Columbus Foundation hits $1B grant-making mark - Business First of Columbus:

Columbus Foundation hits $1B grant-making mark - Business First of Columbus:: "The foundation said a recent $9,000 grant pushed the nonprofit’s tally of awards past the $1 billion mark since its inception in 1943.. The specific grant is headed to Transit Arts, part of Columbus-based Central Community House community center, for the creation of a young artists’ gathering called Paradise Café."

Detroit Festival of the Arts gets scrapped permanently | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Detroit Festival of the Arts gets scrapped permanently | detnews.com | The Detroit News: "Hard times have killed the Detroit Festival of the Arts, Midtown's great June festival.

The future of its slimmed-down successor launched just this year, Midsummer Nights in Midtown, also hangs in the balance.

The University Cultural Center Association, which sponsored the Festival of the Arts with Wayne State University since 1987, put the festival on hold this year. In its place, it mounted Midsummer Nights every weekend in June with performances at small venues throughout Midtown."

Marin 'Dream House' to be raffled for charity - San Jose Mercury News

Marin 'Dream House' to be raffled for charity - San Jose Mercury News: "How much would you pay for a 3,200-square foot home in Marin County with killer views of the San Francisco and Mount Tam? How about $150?

The home, valued at $2 million, is the prize offered in the Marin Dream House Raffle. The lucky ticket holder will win the brand new Bay-front home, and all proceeds raised in the giveaway will benefit Community Action Marine, one of the area's oldest and largest private social service providers."

Eli Broad Wants “Democratic” Art Philanthropy - ARTINFO.com

Eli Broad Wants “Democratic” Art Philanthropy - ARTINFO.com: "LOS ANGELES— Philanthropist Eli Broad sparked controversy in January 2008 when he announced that he would be donating most of his 1,900 piece art collection not to the Los Angeles County Art Museum (LACMA), where he is a trustee, but to his Broad Art Foundation, which loans contemporary art to museums around the world. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, he describes that decision as part of an effort to help smaller museums and maximize the educational reach of his collection."

Bloomberg Pays Costly Tribute to an Aide, Patricia Harris - NYTimes.com

Bloomberg Pays Costly Tribute to an Aide, Patricia Harris - NYTimes.com: "Mr. Bloomberg’s philanthropy has often had a personal dimension. He had an emergency medical center in Jerusalem dedicated to his father, William, and a health center there to his mother, Charlotte. He had a residence hall at Princeton University named for his daughter Emma, and had the Arms and Armor Court at the Metropolitan Museum of Art named for Emma and his younger daughter, Georgina."

Surviving the Downturn : Environmental Nonprofits Face a New Economic Reality (By Kristin Bender)

Surviving the Downturn : Environmental Nonprofits Face a New Economic Reality (By Kristin Bender): "The groups that act as stewards for the earth’s oceans, land, water and wildlife are facing a new battle: the poor economy. With the national unemployment rate hovering around 9.5%—the highest it’s been in 25 years—and more than 14.5 million Americans out of work, funding for the nation’s large and small environmental nonprofits has stalled, forcing them to reexamine their core priorities.

Leaders of these nonprofits say they have cut jobs, eliminated annual events, reduced the number of issues they can tackle and have watched annual donations dip due to the economy."

Corporate Giving Moving Into a New Age :: PNNOnline ::

Corporate Giving Moving Into a New Age :: PNNOnline ::: "With giving budgets down for many corporations and fewer community involvement staff on the payroll, corporate charitable giving departments are busier than ever. The good news for many charities is that the corporations surveyed by LBG Research Institute show no decrease in their commitment to supporting their communities.


According to the report, 'Making the Most of What We Have: Corporate Giving in the New Economy,' corporations and their foundations are showing their support for their communities by marshalling other, non-cash resources. More than 84% of corporations surveyed say they are encouraging more employee volunteerism to offset a decline in cash giving. More than 48% have increased the number of volunteer events this year. And almost 45% report increased participation rates in their employee volunteer programs."

Fewer festival-goers, but more generous - Bangor Daily News

Fewer festival-goers, but more generous - Bangor Daily News: "Despite the drop in attendance, McCarthy reported a total of about $105,000 donated to the Bucket Brigade. The total broke the record of $98,400 set last year.

McCarthy said she heard from some festival-goers that they had given an extra donation because they assumed the take from Saturday would be low."

The Act of Giving -- Who Does It Best? Men or Women? - Everyday Ethics

The Act of Giving -- Who Does It Best? Men or Women? - Everyday Ethics: "Three studies recently released brought a new twist to that age-old competition, man vs. woman--the question of generosity and charitable giving.

