positions in the last two months, part of a “redesign” its president says will enable the organization to better serve its members.

N.Y. Nonprofits Can Now E-File - TheNonProfitTimes

N.Y. Nonprofits Can Now E-File - TheNonProfitTimes: Charities registered with the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau (AGCB) may now file their reports online. New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the move will allow release

Monday, December 17, 2012

More than 100 students complete nonprofit minor | Philanthropy Journal

More than 100 students complete nonprofit minor | Philanthropy Journal: Hardworking students in the nonprofit studies minor helped the Institute for Nonprofits achieve a significant milestone last week when its number of graduates passed the century mark.

The 10 students who completed the program and were commended on Friday brought the tally to 104 graduates since the minor was established in 2006. Another 110 NC State University undergrads are currently enrolled.

How to Respond to a National Tragedy | Nonprofit Marketing | Getting Attention

How to Respond to a National Tragedy | Nonprofit Marketing | Getting Attention: How to Respond to a National Tragedy

Like you, my heart and head are heavy in the wake of Friday’s tragedy in Newtown, CT. Especially since I feel so helpless.

My gut is that’s how many of your supporters and prospects are feeling as well, and what will be top of mind for at least a few more days. So be responsive, even though you’re pressured by the year-end push for support.

Looming Tax Hikes Boost DAFs - TheNonProfitTimes

Looming Tax Hikes Boost DAFs - TheNonProfitTimes: Looming Tax Hikes Boost DAFs - 12/17/2012
By Patrick Sullivan


It seems as if the words “fiscal cliff” can be seen everywhere. For most Americans, the impending tax increases and spending cuts are something over which to lose sleep, but tax uncertainty is fueling major growth for the donor advised fund (DAF) of San Francisco, Calif.-based Schwab Charitable. Between July and October 2012, Schwab Charitable saw its total assets under management increase by $188 million, or 74 percent, compared to the same period in 2011.

Nonprofits looking for political clout - SFGate

Nonprofits looking for political clout - SFGate: Staub heads a political action committee trying to increase the political clout of the nonprofit sector in federal elections. Most of the committee's members are affiliated with charitable organizations.

"We want to be a political player in a positive way," said Staub, chairman of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Political Action Committee, an umbrella organization for charitable fundraisers. "There are lots of interest groups, and we decided we needed to have a greater voice for philanthropy."

The Charitable Deduction and Why It Needs to Stay - NYTimes.com

The Charitable Deduction and Why It Needs to Stay - NYTimes.com: WHATEVER else we do about the tax code, we need to save the charitable deduction, which has done so much good in our country and springs directly from some of our deepest values.