Do We Have The Wrong Idea About Charity? : NPR

Do We Have The Wrong Idea About Charity? : NPR: About Dan Pallotta's TEDTalk

Activist and fundraiser Dan Pallotta calls out the double standard that drives our broken relationship to charities. Too many nonprofits, he says, are rewarded for how little they spend — not for what they get done. Instead of equating frugality with morality, he asks us to start rewarding charities for their big goals and big accomplishments, even if that comes with big expenses. In this talk, he says: Let's change the way we think about changing the world.

Bill Gates Reclaims 'World's Richest' Title | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Bill Gates Reclaims 'World's Richest' Title | News & Opinion | PCMag.com: Tech titan and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is once again the richest person in the world.

The 57-year-old entrepreneur and philanthropist has recaptured the top spot from Mexican investor Carlos Slim, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Steve Jobs’s Widow Sets Philanthropy Goals - NYTimes.com

Steve Jobs’s Widow Sets Philanthropy Goals - NYTimes.com: The story, friends and colleagues say, is classic Laurene Powell Jobs. Famous because of her last name and fortune, she has always been private and publicity-averse. Her philanthropic work, especially on education causes like College Track, the college prep organization she helped found and through which she was Ms. Castro’s mentor, has been her priority and focus.

Marc Chardon: Nonprofit Trends: Seeking Careers with Meaning

Marc Chardon: Nonprofit Trends: Seeking Careers with Meaning: n my last post, I shared that nonprofits employ 10 percent of all workers in America. And that number is growing pretty dramatically. One big reason why is that Millennials and Boomers alike -- and others in between -- are seeking what I like to call "careers with meaning."

Charitable Giving Coalition Urges Congress to Leave Charitable Deduction Intact | Planned Giving Design Center

Charitable Giving Coalition Urges Congress to Leave Charitable Deduction Intact | Planned Giving Design Center: The Charitable Giving Coalition has sent a letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chair Dave Camp, R-MI., and ranking minority member Sander M. Levin, D-MI., in which it urges Congress to protect the charitable tax deduction as it currently stands.

IRS Issues Final Report on Colleges and Universities Compliance Project | Planned Giving Design Center

IRS Issues Final Report on Colleges and Universities Compliance Project | Planned Giving Design Center: The Internal Revenue Service launched its Colleges and Universities Compliance Project (CUCP) in 2008 when it distributed detailed questionnaires to 400 colleges and universities, requiring comprehensive reporting by those institutions on financial results of business activities such as alumni travel programs and facilities rentals not directly related to higher education. In this article, attorney David Wheeler Newman reviews the findings of the IRS' final report.

Fundraising for ministry support

Fundraising for ministry support: he people they coach are raising their own ministry support. They don’t have time to mess around, wasting time. But they aren’t often the most eager fundraisers. They know they have to ask for money, but they got into their position to do “ministry,” not raise support.

Sounds like most people that start nonprofits, doesn’t it? They just want to do mission, not have to deal with the funding.

Electric Run Prepares to Light Up Memorial Day Weekend in Los Angeles with Host Vanessa Hudgens and Other Special Guests - The Business Journals

Electric Run Prepares to Light Up Memorial Day Weekend in Los Angeles with Host Vanessa Hudgens and Other Special Guests - The Business Journals: -- Electric Run, the country's brightest and most outrageous 5K run/walk, is coming to Los Angeles on Friday, May 24th with actress Vanessa Hudgens leading the pack through a technicolor wonderland weaving throughout Home Depot Center in Carson. Electric Run LA will partner with Smile Train, donating a portion of proceeds to the nonprofit that brings smiles to children's faces by providing a child born with a cleft the same opportunities in life as a child born without a cleft.

Smithsonian planning exhibit on art of yoga, turns to crowd funding to support project

Smithsonian planning exhibit on art of yoga, turns to crowd funding to support project: WASHINGTON - The Smithsonian Institution is announcing plans for what curators believe is the first exhibition about the visual history of yoga.

