Pittsburgh Foundation revises grantmaking policy as part of new strategic plan - Pittsburgh Business Times:

Pittsburgh Foundation revises grantmaking policy as part of new strategic plan - Pittsburgh Business Times:: "The Pittsburgh Foundation said Monday it has finalized a new strategic plan that revises its policy governing unrestricted grant making.

The community foundation has created three funding categories designed to capture all of the Pittsburgh area’s charitable programming needs. For the past seven years, it focused on five target areas."

Nonprofits partner up to fight recession | thestarpress.com | The Star Press

Nonprofits partner up to fight recession | thestarpress.com | The Star Press: "Nonprofits, specifically those that serve children, are looking for more creative ways to cut costs without reducing services. Partnerships help nonprofits stay true to their mission while avoiding duplication."

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Metro/Region - Walk draws record number

Omaha.com - The Omaha World-Herald: Metro/Region - Walk draws record number: "The 5K walk at Miller’s Landing raised $8,200 to aid local and national suicide prevention awareness programs. The walk, attended by a record 1,245 people, was one of more than 100 taking place across the country."

Hang 20: Dogs hit the surf for charity tournament

Hang 20: Dogs hit the surf for charity tournament: "DEL MAR ---- Wet dogs, surfers in crazy costumes and a whole lot of people are on the bill Sept. 13 for the fourth annual SurfDog Surf-a-Thon at North Beach."

Performance under pressure | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal

Performance under pressure | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal: "Today, there's some evidence (at least on a national level) that the recession is beginning to diminish. Yet, there also is a consensus among Louisville arts leaders that contributed income — which, along with ticket sales, provides the physical lifeblood of any organization — tends to lag behind other indicators of economic recovery."

Charity's fans hope for surge : Local News : Memphis Commercial Appeal

Charity's fans hope for surge : Local News : Memphis Commercial Appeal: "'What I've seen of the trends this year, we're in a positive place,' said Sherrie Rinehart, branch manager for the foundation's West Tennessee chapter. 'Our walk struggled a little a year ago, and two years ago we were very successful.'"

Raffle for Marin 'Dream House' benefits charity

Raffle for Marin 'Dream House' benefits charity: "Two years ago, the organization started raffling off houses to raise funds for its programs. Since then, the idea has become a popular way to raise money for charitable organizations. Last year, the house raffle netted $1.2 million, said Gail Theller, the group's executive director. The year before that it was $1.6 million.

The house this year was donated by Tom Monahan of Monahan Pacific, a Bay Area commercial and residential development firm headquartered in San Rafael. A longtime supporter of CAM, Monahan told the group to take its pick of the dozen or so new homes in Drake's Cove, his gated, upscale subdivision on a hill near the edge of the bay."

The NonProfit Times - Service And Remembrance Get Their Day

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "Service And Remembrance Get Their Day

By Paul Clolery

Events around the nation marked the first annual National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11, an element of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, passed with strong bipartisan support and signed into law by President Obama this past April."

9/11: National Day of Remembrance - washingtonpost.com

9/11: National Day of Remembrance - washingtonpost.com: "andy Scott: Projects are taking place in every state -- here are a few examples -- In Boston, hundreds of volunteers will fill care packages and write letters to military personnel serving overseas. Volunteers in New Hampshire will collect and bag 7,000 dental supply kits for Manchester school children. More than 9,000 volunteers are expected to turn out today for projects in Seattle including habitat restoration and neighborhood cleanups and renovating a child care center."

Bloomberg and 16 Other Mayors Announce Coalition to Promote Volunteerism - Philanthropy.com

Bloomberg and 16 Other Mayors Announce Coalition to Promote Volunteerism - Philanthropy.com: "Bloomberg and 16 Other Mayors Announce Coalition to Promote Volunteerism

By Suzanne Perry

Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, and 16 other mayors today announced a new coalition to promote volunteerism as a way to help cities combat their most-pressing problems.

The mayors, dubbing their effort “Cities of Service,” said they will share strategies on how to engage citizens at the local level an"

Dinner With Sarah Palin On eBay, Proceeds Go To Charity

Dinner With Sarah Palin On eBay, Proceeds Go To Charity: "he Sarah Palin dinner is part of a wider Ride 2 Recovery charity auction (another item up for auction is lunch with Karl Rove, only up to about $12,000 right now)."

