Researcher Alleges Gift Misuse in Suit Against U. of Miami - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Researcher Alleges Gift Misuse in Suit Against U. of Miami - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: A cancer researcher at the University of Miami has filed suit against the institution, claiming it improperly raided a $1-million gift that a donor had directed to support prostate cancer studies, Miami New Times writes.

Federal Charity Drive Playing Catch-Up as Shutdown Ends - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Federal Charity Drive Playing Catch-Up as Shutdown Ends - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Federal agencies scrambled Thursday to restart their annual work-place charity fundraiser and make up for time lost to the 16-day government shutdown, reports the Federal Times.

Drop the Bucket raises money through comedy�|�Daily Trojan

Drop the Bucket raises money through comedy�|�Daily Trojan: John Travis, the co-founder/president of Drop in the Bucket, said, “Though it may look like a water charity from the outside [Drop in the Bucket] is using social innovation to get children in school.” Travis explained that many people in sub-Saharan Africa walk more than three miles to obtain water. Naturally, this task takes up most of their day and prevents children from attending school. He notes that girls and women usually accomplish this daily feat. In south Sudan, one of the main locations Drop in the Bucket serves, less than 3 percent of girls have access to an education. Travis saw the opportunity to build wells as more than a chance to improve community health but also a way to encourage children to attend school. He cited the idea that increasing the education level of women and girls will help decrease poverty and increase the standard of living. Drop in the Bucket also fosters female empowerment through the Girls’ Clubs program. These clubs encourage girls to peruse education, provide information about health issues and provide basic toiletry products.

What Gives? Study Shows Smaller Nonprofits Struggle to Attract Repeat Donors: Associations Now

What Gives? Study Shows Smaller Nonprofits Struggle to Attract Repeat Donors: Associations Now: While overall nonprofit giving was up a modest 2.6 percent in 2011-2012 compared with the prior year, the “2013 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey Report” found that for every 100 nonprofit donors gained in 2011-2012, 105 donors were lost through attrition.

11 Traits of a Great Nonprofit Workplace According to Nonprofit Times

11 Traits of a Great Nonprofit Workplace According to Nonprofit Times
With an average 89% approval rating from their staffs, organizations on the Nonprofit Times' Best Nonprofits to Work For in 2013 list, including the Wounded Warrior Project (#1), DoSomething.org (#11), and The Livestrong Foundation (#19), all have very distinct characteristics that set them apart from the many other organizations in the U.S.
 

NU Foundation sees record-breaking donation amounts - Daily Nebraskan: News

NU Foundation sees record-breaking donation amounts - Daily Nebraskan: News: The Campaign for Nebraska fundraising initiative is largely the reason for the University of Nebraska Foundation’s record-breaking year in private donations foundation leaders said. Private donors gave $236.7 million between July 2012 and June 2013 — 43 percent more than the last fiscal year and $64.6 million more than the previous record.

Marketing Vs. Fundraising: Which Is It? | The NonProfit Times

Marketing Vs. Fundraising: Which Is It? | The NonProfit Times: Though “online equals marketing, offline equals development” is a bit too simplistic of a breakdown for the American Red Cross, donors still go into different silos, and the organization is trying to change that. The organization is now trying to put all donors, no matter their origin, into the same bucket.

It goes back to revenue, money in. When marketing and advancement departments both solicit gifts, it can be hard to mark down on the balance sheet exactly what is marketing revenue and what is fundraising revenue.

Nobel Fund Might Seek Donors as Investments Underwhelm - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Nobel Fund Might Seek Donors as Investments Underwhelm - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The organization that bestows the Nobel Prize will look into soliciting charitable donations as other strategies to boost revenue have fallen short, according to Bloomberg.

The Nobel Foundation said late last year that it was moving more money into hedge funds, which have underperformed relative to stocks of late. The investment move came six months after the Stockholm-based nonprofit cut the monetary award for its prestigious prizes by 20 percent.

Foundations Should Work to Fix a Broken Washington - Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Foundations Should Work to Fix a Broken Washington - Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Robert Gallucci, president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, suggests in an eloquent op-ed for this newspaper that foundations must step up to help make the case. It’s time, Mr. Gallucci argues, for foundations to do more to help create a “political system that is credible, transparent, and responsive to the needs of ordinary people.”

Will foundations accept Mr. Gallucci’s challenge?

A Nonpartisan Open Letter to Elected Officials - The AFP Blog

The AFP Blog: One of the challenges about being nonpartisan is keeping focused on your ultimate goals and not getting sidetracked on short-term issues and partisan fighting.

The latest challenge in a long line of economic challenges is the government shutdown. I’ve written about the shutdown here on the AFP blog. We’re working with Congress and the White House to collect stories about the impact of the government shutdown on charitable programs and services.

Hillsborough staff: Use nonprofits instead of Homeless Recovery | Tampa Bay Times

Hillsborough staff: Use nonprofits instead of Homeless Recovery | Tampa Bay Times: TAMPA — Hillsborough County government should close its troubled Homeless Recovery program and seek help from private social service agencies experienced at finding housing for the poor, county staff will tell commissioners today.