When it opens in October, "Yoga: The Art of Transformation" will feature temple structures, devotional icons and manuscripts as well as early photographs, books and films about yoga. The Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery is organizing the exhibit.

Learning by giving: Students dole out $18,550 through acclaimed NKU philanthropy project | KyForward.com

Learning by giving: Students dole out $18,550 through acclaimed NKU philanthropy project | KyForward.com: Those are just a few of the community needs being addressed with the $18,550 that students in Northern Kentucky University’s nationally recognized Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project invested this spring in 12 nonprofit organizations.

Attorney General Inquiry Into Hershey School Resolves Little - Pablo Eisenberg - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Attorney General Inquiry Into Hershey School Resolves Little - Pablo Eisenberg - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The Pennsylvania attorney general’s long-awaited report on the Milton Hershey School for poor children, issued last week after an investigation that lasted more than two years, is sure to be a disappointment to everyone who had hoped for major changes in the way the Hershey Trust manages the school.

The report, as well as an agreement between the attorney general’s office and the almost $9-billion trus

CFOs Get Comfortable With Thin Margins | Exempt Magazine

CFOs Get Comfortable With Thin Margins | Exempt Magazine: CFOs Get Comfortable With Thin Margins
By Paul Clolery - May 9, 2013

Chief financial offices at nonprofits appear to be feeling a lot like the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, pointing in both directions when asked a series of questions. Many describe their organizations’ overall financial health as good, yet have reserves of six months or less.

It appears that chief financial officers have become more comfortable running very, very close to the edge.

How nonprofits can start a planned giving program | Nonprofit Strategies | SanLuisObispo.com

How nonprofits can start a planned giving program | Nonprofit Strategies | SanLuisObispo.com: More nonprofit boards and staff are asking if they should start a planned giving program, which may attract additional resources to the organization. Here are a few things to consider:

Fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss raises millions for Heifer | A&E Feature | Arkansas news, politics, opinion, restaurants, music, movies and art

Fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss raises millions for Heifer | A&E Feature | Arkansas news, politics, opinion, restaurants, music, movies and art: His annual Worldbuilders online fundraiser brought in nearly $450,000 this year, and earlier this month Rothfuss and his team made their first visit to the Heifer headquarters to meet with the nonprofit's development team, have a chat with some of his fans, and hang out with some donors at Heifer's Perry County ranch.

Center for Nonprofit Excellence moving to Hodges University � Naples Daily News

Center for Nonprofit Excellence moving to Hodges University � Naples Daily News: he Community Foundation of Collier County and Hodges University announced Wednesday that the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE), established at the Community Foundation in 1997, is moving to Hodges University this summer.

The Community Foundation has awarded a three-year grant to Hodges, totaling $150,000, to help establish the training program at the university.

Top chefs go to bat for Boston bomb victims | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Top chefs go to bat for Boston bomb victims | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram: BOSTON – Dozens of top chefs left their kitchens on Wednesday to offer fine food and drinks at Fenway Park concession stands in a project intended to raise money for Boston Marathon bombing victims.

How Nonprofits Became Tax-Exempt - Bloomberg

How Nonprofits Became Tax-Exempt - Bloomberg: To create these institutions, early Americans adapted corporate laws from Britain. At first, incorporation required both for-profit and nonprofit organizations to obtain a charter from state governments. Charters were special laws passed by state legislatures and signed by governors under the rules of state constitutions.

Leadership and skills review calls for graduate training scheme for the voluntary sector | Third Sector

Leadership and skills review calls for graduate training scheme for the voluntary sector | Third Sector: One recommendation of the working group, led by Dame Mary Marsh, says a programme similar to Teach First should be developed to attract young talent

The voluntary sector should develop a graduate training scheme to create clearer career pathways for young people, a review led by Dame Mary Marsh has concluded.

