Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Seals and Mass Philanthropy - NYTimes.com

Christmas Seals and Mass Philanthropy - NYTimes.com: Just as important, they produced a revolution in philanthropy. At that time, the 1 percent of the late Gilded Age, men with names like Carnegie and Rockefeller, were creating major new philanthropic institutions. Christmas Seals, in a way, was the response from the other 99 percent: by marketing something as inexpensive as a stamp and using the proceeds to attack a major disease, the founders of the Christmas Seals program demonstrated the collective power of the American public.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Religion Gets Largest Share of Charity in US | Special English | Learning English

Religion Gets Largest Share of Charity in US | Special English | Learning English: Americans gave about two hundred ninety billion dollars to charity last year. That was ten billion dollars more than the amount of charitable giving in two thousand nine. The estimates are from the Giving USA Foundation and its research partner, the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Lisa’s Direct Mail Watching Experiment, Part 3

Lisa’s Direct Mail Watching Experiment, Part 3: We are coming to a close on this in this year-long experiment on the types of direct mail solicitations received and I’m back again to share even more of my findings with you. I hope all of you enjoyed my first post about the importance of a personal, visual, heartfelt message and my second post with updates on all of the exciting, or not so exciting, direct mail that I have received.

Nonprofit Theater Companies Enjoying, Well, Profits - NYTimes.com

Nonprofit Theater Companies Enjoying, Well, Profits - NYTimes.com: While money is tight these days for nonprofit theaters nationwide — with Intiman Theater in Seattle becoming the latest to face closing, amid heavy debts — New York’s major nonprofits are financially stable by comparison, their leaders say. But they are becoming more aggressive about producing work that can sell tickets, as a hedge against the unpredictability of private donations and subscription renewals.

Bells ringing on for charity

http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20111223000806Early this month in Myeongdong, one of the most bustling spots in central Seoul, bell ringers found a 110 million won ($95,000) check, the largest amount put in a red kettle since the campaign started in 1928. The anonymous man believed to be in his 60s wrote a note along with the huge sum: “Meager as this amount may be, I hope it will be used to help the sick and lonely old people.”

Colorado Trust Awards Health Grants to Rural Philanthropy Days Participants | PNNOnline.org

Colorado Trust Awards Health Grants to Rural Philanthropy Days Participants | PNNOnline.org: The Colorado Trust today announced it has made $28,500 in grants to strengthen the work of five nonprofit organizations working to improve the health and well-being of rural Coloradans. The Colorado Trust, a grantmaking foundation dedicated to expanding health coverage and improving health care for all Coloradans, made the grants after meeting with nonprofit organizations at Rural Philanthropy Days in Saguache, Colorado.

Rural Philanthropy Days (RPD) connects funders with nonprofit organizations that serve rural Colorado. This three-day event, which takes place twice each year, was created in 1991 by the Community Resource Center (CRC) to strengthen nonprofit-funder relations and to address critical needs in rural communities across Colorado.

- The Washington Post

- The Washington Post: This season, Americans are spending $465 billion, according to the National Retail Federation, a staggering amount that is almost equivalent to the gross domestic product of Pakistan. A good portion of that is on gifts.

Sunday, of course, is the climactic day of giving, as everything from slippers to flat-screened TVs are balanced in festive piles under Christmas trees, and as Hanukkah clocks its sixth day.

Anonymous giving in no short supply this holiday season - chicagotribune.com

Anonymous giving in no short supply this holiday season - chicagotribune.com: What compels people to donate anonymously?

Daniel Borochoff, president of CharityWatch — formerly the American Institute of Philanthropy — cited the Jewish scholar Maimonides, who said donating anonymously is a higher form of giving than doing so publicly.

Indiawest: Indian Americans Most Successful, Inspiring Diaspora: Blake

Indiawest: Indian Americans Most Successful, Inspiring Diaspora: Blake: ndian Americans are not only the most inspiring diasporas in the United States but their unmatched activism has made sure their political influence has grown tremendously, a senior Obama administration has said.

