Boston Museum Project Dies as Fundraising Proves too Onerous

massnonprofit.org ::: February 18, 2013 — The Boston History Center and Museum, a nonprofit that raised nearly $7 million to create the Boston Museum, has shut down after the board earlier this month decided it would not be able to raise the $120 million needed to build the structure on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.

Donor Retention - 6 Ways to Get Dumped by Your Donors

Donor Retention - 6 Ways to Get Dumped by Your Donors: If you feel as if your fundraising is an uphill trudge, you're probably right. That's because you might be depending on acquiring a lot of new donors and neglecting those you already have.

Research has found that in recent years fundraising, for many nonprofits, has been a wash. For instance, in 2011, one study found that every $100 gained by charities was offset by losses of the same amount.

Conrad Teitell Testifies Before W&M Committee on Tax Reform and Charitable Contributions | Planned Giving Design Center

Conrad Teitell Testifies Before W&M Committee on Tax Reform and Charitable Contributions | Planned Giving Design Center: Testifying on behalf of the American Council on Gift Annuities, attorney Conrad Teitell offered a four-point plan of recommendations that include 1) making direct tax-free transfers to public charities from IRAs (IRA rollovers) permanent; 2) expanding IRA rollovers to include transfers to life-income charitable gifts; 3) eliminating current law that subjects the charitable deduction to the Pease limitation; and 4) preventing caps, floors and a lower tax rate at which charitable contributions may be deducted.

The Trouble with "Passion for the Mission" . . . editor notes issue #84 | Blue Avocado

The Trouble with "Passion for the Mission" . . . editor notes issue #84 | Blue Avocado

Big Central Park Gift Highlights N.Y. Donation Disparity - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Big Central Park Gift Highlights N.Y. Donation Disparity - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Financier John Paulson’s $100-million donation to Central Park last fall casts a light on the philanthropic gap between Manhattan’s iconic green spaces and those in less affluent parts of New York City, according to The New York Times.

Philanthropy: Globalising giving | The Economist

Philanthropy: Globalising giving | The Economist: The new signatories are an interesting mix of rich and emerging-economy money. The best known is Richard Branson, who used to be a notable sceptic about traditional personal philanthropy. British hedge fund boss Christopher Cooper-Hohn has also signed up, which will surprise no-one who has followed the activities of the Children's Investment Fund Foundation run by his wife, Jamie. Likewise, mobile phone entrepreneur, John Caudwell. As for David Sainsbury, a super market tycoon, he was starting to give away most of his pile long before Messrs Buffett and Gates even thought about it.

Nonprofits Line Up to Defend Charitable Deduction at House Hearing: Associations Now

Nonprofits Line Up to Defend Charitable Deduction at House Hearing: Associations Now: Added Andrew Watt, president and CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals: “Beyond the significant giving that it creates, the deduction is a symbol of the American tradition and system of philanthropy. It is a symbol of a continuing commitment to the impact and change that nonprofits create. … To change that symbol—to limit the deduction—is to alter that commitment. Especially when we know it works.

In Memory of Charles R. Stephens, CFRE, First African-American Chair of AFP - Press - AFP

In Memory of Charles R. Stephens, CFRE, First African-American Chair of AFP - Press - AFP: It is with great sadness that AFP announces that former AFP chair Charles R. Stephens, CFRE, has passed away. The first African-American volunteer leader of AFP, he was a pioneer in the fundraising profession.

UConn Empower: philanthropy through student-run initiatives - Focus - The Daily Campus - University of Connecticut

UConn Empower: philanthropy through student-run initiatives - Focus - The Daily Campus - University of Connecticut: The University of Connecticut offers students many exciting philanthropic opportunities, such as HuskyThon and Community Outreach, but how many of these philanthropic organizations are student run initiatives that aim to generate change and bring participating students right into the heart of that change? The answer is not many.

Zoo theft leads to record donations | WPRI.com

Zoo theft leads to record donations | WPRI.com: PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Roger Williams Park Zoo has gotten a record number of contributions to buy toys and other stimulating items for its animals after a thief stole money from a donation box.