The review, commissioned by the Cabinet Office, looked at skills and leadership in the voluntary sector and has today published its findings on a new website, www.leadingsocial.org.

Articulating My Aspirations | AFP Greater Toronto Chapter Blog

Articulating My Aspirations | AFP Greater Toronto Chapter Blog: One of my staff recently called me her mentor. First off, I think I am too young to be a mentor. Or at least I like to think I am too young. Secondly, I feel I have so much to learn about our shared profession of fundraising that I couldn’t possibly be someone’s role model.

But it got me thinking. What did the me of 10 or 15 years ago aspire to be? Have my aspirations changed over time? Am I there yet?

#GivingUnderTheInfluence, aka, How to Influence the Next Generation of Giving - Resource Center - AFP

#GivingUnderTheInfluence, aka, How to Influence the Next Generation of Giving - Resource Center - AFP: On April 24, four panelists gathered to discuss their views on employee engagement in a digital culture. They shared their own troubles and triumphs with next-generation giving and gave guidance on how to bridge the gap of giving. Hear what these baby boomers, Gen X’ers and Millennials had to say—surprisingly, they were on the same page!

Donor Data Doesn’t Mean A Thing | The NonProfit Times

Donor Data Doesn’t Mean A Thing | The NonProfit Times: Donor Data Doesn’t Mean A Thing
By The NonProfit Times - May 14, 2013

If you measure everything then you’re measuring nothing, and if you have more than five priorities, then you have no priorities. That was the message Amith Nagarajan of Aptify brought to a discussion during the recent Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Conference on Fundraising

State of the Work 2013 | D5

State of the Work 2013 | D5: D5′s State of the Work 2013 features lessons learned from executives of the American Express Foundation, the Baltimore Community Foundation, Access Strategies Fund, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Capek Consulting, Russell Family Foundation and FSG. The report draws on the successes and challenges of philanthropic leaders to create a more diverse sector in 2012—and offers actions to inspire leaders to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2013.

BUDGET: Charity Definition Delayed | Pro Bono Australia

BUDGET: Charity Definition Delayed | Pro Bono Australia: It’s been confirmed in the Federal Budget that the proposed introduction of a statutory definition of charity has been deferred for another six months.

The Federal Government has announced a later start date for the 2011‑12 Budget measure Not‑for‑profit sector reforms — introducing a statutory definition of 'charity'.

What’s Next for Corporate Philanthropy? Expertise, Not Money | The Exchange - Yahoo! Finance

What’s Next for Corporate Philanthropy? Expertise, Not Money | The Exchange - Yahoo! Finance: Corporate philanthropy was once defined by the checks a company wrote to charities. But money, while critical, is only one of many assets a company can bring to bear – and often times, it is far less powerful than the skills and capabilities that companies can draw from their business operations and apply to solving big social challenges. That is why increasingly global corporations are rethinking their approach to corporate responsibility, evolving toward a model in which traditional donations are supplemented by innovative programs and initiatives that tap into the core strengths of the business.

The Role Policies Play in a Culture of Philanthropy - Resource Center - AFP

The Role Policies Play in a Culture of Philanthropy - Resource Center - AFP: Policies contribute to that culture by helping to create a respectful and transparent relationship between people in your organization and donors. It’s a misconception that policies constrain. In fact, when they are well-written and widely communicated, they can actually make it easier for you to raise funds.

When your board of directors has had the chance to think about fundraising policies, they have a greater understanding of what philanthropy is and how it fits your organization. By adopting policies on fundraising, they proclaim their commitment to a respectful and ethical approach to donors.

Komen Lobbying Expenditures Decline Precipitously to a “Pittance” - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Komen Lobbying Expenditures Decline Precipitously to a “Pittance” - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: But in the latest installment to this long running story, we read yesterday that Komen’s lobbying expenditures have plummeted. Susan G. Komen for the Cure spent $140,000 on lobbying in the first quarter last year, but according to OpenSecrets, its spending on lobbying for the same quarter this year fell to $10,000. OpenSecrets judges that amount a “pittance for an organization whose revenues until recently were in the vicinity of $200 million per year.”