How to Turn Every Corporate Member into a Philanthropist - Forbes

How to Turn Every Corporate Member into a Philanthropist - Forbes: For years, corporate philanthropy, the commitment of corporations to the causes of humanity, was the province of corporate founders and business leaders. In recent years, some corporations have taken initiatives to get their employees involved in philanthropy. Under Corporate Philanthropy 1-1-1, Salesfoce.com (NYSE:CRM), for instance, contributes 1 percent of the company profits to the local community in the form of product donations; 1 percent of the company equity to community programs; and 1 percent of the employee working hours to community service. Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) have similar plans.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Cause Marketing - Trends | 2011 & 2012 Trends, Summaries, Predictions

Additional Cause Marketing stories 

Cause Marketing - Trends | 2011 & 2012 Trends, Summaries, Predictions: ear-end roundups galore!
In the spirit of For Momentum’s twINFO feature – but far less witty, here’s a handy list/breakdown of cause marketing/social good summaries, trends and predictions (in no particular order)

Bras collected to help charity (From Swindon Advertiser)

Bras collected to help charity (From Swindon Advertiser): Bras that are donated to the charity are also used to pad out the boxes of solar lights while in transit and are later donated to Gambian women.

Where Not To Die In 2012 - Forbes

Where Not To Die In 2012 - Forbes: As of Jan. 1, 2012, the federal estate tax exemption will be indexed for the first time, so that for 2012, up to $5.12 million of an estate will be exempt from the current 35% federal estate tax. That’s up from $5 million in 2011, meaning an individual could leave $120,000 more federal-estate-tax-free if he dies on Jan. 1, 2012, not Dec. 31, 2011. Meanwhile, separate state levies are still a big concern for families. And there are changes for 2012 on the state levies on dying—for better and for worse

Implementing Your Year-End Fundraising Campaign | Nonprofit Community

Implementing Your Year-End Fundraising Campaign | Nonprofit Community: If you haven’t formulated your end-of-year campaign strategy already, you already know that you’re tardy to the party. But you can still pull something together in time for those last crucial fundraising days of the year and here’s an excellent post with 12 Ways You Can Make Your Campaign Stronger on the Brandraising author Sarah Durham’s Duck Call, The Big Duck Blog, written by Ferra Trumpeter.

Fundraising Success Depends on A, B, C: alignment, balance and clarity : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success

Fundraising Success Depends on A, B, C: alignment, balance and clarity : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success: Whatever 2012 holds, we all need to prioritize our efforts. That’s always the challenge for nonprofit fundraising: Our budgets are limited, and our supporters expect us to invest the majority of their donated money in programs.

Fundraisers that succeed in 2012 will remember A, B, C: alignment, balance and clarity.

Oxfam America Spurs Holiday Gifts With 'Cheeky' Campaign - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Oxfam America Spurs Holiday Gifts With 'Cheeky' Campaign - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: In the video, Ms. Johansson is the voice of an animated female character who discourages viewers from giving lame holiday gifts—like a picture of a kitten or an ugly sweater. Instead, she suggests going to the group’s online portal, Oxfam America Unwrapped, and purchasing something more meaningful: chickens for a farmer, books for kids, or fruit trees for a village. “Now, these are really great gifts,” she says.

Seasonal bombardment still paying off for charity groups | Minnesota Public Radio News

Seasonal bombardment still paying off for charity groups | Minnesota Public Radio News: is the season for being bombarded by groups asking for money, and many of us aren't fond of the tradition. Indeed, well over half of the few dozen members of MPR's Public Insight Network who responded to an inquiry about holiday giving say the solicitations have gotten to be too much.

But here's the truth: For most of us, December is THE time to give, and charities know it. In fact, about a quarter of annual charitable giving happens between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, according to a recent report by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

For the Salvation Army, that means sending o

Kind hearts or a dead giveaway?

Kind hearts or a dead giveaway?: This rare story of giving may seem a world away from our lives in Australia, and it does leave me wondering: could we do more?
Advertisement: Story continues below

That very question was posed to the billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates this week, during his stay in Australia. The answer was a resounding yes.

The Microsoft founder called on the federal government to delay next year's return to surplus and increase its overseas aid budget instead.

2011 overview: Ranking the best fundraising blogs!

2011 overview: Ranking the best fundraising blogs!

NAUGHTY OR NICE: Social Media Interns | matthewsm1th.com

NAUGHTY OR NICE: Social Media Interns | matthewsm1th.com: NAUGHTY OR NICE: Social Media Interns
Posted on December 21, 2011

Note: this week, I’ll be examining trends in social media and/or philanthropy and attributing a “naughty” or “nice” rating to them. This is the third of five reviews.

Wealthy guardian angels step up to help charities | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

Wealthy guardian angels step up to help charities | The Tennessean | tennessean.com: On Monday, just as the supply of donated toys for struggling families was growing scarce at the 61st Avenue United Methodist Church’s “Last Minute Toy Store,” the pastor got an unexpected call.

A check for $15,000, courtesy of an anonymous donor, was on its way. It was an off-the-charts contribution for the 15-year-old volunteer charity effort that, until now, had relied on school and church groups to organize toy drives and on individual donations of $100 or less.