Star Local News > News Update > CREW Dallas -- charity tournament golfers to play 100 holes in one day

Star Local News > News Update > CREW Dallas -- charity tournament golfers to play 100 holes in one day: "Gleneagles Country Club will host a unique charity golf tournament Monday morning as local golfers attempt to play 100 holes in one day."

Slow economy sparks nonprofit collaborations - New Mexico Business Weekly:

Slow economy sparks nonprofit collaborations - New Mexico Business Weekly:: "There is a growing mantra in the nonprofit world to explore collaboration and cooperation these days, perhaps even mergers, in light of the economy. It’s one of the main ideas behind the new New Mexico Office of Philanthropic Outreach as well. Nonprofit leaders have not seen any mergers yet, but they’re hearing lots more talk about cooperation."

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Fundraising Total Falls Eight Percent

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Fundraising Total Falls Eight Percent: "Harvard received $602 million in gifts this past fiscal year—an 8 percent decline from last year’s total, University officials announced yesterday."

Thefts jeopardize ride for charity - The Boston Globe

Thefts jeopardize ride for charity - The Boston Globe: "They were not ordinary, recreational bicycles that could be so disposable. They had been primed and tuned in the name of charity, ready for a challenging 65-mile-a-day trek from New York to Washington, D.C., to help raise awareness for a cause."

University of Florida News - UF college of business namesake commits $16 million to create faculty fellows fund

University of Florida News - UF college of business namesake commits $16 million to create faculty fellows fund: "GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Citing faculty as the key to a competitive future for the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business Administration, UF Trustee Al Warrington announced today that he has committed a deferred gift of $16 million to establish an endowment to privately fund faculty positions in the college."

For Flight 93 memorial, long-awaited progress - USATODAY.com

For Flight 93 memorial, long-awaited progress - USATODAY.com: "Eight years after terrorists hijacked United Flight 93 and crashed it in the western Pennsylvania countryside on Sept. 11, 2001, the memorial to the 40 passengers and crew who fought against them looks more like a roadside shrine than a national park, a homemade expression of patriotism and sorrow nestled in a rural expanse."

On-Air Pledges to Public Television, Radio Stations Hold Steady :: PNNOnline ::

On-Air Pledges to Public Television, Radio Stations Hold Steady :: PNNOnline ::: "On-Air Pledges to Public Television, Radio Stations Hold Steady
Posted by: philcrosby on Thursday, September 10, 2009
Topic Arts, Culture & Humanities


In the face of the worst recession in decades, on-air fundraising for public television and public radio stations around the country has held steady and in some cases has set records, the Washington Post reports."

Sweet Charity: Sharon Stone, a Sizzling Do-gooder -- chicagotribune.com

Sweet Charity: Sharon Stone, a Sizzling Do-gooder -- chicagotribune.com: "Stone has raised millions for amfAR with her legendary auctioneering powers, but she is involved in a number of other charities, including Planet Hope, co-founded with her sister, Kelly, and also 'Homeless Not Toothless'--a nonprofit organization that provides homeless patients and foster children with free dental care. Brentwood dentist Dr. Jay Grossman started this up."

How To Do a Good Job on a Nonprofit Board | Leading Companies for Good | Fast Company

How To Do a Good Job on a Nonprofit Board | Leading Companies for Good | Fast Company: "How To Do a Good Job on a Nonprofit Board
BY FC Expert Blogger Alice KorngoldThu Sep 10, 2009 at 10:30 AM
This blog is written by a member of our expert blogging community and expresses that expert's views alone.

So you've joined the board of a nonprofit where you care about the mission and the work, you think you can be useful, and you like some of the people you'll be working with--the ones you've met so far. What do you do next in order to be productive?

1. Learn more about the organization and the community you serve."

Future Leaders in Philanthropy: National Day of Service and Remembrance

Future Leaders in Philanthropy: National Day of Service and Remembrance: "By Jordan Walker

This Friday, September 11, marks the eighth anniversary of the attacks on America as well as the inaugural National Day of Service and Remembrance. Friday caps off the “United We Serve” initiative, a summer dedicated to addressing community needs in areas such as education, health care, energy independence, and economic renewal."