Fundraising Results Mixed, But Likely Improving after Bombings

massnonprofit.org ::: Fundraising Results Mixed, But Likely Improving after Bombings

May 13, 2013 — Nonprofit fundraising by Boston area nonprofits seems to be recovering from the dip that followed a massive outpouring of support for victims of the Marathon bombings last month, with one walking event beating its goal by 30%, another falling short of its target by 17%, due in part to a forecast of rain, and a third indoor event nearly reaching its goal.

Design Effective Print Materials for Boomers and Seniors

Design Effective Print Materials for Boomers and Seniors: Older people are readers. They read magazines, newspapers, books, brochures, newsletters, even direct mail. They visit the public library frequently, and they may be the last subscribers to the disappearing newspaper.

Yet marketers, profit and nonprofit, continue to make grave errors in their print materials for mature audiences. Here are the top do's and don'ts of designing printed material to appeal to your mature readers.

Auction winner pays $610,000 for cup of coffee with Apple chief Tim Cook - Telegraph

Auction winner pays $610,000 for cup of coffee with Apple chief Tim Cook - Telegraph: Auction winner pays $610,000 for cup of coffee with Apple chief Tim Cook
An auction winner has paid $610,000 (�400,000) to have a cup of coffee with Apple chief executive Tim Cook.

Is Anonymous Philanthropy Really the Most Virtuous? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Is Anonymous Philanthropy Really the Most Virtuous? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: One of the underlying values shaping policy debates about ethical philanthropy is whether one believes charity is an essentially private activity or a public one. When New York Times writer Mark Oppenheimer explored Judeo-Christian belief systems for insight, he found complicated answers.

BNP Paribas Launches the BNP Paribas Individual Philanthropy Index by Forbes Insights: Measuring Commitment in Europe, Asia and the Middle East - WSJ.com

Press Release
BNP Paribas Launches the BNP Paribas Individual Philanthropy Index by Forbes Insights: Measuring Commitment in Europe, Asia and the Middle East - WSJ.com: ARIS & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 2013--

BNP Paribas has launched a first of its kind Individual Philanthropy Index which measures and reflects the commitment of individual philanthropists from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The index takes into account three main criteria: the amounts given, innovation and the effort devoted by philanthropists to promote their causes. It is based on a survey of more than 300 High Net Worth Individuals (at least $5 million in assets under management) in those three regions and was conducted by Forbes Insights between January and March 2013.

First Graduates of Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Receive Degrees

First Graduates of Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Receive Degrees: Nation’s first school of philanthropy graduates 50 students

INDIANAPOLIS—The first graduates of the new Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy received their degrees on May 12

Million-dollar donors live nearby � Philanthropy North Carolina

Million-dollar donors live nearby � Philanthropy North Carolina: Sixty percent of donors who made gifts at that level between 2000 and 2011 lived in the same state or geographic region as the nonprofit or foundation that received the gift, says A Decade of Million-Dollar Gifts, a study from consulting firm CCS and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.

The More You Know: The Importance of Donor Surveys | LAPA

The More You Know: The Importance of Donor Surveys | LAPA: Donor surveys are a vastly underused technique for getting to know your donors and understanding their preferences, values and priorities.

Surveys can be in person or online. They can be one-on-one or in a group. They can be sent by mail or posted on your Web site.

Six Essential Mobile Marketing Strategies for Nonprofits | Stanford Social Innovation Review

Six Essential Mobile Marketing Strategies for Nonprofits | Stanford Social Innovation Review: More than 130 million Americans own smartphones. Add desktop computers, tablets, and laptops to the mix, and there are more Internet-connected devices in the United States than there are people. Skyrocketing mobile web traffic numbers have Comcast analysts predicting that mobile web surfing will overtake desktop surfing by 2014. Still, most NGOs and nonprofits don’t have a mobile marketing strategy in place and so are missing out on new ways to connect with supporters. Worse, they may be unintentionally harming their organizations’ brands by brushing off the mobile sea change.

