Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Counting on Charity: The Fundamental Issue in the Wounded Warrior Project Inquiry

Counting on Charity: The Fundamental Issue in the Wounded Warrior Project Inquiry: "The Fundamental Issue in the Wounded Warrior Project Inquiry
The recent letter released by Senator Chuck Grassley in his examination of the Wounded Warrior Project delves into, and seeks additional clarity on, the organization’s accounting practices, in particular those that give rise to its reported 80.6% program expense ratio.  As an accountant, I am tempted to delve into the details (Jim Ulvog does so deftly here).  However, I will instead focus on what I believe is the fundamental question being asked of the organization."



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2016 Charitable Giving Outlook Weakens Amid Market Volatility, Lowered GDP

Press Release from Atlas of Giving



2016 Charitable Giving Outlook Weakens Amid Market Volatility, Lowered GDP: "DALLAS, May 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Charitable giving will fall well short of the gains experienced in 2015 as wild market swings and economic uncertainty challenge fundraising results for many U.S. charities, according to a new forecast.

In its latest report, the Atlas of Giving estimates that charities nationwide in 2016 are unlikely to get anywhere near the solid 4.6 percent increase in giving recorded in 2015.

Rather, the forecast projects charities will likely see total 2016 charitable giving range from a decline of 0.9 percent to a modest 1.4 percent increase. Nonprofits are already feeling the pain — through the first quarter of 2016, giving has remained flat compared to first quarter 2015."



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Sen. Grassley and Senate Judiciary Committee Unpersuaded by Wounded Warrior Answers | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly

Sen. Grassley and Senate Judiciary Committee Unpersuaded by Wounded Warrior Answers | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly:



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The Plan Requires Leaders, Team, Organizational Approach - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

The Plan Requires Leaders, Team, Organizational Approach - The NonProfit Times: "Looking at the program as a series of steps can make it appear, and be, much less intimidating. Those steps must be taken by both leaders and team members.

During the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Fundraising Conference, Kerry-Ann Powell of The Harvest Group offered the necessary steps for plan implementation, using as an example the fundraising effort by the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation to build a monument to the slain civil rights hero. Powell offered the following steps:"



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Monday, May 16, 2016

Governance and Accountability: A Different Choice for Nonprofits | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly

Governance and Accountability: A Different Choice for Nonprofits | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly: "Governance is of central concern to nonprofits, yet theories of nonprofit governance are underdeveloped in comparison with corporate governance; and, specifically, it appears that knowledge of governance practices to achieve broadened accountability to multiple and diverse stakeholder groups has lagged. This article aims to expose and question the assumptions and asymmetrical power relations that are often taken for granted in the most normative of the governance theories used by nonprofits. In doing so, I challenge the notion of accountability as a somewhat benign and straightforward governance function, and recast it as a challenging, complex choice."



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Runners race up One World Trade for charity | New York Post

Runners race up One World Trade for charity | New York Post: "They took the long way up — for a good cause.

About 1,000 people raced to the top of the World Trade Center on Sunday morning to pay tribute to the first responders who put their lives on the line Sept. 11, 2001."



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Friday, May 13, 2016

Are you too proud to be a toilet roll philanthropist? - FT.com

Are you too proud to be a toilet roll philanthropist? - FT.com: "T
Toilet roll seems an unlikely metaphor for effective philanthropy. Yet I’ve heard of a donor who specifically funds loo rolls in London museums and galleries on the simple grounds that this kind of donation is both necessary and tough to fund.
Many donors want to fund the glamorous stuff: front-line programmes, identifiable projects and new buildings being prime examples. To do so, many “restrict” their gifts to those items. The main problem with this approach is that donors generally all want to fund the same things — none of which include loos, core staff or rent."



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How impact investing is changing philanthropy - Technical.ly Baltimore

How impact investing is changing philanthropy - Technical.ly Baltimore: "Impact investing can lead to new strategies for entrepreneurs and mission-driven businesses. That means room for new people to receive investment.

“It cannot just be about the elites. It really has to include everyone,” said Case Foundation President Jean Case, echoing a core belief that’s reflected both in the foundation’s work and the message of her husband, AOL cofounder Steve Case. She made the remarks during a panel of foundation presidents at the Mission Investors Exchange conference this week in Baltimore."



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Clinton Foundation takes steps to be rated by charity watchdog | GantNews.com

Clinton Foundation takes steps to be rated by charity watchdog | GantNews.com: "The Clinton Foundation’s critics may soon have less ammunition to suggest the organization lacks transparency.