A New Year for Asian Philanthropy to Make an Impact

A New Year for Asian Philanthropy to Make an Impact: The Rise of Philanthropy in Asia. This blog series explores emerging developments in efforts to measure the impact of Asian philanthropy, especially in China. In 2007, The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s cover story was “Philanthropy’s New Frontier” and featured the ultra-wealthy Li Ka Shing from Hong Kong. The feature story’s backdrop was the economic rise of Asia and consequently the boom of wealthy individuals and their forays into philanthropy. Philanthropists in Asia, as well as those based in the West, are investing in social programs and organizations to tackle societal problems and create new systems for sustainability and resilience. But what have these efforts produced? And what are the legal, economic, and social trends motivating or hindering efforts to evaluate the impact of Asian philanthropy?

Purdue Announces Anonymous $65-Million Agriculture Pledge - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Purdue Announces Anonymous $65-Million Agriculture Pledge - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Purdue Announces Anonymous $65-Million Agriculture Pledge

February 19, 2013, 9:01 am

Purdue University confirmed Monday that it has received a $65-million pledge to support its College of Agriculture, The Journal and Courier of Lafayette, Ind., reports.

5 Steps for Transforming Student Passion into Social Action - Forbes

5 Steps for Transforming Student Passion into Social Action - Forbes: ASU opened Changemaker Central, collaborative spaces on each of our four campuses where students can meet with like-minded individuals who want to make a difference.

Best Resumes 2013

Best Resumes 2013: What do employers want to see when they review a resume? For 2013, including a resume profile, instead of an objective, is a good way to show the hiring manager why you are qualified for the job.

One Shoddy Nonprofit Must Be Viewed in Context of Sector at Large - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

One Shoddy Nonprofit Must Be Viewed in Context of Sector at Large - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: But do Allegheny County citizens look at Strength’s managerial disaster area and imagine that this organization is representative of the nonprofit sector in general? Hopefully, nonprofit leadership organizations are or will be explaining, both to county officials and the general public, exactly why the likes of Strength should not be confused with the broad mass of legitimate—and tax-exempt—nonprofits. —Rick Cohen

Charitable Tax Deductions Expected to be a Budget Casualty | Feb 15, 2013 - NBR | Nightly Business Report

Charitable Tax Deductions Expected to be a Budget Casualty | Feb 15, 2013 - NBR | Nightly Business Report: Video: Charitable Tax Deductions Expected to be a Budget Casualty | Feb 15, 2013

The AFP Blog

The AFP Blog: One of the true pioneers of fundraising and philanthropy, Charles Stephens, passed away last week.

Ken Burnett blog - what is a fundraiser?

Ken Burnett blog - what is a fundraiser?: A fundraiser is anyone who, either as a volunteer or paid, works to raise the money, commitment and enthusiasm that’s needed to fuel good works. Full stop.

Emmett Carson on Young Donors of Silicon Valley and Other Forces in Cutting-Edge Philanthropy - GiveSmart.org

Emmett Carson on Young Donors of Silicon Valley and Other Forces in Cutting-Edge Philanthropy - GiveSmart.org: Emmett Carson on Young Donors of Silicon Valley and Other Forces in Cutting-Edge Philanthropy

Silicon Valley evokes forward-thinking leadership, new business models, agile development, and new ways of collaborating. It’s fitting, then, that one of its most well-known philanthropic leaders, Emmett Carson, founding CEO of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF), embodies that ethos. As with eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, AOL’s Jean and Steve Case, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg (who gave $500 million in 2012 to the SVCF), and others, Carson has a vision for cutting-edge approaches to philanthropy. Here are three philanthropic insights he shares.

Charities Can Expect Tough Questions on Tax Breaks - Tax Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Charities Can Expect Tough Questions on Tax Breaks - Tax Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The charitable deduction took center stage at a Congressional hearing today as a string of nonprofit leaders warned lawmakers that messing with the tax break could have dire results.

Appearing before the House Ways and Means Committee, charity leaders and academic experts argued that limiting the value of the charitable deduction would dampen giving, forcing nonprofits to curtail services to vulnerable people, and that the tax incentive is unique because it rewards behavior that benefits society rather than the taxpayer.

Spotlight on All time most popular posts

Spotlighting our all time most popular posts.