Here are six mobile strategies every nonprofit marketer should know.

Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog

Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog: ’m excited to announced that today, Characters Magazine is live. Master storyteller Mark Rovner and I founded this literary magazine to feature the writing of people who work for good causes and to inspire better storytelling in our sector. You can read it free online here. Thanks to everyone who submitted - as well as to the amazing editor and designers I highlighted in the following introduction included in the magazine. It was a labor of love to put this together, and I’m especially grateful to Mark for his partnership and creativity—as well as his willingness to take over the full reins going forward. He’s a Character, and so Characters couldn’t be in better hands.

Jargon: the good and the bad | Agents of Good

Jargon: the good and the bad | Agents of Good: Last month I was asked by Adele Wang, current student of fundraising at the amazing Humber College program in Toronto, to participate in some research she was doing on the topic of jargon. No problem.

I can rage about the overuse, emptiness of jargon ALL DAY LONG… but didn’t feel that would have tremendous value for Adele or her paper. I would actually have to do some “research” before formulating to many opinions. Good idea right? So I started with twitter and asked – “tell me what jargon really bothers you and why“. This word cloud shows you the result…

100 years on, Rockefeller Foundation still busy - WSJ.com

100 years on, Rockefeller Foundation still busy - WSJ.com: The next generation of philanthropists would be wise to study the history of the Rockefeller Foundation and its handful of peers, Smith said.

"The new money goes about this as if there wasn't any history," he said. "I think there is a lot to learn — what worked, what didn't work."

Now dwarfed by the largesse of Bill Gates and other contemporary philanthropists, the Rockefeller Foundation remains ambitious and well-funded, and is increasingly eager to work in partnerships.

United Way of Erie County sets fundraising record | GoErie.com/Erie Times-News

United Way of Erie County sets fundraising record | GoErie.com/Erie Times-News: The Erie community rallied around the agency's new campaign message, officials said, and responded by raising more money than in any drive in the organization's 98-year history.

More than $6 million was raised in the 2012 campaign, according to projections the agency is expected to announce Thursday at its annual meeting.

Fire Truck Pull helps Be the MatchPinellas Park Beacon - Tampa Bay Newspapers

Fire Truck Pull helps Be the MatchPinellas Park Beacon - Tampa Bay Newspapers: Lynn wouldn’t have connected with Be the Match had it not been for the Fire Truck Pull. This year’s event will be the third annual, all sponsored by the Walgreens stores in Pinellas Park. Teresa Invandino, manager of Walgreens on Park Boulevard and 66th Street, is one of the organizers and she says entering the event can be a lot of fun.

Steve Mariotti: Playing For Real: Legendary Philanthropist Kathryn Wasserman Davis

Steve Mariotti: Playing For Real: Legendary Philanthropist Kathryn Wasserman Davis: One of the great philanthropists of our time passed away recently. She was my role model and friend, and I miss her already.

Kathryn Wasserman Davis was 106 when she died on April 23. During Kathryn's long, vital life, she gave millions to promote education, scientific research, and peace. She was also instrumental in helping to restore the Hudson River and the Maine coast. Over almost nine decades of philanthropy, some of her gifts include Wellesley College, her alma mater, the library at Lincoln Center, Princeton University's International Center, Wheaton College, and genetic research. She and her family have also donated to The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), the organization I founded which provides hands-on entrepreneurship education to at-risk youth around the world.

The AFP Blog: Growth in Salaries: A Good Sign for Future Fundraising

The AFP Blog: Growth in Salaries: A Good Sign for Future Fundraising: So we can take heart in the latest results of AFP’s Compensation and Benefits Survey Report, which looks at salaries from 2012. The average fundraising salary in the U.S. increased by nine percent from 2011, and in Canada the growth was even stronger: 13 percent.