The charity has taken initial steps toward regaining a rating by Charity Navigator, a major charity watchdog that assesses over 8,000 organizations on a scale of zero to four stars.

The Clinton Foundation, headed by former President Bill Clinton, indicated on May 10 that it is interested in receiving a rating and is looking into whether it can provide the needed financial information, CNNMoney has learned."



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San Francisco to host new urban innovation lab

San Francisco to host new urban innovation lab: "With access to a variety public, private, academic and nonprofit entities — two of the world's largest and most influential digital companies, Twitter and Uber, are located across the street from the new Superpublic space — Hirshberg and the team behind the project saw "there was an opportunity to do serious work ... across government agencies.""



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Thursday, May 12, 2016

How Many Foundations Require Matching Funds, and Why?

How Many Foundations Require Matching Funds, and Why?: "How many foundations require "matching funds" as a contingency for making a grant? What is the philosophy behind matching funds for grants?

When a reader posed this question, I turned to the Foundation Center for answers. It turns out that the Center does not track the number of foundations that require matching funds to receive a grant. But its online database shows more than 2,500 grantmakers that may provide (but do not require) matching/challenge support. "



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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Kimbia CEO to Forfeit Salary in Plan to Address Give Local America Debacle - NonProfit PRO

Kimbia CEO to Forfeit Salary in Plan to Address Give Local America Debacle - NonProfit PRO:



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Corporate Branding of National Parks: The Disturbing Link between Philanthropy and Privatization | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly

Corporate Branding of National Parks: The Disturbing Link between Philanthropy and Privatization | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly:



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Entrepreneurial Nonprofits: Van Gogh Museum’s Ambitious Consulting Program | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly

Entrepreneurial Nonprofits: Van Gogh Museum’s Ambitious Consulting Program | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly: "In every part of the world, elite museums are feeling the pinch. No matter how revered their collections or how august their history, no institution of fine art is without its challenges when it comes to the day-to-day costs associated with managing a major collection. But some museums are apparently more entrepreneurial at finding sources of funds than others. Faced with reduced government subsidies and increased taxes on commercial enterprises like gift shops, the Van Gogh Museum in the Netherlands has recently announced it will begin offering its professional services to private collectors, corporations, and other fine art institutions."



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GuideStar Introduces Program Metrics Section for Nonprofit Profiles | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly

GuideStar Introduces Program Metrics Section for Nonprofit Profiles | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly: "GuideStar, the nonprofit repository of information on 2.4 million U.S. nonprofits visited by 7 million people annually, is adding a new way for organizations to report quantifiable data in support of their program achievements. GuideStar Platinum was developed as a way for nonprofits to provide non-financial data to demonstrate effectiveness, thereby addressing the pitfalls of the “overhead myth,” which gauges an organization’s worthiness of support by measuring its effectiveness in terms of its expenditures on program services versus management and fundraising."



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Overlooked in the Wounded Warrior Project scandal: families who rely on its handouts

Overlooked in the Wounded Warrior Project scandal: families who rely on its handouts: "As Wounded Warrior Project battles allegations its former executives violated public trust, they face the real fear that donations will start to dry up.

Tracy Keil worries that will leave her family with more than $50,000 a month in healthcare expenses."



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Mass. Nonprofit Employment Outpaces Overall Job Growth

massnonprofit news ::: "Mass. Nonprofit Employment Outpaces Overall Job Growth"



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The AFP Blog: Coming Together for the Profession, the Community

The AFP Blog: Coming Together for the Profession, the Community: "The AFP Edmonton & Area Chapter, along with AFP Canada leaders, have provided a list of services of services and resources for AFP members and others affected by the fires. I’m pleased to pass the information they collected along—you can find the list here."



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Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Former Head of Charity Navigator Takes Over at Troubled NY Arts Charity | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly

Former Head of Charity Navigator Takes Over at Troubled NY Arts Charity | Non Profit News For Nonprofit Organizations | Nonprofit Quarterly:



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13 Steps To Building Rapport With For-Profit Partners - The NonProfit Times

13 Steps To Building Rapport With For-Profit Partners - The NonProfit Times"Enlisting the cooperation of businesses to start a cause marketing campaign is a lot like fundraising in general: building rapport with the targeted company is essential even before the partnership begins.

A cause marketing arrangement, or commercial co-venture, is more than just a business partnership. Both the nonprofit and the for-profit hope to gain from the relationship, in both dollars raised and image heightened. A nonprofit that hopes to swoop in, use a corporate sponsor to make fast cash and then run off into the sunset is a nonprofit that will almost certainly fall flat. Trust and mutual respect are extremely important."



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