State Bankruptcies Would Put Many Charities Out Of Business- The NonProfit Times MAR 14, 2011

State Bankruptcies Would Put Many Charities Out Of Business- The NonProfit Times MAR 14, 2011: "State Bankruptcies Would Put Many Charities Out Of Business

For states like California, which is $42 billion in debt, and Illinois, with a $15 billion deficit that includes $8 billion owed to vendors and nonprofits, the idea of declaring bankruptcy might seem like their only option.

But, for nonprofits, “it would be completely disastrous and ill conceived,” said Laurel O’Sullivan, vice president of public policy at Donors Forum in Chicago, and a member of the National Council of Nonprofits. Many nonprofits wouldn’t be able to survive on philanthropy alone and would shut down, resulting in the municipalities and states having to pick up the pieces."

Amanda McLean quits Institute of Fundraising after four months - Third Sector

Amanda McLean quits Institute of Fundraising after four months - Third Sector: "Chief executive says the job was 'amazing but overwhelming'

Amanda McLean, chief executive of the Institute of Fundraising, has resigned with immediate effect after only four months in the job.

McLean, who took up the post in November last year, said she decided to leave so that she could spend more time with her family.

'I have done full-time jobs before and I knew this would be hard work, but some jobs have greater flexibility than others,' she told Third Sector. 'The job was too overwhelming. There is so much happening in the sector."

Demystifying the 2010 Tax Act: What You Need To Know - Lewis Saret - The Wealth Strategies Report - Forbes

Demystifying the 2010 Tax Act: What You Need To Know - Lewis Saret - The Wealth Strategies Report - Forbes: "In December 2010, President Obama significantly changed the federal estate tax by signing the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the “Act”). The Act impacts the estate plans of many individuals while presenting noteworthy estate planning opportunities. This post summarizes the key changes and provisions of the Act, detailing what you most need to know in order to stay on top of you and your clients’ estate plans in the coming years."

Inside Philanthropy: Nonprofits should trust themselves

Inside Philanthropy: Nonprofits should trust themselves: "Despite the best intentions, many nonprofits risk losing sight of their mission, losing touch with their customers and donors, and losing confidence in their own ability to develop and run sustainable organizations.

The culprits are foundations, trade groups and consultants that are fixated on metrics and short-term results, and peddle that mindset to nonprofits that are only too willing to check their judgment at the door in exchange for those groups’ philanthropic dollars and self-promoted expertise."

Convio’s Annual Benchmark Study Showcases Online as Fastest Growing Fundraising and Engagement Channel | Business Wire

Convio’s Annual Benchmark Study Showcases Online as Fastest Growing Fundraising and Engagement Channel | Business Wire: "AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Convio, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNVO) today released the results of its annual Convio Online Marketing Nonprofit Benchmark Index™ Study. The results of the study indicate that online is the fastest growing fundraising channel for nonprofits. In 2010, Convio’s clients raised more than $1.3 billion online, up 40 percent from 2009. The study shows that online engagement continues to play a crucial role for nonprofits: online legislative advocates grew 20 percent, email files continued to grow at a median 22 percent across all sectors and gift sizes increased in 2010. The full study is available at www.convio.com/2011benchmark."

Charity Aid Group in Japan to Help Relief Efforts - World - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

Charity Aid Group in Japan to Help Relief Efforts - World - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com: "The Christian Broadcasting Network's Operation Blessing International has joined relief agencies from the U.S. and around the world for a massive humanitarian relief effort in Japan in the wake of Friday's devastating earthquake and tsunami."

Norwich, nonprofits must build creative partnerships - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

Norwich, nonprofits must build creative partnerships - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin: "Norwich’s cultural and historical nonprofits need to think creatively about partnerships that will leverage their expertise and generate the income they need to thrive.

Last month, we learned that the 24-year-old Norwich Arts Center (formerly the Norwich Arts Council) may have to close its doors by May if it can’t raise the money it needs to stay afloat."

Philanthropy’s Dilemma - Editor's Blog - Alumni Bulletin - Harvard Business School

Philanthropy’s Dilemma - Editor's Blog - Alumni Bulletin - Harvard Business School: "An estimated ten times more money will pour into philanthropy during the first half of this century than during the entire century before. A high-profile case in point is the Giving Pledge, a campaign headed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to encourage the nation’s wealthiest people to give most of their money to philanthropic causes. To date, 57 billionaires, including several HBS grads, have joined the campaign, committing upwards of $125 billion to charitable causes."

BBC News - Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake

BBC News - Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake: "The most powerful earthquake to hit Japan since records began has hit the country's north-east and triggered a devastating tsunami.

Japanese TV showed cars, ships and buildings swept away by a vast wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude quake.

A state of emergency has been declared at a nuclear power plant but officials said there were no radiation leaks."

