Friday, November 04, 2011

The Charlotte Post - Promoting passion of philanthropy

The Charlotte Post - Promoting passion of philanthropy: Giving back is good for the mind and soul.

Philanthropy, defined as “the effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations,” is generally associated with the wealthy, but one doesn’t have to be wealthy to give away some of their money, time or resources.

It could mean donating an umbrella to a homeless person or $10 for a pair of children’s shoes or recognizing a person in need and helping them plug into services.

$1.5M gift to help center study religious giving - 13 WTHR

$1.5M gift to help center study religious giving - 13 WTHR: INDIANAPOLIS - A $1.5 million donation will endow the directorship at the nation's only university-based institute dedicated to exploring the relationship between faith and philanthropy.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Study finds charitable giving remains stagnant | Campus | Indiana Daily Student

Study finds charitable giving remains stagnant | Campus | Indiana Daily Student: Charitable giving in the United States has remained stagnant in the past 40 years.

This continues to be true despite the number of natural disasters tripling and the number of armed conflicts nearly doubling, according to a report released Friday by two IU professors.

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Innovation and Impact: Enough Talk, More Do

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Innovation and Impact: Enough Talk, More Do: If you’re a nonprofit news junkie, you know it’s nearly impossible to go a day without reading or hearing the words “innovation” and “impact.” Just check out the feeds of the nonprofit Twitteratti, where those complex concepts are distilled to 140 characters or less every day.

But for those of us who care about linking rigor to innovation and impact (especially impact assessment), making them more operational, and integrating them more systematically into nonprofit/philanthropic practice, it’s hard to find serious discussion that is more about practice and less about how savvy some of the folks who opine about these concepts want to appear.

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Fort Worth Zoo visitors check out exhibits online, virtual video conference | The Republic

Fort Worth Zoo visitors check out exhibits online, virtual video conference | The Republic: The answer for Dorris came by investing in much-needed technology and joining Connect 2 Texas, a network of museums and scientific nonprofit organizations that provide lessons via video conferencing for a relatively modest fee.

These "virtual field trips" have been available, for example, at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, the Sid Richardson Museum, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas for several years.

Warren Hellman – bluegrass philanthropist funds annual festival

Warren Hellman – bluegrass philanthropist funds annual festival: Hellman – one of the wealthiest citizens of San Francisco – is widely known as a philanthropist and financier. He is the great-grandson of Isaias W. Hellman, a prominent Banker and philanthropist, and a founding father of the University of Southern California.

For the past 11 years, as part of his philanthropic agenda, Warren Hellman has held this free music festival – Hardly, Strictly Bluegrass.

Fundraising Atlas Does More Than Shrug | The Agitator - Fundraising, Direct Marketing and Advocacy Strategies for Nonprofits

Fundraising Atlas Does More Than Shrug | The Agitator - Fundraising, Direct Marketing and Advocacy Strategies for Nonprofits: Fundraising Atlas Does More Than Shrug
By rcraver | November 2, 2011

At the end of April I reported on a new forecasting service, The Atlas of Giving.

I called it an important innovation because fundraisers have largely sought guidance through the rear view mirror of past performance, as opposed to steering through the windshield of the present and future. After all, ‘til the Atlas of Giving came along, all we had to rely on were ‘old’ services like Giving USA and the various Blackbaud Charitable Indexes.

The AFP Blog: Bill Drayton and the Next Generation

The AFP Blog: Bill Drayton and the Next Generation: For many of us this is a hard lesson to learn. For the next generation of fundraisers it's instinctive—hardwired into their systems. Let's have the humility to learn from them.

If you haven't already, check out the Ashoka website and get to know Bill Drayton. When you have, you'll wish you'd done it many years ago.

Family Dollar Founder Takes Hands-On Approach to Giving - NYTimes.com

Family Dollar Founder Takes Hands-On Approach to Giving - NYTimes.com: Leon’s gone after philanthropy in much the same way as he did making money,” said Hugh L. McColl Jr., former chief executive of Bank of America, which is based in Charlotte. “He sees donations as investments in worthwhile projects, he does a lot of due diligence when looking at potential recipients, and he’s diligent about holding their feet to the fire about doing what the money is supposed to do.”

Kindness: Charity, Philanthropy, & Social Responsibility - USATODAY.com

Kindness: Charity, Philanthropy, & Social Responsibility - USATODAY.com: But the real headliner? Cash made a comeback in 2010. Indeed, while many corporations pulled back on cash grants during the recent economic crisis, 61% of companies increased cash contributions last year, focusing on such items like disaster relief and matching gift contributions.

While not back to pre-recession levels, this is an important reversal of a trend that has plagued charitable fundraising efforts at many U.S.-based non-profits in recent years.