Arizona Public Media | Business | AZ Philanthropy Takes Late-Year Dip

Arizona Public Media | Business | AZ Philanthropy Takes Late-Year Dip: Philanthropic giving in Arizona was strong for most of 2011, with a slight dip in the last part of the year as global markets became more volatile, says the head of the Arizona Community Foundation.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Philanthropy's Rescue of Calif. Parks Raises New Concerns - State Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Philanthropy's Rescue of Calif. Parks Raises New Concerns - State Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: As nonprofit groups and other nonstate entities step up to save California parks from the budget ax, some advocates are raising concerns over recreational facilities’ long-term financial needs and the potential for misuse when they are overseen by private hands, the San Francisco Chronicle writes.

Lifting Response Can Cause Backaches - TheNonProfitTimes

From the Nonprofit Times
Lifting Response Can Cause Backaches - TheNonProfitTimes: I’m fortunate in that many a cheery charity solicitation finds its way to my mailbox. A recent favorite was the letter that began: “Dear High Value Donor,” thus proudly proclaiming to my friends and family that I had finally escaped the ranks of mere mortals and was now very firmly officer class material.

Which charities deserve your money? Online evaluators offer help - chicagotribune.com

Which charities deserve your money? Online evaluators offer help - chicagotribune.com: Few bell ringers, for instance, are ready to tell you how their charity characterizes the value of in-kind donations on its financial filings, how much its CEO makes each year in relation to heads of similar organizations or how effective the charity is at improving the lives of those it serves.

A growing number of resources are designed to help consumers find the answers to such questions. Still, knowing which service to use can be as hard as choosing a charity itself.

Entrepreneurs & Philanthropy

Video From CNBC

Entrepreneurs & Philanthropy

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

Kindness: Charity, Philanthropy, & Social Responsibility - USATODAY.com: How to get the most bang for your charitable buck
By Christie Garton, USA TODAY
12/20/2011 1:54 PM


Bell ringers. Year-end donation requests. Newsletters that pull at your heartstrings.

It's that time of year again when non-profits both large and small are reaching out in hopes of finding support before curtain closes on another year.

And it makes good sense. A recent poll conducted by the American Red Cross found that 57% of Americans plan to donate to charity at some point during the holidays.

To ensure that you get the most bang for your charitable buck during the holidays and year-round, Dr. Michal Strahilevitz, Golden Gate University professor and charitable giving expert, provides five giving tips, exclusively for Kindness readers:

Steve Harvey Interview With Phillip Bloch: The Comedian On Philanthropy And Manhood

Steve Harvey Interview With Phillip Bloch: The Comedian On Philanthropy And Manhood: In his latest interview, Bloch interviewed comedian and game show host Steve Harvey and his wife, Marjorie, about their foundation, The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation.

"My takeaway from this interview was that behind every great man, there is indeed an incredible woman -- and Marjorie Harvey is definitely that woman," Bloch said. "She has incredible poise, dignity and class, and I feel that she has really raised the bar for Steve and taken him into the next level, which in turn has propelled him to continue evolving into an improved person, father, entertainer and man."

Celebrating the #spiritofgiving: Random Acts of Kindness Brighten the Twitterverse

Celebrating the #spiritofgiving: Random Acts of Kindness Brighten the Twitterverse: It's one of those stereotypes that holds true: the Canadian winter can be long and dark. What better way to brighten the darkest days of winter than by celebrating random acts of kindness? To honour the holidays and combat winter gloom, CharityVillage� is running a Twitter campaign designed to bring smiles to communities everywhere. Everyday in December, we're tweeting ideas for small gestures that can give a world of happiness to a friend, neighbour, or complete stranger. Each tweet is marked with the #spiritofgiving hashtag, making it easy for you to follow the conversation.

Boston University - Certificate in Professional Fundraising

One of many programs we've seen.  

Boston University - Certificate in Professional Fundraising: Boston University’s online Certificate in Professional Fundraising will take you to the next level in your knowledgebase, your career, and your professional network. Whether you are a just starting in the field or have several years of experience, BU has specially designed this comprehensive course of study to survey all aspects of fundraising to boost your career and help the institution you serve.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Robert L. Weiner: Nonprofit Fundraising Technology Consulting � Year-end donation processing

Robert L. Weiner: Nonprofit Fundraising Technology Consulting � Year-end donation processing

Some charitable donations worthy of consideration | Deseret News

Some charitable donations worthy of consideration | Deseret News: The end of 2011 is approaching, which means it's time to gather with loved ones, eat more than we should and break out the checkbooks for some charitable giving.

