CharityVillage� Research: The talent war: Is it over?

CharityVillage� Research: The talent war: Is it over?: "The talent war: Is it over?
By Alan Davis
July 12, 2010

I meet many people in the course of conducting my business, and I have concluded that they generally fall into two types: the superficial thinker, and the profound thinker.

I have observed that the superficial thinkers consider that the talent war is over. They argue that, with all the layoffs that have been announced in the last three to six months, there is a plethora of top talent on the market who can be recruited very quickly and very easily."

Charities mail out coins, hope for larger return - USATODAY.com

Charities mail out coins, hope for larger return - USATODAY.com: "Paul Bobnak, director for 'Who's Mailing What!' a service that collects data on direct mail operations, says the company's records show the use of coins in charity mailings is increasing this year after several years of decline."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Nonprofit Newswire | Village People-"Y" Change Title of Hit Song?

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Nonprofit Newswire | Village People-"Y" Change Title of Hit Song?: "uly 13, 2010; Source: NDTV | Apparently the Village People have drawn the line at re-naming their hit song, YMCA, as the equally well-known nonprofit YMCA, in a fit of “branding”, changes its name to a more concise “Y”. In an act of rebellion the Village People have vowed to continue to perform all four letters of their song in their performances."

Use it Today - The Alternative to RFPs

Use it Today - The Alternative to RFPs: "The Alternative to RFPs
by Hildy Gottlieb

You are about to embark on a major project - a board development initiative, a fund development plan, a strategic planning session, a capital campaign.

You are not an expert in these areas, so you decide to find a consultant to help. Your board suggests creating a Request for Proposals - an RFP - to have consultants bid on the work. In that way, you will be able to compare all their ideas and approaches, and get the best price."

Huge Sums Raised, Much Unspent, After Haiti Quake : NPR

You can read other articles on Haiti Fundraising on the AFP Disaster Relief Site

Huge Sums Raised, Much Unspent, After Haiti Quake : NPR: "Six months ago Haiti was rocked by a 7.0 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people, left more than 1.5 million homeless and destroyed the country's capital and surrounding areas.

Americans gave generously to thousands of charities helping the Caribbean nation deal with the devastation. Elementary school students donated their pennies while rock stars reunited for an updated version of the 'We Are The World' concert."

Hollins fundraising drive exceeds its target - Roanoke.com

Hollins fundraising drive exceeds its target - Roanoke.com: "Hollins fundraising drive exceeds its target
The school raised almost $162 million over the course of the eight-year campaign.

By Neil Harvey
981-3376

Hollins University concluded its nearly decade-long fundraising drive late last month, an effort that boasted a final tally of almost $162 million and exceeded the school's stated goal by nearly 30 percent."

Parkland's Krause gets fundraising award | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Robert Miller | Business Columnist | Dallas Morning News

Parkland's Krause gets fundraising award | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Robert Miller | Business Columnist | Dallas Morning News: "David Krause, president and CEO of the Parkland Foundation, has been named the 2010 Outstanding Fundraising Executive by the national Association of Fundraising Professionals."

Tackling the Problem of Asking Too Often - Resource Center - AFP

Tackling the Problem of Asking Too Often - Resource Center - AFP: "In an interview this week with AFP eWire, fundraising consultant and author Penelope Burk says the trend toward over-solicitation is very real and continues to weigh heavily on the minds of donors, who consistently rank ‘being asked too much' at the top of their list of reasons why they gave less or stopped giving altogether to a particular charity. Burk has been taking a readout of what donors like and dislike about their experience with charities and measuring giving habits for several years. Since 2000 she has asked why donors stop giving--and over-solicitation has been a growing theme."

Library fundraisers launch first capital campaign: $1 million will address technology needs - San Jose Mercury News

Library fundraisers launch first capital campaign: $1 million will address technology needs - San Jose Mercury News: "To better serve users like Smyth, the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries has launched its first-ever capital campaign to raise $1 million for technology upgrades. Prompted by the library's ongoing budget woes, the nonprofit group, which made a record donation of $300,000 this year, hopes to raise $200,000 for priority technology needs by the end of 2010 and the remaining $800,000 within two years.

'This is the first time we have organized to solicit,' said campaign leader Carole McPherson, the board's vice president. 'We have existed (previously) on the generosity from the community.'"

FayObserver.com - Postage increase causes concern for bulk mailers

FayObserver.com - <div>Postage increase causes concern for bulk mailers</div>: "Nonprofit organizations across the state are worried about the proposal, said Jane Kendall, president of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits, based in Raleigh."

The NonProfit Times -YMCA of the USA Now ‘Officially' The Y

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "YMCA of the USA Now ‘Officially' The Y

By Mark Hrywna

The YMCA has joined a growing list of the nation's largest nonprofits that are reinventing themselves with a new brand and logo. The organization, headquartered in Chicago, Ill., will call itself “The Y,” what it's commonly referred to as, and the national office has started the change, to which all of its 2,680 local affiliates should transition within five years."

Inside the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation | World news | The Guardian

Inside the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation | World news | The Guardian: "The headquarters of probably the most powerful charity in the world, and one of the most quietly influential international organisations of any sort, currently stand between a derelict restaurant and a row of elderly car repair businesses. Gentrification has yet to fully colonise this section of the Seattle waterfront, and even the actual premises of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which, appropriately perhaps, used to be a cheque-processing plant, retain a certain workaday drabness. Only four storeys high, with long rows of windows but no hint of corporate gloss, its beige and grey box sits anonymously in the drizzly northern Pacific light."

YMCA nationwide shortens name to 'The Y' | MLive.com

YMCA nationwide shortens name to 'The Y' | MLive.com: "GRAND RAPIDS -- The YMCA of the USA officials today unveiled a new brand strategy to raise awareness of the impact it makes in communities such as Grand Rapids.

The nonprofit will now be known simply as 'the Y,' coinciding with how people most commonly refer to the organization"

The real deal on interns

The real deal on interns: "Interns are the great cavalry of any organization. Though some, unfortunately, view them as slave labour — those who do the tasks no one else could find time for, or the work others just don’t want to do — most recognize the crucial importance of having hired (and oftentimes volunteer) temporary help to buttress the company mission.
Love thy interns
But whether paid or not, Sarah Gayer, a Toronto CHRP, says interns should be prized and treated with respect above all else."

Attention nonprofits: Young adults love texting donations � Nieman Journalism Lab

Attention nonprofits: Young adults love texting donations � Nieman Journalism Lab: "Pew asked survey participants whether they had ever made a charitable contribution via text message. A surprising 10 percent of all cell phone users have. When you look at young people, it gets even more interesting: 19 percent of 18 to 29 year olds have made a charitable donation via text. Other age groups text donations considerably less: 10 percent of 30 to 49 year olds, 8 percent of 50 to 64 year olds, and 4 percent of 65 and up."

DON'T DROP THE BALL ON THE ANNUAL BALL - Association Bisnow - Washington

DON'T DROP THE BALL ON THE ANNUAL BALL - Association Bisnow - Washington: "Of course, there's an acronym for evaluating events: SMART. Gloria suggests first asking whether the event has a specific purpose, such as generating publicity, raising visibility, or bringing in new donors. Then, consider how you might define success and measure it. (Did media show up? Did donors increase their gifts?) Don't forget some sort of cost/benefit analysis to determine if those goals are achievable or realistic. 'You don't want to put yourself in hole,' Gloria says. Lastly, the timetable. Choosing the date is often one of the most difficult decisions,"

Holidays in July: Get a Jump on End-of-the-Year Fundraising | Network for Good Learning Center - Learn how to raise money online for your nonprofit

Holidays in July: Get a Jump on End-of-the-Year Fundraising | Network for Good Learning Center - Learn how to raise money online for your nonprofit: "The summer months are a great time to focus on building stronger relationships with supporters to lay the groundwork for a big year-end giving season. By checking these items off your list now, you can strengthen the vital relationships that will set your organization up for a strong holiday giving season.

Here are five tips to help you kick off your holiday fundraising in July:"

The Nonprofit Quarterly | The Nonprofit Quarterly | Unraveling Development: Nothing Can or Should Substitute for Philanthropy, Part 1

From Nonprofit Quarterly

The Nonprofit Quarterly | The Nonprofit Quarterly | Unraveling Development: Nothing Can or Should Substitute for Philanthropy, Part 1: "I'm worried by what I see as an excessive focus on generating revenue by nonprofits.

There's a new old chant in town: 'Let's start a business where customers buy stuff and then we won't have to rely so heavily on donations!' Articles proclaim that nonprofits are 'finally wising up.'"

Blue Star Museums Initiative

Blue Star Museums Initiative: "Welcome to Blue Star Museums!

Blue Star Museums is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 850 museums in all 50 states to offer free admission to military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, through Labor Day, September 6, 2010."