Light on Leadership: Service deserts in nonprofit-land - Paul Light

Light on Leadership: Service deserts in nonprofit-land - Paul Light: "The nation's nonprofit sector is a leading indicator of economic collapse and recovery. It tightens first as anxious donors hold onto their dollars, and rebounds last as anxieties finally fade."

Eric Clapton Charity Auction Totals $2.2 Million as Prices Top Estimates - Bloomberg

Eric Clapton Charity Auction Totals $2.2 Million as Prices Top Estimates - Bloomberg: "The tally for the sale, benefiting the U.K. musician’s Crossroads Center Antigua for drug and alcohol rehabilitation, was almost four times its presale total of $400,000 to $600,000."

Russian Charity Event Drew Putin, but Perhaps No Money - NYTimes.com

Russian Charity Event Drew Putin, but Perhaps No Money - NYTimes.com: "But in December, viewers saw his softer side. Mr. Putin, though not previously known to be musically gifted, sang a sweetly rendered version of “Blueberry Hill” in English, accompanied by a live jazz band. He also played a grand piano.

The occasion was billed as a charity event for hospitals treating children with cancer. But three months later, the mother of a 13-year-old girl with cancer who believed her daughter would benefit from the event is saying that no money ever made its way to the hospitals."

Nonprofit Pay Improving with the Economy

PRESS RELEASE

Nonprofit Pay Improving with the Economy: "The overall salary adjustment for staff positions in nonprofit organizations is starting to recover. In a study of 760 unique organizations, salary budgets for 2010 were 3.1% and they are increasing to 3.5% for 2011 according to a new study released by Total Compensation Solutions (TCS) a human resources consulting firm"

Sporting KC names stadium for Livestrong foundation - KansasCity.com

Sporting KC names stadium for Livestrong foundation - KansasCity.com: "Armstrong thought the concept of naming a stadium after his nonprofit organization — which is exactly what some Major League Soccer team in Kansas City was pitching to them — sounded, you know, a little bit crazy. After all, he isn’t exactly what you would call a “soccer guy.”"

Help on the Hard Court - WSJ.com

Help on the Hard Court - WSJ.com: "On Thursday night, some of the city's biggest players on Wall Street will meet on the basketball court for an event to raise money for Youth, I.N.C., an organization that provides training and mentorship to nonprofits serving New York City children."

Nonprofit Sector Continues to Grow, Despite Recession -- BALTIMORE, March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Nonprofit Sector Continues to Grow, Despite Recession -- BALTIMORE, March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --: "BALTIMORE, March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 2010 Nonprofits by the Numbers report by Maryland Nonprofits shows that nonprofit organizations in Maryland continued to add jobs in 2009, despite the recession. Nonprofit employment grew 2% in 2009, compared to a statewide drop in total employment of 3.2%. Nonprofits sustained the growth trend throughout the last five years delivering a robust 9.5% nonprofit employment growth, or 22,205 new jobs in Maryland from 2004-2009, while total employment contracted from 2004-2009 by 2.1% in the same period. Nonprofits in Maryland employ 255,408 people or 10.6% of the state's workforce, and account for 10% of all wages paid statewide. This is up from 9.5% of the workforce and 8.6% of wages in 2004. An early look at the first six months of 2010 employment data indicates that the growth trend continued and accelerated last year, as well."

No two charities alike

No two charities alike: "After holiday food drives become a faint memory, St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, for example, bets on a bump in contributions around tax time.

But with 304 nonprofits in Flagstaff (counting schools, churches and all others), how does one choose?"

Fundamentals of Donor Retention : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success

Fundamentals of Donor Retention : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success: "Donor-retention programs are designed to keep supporters engaged annually, and they can be one of the most effective strategies to improve donor lifetime value. The better you can retain donors, the more you can cultivate them and develop deep, meaningful relationships with them. The ultimate goal is to grow the donor file with the most loyal and long-term donors."

New bill drafted to simplify charity law - Third Sector

New bill drafted to simplify charity law - Third Sector: "Charities Bill brings together existing statutes but leaves out unused legislation that would make the Charity Commission the lead regulator for street and door-to-door fundraising

A new Charities Bill, aimed at consolidating existing areas of charity law, has been put before parliament.

The bill will include law from the Recreational Charities Act 1958, the Charities Act 1993 and the Charities Act 2006.

It brings together existing charity law with the exception of part 3 of the 2006 act, which would make the Charity Commission the lead regulator of public charitable collections but has never been activated."

70 flights of stairs climbed for charity in Mich. - chicagotribune.com

70 flights of stairs climbed for charity in Mich. - chicagotribune.com: "DETROIT —
About 700 people climbed 70 flights of stairs inside Detroit's Renaissance Center to raise money for the American Lung Association.

Organizers say more than $140,000 was raised at the fifth annual Fight For Air Climb on Sunday."

Why ABC's 'Secret Millionaire' sends the wrong message - CNN.com

Why ABC's 'Secret Millionaire' sends the wrong message - CNN.com: "Needless to say, I have mixed feelings about the show, which formerly aired on Fox in 2008. While it's admirable that ABC is giving deserving non-profit organizations much-needed publicity that they wouldn't receive otherwise, the narrative impulse of the series -- based largely around rich folks encountering the less fortunate -- reveals much about how lacking our national dialogue on poverty remains."

