What can schools sell instead of candy? Trash bags - Houston Chronicle

What can schools sell instead of candy? Trash bags - Houston Chronicle: Some schools have done away with catalog sales altogether, instead asking parents to make direct donations. Alison Oleson, former president of the Sleepy Hollow PTA in Falls Church, Va., said with both parents working in so many families, people just don't have time "to go out and get their kids to sell things. And schools can't get the volunteers to sit there and sort the wrapping paper and candy when it comes in."

Another reason to drop catalog sales is that schools only keep a portion of what they sell — 42 percent on average, according to the Association of Fund-Raising Distributors and Suppliers. A letter to Sleepy Hollow parents explaining the switch noted that "the exciting part of this fundraising program is that 100 percent of your donation goes to support PTA programs (not 50 percent, as before) and it is tax deductible!"

Growing Southern Minnesota’s philanthropic resources - Le Sueur MN: Opinion

Growing Southern Minnesota’s philanthropic resources - Le Sueur MN: Opinion: Local philanthropy is nothing new. In fact, it has always been a key factor in building a quality of life in our communities.

That is because people like to donate to the places and causes that they feel strongly about. Here at Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we are passionate about local philanthropy. We are proud that 100 percent of SMIF’s board and staff are also donors to our Foundation, demonstrating their support for our mission.

An Interview with Jean Case on the 2013 Millennial Impact Report - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

An Interview with Jean Case on the 2013 Millennial Impact Report - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: The Case Foundation just released their 2013 Millennial Impact Report. I had the chance to speak with Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation, and she discussed the encouraging data this report reveals on the Millennial Generation. In a media world that often portrays millennials in a negative light as “technology obsessed” and uninterested in face-time, it was uplifting to speak with Jean and hear how millennials are becoming increasingly more connected to nonprofits and giving, as well as the great potential the nonprofit sector has to tap into this age group.



Aine Creedon: Hi, Jean! It’s nice to meet you over the phone.

Great Daffodil Appeal raises record �7m

Great Daffodil Appeal raises record �7m: Marie Curie’s flagship fundraising event, Great Daffodil Appeal, raised a record �7m with more than half of the fundraised total coming from donations in collection boxes and buckets.

Why Rural Philanthropy Must Mean More than Money - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Why Rural Philanthropy Must Mean More than Money - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: n rural communities and small towns, philanthropy can take stands, create coalitions, and break down racial barriers that other institutions avoid. Philanthropy plays the role of professor, listener, pulse reader, dream interpreter, and community organizer.

Pro Bono Is a Two-Way Street - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Pro Bono Is a Two-Way Street - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: Nonprofit managers who have experience working with pro bono consultants are likely to agree with these four principles for a successful engagement identified by Elizabeth Linzer of Catchafire:

Taking a strategic approach, which means attention to the longer-term view and careful prioritization of needs.

Giving Back While at Work: 32 Percent of Workers Volunteer Through Company Programs | TheLedger.com

Giving Back While at Work: 32 Percent of Workers Volunteer Through Company Programs | TheLedger.com: Such corporate generosity — which can vary from financially supporting employees' own initiatives to get involved to coordinating a company-level volunteering day — is increasing, said Jessica Rodell, an assistant professor of management at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business.

Steve Delfin, president and CEO of America's Charities, a nonprofit representing 115 national charities, agreed.

Alumni engagement scoring vs. predictive modelling | CoolData blog

Alumni engagement scoring vs. predictive modelling | CoolData blog: Alumni engagement scoring has an undeniable appeal. What could be simpler? Just add up how many events an alum has attended, add more points for volunteering, add more points for supporting the Annual Fund, and maybe some points for other factors that seem related to engagement, and there you have your score. If you want to get more sophisticated, you can try weighting each score input, but generally engagement scoring doesn’t involve any advanced statistics and is easily grasped.

Brian M. Carney: Pedaling for a Good Cause—But Why? - WSJ.com

Brian M. Carney: Pedaling for a Good Cause—But Why? - WSJ.com: I recently went on a 60-mile bicycle ride in the middle of the night. The venture resulted not from an existential crisis but from a charity challenge. By now the genre is familiar: A charity that promotes research into cancer or some other disease sponsors an event requiring feats of physical prowess or endurance. People sign up and seek sponsors, who agree to donate to the charity in exchange for—what, exactly?

This was the question I was asking myself as I pedaled, in increasing agony, through Sussex toward sunrise and the English coast.