Craig Newmark: Google for nonprofits, useful stuff

Craig Newmark: Google for nonprofits, useful stuff: "Hey, folks, the craigconnects team and I recently had the opportunity to talk with the folks over at the Google for Nonprofits program about their latest stuff. Nonprofits should look into this. Here's our interview with Kristen Olsen Cahill, the Product Manager for Google.org"

Ducks break charity food and contributions record for Food for Lane County - Portland Oregon Ducks Football | Examiner.com

Ducks break charity food and contributions record for Food for Lane County - Portland Oregon Ducks Football | Examiner.com:"Attendees were required to 'pay' 3 cans of canned food for entrance into the spring game. In addition, financial donations were accepted throughout the game.

By the time the game had ended, Oregon fans had donated 68,332 pounds of non-perishable food items and $1,248.66 in donations. Oregon's previous record for donations was set in the 2010 spring game, when fans brought in 46,500 pounds of food and $600."

'Three Cups' Controversy Underscores Need for Measurement - World View - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

'Three Cups' Controversy Underscores Need for Measurement - World View - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "The Central Asia Institute, the nonprofit started by Greg Mortenson, the author of Three Cups of Tea, has been criticized for the apparent lack of any evaluation of the work it did and the schools it constructed.

It is unclear how many schools the group built, how many of these buildings are actually used as schools, and whether the schools performed any better than existing schools."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Are Partnerships the New Mergers?

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Are Partnerships the New Mergers?: "So the two agencies have decided to create a “parent holding company” governed by a board of 20 people, ten each from both of the organizations. John Henley, the CEO of Northeast, says, 'The chief benefit [of the measure] is that it will increase the scope and quality of service, and families will have access to both agencies.' No layoffs are planned but some consolidation of offices is planned."

Virginia Tech gets three donations totaling $45 million | Richmond Times-Dispatch

Virginia Tech gets three donations totaling $45 million | Richmond Times-Dispatch: "Virginia Tech has received three donations totaling $45 million, including the largest gift in the university's history and a $17 million bequest from a Richmond alumnus.

The gifts, announced Thursday by Tech President Charles W. Steger, all will benefit the College of Engineering.

The largest gift is a $25 million commitment from an anonymous donor to be used for the Signature Engineering Building project."

Twitter Knew First | Jessica Journey

Twitter Knew First | Jessica Journey

Fostering Nonprofit Innovation | Rad Campaign

Fostering Nonprofit Innovation | Rad Campaign: "Fostering Nonprofit Innovation
Posted by Rad Campaign on April 28, 2011

Rad is pleased to be hosting the April Nonprofit Blog Carnival. We asked for your thoughts on how to encourage innovation in a nonprofit setting and you all did not disappoint. Thanks to all those who submitted! We hope you enjoy as much as we have."

Social Entrepreneurs 2011: A Guide to 501(c)(3) Nonprofits With Earned Income

Social Entrepreneurs 2011: A Guide to 501(c)(3) Nonprofits With Earned Income: "A 501(c)(3) nonprofit can still generate earned income. And plenty do. The National Center for Charitable Statistics estimates that nearly 70 percent of the $1.4 trillion generated by nonprofits in 2008 came from the sale of goods and services."

Popular Coupon Site Pitches for Charities - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Popular Coupon Site Pitches for Charities - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "In Washington, subscribers to the online coupon site Groupon found a second offer next to Tuesday’s deal for a discounted health-club membership. They also had the opportunity to donate meals to families in need.

The promotion, which will run through Saturday, encourages Groupon’s customers in Washington to make a donation to the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region’s Neighbors in Need Fund, which helps local food banks."

Our view: Keep on giving, but be careful

Our view: Keep on giving, but be careful: "Generous giving is part of our region's culture as well. Whether it's agencies such as the Great Rivers United Way, The Salvation Army, La Crosse Community Foundation, La Crosse Area Boys & Girls Club or the dozens of other worthy charities, groups or foundations in the area, we dig deep when it comes to supporting worthy causes. It's that benevolent spirit that is a cornerstone to building our high quality of life."