About 41 percent of charitable donations are made between Thanksgiving and New Years, according to a new survey from Charity Navigator. About 10 percent roll in during the last 24 hours of the year.
Friend-in-Deed, others benefit from record-setting bell ringer - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register: While Darrell Tureskis was ringing his bell for the Salvation Army for 60 straight hours the past few days, he was also raising money for Friend-in-Deed.

He said officials with The Salvation Army allowed him to raise money on his own while he competed in the bell-ringing contest. The 49-year-old owner of Nyilas Carpet Cleaning and Restoration set a world record for Salvation Army bell ringing, beating out 23 other competitors nationwide.

How Haiti's Earthquake Inspired LinkedIn's Skill-based Volunteer Marketplace | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation

How Haiti's Earthquake Inspired LinkedIn's Skill-based Volunteer Marketplace | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation: It’s not just for landing your next job anymore. In the event of a natural disaster, LinkedIn has a new service--LinkedIn For Good--that will connect people in need with people with the skills to help them. It’s all part of their desire to increase volunteerism, and create social change with human capital.

LPGA Toledo Classic presents $200,000 to charities - Toledo Blade

LPGA Toledo Classic presents $200,000 to charities - Toledo Blade: oledo Classic LPGA tournament presented $200,000 in checks to six local children’s charities at its annual charity luncheon at Owens Corning’s World Headquarters on Monday.

Neighbor to Neighbor: Infectious Layaway Philanthropy

NPQ covered this story about community-based philanthropy when it first began last week. In Nebraska, Montana, Ohio, Idaho, and elsewhere over this past week, the wave of people paying off the Christmas K-Mart layaway accounts of their neighbors continued.

Neighbor to Neighbor: Infectious Layaway Philanthropy

Marty Zwilling: If You Think Making Money Is Hard, Try a Nonprofit

Marty Zwilling: If You Think Making Money Is Hard, Try a Nonprofit: A common misconception I often hear in the start-up world is that nonprofits are easy and safe, since they don't have to pay taxes, and they don't have to make a profit for their shareholders. In reality, from the feedback I get from nonprofit executives, exactly the opposite is true.

Pres Releases

Pres Releases: WASHINGTON, D.C.///December 19, 2011///The United States now ranks the highest in terms of charity in a massive global survey that put the nation in fifth place in 2010, according to CAFAmerica, a member organization of the United Kingdom based Charities Aid Foundation International Network of Offices, providing charitable financial services to individuals, global corporations, charities, and foundations.

The donor lifecycle map | Sarah Clifton | 101fundraising

The donor lifecycle map | Sarah Clifton | 101fundraising: A few months ago I posted a blog critical of the donor pyramid and asking why it is still so widely used in the Netherlands (and undoubtedly also some other countries). So now I’d like to propose an alternative. The problem with the pyramid is that it is only useful to show one metric – donor financial value.

Monday, December 19, 2011

National Zoo announces $4.5 million gift to support panda program - The Washington Post

National Zoo announces $4.5 million gift to support panda program - The Washington Post: The National Zoo announced Monday that philanthropist David M. Rubenstein is donating $4.5 million to its giant panda reproduction program, bolstering the zoo’s ability to maintain one of Washington’s most popular attractions at a time of economic strain.

The donation, which Rubenstein described as a holiday gift to the zoo and the city, will cover the tab for five years of giant panda reproduction efforts and for other panda research here and in China.

Cornell Receives $350-Million Gift to Support Technology Campus - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Cornell Receives $350-Million Gift to Support Technology Campus - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Winning the right to create the campus is a big plum for universities: New York City promised to provide land and as much as $100-million to finance the campus. Cornell announced in October that it planned to join forces with Technion-Israel Institute of Technology to establish the new campus.

In addition to Cornell, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, and New York University remain in competition to build the new campus.

Gifts from the heart: LGBT groups hoping for year-end donations | VIDEO | San Diego Gay and Lesbian News

Gifts from the heart: LGBT groups hoping for year-end donations | VIDEO | San Diego Gay and Lesbian News: SAN DIEGO – As 2011 winds down, many people are finding their mail boxes – both e-mail and post mail – filled with well-meaning solicitations from local and national nonprofit organizations they support through holiday-giving campaigns.

In San Diego alone, groups like the San Diego Women’s Chorus, The San Diego LGBT Community Center, Diversionary Theater and Mama’s Kitchen are among a slew of organizations hoping to raise some extra cash during the holiday season, a time when many people are more inclined to give.