The series of studies, published in the August 2009 Journal of Consumer Research, examined how men and women gave to victims of Katrina and the South Asian tsunami, as well as how they gave to victims of terrorism in London and Iraq. The result was a significant difference in the male and female approach to charitable giving."

University's trash becomes treasure for nonprofits :: WRAL.com

University's trash becomes treasure for nonprofits :: WRAL.com: "Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina State University is celebrating a massive project that kept over a half-million pounds of furniture out of the landfill – and in use by people in need.

'We set a new standard,” said Jim Hansen, who handles surplus property for N.C. State."

Native American Times - Tiger Woods joins Navajo golfer in Native youth benefit tourney

Native American Times - Tiger Woods joins Navajo golfer in Native youth benefit tourney: "VERNON, N.Y. – Native children will benefit from funds raised during the 2nd Annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge, a skins golf game played last week by four professional golfers including 14-time championship winner Tiger Woods."

The billion-dollar donors

The billion-dollar donors: "The most exclusive subset of the world's wealthy may be this one: those living philanthropists who have already given away US$1-billion or more. For the first time ever, Forbes has put together a list of the world's billion-dollar donors. Of the 793 billionaires in the world, only 11 made it into this group."

Charities find unlikely new champion in private equity - Telegraph

Charities find unlikely new champion in private equity - Telegraph: "An emerging model, known as venture philanthropy, aims to boost the productivity of an often bloated and inefficient third sector, using venture capital techniques of due diligence, ongoing engagement and rigorous performance measurement.

The practice has found its poster girl in Daniela Barone Soares, the engaging chief executive of London-based venture philanthropy firm Impetus."

onPhilanthropy: Articles: The Evolution of Pro Bono Service: What It Means for Corporations Today

onPhilanthropy: Articles: The Evolution of Pro Bono Service: What It Means for Corporations Today: "The evolution of pro bono service

Pro bono service has come a long way, beginning within the legal profession, which recognized early on that it is a great way to demonstrate a firm’s expertise and attract more business, while creating significant impact in the community. But, these services were largely being provided behind closed doors and measurement of impact and business value was not common practice."

Public service is cool again | csmonitor.com

Public service is cool again | csmonitor.com: "Gubbala is joining tens of thousands of recent graduates opting to work in public service, part of a generational shift similar to the one seen after President Kennedy called for service and began the Peace Corps in 1961."

Rapid City Journal | News » Local | Marathoners take a hop, skip and a jump for charity

Rapid City Journal | News » Local | Marathoners take a hop, skip and a jump for charity: "The Club for Boys Fun Run and Walk is one of five special events the nonprofit organization holds every year, executive director Scott Bader said. In its past two incarnations, though, the run was a 5K."

Budget Cuts Mean School Fundraisers on the Rise - The Juggle - WSJ

Budget Cuts Mean School Fundraisers on the Rise - The Juggle - WSJ: "School hasn’t even started in my community and fundraising is already at a fever pitch. Signs soliciting school donations dot the roadsides. Parents are organizing events and phone-a-thons to re-hire laid-off teachers or keep extracurricular programs running."

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "August 27, 2009

It Was Christmas In July For Salvation Army

By Mark Hrywna

In Nashville, it was a full month. In Philadelphia, it was every Wednesday in July. In New York, it was a full week. In each case, The Salvation Army’s Christmas in July campaign had one goal: to raise more money to handle the continuing increase in requests for essential services.

The Christmas in July campaigns are a decision that local units made to meet increased needs in their areas, according to Jaime Joswick, public relations specialist at The Salvation Army National Headquarters in Alexandria, Va. A program was initiated in as many as two dozen chapters around the country."

Philanthropy Front and Center-Cleveland : From the Answer Desk: What Information are Foundations Typically Looking for in Program Evaluations?

Philanthropy Front and Center-Cleveland : From the Answer Desk: What Information are Foundations Typically Looking for in Program Evaluations?: "From the Answer Desk: What Information are Foundations Typically Looking for in Program Evaluations?"

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "Planned Giving: Don’t Let Donors Drown

By Mark Hrywna

Volatility in the stock market might make individuals looking for security more open to charitable gift annuities (CGA). But, at the same time the market might be wreaking havoc on a charity’s annuity reserves, a portion of which are usually invested in equities.

