The Stuff Behind Charitable Gift Annuity Rates - Tony Martignetti

The Stuff Behind Charitable Gift Annuity Rates - Tony Martignetti: The American Council on Gift Annuities announced last week that its suggested rates for Charitable Gift Annuities, or CGAs, would remain unchanged from last year. Here’s a look at the assumptions that lead to the rates.

The Council meets at least annually to review its rate recommendations and consider adjustments to its assumptions.

Clients often ask where the rates that 95% of charities rely on, come from. They come from five assumptions.

Donation Payouts for Some Boston Victims to Top $1-Million - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Donation Payouts for Some Boston Victims to Top $1-Million - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Kenneth Feinberg, the lawyer handling distribution of some $28-million given to help victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, will unveil a proposal Monday that calls for the families of those who died and the most seriously disabl

Are nonprofits doing enough to help employees retire? | Nonprofit Strategies | SanLuisObispo.com

Are nonprofits doing enough to help employees retire? | Nonprofit Strategies | SanLuisObispo.com: A recently released study finds that almost half of nonprofit employees are concerned about their ability to retire with financial security. This is despite three-quarters of the employees participating in an employer-sponsored retirement savings program, such as a 401k.

These findings are included in the November 2012 report, “Financial security and careers in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector,” written by TIAA-CREF and Independent Sector.

The big social questions philanthropy must answer | Voluntary Sector Network | Guardian Professional

The big social questions philanthropy must answer | Voluntary Sector Network | Guardian Professional: Philanthropy on this scale is a formidable force for social good, increasingly encouraged by government as a route to collective benefits. But is it also transformative? Can the vision of a more just and empowered society be achieved through individual concerns and acts of generosity? If philanthropy is to achieve such social promise, it has some big questions to address. It means we need to ask not only how much we give, but how our philanthropic activities measure up to the social challenges of a time of austerity and growing globalisation.

Blackbaud Index for March 2013 | npENGAGE

Blackbaud Index for March 2013 | npENGAGE: The Blackbaud Index provideds the most up-to-date information on charitable giving today. Tracking approximately $10 billion in US-based charitable giving, the Index is updated on the first of each month and is based on year-over-year percent changes. Featuring overall and online giving, the Index can be viewed by size and subsets of the nonprofit industry.

The Nonprofit Significance of U.S. Foreign Assistance in the USAID FY2014 Budget - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

The Nonprofit Significance of U.S. Foreign Assistance in the USAID FY2014 Budget - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: n their focus on the charitable deduction, the nonprofit sector has let a number of important nonprofit-identified elements of the federal budget slide. Left to fend for itself is the USAID foreign aid budget. Some of the most laudable elements of U.S. foreign policy, such as it is, are the programs delivered by NGOs to help developing countries deal with health and food issues and assist transitional countries in making progress toward democracy.

Billionaire Kerimov to Put Proceeds From Fortune Into Charity - Bloomberg

Billionaire Kerimov to Put Proceeds From Fortune Into Charity - Bloomberg: Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov, whose biggest assets include stakes in Polyus Gold International Ltd (PLZLY) and OAO Uralkali, will put profits from his fortune into a charitable foundation.

Unlikely Takeover: A Third Way to Scale Social Enterprise - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Unlikely Takeover: A Third Way to Scale Social Enterprise - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: Here’s the story of how Social Ventures Australia led a consortium of nonprofits to create a scale social enterprise out of the wreckage of a bankrupt business, and what lessons can be learned from their efforts.

N.Y. State Could Get $40 Million From Man Who Died Without A Will - Forbes

N.Y. State Could Get $40 Million From Man Who Died Without A Will - Forbes: Nearly 2.5 million Americans died last year, many without signing a will.

Students' Boston Strong fundraiser takes off in 'insane' way

Students' Boston Strong fundraiser takes off in 'insane' way: Emerson College students' contribution to the One Fund has taken off in a way that's "absolutely insane," according to one of the undergraduates behind the idea.

Does a Master's Degree Help a Nonprofit Career?

Does a Master's Degree Help a Nonprofit Career?: Careers in the nonprofit sector have become increasingly professionalized. Most now require at least a bachelor's degree, and to be competitive in a tight job market an advanced degree may be helpful.

A reader asked me recently if she should pursue a master's degree and which kind would be the best. She is currently a grant writer and looking to move up in her career.

How Development and Finance Can Get Along (Really!) | npENGAGE

How Development and Finance Can Get Along (Really!) | npENGAGE: Most people understand that their Development and Finance Departments are both critical to the success of their nonprofit organization. Many people, however, tend to forget just exactly what their counterparts in “the other office” actually do day-to-day.

Your Development Department is the “face” of your organization in your community. Every day, your Development staff members are competing with every other nonprofit organization on earth (potentially) for a share of the pool of dollars available from donors. Donors, God bless ‘em, are a fickle bunch, and our Development staff is responsible for keeping them happy, and ensuring that they continue to give. That last point might be the most important: your Development staff can never rest on its laurels. Prospecting for new donors and soliciting for more, and bigger, gifts from current donors is a never-ending process, and anyth

Rumors Of Direct Mail’s Death Greatly Exaggerated | The NonProfit Times

Rumors Of Direct Mail’s Death Greatly Exaggerated | The NonProfit Times: Rumors Of Direct Mail’s Death Greatly Exaggerated
By The NonProfit Times - April 29, 2013

With the ever-growing popularity of e-mail and the Internet, it begs the question: Is direct mail dying? Based on information from Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the answer to that question is a resounding “no.”