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Survey: Nonprofits combating financial stress - Ba... Jun 30, 2009	413
Why Give to the Arts When People Are Starving in t... Jul 12, 2011	375
United Way of the National Capital Area gambles on... Jan 15, 2013	170
Nonprofit Organizations with Active Fundraising Bo... Sep 25, 2012	164
How to Engage Your Board Members - and Keep Them T... Feb 7, 2013	152
Thatcher handbag fetches $40,000 at charity auctio... Jun 29, 2011	151
Five Secrets to Keep Your Fundraiser from Losing M... Dec 20, 2012	141
‘Invisible’ giving yields results | The Post and C... Nov 16, 2011	140
Five Ways to Improve Internal Communications at Yo... Jul 5, 2011	136
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The AFP Blog

The AFP Blog: One of the chapter members wrote an article about my presentation (thank you, Norma), and it’s worth highlighting because public policy issues such as the charitable deduction continue to remain paramount now. With sequestration (automatic budget cuts) approaching in March, the deduction is still on the table, and the Ways and Means Committee is set to have a hearing on the deduction very soon, at which I’ll be appearing and testifying.

Shar McBee: Best of Times, or the Worst of Times for Nonprofit Fundraising?

Shar McBee: Best of Times, or the Worst of Times for Nonprofit Fundraising?: At my local community college, enrollment is up 30 percent but the budget remains flat. Between 30,000 and 60,000 nonprofits disappeared last year and two-thirds of all charitable nonprofits experienced decreasing or stagnant contributions in the first nine months of 2012, according to GuideStar.

At the same time, tech moguls gave 1.4 billion to charity. Fidelity Charitable, an affiliate of Fidelity Investments, took in $3.6 billion, making it a record year and the stock market is at its highest level in five years.

So is it the best of times, or the worst of times for nonprofit fundraising?

Fundraising Chief Watt Calls on Congress to Preserve Charitable Deduction, Look at New Ways to Invest in Communities - Press - AFP

Fundraising Chief Watt Calls on Congress to Preserve Charitable Deduction, Look at New Ways to Invest in Communities - Press - AFP: Fundraising Chief Watt Calls on Congress to Preserve Charitable Deduction, Look at New Ways to Invest in Communities

Marc Chardon and Hal Williams: Nonprofit Brands in the Age of Supporter Shift (Part 1)

Marc Chardon and Hal Williams: Nonprofit Brands in the Age of Supporter Shift (Part 1): In the Supporter Shift series, Blackbaud CEO Marc Chardon and outcomes guide Hal Williams continued their discussion about nonprofit results, exploring the effects of generational shift -- and a related shift in expectations. In this series, the authors return with a focus on the nonprofit brand, an essential ingredient in supporters' search for meaning.

Heinz sale not expected to alter philanthropy - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Heinz sale not expected to alter philanthropy - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The ownership changes coming to the H.J. Heinz Co. will have no impact on the sprawling philanthropic efforts in southwestern Pennsylvania of the Heinz family, which separated itself from the company decades ago.

Over 40 Nonprofit Officials and Experts to Testify on Charitable Deduction - Tax Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Over 40 Nonprofit Officials and Experts to Testify on Charitable Deduction - Tax Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The House Ways and Means Committee, sponsor of the mega-hearing, will receive testimony from representatives of trade associations including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Council on Foundations, Independent Sector, and National Council of Nonprofits and charities including the Associaion of Gospel Rescue Missions, Meals on Wheels, and Volunteers of America.

Donations to charity rise despite fewer donors - Business - CBC News

Donations to charity rise despite fewer donors - Business - CBC News: Fewer Canadians are giving to charity, but those who are making donations are giving more, according to the latest figures gleaned from tax records.

Nonprofits shouldn't abandon direct mail for fundraising | Nonprofit Strategies | SanLuisObispo.com

Nonprofits shouldn't abandon direct mail for fundraising | Nonprofit Strategies | SanLuisObispo.com: Direct-mail fundraising generates approximately one-fifth of all donations to nonprofit organizations. If done right, it is an effective and relatively inexpensive way to raise money. Direct mail will continue to generate donations even with the U.S. Postal Service ending Saturday home delivery later this year.

Philanthropy Must Do More to Influence Policy, Say Government Officials - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Philanthropy Must Do More to Influence Policy, Say Government Officials - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Philanthropy needs to step up its efforts to influence policy if it expects to produce big changes on pressing issues like poverty, criminal justice, health care, the environment, and education, government officials told an audience of grant makers, nonprofit leaders, and scholars this week at an event on philanthropy and politics.