A staff memo released to the Tampa Bay Times says the county should ask Hillsborough's nonprofit homeless aid organizations to submit proposals for how they could help provide emergency housing and other services for the poor, in the hopes a new program could replace Homeless Recovery by Jan. 1.

Staff members will discuss the report with county commissioners at today's board meeting.

For one Brattleboro nonprofit, shutdown creates real-estate limbo

Welcome to THE COMMONS -- News and Views for Windham County, Vermont: RATTLEBORO—Susan Walker, executive director of Turning Point of Windham County, agreed with members of the nonprofit’s new building task force that they found the organization a perfect new home — a heavily-Irene-damaged-but-cozy, 15-room, single-family dwelling downtown at the intersection of Elm, Frost, and Flat streets.

That is, until the federal government shutdown put a temporary kibosh on potential funding.

Another Likely Blow to Nonprofits: DOD Suspends its Participation in the Combined Federal Campaign - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Another Likely Blow to Nonprofits: DOD Suspends its Participation in the Combined Federal Campaign - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: Another Likely Blow to Nonprofits: DOD Suspends its Participation in the Combined Federal Campaign

Businesses donate much needed cash to charities strangled by shutdown - The Washington Post

Businesses donate much needed cash to charities strangled by shutdown - The Washington Post: Some local businesses are coming to the rescue of charities in need of cash during the partial federal government shutdown.

Capital One gave a $250,000 donation to return to work the furloughed staff of the Latin American Youth Center.

Grassroot Nonprofit Funds Delayed Amid Shutdown, So Everyday People Step In

Grassroot Nonprofit Funds Delayed Amid Shutdown, So Everyday People Step In: Amid the government shutdown, much attention has been paid to funding gaps with Head Start, AmeriCorps and other nonprofits receiving federal resources. But local organizations tackling social issues across the U.S., many of which receive funds from the behemoth umbrella groups, are speaking out as well.

A recent survey from the Nonprofit Finance Fund revealed that 43 percent of 97 nonprofit survey respondents felt a delay in government payments during the government impasse.

Montgomery County asks U.S. to reopen shuttered Glen Echo Park - The Washington Post

Montgomery County asks U.S. to reopen shuttered Glen Echo Park - The Washington Post: Montgomery County has asked the U.S. Department of the Interior to reopen Glen Echo Park, where a community of nonprofit arts groups that take no federal money have sustained heavy losses as a result of the 14-day government shutdown.

Oklahomans grapple with growing shutdown impact as resources start to dry up | PBS NewsHour | Oct. 14, 2013 | PBS

Oklahomans grapple with growing shutdown impact as resources start to dry up | PBS NewsHour | Oct. 14, 2013 | PBS: BOB SANDS, OETA: With an estimated 40,000 people in central Oklahoma who work for the federal government and a growing number of Oklahomans on food stamps or other government-funded programs, just about every one knows somebody who is being affected by the shutdown or is about to be.

The impact extends far beyond government workers now to businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Federal shutdown threatens $36 million in monthly payments to UW-Madison : Ct

Federal shutdown threatens $36 million in monthly payments to UW-Madison : Ct: The shutdown of the federal government is threatening $36 million in monthly payments for research at UW-Madison, says PROFS, an advocacy group for faculty.

The university has received 13 Stop Work Orders from federal agencies on research projects this year with budgets totaling $12.5 million, writes William Tracy, PROFS president and professor of agronomy, in a letter to the Wisconsin Congressional delegation this week.

Donate to Opt Out: The Secret to Smile Train's 46% Increase in Fundraising

Donate to Opt Out: The Secret to Smile Train's 46% Increase in Fundraising: Before it risked losing a large amount of its contact list, Smile Train did a test campaign with 150,000 households, sending half of the group a letter that said if they donated once to Smile Train, the organization would never ask them to donate again. The response was very promising -- those who received the "once-and-done" letter donated $22,728, while those who received a standard letter donated $13,234.

The Science Of Storytelling: How Narrative Cuts Through Distraction Like Nothing Else | Co.Create | creativity culture commerce

The Science Of Storytelling: How Narrative Cuts Through Distraction Like Nothing Else | Co.Create | creativity culture commerce

7 Gorgeous Alternatives to National Parks : Wildlife Promise

7 Gorgeous Alternatives to National Parks : Wildlife Promise: This past Sunday I decided to go hiking with a friend. It was a gorgeous day and we decided to go to a favorite local spot, Great Falls. As we drove up to the entrance, it hit us. It’s Great Falls National Park, and it’s closed because of the government shutdown. We were already in Great Falls and needed a new place to hike.

That’s where the National Wildlife Federation’s Nature Find tool saved the day. We found Riverbend Regional Park just down the road, and it was fantastic! I thought it would be useful to take a few popular national parks and find nearby alternatives while the parks are closed.

� The Furlough List

� The Furlough List: Though they would all prefer to be at work and spend part of their day worrying over work projects left in the middle, deadlines that have passed and conferences that are looming, they are using this time to take care of their families, their homes and their neighborhoods.

This morning I was reading an article in the Washington Post about a Silver Spring family’s furlough activities, which included building their disaster kit. I work for the Red Cross and have a disaster kit, but like many, this year I used the water for a neighborhood party and haven’t bothered to replace it.