United Way campaign tops $4.5M, sets record - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader

United Way campaign tops $4.5M, sets record - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader: "Elmira, N.Y. —

Despite a tough economy, the United Way of the Southern Tier’s 2010 fundraising campaign
set an all-time record, bringing in more than $4.5 million in community donations, officials announced Tuesday.

“Thank you to the community,” said Ron Hatch, United Way president. “It was a great campaign year.”"

60 Minutes Puts All Charities Under Magnifying Glass | eJewish Philanthropy: Your Jewish Philanthropy Resource

60 Minutes Puts All Charities Under Magnifying Glass | eJewish Philanthropy: Your Jewish Philanthropy Resource: "Charities are under a magnifying glass like never before. Advances in technology have created an era of transparency. No longer can charities rely on just the good will of their name and historical record. Now they must continually justify their relevance and nurture and protect their credibility. Public trust is of paramount importance, and to lose it may mean losing everything."

Looking for a Career in Development in 2011? Good Choice and Good Luck! : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success

Looking for a Career in Development in 2011? Good Choice and Good Luck! : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success: "you work in the nonprofit sector, it's no secret that entry-level jobs are disappearing, training funds for staff are drying up, salaries are static at best, benefits are status quo, and the profession is undergoing change and evaluation. Fundraising professionals are discovering they need to develop broader skill sets"

SOFII | The Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration

SOFII | The Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration

Tom Ahern’s nine-step communications self-audit | SOFII

Tom Ahern’s nine-step communications self-audit | SOFII: "Why pay thousands to have an expert tell you what you’re doing wrong? Audit your donor communications yourself, using these criteria.

I audit donor communications for part of my living: websites, newsletters, appeal letters and the like. Then I issue ‘report cards’ on their effectiveness, based on industry best practices."

New York Firefighters' Calendar Returns After Pause for Scandal - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

New York Firefighters' Calendar Returns After Pause for Scandal - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "The New York Fire Department’s popular fund-raising item, a calendar featuring buff, bare-chested firefighters, is returning after three years’ hiatus following a scandal, says The New York Times."

Spending and Management of Endowments under UPMIFA | Association of Governing Boards

Spending and Management of Endowments under UPMIFA | Association of Governing Boards: "Over the past three years, adoption of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) has fundamentally changed the regulatory context in which boards make decisions regarding spending from underwater endowments. In 2010, AGB surveyed 207 colleges, universities, and affiliated foundations, providing the only national data on the ways higher education boards are managing spending under the new law and providing college and university boards and executives with important insights into the ways spending and governance practices are evolving."

Myths Of Donor Acquisition Fundraising

Myths Of Donor Acquisition Fundraising: "Myths Of Donor Acquisition Fundraising

By Samuel J. Fanburg

There’s no end to the urban legends and myths when it comes to fundraising.
Here are truths associated with acquisition fundraising including the amount of testing an acquisition program goes through, list testing, telemarketing, donors acquired online and premiums increasing an organization’s file size."

Hough: Philanthropy is good business - St. Petersburg Times

Hough: Philanthropy is good business - St. Petersburg Times: "For longtime St. Petersburg business executive William R. Hough, charitable giving is good business. His municipal bond firm, William R. Hough & Co., which merged into RBC Wealth Management in 2004, supported many causes, and doing so meant positive exposure for the business."

Hough: Philanthropy is good business - St. Petersburg Times

Hough: Philanthropy is good business - St. Petersburg Times: "For longtime St. Petersburg business executive William R. Hough, charitable giving is good business. His municipal bond firm, William R. Hough & Co., which merged into RBC Wealth Management in 2004, supported many causes, and doing so meant positive exposure for the business."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Corporate Social Responsibility and Starbucks

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Corporate Social Responsibility and Starbucks: "The press coverage is a little thin on the gourmet corporate retailer’s philanthropy. Like many corporations in recent years, Starbucks leads with the community service volunteer hours of its employees, counting 191,000 hours through partners such as the HandsOn Network. The corporation also makes “Youth Action Grants” to get young people to devote hundreds of thousands of hours to community service,"

BBC News - Three Cups of Tea: The Pakistan and Afghan side

BBC News - Three Cups of Tea: The Pakistan and Afghan side: "The report dissected the financial affairs of the Central Asia Institute (CAI), the charity he set up, but it also raised serious doubts over whether the organisation really did build all the schools it has taken credit for. Mr Mortenson denies the allegations.