Other highlights from the report? From the CECP report:

All pledge all the time | Marketplace From American Public Media

All pledge all the time | Marketplace From American Public Media: Kai Ryssdal: I'm about to speak two of the most dreaded words in public broadcasting. Here you go.

Pledge drive.

No, it's not that time again. But there is a cable station launching today in Pittsburgh, Penn., where it's that time all the time. Yeah, you heard it right: A public television station that reruns nothing but pledge drives -- all day long.

Tess Finkle: Cause ... It Matters

Tess Finkle: Cause ... It Matters: This transition within the corporate giving structure is being expedited by the up rise of the Millennial Generation -- young people/consumers who demand more responsibility from "the man." Which is awesome.

So, my team and I spend our days helping brands recognize they need to support causes their customers advocate in a way that is genuine and effective do just that, but also making sure their needs as a business are met. Additionally, we identify a clear call to action that helps the cause partner reach its goals within this alliance. More times than not, part of my company's role in addition to partnering and strategizing is to procure celebrities to engage on some level of the campaign to attract media and mobilize the masses.

Click-through Rates, Compelling Links and Your End of Year Fundraising Appeal | NetWitsThinkTank.com

Click-through Rates, Compelling Links and Your End of Year Fundraising Appeal | NetWitsThinkTank.com: Wondering how to get more from your holiday email appeals?

Reviewing the way you use links may be a good place to start – effective link copy and placement can have huge effects on click through rates and related fundraising results.

massnonprofit.org ::

massnonprofit.org ::: The report, commissioned by Boston-based New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), noted that the creative sector has a major impact on the larger economy and is “a steady, reliable industry, less subject to the cyclical ups and downs of the overall economy than the average New England business.”

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Canvassers take the cause to the street - The Globe and Mail

Canvassers take the cause to the street - The Globe and Mail: Canadians do lots of things to avoid the reach of the street canvasser.

Emily Smits, who’s done the job for four years, recalls the businessman who sailed off the sidewalk into traffic, shimmying along a parked van to dodge her philanthropic pleas.

“I said, ‘I don’t bite. Have a nice day,’ ” Ms. Smits said.

Empire Theatre Donation: Couple Donates $2 Million to Empire Theatre in Richmond, VA - wtvr

Empire Theatre Donation: Couple Donates $2 Million to Empire Theatre in Richmond, VA - wtvr: RICHMOND, VA (WTVR) - Richmond philanthropists Neil and Sara Belle November have donated two million dollars to the Barksdale Theatre/Theatre IV.

Philanthropy's Shift Toward Entrepreneurism | Fast Company

Philanthropy's Shift Toward Entrepreneurism | Fast Company: Undoubtedly the answer is that we need all three. The question is in what proportion should these be balanced? For the better part of the 20th century, philanthropists were not inclined to think too much about it. If you were a wealthy American, you paid your taxes and you wrote checks to charities. You let others figure out how best to spend your money.

That has changed dramatically. The shift is toward more direct involvement in philanthropic work. In a word, philanthropy has become entrepreneurial. As tax burdens likely increase on America's wealthy, that trend will continue to grow.

Podcasting as Digital Storytelling: Behind the Scenes Look | NTEN

Podcasting as Digital Storytelling: Behind the Scenes Look | NTEN: f course, in its most rudimentary form, a podcast is simply a digital audio recording delivered to listeners who can hear it at their convenience. But a podcast can be a vehicle for storytelling, if you make the effort to infuse it with a narrative.

In the case of the “askDeborah podcast,” the narrative began even before the recording sessions. After the CTK team and I had compiled a list of frequently asked nonprofit technology questions, I started emailing and calling some of my favorite colleagues. I'd explain, “It's sort of like Car Talk, except that I'm not two Italian-American brothers. But real nonprofit professionals will submit real questions about their technology challenges. The running joke is that I never know the answer, but that I know whom to call, and in this case it's you. We'll discuss the question, and we'll have

Monday, October 31, 2011

ROC the Day to raise money for nonprofits on Dec. 8 - Brighton, NY - Brighton-Pittsford Post

ROC the Day to raise money for nonprofits on Dec. 8 - Brighton, NY - Brighton-Pittsford Post: The online project ROC the Day will raise funds for nonprofits in Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties from midnight to 11:59 p.m., on Thursday, Dec. 8.

ROC the Day in the Greater Rochester area is the first fundraiser of its kind all of New York State

Fundraiser Collects $140,000 for Pakistan Flood Victims - Milpitas, CA Patch

Fundraiser Collects $140,000 for Pakistan Flood Victims - Milpitas, CA Patch: Most recently, Shea has focused his efforts on helping victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan. On Saturday, Oct. 29, Shea was the guest speaker at "Us Now 2011," a fundraising dinner at the Computer History Museum coordinated by South Asian Relief and sponsored by numerous non-profits, like UNICEF and Islamic Relief. The fundraiser aimed to look beyond political barriers, reach out to victims and successfully raised $140,000.

