Friday, October 04, 2013

Special Report: Doomsday? | Michael Rosen Says...

Special Report: Doomsday? | Michael Rosen Says...: Special Report: Doomsday?

On Oct. 1, 2013, the US federal government shutdown all non-essential operations. This is the first government shutdown in 17 years. It’s uncertain how long this shutdown will last. The failure by Democrats and Republicans in Washington to agree on a budget bill triggered the current shutdown.

Government Shutdown: What It Means for Meetings: Associations Now

Government Shutdown: What It Means for Meetings: Associations Now: With federal employees on furlough and unable to attend meetings, some associations are dealing with reduced attendance and speaker cancellations at their events. One association meeting planner gives advice

Government Shutdown Will Impact Millions of Service Volunteers - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Government Shutdown Will Impact Millions of Service Volunteers - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: The Corporation for National and Community Service engages millions of Americans in service through national service initiatives, and the government shutdown is putting many of these programs and AmeriCorps members in limbo—leaving members unsure of when they will receive living stipends or when CNCS will be able to provide assistance to organization grantees.

CNN has published a thorough breakdown of the impact on all federal programs. The entry for the Corporation for National and Community Service, the article states:

Updated: Government Shutdown: What It Means for Nonprofits - Government - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Updated: Government Shutdown: What It Means for Nonprofits - Government - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4
Nonprofit's Housing Program Stalled Due to Government Shutdown

For many nonprofit organizations, the federal government isn’t just the provider of cash, it’s a source of expertise. As the government shutdown continues, some charities are missing a knowledgeable partner.

Oklahoma nonprofits brace for ripple effects of federal shutdown | News OK

Oklahoma nonprofits brace for ripple effects of federal shutdown | News OK: The Areawide Aging Agency is one of many nonprofits receiving federal funds that could be affected by the government shutdown, said Marnie Taylor, executive director of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits.

“While in Washington they're fighting to close doors, here we're fighting to keep them open,” Taylor said.

Pitting Data Against Donor Privacy | The NonProfit Times

Pitting Data Against Donor Privacy | The NonProfit Times: They might not be National Security Agency spies, but prospect researchers have more and easier access to data than ever. Researchers can find where you live, where you work, what you do, frequency and recency of donations, and your propensity to give, all without secret court orders or the complicity of data carriers.

“The events of (early June) make abundantly clear the need to have carefully crafted rules around the collection, use, security and disclosure of people’s personal information,” said Lisa Sotto, partner and head of the privacy and cybersecurity practice at New York City law firm Hunton & Williams. Sotto is also a board member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), based in Portsmouth, N.H.

Duke Haddad-Join the AFP — and Get Off the Bench! : FundRaising Success

Duke Haddad-Join the AFP — and Get Off the Bench! : FundRaising Success:If you desire a career in the fundraising profession and are not a member of AFP, I strongly encourage you to not only join your local AFP chapter but get off of the bench! Within each chapter, there are numerous opportunities to serve in a variety of areas. During my greatest chapter involvement, I was the keynote speaker at our first National Philanthropy DayOpens in a new window event, chair of the philanthropy awards dinner, marketing vice president in charge of weekly speakers, plus other educational functions. As chapter president, I decided to give out little Oscars at each weekly luncheon to members that supported the profession in extraordinary ways.

The Jewish Chronicle - Day of Giving in 2013 aims to top record
contributions received last year

The Jewish Chronicle - Day of Giving in 2013 aims to top record
contributions received last year: More than 650 nonprofit organizations, including 19 Jewish entities, are participating in The Pittsburgh Foundation’s fifth annual Day of Giving, Thursday, Oct. 3.

Overhead Costs: The Obsession Must Stop | Stanford Social Innovation Review

Overhead Costs: The Obsession Must Stop | Stanford Social Innovation Review: When it comes to charitable giving, there will always be skeptics who question where the money really goes—and donors who object to a charity using their gifts to cover overhead. This skepticism is misplaced. Nonprofits are businesses and, as they grow, they must invest in their infrastructure to survive, retain employees, and, ultimately, succeed at their mission.

Crowded field shuts charity out of next year’s marathon | Boston Herald

Crowded field shuts charity out of next year’s marathon | Boston Herald: Since the Boston Marathon attacks last April, there has been an outpouring of support for the victims of the blast. So why is it so hard for a foundation that has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to 66 of the most severely injured victims to field a charity team to run the 2014 race?

Thursday, October 03, 2013

Partners Start 60-Day Countdown to #GivingTuesday on December 3, 2013 - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports

Partners Start 60-Day Countdown to #GivingTuesday on December 3, 2013 - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports: National Day of Giving Goes Bigger and Bolder in all 50 States; Global Partners Create Worldwide Movement http://www.GivingTuesday.org

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 03, 2013

Today, thousands of #GivingTuesday partners around the world international and local non-profits as well as civic-minded businesses and corporations begin the 60-day countdown to the second annual #GivingTuesday, to be held this year on December 3 as the start of the holiday giving season.

Ask an Expert: New Fundraiser Lacks Experience, a Budget, and Organizational Support - Ideas & Advice - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Ask an Expert: New Fundraiser Lacks Experience, a Budget, and Organizational Support - Ideas & Advice - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: A fundraiser starting a program to help immigrants asks how she can overcome big challenges in her newly created position. She asked to stay anonymous.

The Shutdown Blame Game: What Can You Say? | Bolder Advocacy

The Shutdown Blame Game: What Can You Say? | Bolder Advocacy: The shutdown of the federal government is affecting the nonprofit sector in myriad ways. The impact on nonprofit clients and constituents who rely on the federal government for programs like WIC, TANF and Head Start is devastating. With Congress mired in debate over spending bills, nonprofits pushing for major policy changes to improve lives – immigration reform, gun control, safety net funding to name a few – are stymied.

1st Nonprofit Supermarket to Open in Struggling Pa. Town - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

1st Nonprofit Supermarket to Open in Struggling Pa. Town - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: A first-of-its-kind nonprofit supermarket that will offer benefits for poorer shoppers is set to open Saturday in Chester, Pa., a federally designated “food desert,” The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Weekend breast cancer walk moved from National Mall - WTOP.com

Weekend breast cancer walk moved from National Mall - WTOP.com: WASHINGTON - This weekend's walk for breast cancer, originally scheduled to be on the National Mall, is moving to Six Flags in Maryland.

The American Cancer Society moved the walk citing the government shutdown as the reason they could no longer hold it on the National Mall.

Pittsburgh Day of Giving's destiny being studied | TribLIVE

Pittsburgh Day of Giving's destiny being studied | TribLIVE: The sponsor behind the Pittsburgh Day of Giving, the biggest one-day fundraiser in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, is pondering whether the event set for Thursday should continue beyond next year and, if it does, in what form.
Mergers require leadership, energy, mutual trust and resilience. Those involved in mergers have to grapple with highly strategic questions about vision, mission and values while managing intensely personal issues such as who will be chief executive and how many jobs will be lost. They have to think about future sustainability while working out what the merger will cost and how it will be funded.

Making Asking Easier for Your Board

Making Asking Easier for Your Board: Making Asking Easier for Your Board

October 2013

Excerpted from the second edition of Fundraising Realities Every Board Member Must Face: A 1-Hour Crash Course on Raising Major Gifts for Nonprofit Organizations

Anyone who's been in fundraising for at least a week knows that board members are reluctant to visit would-be donors in person.

And yet personal visits are the sine qua non of securing big gifts.

Shutdown brings Combined Federal Campaign to a standstill - The Washington Post

Shutdown brings Combined Federal Campaign to a standstill - The Washington Post: The world’s largest workplace charitable giving program—the Combined Federal Campaign—has come to a standstill as a result of the government shutdown.

The effort is a lifeline to many Washington area charities and works through federal agencies to encourage workers to contribute through automatic deductions in their paychecks.

Nonprofits Begin Coping with Government Shutdown - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Nonprofits Begin Coping with Government Shutdown - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: According to various experts and recent federal government guidance, nonprofit organizations receiving federal government funding should pay attention to several important areas. Alicia Schoshinski, a senior HR consultant writing for an online service called Nonprofit HR, states, “There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding this issue (federal government shutdown). One thing we do know is that nonprofit organizations receiving government funding or with government contracts will be affected by the government shutdown, but differently than federal employees. We encourage you to speak with your contracting officer for specific guidance.”

Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Fundraisers pursue diversity at Pittsburgh summit - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Fundraisers pursue diversity at Pittsburgh summit - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Besides convening the summit to map out initiatives that would attract more minorities into the fundraising sector, and to develop strategies to be more welcoming to diverse individuals in the industry, Ms. Lopez Van Soest sees the effort as critical to "making the profession look more like the communities we serve."

In other words, those who raise funds for nonprofits and charitable causes should be able to relate to those who benefit when those dollars are spent.

Updated: Government Shutdown: What It Means for Nonprofits - Government - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Updated: Government Shutdown: What It Means for Nonprofits - Government - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: ig swaths of the federal government closed shop at midnight Monday night after Congress failed to reach a deal to keep the money flowing. Following are some reports about how the shutdown is affecting nonprofits.

Charities Brace For Government Shutdown | The NonProfit Times

Charities Brace For Government Shutdown | The NonProfit Times: ome nonprofits likely will face a surge in demand for services but how the sector as a whole will be affected likely will depend on just how long the shutdown lasts.

“It all depends: is it two days, two weeks, two months? If it’s two days, everyone presumes life will go on,” said David L. Thompson, vice president of public policy at the National Council of Nonprofits in Washington, D.C.

Federal Government Shutdown Impacting Mass. Nonprofits

massnonprofit.org ::: October 1, 2013 — The partial shutdown of the federal government early today has affected nonprofits across Massachusetts, causing some to cancel programs, halt construction projects, and seek temporary quarters, while sparking concern about staff reductions in others that depend on federal funding.

Metrics That Matter: The Links Between Advisors, Donors and Nonprofits

The Stelter Company :: Research/White Papers: Metrics That Matter: The Links Between Advisors, Donors and Nonprofits
Stelter's 2013 Insight Report examines the behaviors, attitudes and characteristics of professional advisors who interact with individuals and nonprofits on the topics of estate planning and planned giving. Our goal was to uncover intelligence to help guide nonprofits in their interactions with advisors and to position their organizations for greater fundraising success. Key insights include:

Advisors' attitudes surrounding ethics in introducing planned giving;
Who advisors trust for technical information on planned gifts;
Characteristics of advisors deemed "high producers";
Opportunities for greater synergy between advisors and nonprofits.

The AFP Blog: Benchmark Your Results as Fundraising Slowly Improves

The AFP Blog: Benchmark Your Results as Fundraising Slowly Improves: n our 24/7, news-and-opinion-driven world, data is ultimately what we need. Data about how our organization is faring—and how others are faring in comparison—is key to making informed decisions—about what fundraising methods to use, which donors to focus on and how to spend our precious resources.

That’s why if we have access to data and benchmarking tools, we need to use them. Enter the Fundraising Effectiveness Project