New IRS Gift Substantiation Guidelines Opposed by National Council of Nonprofits | Nonprofit Quarterly

New IRS Gift Substantiation Guidelines Opposed by National Council of Nonprofits | Nonprofit Quarterly: "A new voluntary gift substantiation regime proposed by the IRS is being opposed by the National Council of Nonprofits as well as a number of individual state associations of nonprofits.

The system would provide an alternative to the “contemporaneous written acknowledgements” now in use by providing 501(c)(3) nonprofits with the option to report gifts over $250 to the IRS by the donor’s social security number. Though it is not intended to be mandatory, it is seen as being confusing, unnecessary, and potentially injurious to giving. NCN’s statement reads:"



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Stakeholders Squabble over Future of San Francisco Arts Center | Nonprofit Quarterly

Stakeholders Squabble over Future of San Francisco Arts Center | Nonprofit Quarterly: "Behind closed doors, many nonprofit arts organizations struggle these days to make payroll and to find new ways to fulfill their missions and serve their communities. But when the stakeholders of an arts group start pointing fingers and questioning leadership decisions—publicly—it’s hard to keep those doors closed. In San Francisco, a call last week for the dismissal of the executive director of the African American Art and Culture Complex has created a firestorm, adding a public relations challenge to already-existing tensions around mission and finances."



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3 Tips To Control Your Nonprofit’s Google Search Results

3 Tips To Control Your Nonprofit’s Google Search Results: "3 Tips To Control Your Nonprofit’s Google Search Results"



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Stop Ignoring This Amazing Source of Contributions | Michael Rosen Says...

Stop Ignoring This Amazing Source of Contributions | Michael Rosen Says...: "Stop Ignoring This Amazing Source of Contributions
There is a funding source that donated $12.5 billion to charities last year. Sadly, most nonprofit organizations ignore this massive opportunity for support with only 23 percent saying they are “very familiar” with how this funding source works, according to a report from Vanguard Charitable.

I’m speaking of Donor Advised Funds."



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Top of the Phoenix Lists: Corporate Volunteer Programs - Phoenix Business Journal

Top of the Phoenix Lists: Corporate Volunteer Programs - Phoenix Business Journal:



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Women in Nonprofits: Then & Now | GuideStar Blog

Women in Nonprofits: Then & Now | GuideStar Blog:



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An Imperative for Nonprofit Boards: The Time is Now to Step Up Your Game | Exceptional Boards

An Imperative for Nonprofit Boards: The Time is Now to Step Up Your Game | Exceptional Boards: "Earlier this year, BoardSource released Leading with Intent: A National Index of Nonprofit Board Practices 2015 in which chief executives and board chairs used BoardSource’s 10 basic responsibilities of nonprofit boards — including mission, financial oversight, and strategy — to assess their board’s performance. The result was a disappointing B- average, reflecting “responsible, but not necessarily exceptional, performance.” The Leading with Intent survey found that boards have a particularly difficult time adapting and adjusting to change, noting that “boards do well at functions related to compliance and oversight, but face challenges with their strategic and external work.”

Given the critical role boards play in influencing and guiding the work of social sector organizations, when it comes to performance, anything less than exceptional is simply unacceptable. Underpinning all of our fiduciary and legal responsibilities on the boards we serve is the need to help our organizations adapt, innovate, and…change."



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Giving by donor-advised funds surges

Nonprofit news roundup, 11.20.15 « Philanthropy North Carolina: "Giving by donor-advised funds surges

Charitable giving from donor-advised funds grew 27 percent in 2014 to $12.49 billion, while contributions from donors to donor-advised funds grew 14.1 percent to $19.66 billion, and grantmaking assets of donor-advised funds grew $23.9 percent to $70.7 billion, a new report says."



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Sector Crusader Rick Cohen Dies SuddenlyThe NonProfit Times

Sector Crusader Rick Cohen Dies SuddenlyThe NonProfit Times: "Rick Cohen was at times the conscience of the nonprofit sector, one of its most honest skeptics and yet always a champion for the underdog. Cohen, editor of The Cohen Report, national correspondent for Nonprofit Quarterly and former executive director of the National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) , died Nov. 17 at age 64 in his Virginia home. The cause of death is pending."



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Fidelity Charitable opens doors to bitcoin giving - The Boston Globe

Fidelity Charitable opens doors to bitcoin giving - The Boston Globe: "The charitable savings arm of Fidelity Investments will start accepting bitcoin, signaling a wider acceptance of the virtual currency once used by money launderers and drug dealers trying to skirt authorities."



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Special Video Feature: Nonprofit Governance’s New Frontier: Empowered and Connected Stakeholders | Nonprofit Quarterly

Special Video Feature: Nonprofit Governance’s New Frontier: Empowered and Connected Stakeholders | Nonprofit Quarterly: "The new communications environment has created a new governance environment. It is far easier for an organization’s stakeholder groups to communicate with one another and organize against boards when they make decisions that stakeholders disapprove of. NPQ has been following two remarkable cases of this dynamic at Sweet Briar College and the San Diego Opera. This video will allow you to hear firsthand from the new board chairs of both organizations. What did governance look like before and after the stakeholder action? There is an enormous amount of useful information here for all boards. Check it out and use it as a learning tool for your board!"



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Courting young donors, experts urge focus on tangibles - Times Union

Courting young donors, experts urge focus on tangibles - Times Union: "UAlbany advancement administrators conduct one-on-one meetings with young alumni, connecting with potential donors individually to convince them to give back to the institution.
The goal, assistant director of young alumni programs Brian Rudolph said, is to instill giving habits in the recent graduates. Though the tactic is expensive, it is effective, he said.
Philanthropy experts agree that nonprofits must court young givers early, hoping millennials get in the habit of donating their time and money."



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Furniture Finds Second Homes at Local Nonprofits | GW Today | The George Washington University

Furniture Finds Second Homes at Local Nonprofits | GW Today | The George Washington University: "National nonprofit organization Oxford House manages a network of fully furnished homes that are rented to people in recovery without the typical obstacles, such as background or credit checks. Residents must only promise to “stay clean and sober, pay an equal share and get along with their housemates,” according to Maria Hampton, manager of Oxford House outreach services.  

Ms. Hampton said that the successful program wouldn’t be possible without the help of the George Washington University ReUSE program, an initiative to reduce the university’s carbon footprint and divert items from the landfill through donations."



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AFP Celebrates National Philanthropy Day in New York - Press - AFP

AFP Celebrates National Philanthropy Day in New York - Press - AFP: "AFP held its second National Philanthropy Day Honors in New York City on Nov. 12 at the historic 92nd Street Y, honoring six individuals and organizations from across North America for their extraordinary philanthropic impact.

AFP’s 2015 National Philanthropy Day Honorees included:

Outstanding Philanthropist: Macon and Joan Brock, Virginia Beach, Va.
Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Peter Ferrantelli, San Diego, Calif.
Outstanding Corporation: The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, Ga.
Outstanding Foundation: The Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, Winter Park, Fla.
CARTER Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy, Individual: Kinsey Morrison, Louisville, Ky.
CARTER Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy, Group: Youth Making a Difference, Pratt, Kan.
The event featured a variety of speakers, including Maria Cuomo Cole; Geoff Canada; 92nd Street Y Executive Director Henry Timms; AFP New York City Chapter President Mark Hefter; and the 2015 National Philanthropy Day Honorary Chair T. Denny Sanford, a billionaire philanthropist who received AFP’s 2012 Outstanding Philanthropist Day Honor. "



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Philanthropies Rise as Source of Revenue for Pressed U.S. Cities - NonProfit PRO

Philanthropies Rise as Source of Revenue for Pressed U.S. Cities - NonProfit PRO:



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Atlantic Philanthropies Gives $177 Million to Study Dementia - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Atlantic Philanthropies Gives $177 Million to Study Dementia - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "The Atlantic Philanthropies, which will conclude its grant-making commitments next year, announced on Monday the capstone of its work on aging populations: a $177 million grant to create a new institute to study dementia.

The new organization, the Global Brain Health Institute, will be run by the University of California at San Francisco and Trinity College, in Dublin, Ireland, both longtime Atlantic grantees."



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As baby boomers retire, Maine nonprofits faced with succession dilemma — Next — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine

As baby boomers retire, Maine nonprofits faced with succession dilemma — Next — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine: "Marble, 66, is among scores of gray-haired Maine nonprofit leaders who are expected to retire in coming months and years, making room for big changes in mission-driven organizations supporting human services, the arts, education, health care, the environment and other public concerns.

The figures in Maine track national percentages, but Maine’s fragile economy and its status as the oldest state in the nation confer extra significance. With about 6,500 nonprofits in Maine employing one in every seven Mainers, experts say the shift in leadership could have wide-ranging social and economic repercussions."



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Embark: A Retrospective of Our 2015 Conference »Blog

Embark: A Retrospective of Our 2015 Conference »Blog: "Embark. That is exactly what more than 1,100 of the country’s most influential leaders of the charitable community did last month as we gathered in Miami for the Independent Sector 2015 conference. What a fitting location beside the glistening waters of Biscayne Bay with the Port of Miami a stone’s throw away! We also were able to come alongside close-by artistic and cultural treasures that fueled our imaginations for the future (more about this below). One thing is certain: while it was the first time IS met in the Gateway City, it surely won’t be the last!"