The American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA) recommends a portfolio be invested 40 percent in equities and 55 percent in bonds, with 5 percent cash."

onPhilanthropy: Articles: Important Legal Ruling Impacts Planned Giving Marketing

onPhilanthropy: Articles: Important Legal Ruling Impacts Planned Giving Marketing: "Important Legal Ruling Impacts Planned Giving Marketing
Thursday, August 27, 2009
By: Jonathan Gudema, Esq.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit issued an opinion in a case involving Robert Dillie, this past June. Mr. Dillie operated a fraudulent foundation between 1996 and 2001. This foundation was in actuality a ponzi scheme which issued $55 million in gift annuities to over 400 donors, sold through investment advisers who were receiving commissions on the sales of new gift annuities. He is now serving 121 months in prison for his crimes but the legal fallout from his nefarious operation lives on."

When pocketbook is pinched, find other ways to help those in need | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune

When pocketbook is pinched, find other ways to help those in need | greatfallstribune.com | Great Falls Tribune: "Philanthropy is a way of life for Sandy Mundahl. As a single mom who knows the challenges of making ends meet, Mundahl doesn't have the resources to write big checks. Yet that hasn't kept her from making a big difference in the lives of others in the Flathead Valley."

UAE Red Crescent launches annual Ramadan charity campaign - AL SHORFA

UAE Red Crescent launches annual Ramadan charity campaign - AL SHORFA: "A spokesman for the organisation, which serves as the operating arm of the Red Cross in the Islamic world, confirmed that most of the funds will go to Ramadan charity works in the UAE. The balance will be distributed via UAE embassies to recognised charities elsewhere in the Islamic world."

The Associated Press: Judge: US wrong to freeze Ohio charity's assets

The Associated Press: Judge: US wrong to freeze Ohio charity's assets: "Judge: US wrong to freeze Ohio charity's assets

By JOHN SEEWER (AP) – 1 day ago

TOLEDO, Ohio — The federal government wrongly froze the assets of an Ohio-based charity it suspected of having ties to the militant Islamic group Hamas because it acted without giving the organization any warning, a federal judge ruled.

U.S. District Judge James Carr said Tuesday the government has an obligation to tell an organization why it is freezing its assets and to give it a chance to respond."

Balancing act: Local arts groups struggle to survive on tight budgets | Philadelphia Daily News | 08/17/2009

Balancing act: Local arts groups struggle to survive on tight budgets | Philadelphia Daily News | 08/17/2009: "THE ECONOMIC downturn that thoroughly rocked the country's financial sector has hit Philly's nonprofit arts world too, and it's not just the largest institutions that are hurting. Smaller cultural organizations may be more able to adapt quickly to these leaner times, but many that were already operating on a shoestring are facing especially difficult choices in the coming year."

It pays to be smart about charitable giving | PressDemocrat.com | The Press Democrat | Santa Rosa, CA

It pays to be smart about charitable giving | PressDemocrat.com | The Press Democrat | Santa Rosa, CA: "Charitable giving didn't dry up with recession, but it did become more selective.

You aren't seeing donation pledges and checks tossed around casually in 2009. Instead, corporations and individuals alike are deciding what they care about most and directing their giving strategy accordingly."

BizBash Toronto | Super Bowl of Conventions Under Way in Toronto

BizBash Toronto | Super Bowl of Conventions Under Way in Toronto: "More than 4,300 association executives have converged on Toronto this week for the American Society of Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership's annual meeting and exposition—which has been dubbed the Super Bowl of conventions. Although the convention is primarily about education and networking, A.S.A.E. president and C.E.O. John H. Graham said, 'Attendees are also scouting new meeting destinations for their organizations, and we estimate that about 20 per cent of our members will come back to Toronto for their own events.'"

Is it time for emergency fundraising?

Is it time for emergency fundraising?: "In a good or bad economy, these are warning signs of an emergency and an organization should take heed immediately. Of course, the great recession only exacerbates the crisis"

Another morning in Maine

During August my postings are more infrequent since I am posting from Maine on vacation. Our regular posting will resume in September. Thanks for your continued support and readership.

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "Yet in these difficult times, many nonprofit professionals are looking and working for the positive. They are seeking messages of hope and constructive steps they can take right now. Nonprofits, fundamentally, are about hope, fresh starts, new beginnings and finding new ways to meet the needs of society.

This is a time to be positive, pragmatic and proactive. And although it might feel like a luxury, it is a critical time for reflection. It’s a time for stepping back, rethinking what your organization is and what it wants to be going forward, and figuring out how to get there. Ingenuity and being open to taking risks that could result in big rewards down the road."