Transformative Gift Will Foster Leadership in Engineering Field :: PNNOnline ::

Transformative Gift Will Foster Leadership in Engineering Field :: PNNOnline ::: "Bernard Gordon, known as the father of analog-to-digital conversion and for breakthroughs such as the fetal heart monitor and portable CT scan, has committed $40 million to Tufts University’s School of Engineering to advance its engineering leadership education programs.


“Great engineers succeed because they are true leaders who combine technical skill with the capacity to lead and motivate others,” says Bernard Gordon. Photo: Alonso Nichols"

Feeling Good about Giving: The Benefits (and Costs) of Self-Interested Charitable Behavior — HBS Working Knowledge

Feeling Good about Giving: The Benefits (and Costs) of Self-Interested Charitable Behavior — HBS Working Knowledge: "Executive Summary:

Helping others takes countless forms and springs from countless motivations, from deep-rooted empathy to a more calculated desire for public recognition. Social scientists have identified a host of ways in which charitable behavior can lead to benefits for the giver, whether economically via tax breaks, socially via signaling one's wealth or status, or psychologically via experiencing well-being from helping. Charitable organizations have traditionally capitalized on all of these motivations for giving, with a recently emerging focus on highlighting the mood benefits of giving—the feelings of empowerment, joy, and inspiration that giving engenders. Indeed, if giving feels good, why not advertise the benefits of 'self-interested giving,' allowing people to experience that good feeling while increasing contributions to charity at the same time? HBS doctoral candidate Lalin Anik, Professor Michael I. Norton, and coauthors explore whether organizations that seek to increase charitable giving by advertising the benefits of giving are making claims supported by empirical research and, most importantly, whether such claims actually increase donations."

Donations break record | The Collegian — University of Richmond

Donations break record | The Collegian — University of Richmond: "Online fundraising made the difference on both ends of the equation, Peters said. Volunteers sent 24,000 personalized e-mails in June alone, which likely exceeded the number sent during the previous 11 months combined. When one message toward the end of the month announced that only 247 donors were needed to set a record, that night, 170 alumni made donations online. Online credit card payments have almost quadrupled during the past two fiscal years."

Endowment sees record number donations : Kansan.com

Endowment sees record number donations : Kansan.com: "In a year of budget cuts at the University of Kansas, alumni are opening their wallets to help more than ever before. The number of donors and total donations to the Kansas University Endowment Association hit record numbers last fiscal year, according to a KU press release on Tuesday."

Twitter users network to raise funds for charities - USATODAY.com

We also have a blog on Nonprofit Technology. You can see some stories in the right sidebar on this blog or go to the Blog itself.

Twitter users network to raise funds for charities - USATODAY.com: "Tweet. Meet. Give.

That's the call to action for 'Twestival,' a multicity international fundraiser scheduled today through Sunday that uses the social network Twitter as its starting point."

Mistakes nonprofits can’t afford to make

Mistakes nonprofits can’t afford to make: "Nonprofits are notorious for making some common marketing missteps that can cost in the long run. They are easy to fix with a little thought and commitment by the board and staff."

Income Gap Shrinks in Slump at the Expense of the Wealthy - WSJ.com

Income Gap Shrinks in Slump at the Expense of the Wealthy - WSJ.com: "Another loser: philanthropy. In the brutal second half of last year, the number of charitable gifts of $1 million or more from individuals fell by more than a third from a year earlier, according to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University."

Getting Clients To Focus On Philanthropic Goals - Forbes.com

Getting Clients To Focus On Philanthropic Goals - Forbes.com: "Philanthropy has evolved from simply supporting your college alma mater and church to being a strategic way for clients to positively influence the world they and their children will live in. Through informal and formal structures, such as family foundations, donor-advised funds and giving circles, clients are becoming more highly engaged in philanthropy. As advisers, we can provide valuable insight and planning advice to help our clients become more strategic and focused in their philanthropy, and to help us forge deeper relationships that get at the heart of our clients' long term goals."

How to find a career in fundraising

How to find a career in fundraising: "Actively pursuing a career in fundraising and development may seem a bit uncertain during this economic climate. It’s common knowledge that nonprofits are typically hit hardest in economic downturns as many consider donating a luxury, not an obligation."