For Love or Lucre (March 1, 2011) | Stanford Social Innovation Review

For Love or Lucre (March 1, 2011) | Stanford Social Innovation Review: "Social entrepreneurs who want to start a new venture quickly confront an important question: What type of legal structure should I create? Should I start a traditional nonprofit, a for-profit, or something in between? This is not a simple question to answer, and it is in some ways becoming more difficult with the proliferation of new legal structures like the B corporation that are intended to allow entrepreneurs to meet financial, social, and environmental bottom lines."

American Red Cross to celebrate 130 years of service | Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

American Red Cross to celebrate 130 years of service | Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.: "As a fundraising campaign with a goal of collecting $125 million, the original Red Cross Month received an overwhelming response as the goal was reached in less than six weeks.

Further proving that the public did not recognize Red Cross Month as a drive with an expiration date, funds continued to be donated to the organization. By June 1943, the drive had resulted in donations totaling about $146 million."

How to Get the Grant

How to Get the Grant: "s your organization struggling to secure a grant? Ever wonder why your numerous attempts have proven futile? Well, join the club. And by club I mean an ever-growing group of frustrated folks searching for financial assistance to bolster their programming efforts, yet falling short of their goals. For many, the application experience is akin to banging one's head against the wall, with the economy often at blame for the continuous bad luck.

Experts say that may be an overly simplistic assumption. Apparently there's a number of ways to put one's best applicant foot forward — and plenty of ways you'd better not. Knowing the difference can prove invaluable."

CharityVillage� Research: Deal with Performance Issues Using the CALM Approach

CharityVillage� Research: Deal with Performance Issues Using the CALM Approach: "Deal with Performance Issues Using the CALM Approach
Kathline Holmes By Kathline Holmes, CHRP, founder of Gailforce Resources
March 1, 2011



Confronting performance issues is an area of responsibility that makes many managers uncomfortable. A common theme in leadership development programs and in assessments, it frequently comes up as one of the top areas needing enhancement.

Having a strong foundation in place is a starting point for effective performance management. This includes well documented job descriptions, policy/procedures and expected outcomes of roles. It is equally important, however, to have sound soft skills and supporting coaching for anyone having to manage performance issues on a daily basis."

Virtual Ping Pong Tournament Pits Media Giants Against Each Other for Charity

Virtual Ping Pong Tournament Pits Media Giants Against Each Other for Charity: "The tournament, BackSpin 2011, was a way to bring together the NY tech community and raise money for Child’s Play, a non-profit that provides books, games and consoles to hospitals across North America. The model — a little bit of fun with a whole lot of good — was cooked up by TechiesGiveBack, a New York-based non-profit aimed at getting the local tech community away from their desks and giving back. Part charity event, part networking opportunity, TechiesGiveBack is cutting out a niche of social good aimed at also having fun."

AND THE CEO POSITION GOES TO… - Association Bisnow - Washington

AND THE CEO POSITION GOES TO… - Association Bisnow - Washington: "Colin Firth isn't the only Brit accepting a top honor. Yesterday, the Association of Fundraising Professionals named Andrew Watt its new CEO. Andrew is currently AFP's chief program officer and previously worked at the Institute of Fundraising in the UK. If this story goes too long, play some music and we'll wrap it up."

CTK Foundation Launches the Heart and Soul 2011 Grant Award | Breaking news | Community Techknowledge

Here is an interesting grant competition from CTK.

Applicants are asked to submit an original four-to-eight-line poem that reflects the work and/or mission of the applicant nonprofit organization. This poem may be written by staff members, clients and/or volunteers of the submitting nonprofit, and must be wholly original.

CTK Foundation Launches the Heart and Soul 2011 Grant Award | Breaking news | Community Techknowledge

Libraries: The Oldest New Frontier for Innovation Keynote at Electronic Resources and Libraries Conference 2011

Libraries: The Oldest New Frontier for Innovation Keynote at Electronic Resources and Libraries Conference 2011: "Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to speak at the Minnesota Council for Nonprofits annual conference; and after my presentation, I spent a couple hours speaking with folks from various nonprofits, vendors and service organizations. I told one woman that I’d be headed here next, and she said, “Oh, I used to do the library makeovers for Target – I love libraries!”"

Non-profits to gather in Jaffa to examine their future

Non-profits to gather in Jaffa to examine their future: "jaffa coastline 248.88
Non-profits to gather in Jaffa to examine their future
By RUTH EGLASH
02/27/2011 01:47

Charities, social action groups from Jewish world to hear from professionals who will guide them on improving their services.

A host of charities and social action organizations from across the Jewish world will gather in Jaffa Monday to discuss the future of their field and hear from a wide range of professionals who will guide them on improving their services."