According to UNICEF, the floods affect 8.1 million people including 2.7 million children. A total of 1.8 million people have been displaced, 2 million are sick, and 1.5 million homes have been destroyed.
"Birdies for Charity" Celebrates Record-Breaking Year - WQAD: On Monday, October 31, 2011, representatives from nearly 500 charities gathered in the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Ill. to find out how much the "Birdies for Charity" Program raised this year. The total is a record-breaking one -- $5.28 million.

"Birdies for Charity" starts even before the John Deere Classic does. People begin pledging and trying to guess the total number of birdies golfers will get by the time the tournament is over. 2011 was even better than 2010 - there were 2,160 birdies.

Aaron Hurst: How Prudential Broke the Gala Addiction

Aaron Hurst: How Prudential Broke the Gala Addiction: What was the problem with galas?
Most galas cost $1.33 to raise a dollar. They are not really generating sufficient ROI in both of their goal areas - connecting people with their mission and raising money -- to justify the cost. And most organizations don't include the calculation of staff time and most certainly don't quantify the volunteer hours of gathering auction items or anything else that goes into making a successful event. So the real costs, based on having sat in on many gala planning committees, is probably a couple multiples of that dollar thirty three to every dollar

Acronym: Would your annual report ever sound like this?

Acronym: Would your annual report ever sound like this?: The nature of the report isn't exactly parallel to an association annual report, but I couldn't help but compare them. The truth, though, is they don't really compare at all. The association annual reports I've seen have typically been positive, light on genuine analysis, and rather dull. Anything but brutally frank.

This disparity could be a byproduct of vague missions and goals. Clearly, eradicating polio is a "big, hairy audacious goal." Bigger goal equals more room for failure, which an honest report will identify. But a vague goal, like "advancing the industry," means there's more room to be just as vague in assessing results.

Student philanthropy group has high hopes for future : The Samford Crimson

Student philanthropy group has high hopes for future : The Samford Crimson: Consisting of a group of student leaders, the Philanthropy Awareness Council (PAC) works to make current students aware of the role philanthropy plays in their education.

Samford itself is non-profit; therefore, gifts from alumni greatly impact tuition. Gifts make up 30 percent of the tuition ratio, and consist of contributions made through endowments, wills and the Samford Phonathon.

BBC News - Cumbria University student Abi Clarke in charity volcano trek

BBC News - Cumbria University student Abi Clarke in charity volcano trek: We don't realise how lucky we are to live in a country where we can afford to be educated."

Although education has been free in Guatemala since 2009, many poorer families struggle with associated costs such as learning equipment and uniforms.

Ms Clarke will be part of a small group taking part in the three-day challenge, which is due to begin on 27 January. She hopes to raise �2,000.

Looking back: They raised how much selling grapefruit?

Looking back: They raised how much selling grapefruit?

Zombie flash mob raises hundreds for charity - Milford, MA - The Milford Daily News

Zombie flash mob raises hundreds for charity - Milford, MA - The Milford Daily News: At exactly 9 a.m., Simpson donned the iconic red leather jacket and led about 20 area residents of all ages - all decked out in zombie attire - in the epic choreography, while amused shoppers stood by and watched. The event was part of "Thrill the World," an annual global flash mob event that this year featured 227 groups in England and across the U.S. simultaneously busting out to the dance.

The purpose of the worldwide event is to raise money for local or not-for-profit charities, which in this case, was the American Cancer Society.

The dance number raised $634, which Cumberland Farms will match, bringing the total up to almost $1,270.

Mercury News interview: Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen - San Jose Mercury News

Mercury News interview: Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen - San Jose Mercury News: When it became clear she was on her own, she created a new organization -- Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund, or SV2 -- to help the valley's philanthropists learn together how to give more effectively to innovative, early-stage projects that could "scale" or grow just like a startup.

Using hair-raising for fundraising | StarTribune.com

Using hair-raising for fundraising | StarTribune.com: Using hair-raising for fundraising

Article by: JEAN HOPFENSPERGER , Star Tribune
Updated: October 30, 2011 - 8:00 PM

Nonprofit organizations, taking a cue from retailers, are hoping to make the nation's Halloween fever another venue for raising money.

Scaring Up Revenue For Halloween - TheNonProfitTimes

Scaring Up Revenue For Halloween - TheNonProfitTimes: While many of the nation’s charities eagerly anticipate the holiday season as their peak time for fundraising, Halloween is prime time for some nonprofits. For Goodwill Industries International, Halloween has become a welcome opportunity to sell more merchandise and raise more money.

“Traditionally, October is our highest retail month,” said Charlene Sarmiento, a spokeswoman at the Rockville, Md., headquarters. “People are always looking for affordable costumes and we’re happy to give them that opportunity. In addition to people looking for costumes, we also get plenty of Halloween decorations and costumes.”