The Blackbaud Index: Overall Charitable Giving Grew 4.3% in September, Online Giving Was Up 9.9% - Press Release - Digital Journal

The Blackbaud Index: Overall Charitable Giving Grew 4.3% in September, Online Giving Was Up 9.9% - Press Release - Digital Journal: The Blackbaud Index today reported that overall charitable giving increased 4.3% and online giving increased 9.9% for the three months ending September 2013 as compared to the same period in 2012. As reported in the Charitable Giving Report, overall giving grew approximately 2% for the full year 2012 and online giving grew by about 11% in 2012 compared to 2011.

The Overhead Debate: Charities Risk Widening Rift With Donors Over Administrative Costs - Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

The Overhead Debate: Charities Risk Widening Rift With Donors Over Administrative Costs - Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The Overhead Debate: Charities Risk Widening Rift With Donors Over Administrative Costs

By Brian Mittendorf

It’s rare that nonprofit accounting makes headlines, but it certainly has had its share of time in the spotlight in recent months. Most recently, an investigation by The Washington Post into substantial “diversions” of assets among nonprofit organizations highlighted issues of financial accountability. The report examined embezzlement, fraud, and other irregularities at more than 1,000 nonprofits.

Witches, skeletons, zombies march in NYC Halloween parade thanks to online fundraising - Daily Journal

Witches, skeletons, zombies march in NYC Halloween parade thanks to online fundraising - Daily Journal: A light drizzle didn't stop curious onlookers and wildly dressed marchers from strutting their stuff along Manhattan's Sixth Avenue in the annual parade, which was canceled last year due to Superstorm Sandy and was put on this year only after an emergency online fundraising campaign netted more than $50,000 in donations.

Donor Relations Guru: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Donor Relations Guru: Should I Stay or Should I Go?: The career path of a fundraising or donor relations professional is an interesting one.    After last week's blog it becomes even cleare...

Judge Rules Met Museum Allowed to Charge 'Suggested' Fee - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Judge Rules Met Museum Allowed to Charge 'Suggested' Fee - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: A New York State Supreme Court judge has thrown out key portions of two lawsuits over the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s admissions practices, ruling that the museum is not in breach of prior state and city agreements in charging a suggested entry fee, The New York Times and Bloomberg report.

Pimco Billionaire Says He Will Give All His Money to Charity - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Pimco Billionaire Says He Will Give All His Money to Charity - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: nvestor Bill Gross, who has been locked in a Twitter battle with fellow billionaire Carl Icahn over philanthropy, said Wednesday that he and his wife are committed to giving away their entire fortune before they die, Bloomberg writes

Washington Post Diversions Piece: What it Really Means - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Washington Post Diversions Piece: What it Really Means - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: The salacious headline of the Washington Post article on reported “diversions” of nonprofit assets reads, “Inside the hidden world of thefts, scams and phantom purchases at the nation’s nonprofits.” Therein lies the problem: the lure implies that the nonprofits are involved in and parties to these “thefts, scams and phantom purchases,” as opposed to victims of people inside or outside of the organizations who were quite intent on plundering charitable resources. It looks to the Nonprofit Quarterly that the diversions reported in the article are nonprofits that had been cheated by employees, vendors, and outside financial advisors, but not engaged in trying to cheat donors or the public.

Ex-Defense Secretary Robert Gates Named to Head Boy Scouts - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Ex-Defense Secretary Robert Gates Named to Head Boy Scouts - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The Boy Scouts of America announced Wednesday that Robert Gates, who served as secretary of defense in the Obama and George W. Bush administrations, will be the youth organization’s next president, reports the Associated Press.

November 7520 Rate Settles to 2.0% | Planned Giving Design Center

November 7520 Rate Settles to 2.0% | Planned Giving Design Center: For purposes of determining the present value of an annuity, an interest for life or a term of years, or a remainder or a reversionary interest, Revenue Ruling 2013-22 indicates the applicable federal rate under section 7520 for November 2013 is 2.0%; down 0.4% from the October rate of 2.4% and unchanged from the September rate of 2.0%.

Survey Finds Direct Mail Gets Quicker Action than Email

Survey Finds Direct Mail Gets Quicker Action than Email: If you deal with your snail mail more quickly than email, you are part of the overwhelming majority of people who do. That's according to recent research in the UK from the Direct Mail Association (DMA). The study, called From letterbox to inbox - Building customer relationships 2013, was released this past summer.

3 Tips for Communicating Your Nonprofit's Results

3 Tips for Communicating Your Nonprofit's Results: As nonprofit leaders and grant writers, we know that outcomes are important to funders. We hear about it all the time as the “strings” attached to grants.

Nonprofit academy launches in Lynchburg - NewsAdvance.com : Local News

Nonprofit academy launches in Lynchburg - NewsAdvance.com : Local News: hese course titles, and more, opened for business in Lynchburg on Tuesday with the official launch of the Central Virginia Academy for Nonprofit Excellence.

The academy, commonly known as CVANE, will offer classes to teach skills needed in running a successful nonprofit group. Its kickoff event Tuesday at Central Virginia Community College drew about 50 nonprofit organizers from the Lynchburg area as well as Anne Holton, the wife of Sen. Timothy M. Kaine.

Still recovering: Government shutdown slams nonprofits | Door County Advocate | doorcountyadvocate.com

Still recovering: Government shutdown slams nonprofits | Door County Advocate | doorcountyadvocate.com: Several nonprofit and government agencies in Door County are still picking up the pieces after the federal government shutdown threw a monkey wrench into their operations earlier this month.

Nonprofits Must Respond Swiftly to Critical News Stories - Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Nonprofits Must Respond Swiftly to Critical News Stories - Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Nonprofits Must Respond Swiftly to Critical News Stories

By Tim Delaney

For the second time in recent months, a major newspaper has overreached to give all nonprofits a black eye by publishing an article essentially questioning the integrity of nonprofits that have been victimized by fraud or unfortunate circumstances.

The AFP Blog: Countdown to NPD Impact

The AFP Blog: Countdown to NPD Impact: This year we’re looking to connect all of those events into a single campaign to help celebrate NPD on an international level. The critical part of our new campaign, Countdown to Impact, is our new NPD website: npdlove.com. On the website, you can read inspiring stories of how people are helping to change the world and “showing their love,” as well as tips on wise giving and a list of NPD events around the world.

The State of Grantseeking Fall 2013 Report

The State of Grantseeking Fall 2013 Report: he State of Grantseeking Report Fall 2013

The seventh semi-annual survey, conducted by PhilanTech and GrantStation, provides a snapshot of the current state of grantseeking. The 1,108 respondents represent a wide range of nonprofits, varying in size, geographic location and mission focus.

Over 80% of respondent organizations received grant awards in the first six months of 2013. More organizations received larger grants than in the same period in 2012, but the median grant size decreased by 8%.

BBC News - The City Story exhibition celebrates philanthropy

BBC News - The City Story exhibition celebrates philanthropy: An exhibition marking 800 years of philanthropy in London is due to open in a former 14th Century monastery.

The Charterhouse, in Farringdon, is staging The City Story which explores London's history of philanthropy through stories past and present.

Take Care When Asking Staff and Volunteers to Make a Donation

massnonprofit.org ::: it’s tempting and convenient to solicit your organization’s staff and volunteers. However, these two critical groups are in very different positions, so they can’t be treated alike in terms of asking for money.

If fundraising is concentric circles, as consultants often say (you ask your friends and then their friends and then their friends’ friends), then it seems to make sense to start asking right in the bosom of the family: from your staff and volunteers. Indeed, this is what most non

Companies tie giving abroad to bottom line, local needs � Philanthropy North Carolina

Companies tie giving abroad to bottom line, local needs � Philanthropy North Carolina: Local needs and corporate financial performance in countries in which they do business are the main factors that drive U.S. companies to make social invests abroad, a new study says.

Eighty-six percent of companies that gave internationally say they plan to increase or maintain the size of their foreign giving budget, says the study, commissioned by Global Impact and prepared by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Twitter Helps Intel Foundation Plan Grants - Technology - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Twitter Helps Intel Foundation Plan Grants - Technology - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The Intel Foundation plans to award $100,000 in education grants to celebrate its 25th anniversary, and it turned to Twitter for advice on what programs and organizations to support.

“We thought it was a great opportunity to engage in a conversation with people who don’t usually have the opportunity to have a voice in donating that kind of money,” says Wendy Hawkins, the fund’s executive director. “We also thought we might get some really good ideas that we just wouldn’t come up with on our own.”

Angie Moore-Fundraising and the Government Shutdown : FundRaising Success

Angie Moore-Fundraising and the Government Shutdown : FundRaising Success: But the question I keep hearing is, "Are we really 'through it?" As someone who works with nonprofits of all sizes, every day I see the struggle to improve performance of fundraising campaigns. The big question is whether the government shutdownOpens in a new window and — perhaps more importantly — the "solution" (don't get me started on that topic) are going to affect us as we continue through the fall/holiday giving season.

How hospice fundraisers use social media | UK Fundraising

How hospice fundraisers use social media | UK Fundraising

Watertown Daily Times | Local colleges: JCC finds unique method for athletic fundraising

Watertown Daily Times | Local colleges: JCC finds unique method for athletic fundraising: In a sports landscape dominated by corporate sponsorship, Jefferson Community College has taken a refreshing step in the other direction.

JCC athletics has implemented an intimate fundraising program for all sports wherein each athlete requests a “sponsorship,” from a group of about 10 family members or friends.

Foon Rhee: Sacramento-region charities look online and to the young to increase giving - Foon Rhee - The Sacramento Bee

Foon Rhee: Sacramento-region charities look online and to the young to increase giving - Foon Rhee - The Sacramento Bee: Huge gifts – like the $125 million donation announced this month by the University of the Pacific in Stockton – grab the headlines.

But it’s the quieter accumulation of smaller donations, especially online and from younger people, that will determine the long-term growth of charitable giving in the Sacramento region.

'Diversion' of Nonprofit Assets Widespread but Little Noted - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

'Diversion' of Nonprofit Assets Widespread but Little Noted - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Hundreds of nonprofit organizations have reported hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to embezzlement, fraud, and other unauthorized uses of their money since the Internal Revenue Service began formally asking about such “diversions” in 2008, The Washington Post writes.

MCF | Grantmaker Rankings

MCF | Grantmaker Rankings: Each year MCF publishes lists of grantmaker rankings to enable grantmakers, nonprofits and the public to better understand who are the largest funders in the state.

Rankings are provided based on several different criteria, including grantmaker type, grants paid and assets.

How Events Hurt Major Gifts… And What To Do About It

How Events Hurt Major Gifts… And What To Do About It: I was in a meeting with the fundraising staff of a very prominent and successful non-profit, and the leader of the major gifts program told the familiar story of how he and his staff had been pulled away from their major gift work to organize an event that “meant a lot to the board.”

I was stunned by what I was hearing. I knew that the major gift staff already had its hands full with substantial increases in goals for the fiscal year.