That was one of the statistics examined in the “DMA 2013 Statistical Fact Book,” an annual publication based on the results of a survey of hundreds of nonprofits and businesses across the United States and covers a variety of direct-mail related topics.

Beyond doing good, nonprofits produce big economic benefits, Boys & Girls Clubs study shows - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Beyond doing good, nonprofits produce big economic benefits, Boys & Girls Clubs study shows - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: Nonprofits tend to be seen as social do-gooders but are often overlooked as economic drivers.

A new study from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County challenges that view.

The research finds that the nonprofit generates more than $18 in economic impact for every $1 it spends – or more than $180 million in economic benefits yearly.

Allison Jones: Looking for a Nonprofit Job? 4 Tips Hiring Managers Want You to Know

Allison Jones: Looking for a Nonprofit Job? 4 Tips Hiring Managers Want You to Know: For the third straight year, we reached out to the nonprofit organizations in the Idealist community and asked them about their funding situations, recruitment plans, and compensation projections. You can see the entire report here, which also includes data breakdowns of organizations in different cities and fields. In the meantime, here are tips nonprofit job seekers should keep in mind, straight from hiring managers in the report.

Charity Promotes a New York State of Mind - NYTimes.com

Charity Promotes a New York State of Mind - NYTimes.com: The charity, the Robin Hood Foundation, plans to introduce the campaign on Monday. The campaign, which includes radio commercials, outdoor ads and a presence in social media like Twitter, carries the assertive theme “Fight poverty like a New Yorker.”

Audits Show Widespread Underreporting of UBI | The NonProfit Times

Audits Show Widespread Underreporting of UBI | The NonProfit Times: Unreported unrelated business income in higher education was found in almost every case examined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

“The audits identified some significant compliance issues at the colleges and universities examined,” said Lois Lerner, director, Exempt Organizations division of the IRS. “Because these issues may well be present elsewhere across the tax-exempt sector, all exempt organizations need to be aware of the importance of accurately reporting unrelated business income and providing appropriate executive compensation.”

Red Cross Gala Rocks and Raises 1.3 Million for Disaster Relief

Red Cross Gala Rocks and Raises 1.3 Million for Disaster Relief: The Concourse Exhibition Center in San Francisco’s design district was transformed into a stunning sea of red during the 2013 Red Cross Gala – ‘Hope by Design,’ hosted by the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter.

Guests experienced festivities that included cocktails, dinner, silent and live auctions, dancing, and a spectacular musical performance by eight-time Grammy award-winning R&B icon Gladys Knight, underwritten by Dignity Health and McKesson.

The Perils of Global Giving | Philanthropy content from WealthManagement.com

The Perils of Global Giving | Philanthropy content from WealthManagement.com: Yet U.S. charities engaged in international philanthropy face a number of challenging tax and legal issues that are less relevant in a purely domestic context. Many arise from the fact that the rules under which donors to charitable organizations may claim tax deductions or other benefits for their contributions are governed almost exclusively by the law of each separate jurisdiction. U.S. donors generally may claim an income tax deduction only for charitable contributions made to organizations formed under U.S. law, or under the laws of a U.S. state, the District of Columbia or a U.S. possession. Few treaties allow U.S. persons to make deductible donations to foreign charities.

Financiers' Charity Gala Goes the Way of Canap�s - NYTimes.com

Financiers' Charity Gala Goes the Way of Canap�s - NYTimes.com: But several thousand canap�s and empty bottles of champagne later, Ark said the gala dinner, held for the last 10 years, was no longer the right way to raise money. The charity, which received about $28 million in donations at the party last year, will now focus on exhibitions about its projects and smaller events to raise funds, it said.

Carlos Slim Joins Bill Gates, Other Billionaires, With $100 Million To Fight Polio - Forbes

Carlos Slim Joins Bill Gates, Other Billionaires, With $100 Million To Fight Polio - Forbes: At the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi late last week, the world’s two richest men made a bit of philanthropic history. Carlos Slim announced his foundation will donate $100 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a Bill Gates-backed effort to eliminate polio. It marks what appears to be the largest collaboration among the two men. It’s also the second time this year the two have announced joint philanthropic efforts.

What's a major gift anyway?

What's a major gift anyway?: eople often ask me how big a gift needs to be to be considered a "major gift." They expect to hear a big number—at least $100,000. In fact, they expect the number to be so large and out of reach that it lets them off the hook of ever starting a major gifts program at all.

Tim Cook's Charity Coffee Date Auction Breaks $500,000 (AAPL)

Tim Cook's Charity Coffee Date Auction Breaks $500,000 (AAPL): That was quick. Just two days after Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) CEO Tim Cook donated a coffee date to charity, bidding in the auction has now broken more than $500,000. Bidding began on April 24 and quickly reached $10,000 within approximately an hour. The "estimated value" of the sit-down was initially pegged at $50,000.

How a President Can Rescue—or Ruin—a College's Reputation - Commentary - The Chronicle of Higher Education

How a President Can Rescue—or Ruin—a College's Reputation - Commentary - The Chronicle of Higher Education: It has been aptly said that presidents do not simply represent their institutions, they embody them. Indeed, higher-education historians often refer to historical periods at colleges and universities as presidential eras.

There are many initiatives a president can take that will help to build an institution's reputation, including: