Friday, September 28, 2007

Augie Gets $12 Million In Two Weeks

News for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa: "Augie Gets $12 Million In Two Weeks Click to watch video Read Comments Post Comment 10 Posts The $6.1 million donation for the Augustana football stadium is the largest gift in school history. It edges out the $6 million donation given by a group of anonymous donors two weeks ago to renovate the campus library. So what do these two record donations mean for Augustana College in the future?"

San Jose Mercury News - Small Claremont McKenna College gets $200 million donation

San Jose Mercury News - Small Claremont McKenna College gets $200 million donation: "Small Claremont McKenna College gets $200 million donation The Associated Press
Article Launched: 09/27/2007 10:02:43 AM PDT CLAREMONT, Calif.—The 1,150-student Claremont McKenna College is getting a $200 million gift, believed to be one of the largest donations to an American liberal arts college. Los Angeles philanthropist and alumnus Robert Day is donating the money to launch the school's first graduate program, hire professors and offer grants for undergraduate study in ethics and finance, the school announced Thursday."

Actors Emphasize Giving at L.A. Screening

Actors Emphasize Giving at L.A. Screening:
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"Actor Paige Cooper said she volunteered at the event because she wants to help change the Hollywood culture to focus more on giving than on greed. 'Just the idea of turning the red carpet on its head and honoring the people who should be honored and letting them feel for a night what it feels like to be a star, to know that they are special, that they are valued, that's why I'm here,' she said."

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

PhilanTopic: Clinton Global Initiative -- Day One

We showcase a variety of coverage here on CGI.

PhilanTopic: Clinton Global Initiative -- Day One: "Clinton Global Initiative -- Day One So, Cgiimage006_2I'm here, and I'm impressed. This year's event has drawn more than 1,300 CGI members -- foreign ministers and heads of state, NGO officials, top business leaders, academics, social entrepreneurs, and more than a few Nobel laureates -- not to mention hundreds of members of the media and foreign press. (Great Britain, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, India, and Mexico are some of the countries represented.) Security is tight, and the CGI people do a fantastic job with the logistics.

Student Newspapers Offer Their Views on Donor Intent and Corporate 'Partnerships' - Chronicle.com

Student Newspapers Offer Their Views on Donor Intent and Corporate 'Partnerships' - Chronicle.com: "Student Newspapers Offer Their Views on Donor Intent and Corporate 'Partnerships' A few fund-raising controversies are starting to grab the attention of college newspapers across the country. Today alone are two opinion pieces of note: one in The Cavalier Daily, about the donor-intent lawsuit against Tulane University after the dissolution of Newcomb College; and one in The Daily Texan, about the potential of conflicts of interest when colleges accept corporate donations."

CJOnline - Ruth Garvey Fink — True hero

CJOnline - Ruth Garvey Fink — True hero:

"Not only because she gave money to worthy causes and institutions, but because she understood that true philanthropy is not just about writing checks. It's about giving, as she so movingly put it during an interview with The Topeka Capital-Journal four years ago."

Nonprofits boost economy, study says - 09/25/2007 - MiamiHerald.com

Nonprofits boost economy, study says - 09/25/2007 - MiamiHerald.com: "Nonprofits and the volunteers they mobilize aren't just do-gooders, they're a major driving force of the global economy, according to a study released Tuesday by Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, nonprofit groups and volunteers represent 7.2 percent of the gross domestic product -- making the sector larger than the construction, transportation and utilities industries, the study found. The report comes after eight nations -- including the United States -- began implementingUnited Nations' guidelines that measure nonprofit economic contributions including the value of volunteer work."

Bozeman Montana Local News-Nonprofit conference urges cooperation

Bozeman Montana Local News: "Nonprofit conference urges cooperation By MICHAEL BECKER Chronicle Staff Writer BILLINGS - To survive, nonprofit organizations must find new ways to do business, Robert Egger, CEO of the D.C. Central Kitchen in Washington, D.C., said Tuesday, opening a two-day statewide conference for nonprofit managers. As it stands, the public doesn't have a clear picture of what nonprofits contribute, Egger said. Though they account for 10 percent of the U.S. economy, as a sector, nonprofits are scattered and ill defined."

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Deep Pockets - washingtonpost.com

Deep Pockets - washingtonpost.com: "Deep Pockets Sunday, September 23, 2007; Page B03 Top 5 Philanthropists in History (Value of gifts adjusted for inflation)"

Buzz! News onPhilanthropy: Blogging CGI: This Week's Clinton Philanthropy Fest

Buzz! News onPhilanthropy: Blogging CGI: This Week's Clinton Philanthropy Fest: "Susan Carey Dempsey, editor-in-chief of onPhilanthropy, and I will be reporting live from CGI Wednesday through Friday, bringing readers not just the 'deals' - or commitments as the CGI types like to call them - but also an honest attempt to tell you what they mean for the world of philanhropy and the nonprofit sector."

The Cavalier Daily-Coeducation and donor intent

Try this searchl on Donor Intent

The Cavalier Daily: "Coeducation and donor intent A 19th-century donor's intent can't overrule every educational concern for Tulane Christa Byker, Cavalier Daily Columnist IT IS no secret that frivolous law suits permeate the American legal system. Bordering on the tedious and inane, many cases are not worth a second glance. But one law suit recently grabbed my attention: A peer institution, Tulane University, is engaged in a court battle over donor intent after the dissolution of Newcomb College, the all-female coordinating college associated with Tulane for 120 years. Many relevant groups, most importantly the closest living relatives to the donor who made Newcomb possible, Parma Matthis Howard and Jane Matthis Smith, believe that the Tulane administration acted illegally by violating donor intent. They lost the first lawsuit -- Howard v. Tulane -- and are currently appealing the case. However, by holding on to old loyalties and an outdated institution, this lawsuit is unneeded and misguided."

Hawaii's United Way may narrow recipients - The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawaii's United Way may narrow recipients - The Honolulu Advertiser: "Aloha United Way, which has been collecting and distributing money to more than 60 nonprofits working on a wide variety of issues, may soon change its rules to focus on nonprofits in just four key areas. The areas are: family and individual self-sufficiency, early childhood development, homelessness, and crime and drug use. The Aloha United Way board has scheduled a vote Friday on whether to adopt the change."

Where lawyers show us the way

Where lawyers show us the way: "Inside large companies, volunteerism is still dominated by unsophisticated programs that treat employees as generic helpers rather than leveraging their professional talents to really make an impact in the community. In a recent study of Bay Area nonprofits, 56 percent of nonprofit leaders cited a need for more skilled volunteers. Pro bono services can address some of the most basic infrastructure needs of nonprofit organizations, needs that are essential to running an effective organization, but of which nonprofits have long been deprived because they simply cannot afford them."

Former prof. gives large gift - The Stanford Daily Online

Former prof. gives large gift - The Stanford Daily Online: "In the same year, Doty also placed a down payment on a $5 million San Francisco home, purchased an Italian villa and was in the process of buying an island in New Zealand. Shortly after giving Stanford the stock, the dot-com bust left Doty $3 million in debt, but the neurosurgeon decided not to rescind his donation to the University — a gift that amounted to $5.4 million when the University recently sold Doty’s stock, effectively releasing the largest portion of his remaining assets."

Bloomberg.com: Muse

Bloomberg.com: Muse: "Charities are benefiting as prices rise for collectibles ranging from historical documents to postage stamps that are owned by philanthropists. Pimco fund manager Bill Gross raised $9.1 million in June from early British stamps for Doctors Without Borders, known internationally as Medecins Sans Frontieres."

The Modesto Bee | Giving is family tradition, benefactor says

The Modesto Bee | Giving is family tradition, benefactor says: "Foster said nobody in the family expected or wanted a pat on the back because of their $3 million donation to the Gallo Center for the Arts. The center's smaller, 444-seat theater is named after the family."

Monday, September 24, 2007

We Can't Rely on the Kindness of Billionaires - washingtonpost.com

We Can't Rely on the Kindness of Billionaires - washingtonpost.com: "OH, THAT'S RICH We Can't Rely on the Kindness of Billionaires By David Nasaw Sunday, September 23, 2007; Page B03 'Giving,' Bill Clinton's folksy first-person tour of worthy causes and the good people who support them, is so relentlessly upbeat that only the most churlish professor would say a discouraging word about the book. But the former president is so intent on celebrating 21st-century philanthropy -- and highlighting his and Hillary's role in promoting 'the explosion of private citizens doing public good' -- that he blithely ignores a hard reality: Philanthropy and democracy don't get along nearly as seamlessly as 'Giving' would have us believe."

Firms try to keep helping charities

Firms try to keep helping charities: "Firms try to keep helping charities Auto profit shortfalls reduce Michigan companies' giving September 23, 2007 BY JOHN GALLAGHER FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER If economic stress is bad for business, it's really bad for charities that depend on business. Nationwide last year, corporate philanthropy of all types stood at 0.7% of pretax profits, the lowest level in 30 years, according to Giving USA 2007, a report by Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy."

Victorville Daily Press : Local News: Nonprofits also struggle check to check | high, nagel, desert

Victorville Daily Press : Local News: Nonprofits also struggle check to check | high, nagel, desert: "Nonprofits also struggle check to check Vici Nagel says more creative fundraising skills are needed TATIANA PROPHET SPRING VALLEY LAKE — Despite one of the fastest-growing populations in the state, San Bernardino and Riverside counties receive a pittance of charitable money compared with other areas. And it shows. Most social service organizations — many of them working to provide basic needs to those who have fallen on hard times — struggle from check to check, said Vici Nagel, president and CEO of the High Desert Resource Network. “We have a problem,” Nagel said at a luncheon Friday on the nonprofit sector. “The social services sector is suffering greatly.”"

Strengthening nonprofits -- VAGazette.com

Strengthening nonprofits -- VAGazette.com: "The Williamsburg Community Health Foundation, in partnership with the College of William and Mary, began this series in 2006 to promote organizational and leadership development to strengthen local nonprofit organizations' infrastructure. Organizations participating in LEAD! have the ability to develop core competencies in essential areas such as management, strategic planning, and program evaluation. As a result, their organizations long-term stability will be more likely. They will have a solid foundation evidenced by an effective board, greater diversity in funding, and mission-resolute leaders."

Center's assistance steers nonprofits toward success | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Business Columnists: Robert Miller

Center's assistance steers nonprofits toward success | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Business Columnists: Robert Miller: "Measured by numbers alone, the Center for Nonprofit Management is one of the top five nonprofit support centers in the country."

SunHerald.com : NONPROFITS ALL UNDER ONE ROOF

SunHerald.com : NONPROFITS ALL UNDER ONE ROOF: "On Oct. 19, the Gulf Coast Business Council and Gulf Coast Community Foundation are expected to buy the building and the 13 acres it sits on for $2 million - well below an estimated value of $6 million. It will serve as home to nonprofits already located there and others expected to move in."

Credit Card Companies Get Their Customers Involved in Causes | TheLedger.com

Credit Card Companies Get Their Customers Involved in Causes | TheLedger.com: "Credit-card companies and financial institutions are finding more ways to promote charities and helping customers support causes."

Complex factors led to orchestra's demise -- themorningcall.com

Complex factors led to orchestra's demise -- themorningcall.com: "Now that the dust has begun to settle on the closing of the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, perhaps some public comment is appropriate on the causes of its demise. But, the Sept. 10 op-ed column by Andrea Wittchen, former board member and principal harpist of the LVCO, unfairly suggests that issues of governance were the sole cause of the LVCO's demise, thereby discrediting years of tireless efforts and financial sacrifice by dedicated board members, who supported the LVCO for more than 25 years. Laying blame at the doorstep of the board appears to be a convenient scapegoat for the expression of Ms. Wittchen's bitterness, as an LVCO musician, over her loss of a cherished organization."

Sioux City Journal: Who is Albert Huddleston?

Sioux City Journal: Who is Albert Huddleston?: "A company spokesman said Huddleston does a tremendous amount of philanthropy as well, but doesn't like it to be public. However, it wasn't possible to keep one effort last year under wraps. Huddleston received worldwide publicity when he spent more than $100,000 to bring Iraq's under-14 boys soccer team to Dallas, where it was one of 180 teams from around the world to compete in the Dallas Cup, an international youth tournament. WFAA.com reported that Hyperion Resources had been training Iraqi oil workers for a couple years and had signed an agreement with Iraq, hoping to play a role in developing its oil fields. But Huddleston wanted the focus on the youth and his desire to have the youth of America meet the youth of Iraq."

Scotsman.com News - Education - Charity review to examine Prince Charles's old school

Scotsman.com News - Education - Charity review to examine Prince Charles's old school: "Charity review to examine Prince Charles's old school PRINCE Charles's former school is to be investigated to see if it should retain its charity status. Gordonstoun School in Moray is one of 11 independent schools to face scrutiny by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)."

Mass. cancer charity recalling bracelets over lead - The Boston Globe

Mass. cancer charity recalling bracelets over lead - The Boston Globe: "The Friends of Mel Foundation said tests conducted on several bracelets last week confirmed they contained high levels of lead. A spokeswoman blamed a supplier based in China that had promised in writing none of the materials it provided contained the toxic element. 'The organization feels like they were lied to and were given bad product,' said spokeswoman Jackie Herskovitz. 'It's such a shame.'"

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner » Archive » University foundation celebrates banner year

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner » Archive » University foundation celebrates banner year: "University foundation celebrates banner year By Robinson Duffy rduffy@newsminer.com Published September 24, 2007 This past fiscal year, which ended June 30, was a good one for the University of Alaska Foundation. Not only did the past year see one of the highest amounts of total giving in the foundation’s history, but a larger percentage of that money came from individual donors."

FT.com / World / US & Canada - Bill Clinton stresses the ‘right thing’

FT.com / World / US & Canada - Bill Clinton stresses the ‘right thing’: "Bill Clinton’s cell is somewhat larger than most. On Tuesday he hosts his third annual New York conference of the Clinton Global Initiative, in which he brings global business executives, non-governmental leaders and heads of state into one large jamboree and then proceeds to browbeat large financial commitments out of them. Next year Mr Clinton will host his first Asian CGI – in Hong Kong. And on Wednesday he will launch Mycommmitment.org, which he describes as a cross between E-Bay and Facebook for the development and philanthropy community."

Charitable status review begins for Scottish organisations - Third Sector

Charitable status review begins for Scottish organisations - Third Sector: "Charitable status review begins for Scottish organisations By Paul Jump, Third Sector Online, 24 September 2007 The National Trust for Scotland and the Scottish Youth Hostels Association are among the first 30 charities to have their status reviewed as the first phase of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator's rolling review gets under way. As charities with membership structures, the two organisations are among those whose charitable status OSCR deems to be most uncertain under the terms set out in the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005."