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This Town, That Town: Washington, D.C.’s Hirshhorn Museum Has Its Anniversary Gala in New York | ARTnews

This Town, That Town: Washington, D.C.’s Hirshhorn Museum Has Its Anniversary Gala in New York | ARTnews:



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The Center for Effective Philanthropy » Reshaping the Business of the Board: Grantpickers or Strategic Thinkers?

The Center for Effective Philanthropy » Reshaping the Business of the Board: Grantpickers or Strategic Thinkers?: "If the job of the foundation board is to oversee strategy and determine the effectiveness of the organization in achieving its goals, isn’t it also the board’s job to pick the right grantees?

Probably not."



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You need a plan for your UBTI -The Nonprofit TImesThe NonProfit Times

You need a plan for your UBTI -The Nonprofit TImesThe NonProfit Times: "Many organizations seek to fundraise by means other than the traditional ones, and such alternative sources can be quite helpful. They can also be quite effective in raising red flags with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state regulators, resulting in close scrutiny of an organization’s finances and severe penalties when lines have been crossed."



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Matching nonprofit and for-profit missions- The Nonprofit TimesThe NonProfit Times

Matching nonprofit and for-profit missions- The Nonprofit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "St"



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Charity chairs group produces guide to chair/CEO relationship

Charity chairs group produces guide to chair/CEO relationship: "“The key to success is a constant willingness to learn and adapt, and not to leave problems or issues neglected,” she said.

Ruth Lesirge said the report was “not an easy how-to guide: our purpose is to make chairs think about how to get the best out of the relationship and the abilities of their CEO".  She added that the chair-CEO relationship can “make or break a charity” and getting it right is one of the biggest contributions chairs can make to the effectiveness of their organisations.

The guide will be launched at an event tonight and can be downloaded for free from the Association website."



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Artists Protest Brooklyn Museum’s Hosting of Real Estate Summit | Nonprofit Quarterly

Artists Protest Brooklyn Museum’s Hosting of Real Estate Summit | Nonprofit Quarterly: "One wonders how the Brooklyn Museum, set in the midst of an area in the borough being actively gentrified, did not anticipate objections to their renting the museum as a site to the 6th Annual Brooklyn Real Estate Summit, which promises to include more than 600 “top retail, condo, multifamily and office players in the Brooklyn market,” all aiming to shape Brooklyn “into a place to live, work and play,” addressing such questions as, “What opportunities for value-add exist in the seemingly picked-over areas?”"



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A Veterans Day Call for Cleaning Out the Scamming Veterans Charities | Nonprofit Quarterly

A Veterans Day Call for Cleaning Out the Scamming Veterans Charities | Nonprofit Quarterly: "The stories of crummy veterans charities ripping off charitable donors under the guise of helping veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars continue to pile up. Stories abound of various players purporting to help veterans setting up 501(c)(3) public charities and sometimes 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations ostensibly established to help the men and women returning from this nation’s overseas military engagements, but operating with little or no direct benefit to veterans and often significant misinformation to the public and to government agencies and officials."



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Grants Via DAFs Hit Record $12.49 Billion - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

Grants Via DAFs Hit Record $12.49 Billion - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "Grants made through donor-advised fund accounts hit an all-time high of $12.49 billion in 2014, a 27-percent increase from 2013’s $9.83 billion. Donor-advised fund accounts, which refer to irrevocable, tax-deductible contributions administered by a charitable sponsor with grants recommended by donors, accounted for 7.6 percent of all individual giving and 5.5 percent of all gifts to charities in 2014."



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Find common ground to promote collaboration « Philanthropy North Carolina

Find common ground to promote collaboration « Philanthropy North Carolina: "Charities like to tout their partnerships yet often fail to explain how they actually work and why they matter.

Collaborative partners should work together to develop a story that makes it easy for donors and other supporters to understand the partnership, including the need it addresses, the people it serves, the way it operates, and the difference it makes for its community."



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St. Francis House of Boston Gala Sets a Record by Raising $750K

massnonprofit news ::: "November 5, 2015 — St. Francis House of Boston, the largest day shelter in Massachusetts, recently set a record at its annual gala, raising $750,000, beating its goal by $50,000, to support the men and women it serves by providing rehabilitative and housing services."



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7 More Weeks – Are You Ready for Year-End Fundraising? - Clairification

7 More Weeks – Are You Ready for Year-End Fundraising? - Clairification: "This is the giving season! Between now and December 31st, statistically, are the “make or break” weeks for your annual fundraising. It doesn’t matter what fiscal year you’re on. Donors operate on a calendar year.

So I’m offering up 5 tips to help you out."



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Giving Tuesday, In Its Fourth Year, Is Now Officially a “Thing” | Nonprofit Quarterly

Giving Tuesday, In Its Fourth Year, Is Now Officially a “Thing” | Nonprofit Quarterly: "Giving Tuesday, In Its Fourth Year, Is Now Officially a “Thing”"



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