Marcia G. Yerman: How Film and Philanthropy Work Together

Marcia G. Yerman: How Film and Philanthropy Work Together: The DOC NYC Festival featured a panel examining the intersection between documentary filmmaking and philanthropy. Participating were Naomi Levine from New York University, Dan Cogan of Impact Partners, Sandi DuBowski, Director, and moderator Mary Domowicz, Academic Director at NYU-SCPS.

"How Film and Philanthropy Work Together" focused on why there was a natural affinity between documentary filmmakers and philanthropists. Levine said

Goodwill keeps growing in St. Louis area under charismatic leader

Goodwill keeps growing in St. Louis area under charismatic leader: ST. LOUIS • December is the busiest time of year for donations at MERS/Goodwill, and the king of thrift, Lewis Chartock, shouts for one of his secretaries.

An enormous flat-screen television bolted on the wall across from the chief executive's desk isn't working. It's supposed to update sales every 10 minutes from 39 retail stores, many that have sprung up like cash crops in Missouri and Southern Illinois under Chartock's charismatic leadership.

Many say they'll cut charitable giving next year - NorthJersey.com

Many say they'll cut charitable giving next year - NorthJersey.com: This hasn't been a great year for charitable fund raising — and 2012 could follow suit.

A new report by a New York consulting firm found that a growing number of charitable donors say they'll be giving less next year than they did in the past 12 months.

More than one in six people said they plan to decrease their donations next year, according to the report conducted jointly by Fenton, a Manhattan public-relations group that works with non-profits, and Globescan, an international survey organization. When Fenton asked people the same question last year, one in nine said they planned to cut back on giving.

Giving to charities surprisingly steady | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Giving to charities surprisingly steady | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram: The holiday season is critical to charitable organizations and the people they help, and this week before Christmas is especially important. Charities were not expecting significant increases in giving this year because of the struggling economy, but some representatives said Sunday they're thankful to be holding steady.

Nonprofit leaders compose wish lists for Santa Claus - From The Publisher - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington news, weather and sports

Nonprofit leaders compose wish lists for Santa Claus - From The Publisher - The Olympian - Olympia, Washington news, weather and sports: In that spirit, I asked the leaders of some nonprofit organizations what was on their Christmas wish list this year. Here’s what they told me:

How to be a strategic philanthropist - The Denver Post

How to be a strategic philanthropist - The Denver Post: This is the season when many people make charitable donations. This generosity is acutely needed and greatly appreciated. Next year, however, consider approaching your charitable giving as a strategic philanthropist, rather than as a donor.

The difference between a donor and a philanthropist does not depend on how much time or money one gives to charity, but, rather, on one's approach to giving.

First Night Morris sees donations rise, expects to break even this year | Daily Record | dailyrecord.com

First Night Morris sees donations rise, expects to break even this year | Daily Record | dailyrecord.com: After losing money the past three years, officials with First Night Morris County say they expect aggressive marketing and a boost in corporate donations, even as giving remains down almost everywhere else, to help them break even in the event’s 20th year.

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | May the Nonprofit Force Be With You! Star Wars Museum in Petaluma Goes Nonprofit

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | May the Nonprofit Force Be With You! Star Wars Museum in Petaluma Goes Nonprofit: Who are we to judge the “nonprofitness” of this nonprofit? The nonprofit sector is full of “expressive” as opposed to “instrumental” nonprofits. Most people think of nonprofits on the instrumental side of the continuum, serving and meeting some sort of instrumental community need or demand. Now at the University of Texas, formerly at the Hauser Center at Harvard, writer Peter Frumkin has written powerfully about the expressive functions of nonprofits—those organizations that exist simply to express a belief, value, or idea rather than having a utilitarian function of community benefit. The Rancho Obi-Wan, for example, created to pay homage to Star Wars memorabilia.

Morning Links: Raphael Christmas Stamp Edition | Gallerist NY

Morning Links: Raphael Christmas Stamp Edition | Gallerist NY: British Petroleum, perhaps working to cleanse its reputation with a bit of culture philanthropy, will give �10 million ($15.5 million) to the British Museum, Tate Britain, the National Portrait Gallery and the Royal Opera House in a five-year deal. [The Art Newspaper]

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Seven Predictions for Philanthropy in 2012

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Seven Predictions for Philanthropy in 2012: Neils Bohr and Casey Stengel both uttered the Yogi Berra-ish statement that predictions are especially difficult concerning the future. They were only addressing quantum mechanics and the prospects of the Mets’ pennant chances, not philanthropy, amidst a persistent economic free-fall.

But the quote is apropos here given the possible twists and turns for philanthropy writ large in 2012, drawing from big themes in play during 2011. Here are some: