Bank contest puts good causes in competition | The Columbus Dispatch

Bank contest puts good causes in competition | The Columbus Dispatch: "'Looking at it in a purely positive light, you could say if their business platform can help someone in need, that's worth celebrating,' Doug Kridler, president and CEO of the Columbus Foundation, said of the bank's campaign.

'Is it the best model to identify mostly worthy causes? Maybe not,' said Michael Nilsen, spokesman for the Association of Fundraising Professionals. 'But in the end, it's very much a net positive. The point of raising awareness is a key one.'

The point also is to win customers."

Charities Made Minimal Changes to Employee Benefits in 2009 - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Charities Made Minimal Changes to Employee Benefits in 2009 - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Even under the duress of the bad economy last year, nonprofit organizations in New York and Washington, two metropolitan areas with big numbers of charities, did not make significant changes in the benefits they offered employees, according to a new report. A minority, though, did make reductions in health benefits, contributions to retirement plans, and opportunities for professional development."

STATE OF THE SECTOR - Association Bisnow - Washington

STATE OF THE SECTOR - Association Bisnow - Washington: "We joined the Nonprofit Roundtable for a roundtable (what did you expect?) about the state of the sector. Local non-profit leaders gave their take."

Winning the Hearts and Minds of Donors | onPhilanthropy

Winning the Hearts and Minds of Donors | onPhilanthropy: "From Russ Reid consultants, the Heart of the Donor Survey report looks at key motivators for the top givers, especially the boomers and seniors who populate those ranks. Does your nonprofit explain its mission well, describe how it gets results, and account carefully for its expenditures on overhead?"

Nonprofits receive more than $100k from golf tournament | TahoeDailyTribune.com

Nonprofits receive more than $100k from golf tournament | TahoeDailyTribune.com: "SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Numerous South Tahoe non-profit organizations will celebrate the 2010 holidays early, receiving $102,377 in contributions from LIVESTRONG through its association with the American Century Championship and the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority.

Representatives of 19 area organizations will receive checks at the November LTVA board of directors meeting. As a result of the 2010 golf tournament, a grand total of $102,377 has been distributed to local organizations."

Indiana University and O.P. Jindal Global University of India announce institutional collaboration: IU News Room: Indiana University

Indiana University and O.P. Jindal Global University of India announce institutional collaboration: IU News Room: Indiana University: "The collaboration will establish, maintain and enhance interaction between JGU and three of IU's professional schools: the Maurer School of Law, the Kelley School of Business, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, along with the IU Center on Philanthropy."

CharityVillage� Research: Surveying the legacy landscape: Why we’re doing it and why we need you

CharityVillage� Research: Surveying the legacy landscape: Why we’re doing it and why we need you: "Surveying the legacy landscape: Why we’re doing it and why we need you
By Natasha van Bentum, CFRE
November 1, 2010


What do senior fundraisers in Madrid, Winnipeg, Wyoming, Geneva, Singapore, Manchester, Calgary, Dublin and Hamburg have in common?

Fundraisers, gift planners, and bequest specialists all want to know more about legacy fundraising. And the interesting thing is, the more successful their organizations are at attracting bequests, the more they want to know.

But why? The answer is straightforward and simple: there is a relative lack of information in this area, data from the perspective of day-to-day, frontline practitioners that can be put to work here and now."

Emerging Leaders program helps Brown County United Way's mission | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette

Emerging Leaders program helps Brown County United Way's mission | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette: "The organization's Emerging Leaders Society is a committee of young professionals that actively donate their time, talents and money to enrich the Brown County community."

PHOTOS: Nearly Naked Mile run at FGCU raises money for charity � Naples Daily News

PHOTOS: Nearly Naked Mile run at FGCU raises money for charity � Naples Daily News: "Students came wearing clothes they no longer wanted and then striped them off, creating an entire table’s worth of clothes in a pile at least two feet high that will be donated to Goodwill. When the clothes started coming off, the students made rapid and surprising transformations. Big and buff jocks scrapped jerseys in favor of bodacious bikini tops, fluffy pink bunny ears, and cut-off jean shorts while a trio of girls painted on rippling abs beneath their neon exercise tops."

India's growing wealth boosts charitable giving

India's growing wealth boosts charitable giving: "Now the Malkanis are among a growing number of successful Indian entrepreneurs blazing another trail: charitable giving.

'Earlier, if an Indian traveled, it was so rare that 25 people would see them off at the airport, garland them with flowers and print their picture in the newspaper,' said Anjal Malkani, whose husband helped her family start the business. 'That has completely changed in India, and we've been so blessed in our lives to benefit. We wanted to give back.'"

Editorial: Make charities more efficient - FederalTimes.com

Editorial: Make charities more efficient - FederalTimes.com: "Federal employees and military personnel are a generous community — last year, they pledged more than $282 million to charities as part of the Combined Federal Campaign, a new record.

But too much of that money is being wasted in printing, labor and other overhead costs, and the Office of Personnel Management, which manages the CFC, needs to fix that."

University Asks for 5-Year Plans | The Harvard Crimson

University Asks for 5-Year Plans | The Harvard Crimson: "We were going to build very rapidly and on a larger scale, so when you have fewer resources and less access to debt, then you have to be more scrutinous,” Faust said. “What we’ve been focusing now is what we can get accomplished.”

Lapp said the University will encourage schools to fund projects through philanthropy wherever possible and appropriate."

Recession Driving Changes in Corporate Philanthropy - US News and World Report

Recession Driving Changes in Corporate Philanthropy - US News and World Report: "Not long ago, corporate philanthropy didn't involve much more than writing a check to United Way or the local opera. Nowadays that's changing. Blame corporate shareholders for tightening the purse strings, or credit Barack Obama and an entire generation raised on public service. All are forcing companies to get creative, to focus on making more of a difference while spending less cash."

Substantial LDS Church donation will bring smiles to African kids | The Salt Lake Tribune

Substantial LDS Church donation will bring smiles to African kids | The Salt Lake Tribune: "The LDS Church has given $927,400 to Operation Smile, an international children’s medical charity.

Though the Utah-based faith has been a longtime supporter of the organization, this is the church’s largest gift to it so far."

Is Charitable Eating Overstretching Local Chefs and Diners? - Dallas Restaurants and Dining - City of Ate

Is Charitable Eating Overstretching Local Chefs and Diners? - Dallas Restaurants and Dining - City of Ate: "Dallas is awash in edible philanthropy. Local eaters have opportunities almost every week to plunk down $150 or more for hors d'oeuvres from the city's leading chefs, some of whom say their time and budgets are being overstretched by charitable culinary events.

'It's definitely reached a threshold,' says John Tesar, a consultant for DRG Concepts who's also on the Longest Table's line-up. 'I don't want to prevent anyone from having a party, but there needs to be some thought on how many more of these we can create.'"

Watchdog: Education foundations not doing enough - BusinessWeek

Watchdog: Education foundations not doing enough - BusinessWeek: "The study by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy said that only 11 percent of American foundations devoted at least half their grants to programs that benefit vulnerable students. It looked at 672 foundations that gave at least $1 million to educational causes from 2006 to 2008.

It said only 2 percent met the watchdog group's other main criteria for philanthropic success: spending 25 percent of its grants toward advocating for long-term change, through community building, advocacy and civil engagement."

Stretched nonprofits hope for safety in numbers | The Salt Lake Tribune

Stretched nonprofits hope for safety in numbers | The Salt Lake Tribune: "They started with 18 members — and their office was in the trunk of a car. But the founders of the fledgling Utah Nonprofits Association felt they had an important goal: uniting a diverse community of organizations to create a more powerful and effective nonprofit sector.

Twenty years later, the association now includes 600 member organizations and, in a time of great economic challenges, has a mission its founders believe is more important than ever."

Giving until guilt goes away

Giving until guilt goes away: "It took me some time to catch up to the fact that, if seriously considered, the whole subject of giving called for the most invasive and uncomfortable of self-examinations. On top of it, talking about giving in the first place seems to run counter to our most fundamental instincts and to the implicit logic of self-effacement that distinguishes pure acts of giving - the kind that require no recognition or accolades, no rewards and no accruing of social capital - from their mongrel and self-interested counterparts."

Museums roll out the red carpet for Hollywood - latimes.com

Museums roll out the red carpet for Hollywood - latimes.com: "Welcome to gala season in the art world, the time when L.A.'s leading museums roll out red carpets and stage black-tie parties to raise money — and their public profiles. Last month LACMA grossed nearly $5 million with an event that drew Kardashian, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Teri Hatcher and Christina Aguilera, who also performed. This month the Hammer Museum raised $1.3 million with a festive dinner (minus the red carpet) co-chaired by Will Ferrell, where Jane Fonda introduced honoree Alice Waters. And the Museum of Contemporary Art takes the stage Nov. 13, with artist Doug Aitken choreographing the activities and"

The Foglia YMCA Celebrated 10 Years in Style at the Sanfilippo Estate — Lake Zurich news, photos and events — TribLocal.com

The Foglia YMCA Celebrated 10 Years in Style at the Sanfilippo Estate — Lake Zurich news, photos and events — TribLocal.com: "Foglia YMCA’s first annual Gala was presented at the Sanfilippo Estate to celebrate and raise funds for the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, a scholarship program that allows disadvantaged children and adults the opportunity to participate in YMCA programs, obtain YMCA memberships and be a part of the YMCA's before and after school care program."

Practicing good governance on a nonprofit board

Practicing good governance on a nonprofit board: "Lexington, KY - Susan tapped her foot and her Blackberry as the CEO of the local advocacy agency made his usual quarterly board report. Having been on the board for two years, she knew how the nonprofit works. Or did she? Did she know the CEO gave a no-bid service contract to a company owned by his brother-in-law at higher-than-average rates?"

Face Time: What’s in it for you?

Face Time: What’s in it for you?: "Face Time: What's in it for you?
Elisa Birnbaum By Elisa Birnbaum
October 25, 2010

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Walk the streets of any major Canadian city and you may start humming the My Fair Lady tune I've grown accustomed to your face. I'm talking about street canvassers, ubiquitous mainstays of our streets, particularly when the sun is out and our boots are still buried deep inside our closets. Chances are you've even walked by a canvasser today, with clipboard in hand, a smile on his face and a welcoming offer to chat.

Their ubiquity is easy to understand. 'There's such a strong need for fundraising today,' says Bryan McKinnon, explaining how the economic crisis and other challenges are upping the ante in terms of organizational stability and sustainability. Director of Public Outreach, a professional fundraising agency, the goal of the company — as a self-proclaimed social agent for change — is to raise as much money as possible for charities in the most cost efficient way, toward boosting their long-term return on investment."

Watchdog: Education foundations not doing enough �| ajc.com

Watchdog: Education foundations not doing enough �| ajc.com: "SEATTLE — A philanthropic watchdog group is hoping to light a fire under charitable foundations that support education by releasing a report Wednesday that points out how few of them focus enough attention on helping the most needy students."

Prospecting - Charity Expands Effort to Get College Students to Raise Money

Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Charity Expands Effort to Get College Students to Raise Money

October 22, 2010, 1:09 pm

By Raymund Flandez

National Harbor, Md.
To hear Marc Sirkin tell it, the next online fund-raising concept won’t require more than one staff member and would raise not thousands but millions of dollars.

Mr. Sirkin, chief community officer at Autism Speaks, spoke Thursday in a presentation called “Integrating Social Media, Donor Engagement, and Online Fund Raising” at the Blackbaud Conference for Nonprofits. His organization is trying to motivate college students. already loyal donors, into people who regularly seek donations for the charity."

Prospecting - Risky December 31 Deadline for Year-End Fund Raising

Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "December 31, traditionally the single biggest day for online giving, falls on a Friday this year. And for many people—especially those who work in government jobs or private businesses—that’s a holiday. Few people will be near their computers to open that last-minute e-mail appeal.

While “last chance” reminders for procrastinating donors might have worked on December 31 last year, because that date fell on a Thursday, the same reminders could put charities’ fund-raising success at risk of not meeting year-end goals in 2010, according to officials at Convio, an Austin, Tex., fund-raising software company."

U.S. is feeling charitable, just not through churches | The Christian Century

U.S. is feeling charitable, just not through churches | The Christian Century: "Americans are being more generous to religious charities, but why are they skimping on their giving to churches?

A new report from Empty Tomb Inc., an Illinois-based Christian research organization, contains an analysis that found from 2007 to 2008, Protestant churches saw a decrease of $20.02 in per-member annual charitable gifts."

Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Prospecting - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Heavy-Handed Fund-Raising Tactics Alienate Some College Students

October 27, 2010, 11:42 am

By Holly Hall

Publicizing the names of college students who don’t give to senior-class fund-raising drives has caused a backlash at both Dartmouth College and Cornell University, reports The Chronicle of Higher Education."

The Nonprofit Financial Model Never Worked; Here's a New Model That Does | Fast Company

The Nonprofit Financial Model Never Worked; Here's a New Model That Does | Fast Company: "The Nonprofit Financial Model Never Worked; Here's a New Model That Does
BY FC Expert Blogger Alice KorngoldTue Oct 26, 2010
This blog is written by a member of our expert blogging community and expresses that expert's views alone.

Imagine if your company's investors expected you to end your year without generating a dime in surplus. Welcome to the nonprofit sector, where your investors are foundations, and they expect multi-million dollar enterprises to end their year with zero. This makes nonprofits dependent supplicants year after year--unhealthy enterprises with no cash"

New grads turn to nonprofits, grad school in weak economy - WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, Sports

New grads turn to nonprofits, grad school in weak economy - WMBFNews.com | Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC | News, Weather, Sports: "Edwin W. Koc, director of strategic and foundation research for the National Association of College Employers (NACE), said that a survey of 2010 college graduates indicates that more are interested in working in the nonprofit sector than in any previous year.

Andrew Velasquez, a 2010 graduate of Boston College, is one student who tried to volunteer in the face of a weak economy."

How to count fundraising costs

How to count fundraising costs: "How do I count fundraising costs to determine the average per dollar raised?

The average cost per dollar raised is a frequently asked question but the answer is less meaningful if you’re trying to compare dissimilar charities who have traditionally allocated costs differently. With continued media attention, the cost of raising money is in the forefront of many people’s minds. It’s important that the leadership team (board and chief executive) take fundraising costs seriously but it’s hard to ensure we’re comparing apples to apples."