CharityVillage� Research: Finding (and keeping) a good personal fit on a board

CharityVillage� Research: Finding (and keeping) a good personal fit on a board: "Finding (and keeping) a good personal fit on a board
By Doreen Pendgracs, author of Before You Say Yes...
July 5, 2010

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People who willingly take on significant board challenges inspire me. Tanya Gulliver is one of those people. After serving as president of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) for one year, Gulliver volunteered to do it again and serve a second term. Not many people have that level of commitment, particularly after having already served a number of years on the board — she worked her way up to the position of president."

A New Career Path for Fund Raisers? - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

A New Career Path for Fund Raisers? - Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "A New Career Path for Fund Raisers?

By Holly Hall

Fund raisers in higher education, especially those who work for institutions with large, well-established development departments, have some of the most desirable positions in fund raising.

One benefit is the steady stream of potential donors with each year's graduating class; fund raisers at many other types of charities usually don't have such a built-in source of donors."

The NonProfit Times - One Million Volunteer Hours For The Gulf

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management

The NonProfit Times - Nonprofit Postal Rates Targeted For Hike

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "Nonprofit Postal Rates Targeted For Hike
By Mark Hrywna

As the nonprofit community determines just how much they might see postal rates increase next year, it's clear that Standard Mail Parcels will get hit with the largest increases – 23 percent – under an exigent rate case filed by the United States Postal Service (USPS) today.

How much the nonprofit rate for Standard Parcel or other categories used by nonprofits will increase is unclear, but USPS appears to be moving toward having categories cover more of their costs to handle."

massnonprofit.org ::Wyona Lynch-McWhite Aims to Make Art Available to Everyone

massnonprofit.org ::: "McWhite developed a number of principles to guide her work, including “Art is for everyone.” In mid-2009, she became director of Fuller Craft in Brockton, the only contemporary craft museum in New England, and uses her personal motto to make the museum as inclusive as possible."

Survey: Some nonprofit organizations more able to deal with recession than others | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette

Survey: Some nonprofit organizations more able to deal with recession than others | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette: "A recent survey shows the recession affected many local nonprofits last year, though not necessarily in the same ways."

Microfinance Group Unitus Shuts Down, Eyes ‘Reinvention’ - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

From the Chronicle

Microfinance Group Unitus Shuts Down, Eyes ‘Reinvention’ - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Microfinance Group Unitus Shuts Down, Eyes ‘Reinvention’

Seattle-based microfinance provider Unitus will dissolve operations, lay off all 45 of its employees, and redirect its assets into a new antipoverty venture, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal.

In a press statement, Unitus said that after fulfilling existing commitments, it will form a “reinvented organization” to work on “poverty-focused philanthropic activities.”"

Demand for Red Cross rises as donations fall | TuscaloosaNews.com

Demand for Red Cross rises as donations fall | TuscaloosaNews.com: "In the past year, the West Alabama chapter of the American Red Cross has responded to 181 local disasters, a record number in the organization’s 93-year history.

Unfortunately, the record comes in an economic climate in which residents across the region are doing the best they can to simply pay the bills, leaving little or nothing for charitable donations.

The local Red Cross chapter is funded entirely through donations and receives no funding from the government, said Oscar Barnes, the chapter’s executive director."

Over the Rockies, around the town, bicyclists prepare for Jake’s Ride | NJ.com

Over the Rockies, around the town, bicyclists prepare for Jake’s Ride | NJ.com: "MILLBURN — The Third Annual Jake’s Ride for Dystonia Research will be held on Sunday, Sept. 26, in Millburn-Short Hills."

Leadership in Focus: Janet Austin

Leadership in Focus: Janet Austin: "This month in our Leadership in Focus series we feature Janet Austin, CEO of YWCA Vancouver. Before joining the ranks of one of BC's largest, most diverse, and entrepreneurial nonprofit organizations, Janet served as executive director of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland and as the director of development services for BC Housing. Though she didn't start out in the nonprofit sector, Janet's unwavering passion for and commitment to volunteerism inspired a career shift. Thankfully, that passion is seemingly burning still."

Small and Midsize Foundations Exceed Payout Requirements in 2009, Study Finds - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Small and Midsize Foundations Exceed Payout Requirements in 2009, Study Finds - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "June 30, 2010
Small and Midsize Foundations Exceed Payout Requirements in 2009, Study Finds

By Debra E. Blum

Small and mid-sized foundations were more generous to charities than they had to be last year, according to a new study.

More than eight out of 10 small and midsize foundations spent more than the minimum distribution required by law—which is about 5 percent of investment assets each year—according to a study by Foundation Source, a company that provides services for family foundations and other philanthropies."