The BBC investigated a few areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan to test some of the central claims made in the programme."

'Three Cups' Author Responds to Accusations - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

'Three Cups' Author Responds to Accusations - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Three Cups’ Author Responds to Accusations

April 19, 2011, 9:49 am

The author Greg Mortenson said Monday that his nonprofit Central Asia Institute has changed some of the financial practices that have drawn fire from charity watchdogs and former associates, according to Outside magazine and The New York Times."

Sixteen more local authorities seek to regulate chugging - Third Sector

Sixteen more local authorities seek to regulate chugging - Third Sector: "Clampdown on street fundraisers

The Public Fundraising Regulatory Association says site agreements are unlikely to affect charities' income from face to face fundraising

The Public Fundraising Regulatory Association is in talks to establish agreements to regulate street fundraising in 16 more local authority areas across the UK.

Forty areas already have site-management agreements, which say how many fundraisers can work in a particular place, where they can operate and on which days."

Gara LaMarche: Making the Moral Case for Change

Gara LaMarche: Making the Moral Case for Change: "As President of The Atlantic Philanthropies, I have had a growing discomfort about the way foundations--as well as many of the causes we champion--stray too far from talking about their principles when describing what and why they do anything.

My sense is that philanthropy today--whether it's philanthropy on an institutional level or an individual making a donation--is too often driven by metrics often unconnected to core values. And our debates about politics today are too often driven by what message will 'win the day,' and what argument will be effective, rather than what is right."

Want to shave 'stewardess' Branson's legs? Pay $650,000 - The Times of India

Want to shave 'stewardess' Branson's legs? Pay $650,000 - The Times of India: "The winner of a charity auction will pay at least $650,000 for the honour, according to Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia.

The Virgin Atlantic founder will hand the razor to one of 160 passengers on a special charity flight from London to Kuala Lumpur that he will personally serve on May 1 while wearing a female flight attendant's uniform, AirAsia said Monday."

PHILANTHROPY 2173: Tea, lives, and trust

PHILANTHROPY 2173: Tea, lives, and trust: "Tea, lives, and trust

The Greg Mortenson/ 3 cups of Tea fabrication/fact story matters.

It matters because we (try to) trust nonfiction authors, nonprofits, and ratings agencies to be truth tellers."

It is Official: Postage Costs More

It is Official: Postage Costs More: "he average 1.7-percent increase did not affect First Class mail but it did affect standard mail used by nonprofits, including letters, flats, non-flat machineables, as well as library mail retail. The increase was an average 1.7 percent but can vary within classes and subclasses of mail.

Conway said the average increase within classes used by nonprofits is likely to be less, depending on the types of presorts used when mailing. “Nobody likes price increases but these are pretty darn reasonable,” he said."

Australia donates to charity as royal wedding gift

Australia donates to charity as royal wedding gift: "SYDNEY - AUSTRALIA said on Monday it will donate A$25,000 (S$32,800) to the Royal Flying Doctor Service as a wedding gift to Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The couple, who will marry on April 29, have asked that anyone intending to send them presents instead give the money to charity.

'The gift was decided following a request from the happy couple to donate to one of their nominated charities instead of a wedding gift,' said Prime Minister Julia Gillard's office."

NFL OK's contact between Dallas Cowboys coaches, players at charity event - ESPN Dallas

NFL OK's contact between Dallas Cowboys coaches, players at charity event - ESPN Dallas: "Contact between NFL coaches and players is prohibited because of the lockout, but the league made an exception for long-standing charity events."