The nonprofit sector’s haircut - Light on Leadership - The Washington Post

The nonprofit sector’s haircut - Light on Leadership - The Washington Post: "Given the court decisions challenging commercial activity, the downturn in giving, and the continued government negligence, nonprofit leaders need to think harder about transformation. They must attack the duplication and overlap through consolidation with their competitors; flatten their bloated hierarchies and confusing management structures; invest in the frontline workforce that is straining under rising case loads; and harvest these savings for basic investments in the information technologies, training and modest compensation increases needed to assure high performance."

For Nonprofits: The Place to Be - Memphis Daily News

For Nonprofits: The Place to Be - Memphis Daily News: "In this column we seek to share information, ideas and suggestions that can help nonprofit organizations and institutions. But we are not alone in our goal of helping to strengthen this important part of our community and our economy. There are many such individuals, organizations and institutions. One of these is the Association of Fundraising Professionals Memphis Chapter – AFP as it’s called.

Thursday, Aug. 4, is the annual AFP conference, and you are invited."

Brooklyn Museum Pins Its Digitized Photos to Historypin's Map - NYTimes.com

Brooklyn Museum Pins Its Digitized Photos to Historypin's Map - NYTimes.com: "When the digital team at the Brooklyn Museum first looked at the New York images included on Historypin, a social sharing site for old images, something seemed to be missing.

“They had nothing in Brooklyn,” said Shelley Bernstein, the museum’s chief of technology."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Next Generation Leaders: What They Want and Need from the Workplace

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Next Generation Leaders: What They Want and Need from the Workplace: "Their attraction to fast-paced environments and their self-confidence allows them to handle multiple tasks without a problem. However, it is important to find a balance regarding workload. Too much of a workload could turn them off, but not enough could reduce their enthusiasm. Also, workplace flexibility is a benefit that Millennials value. We heard comments like, “I usually work eleven hours a day but I am satisfied by the fact that my boss doesn’t demand a strict 9 – 5 schedule.”"

August 7520 Rate Falls to 2.2% | Planned Giving Design Center

August 7520 Rate Falls to 2.2% | Planned Giving Design Center: "For purposes of determining the present value of an annuity, an interest for life or a term of years, or a remainder or a reversionary interest, Revenue Ruling 2011-16 indicates the applicable federal rate under section 7520 for August 2011 is 2.2%; down 0.2% from the July rate of 2.4% and down 0.6% from the June rate of 2.8%."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Hard Times at Maine Historic Site

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Hard Times at Maine Historic Site: "July 20, 2011; Source: Keep MEcurrent.com | The Willowbrook Village Museum is an historic museum that focuses on rural life in 19th and early 20th-century Maine, but the challenges that the organization is facing reflect a current and very real trend with nonprofits generally and historic sites specifically throughout the state. KeepMecurrent.com reports that because the museum has fallen short of some $120,000 in annual operating costs, it only has cash on hand to operate through October 2012."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | To Fee or Not to Fee? (And Related Questions)

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | To Fee or Not to Fee? (And Related Questions): "Why would tax-exempt organizations, which have some freedom from the strictures of the marketplace, willingly subject themselves to satisfying the market for even a part of their budgets? Not merely to get more money, it turns out; but since market failure is a common rationale for why we need nonprofit organizations and why they are free from paying most taxes, nonprofits have to act wisely in setting fees."

Building a Stronger Regional Safety Net: Philanthropy's Role - Brookings Institution

Building a Stronger Regional Safety Net: Philanthropy's Role - Brookings Institution: "Although federal, state, and local governments are often the primary funders of nonprofits, governments do not often take the lead in creating new organizational capacities or in coordinating capacity across political jurisdictions. In many regions, the local philanthropic community has become aware of these gaps in services for the poor and has sought to assist the nonprofit community in building capacity and expanding activities. Local foundations are experimenting with various strategies to address the growing dispersion of poverty."

Weil ‘Pays It Forward’ with Innovative Philanthropic Initiative - Business Wire - SunHerald.com

Weil ‘Pays It Forward’ with Innovative Philanthropic Initiative - Business Wire - SunHerald.com: "NEW YORK -- International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP today announced “Weil Pays It Forward,” a firm initiative to raise funds and build awareness for employee-nominated causes across the globe. A testament to the firm’s longstanding commitment to philanthropy, 28 teams of Weil employees have been provided with $1,000 in seed money to support a larger fund-raising effort for each team’s charity"

Myra Kraft, wife of New England Patriots and New England Revolution owner, dies - ESPN Boston

Myra Kraft, wife of New England Patriots and New England Revolution owner, dies - ESPN Boston: "Every Patriots player has a clause in their contract to take part in 10 charitable events per year, and the Patriots Charitable Foundation seemed to grow each year, helping more in need as times became more challenging."

Pan-Mass Challenge: How cyclists raise the most money for charity - CSMonitor.com

Pan-Mass Challenge: How cyclists raise the most money for charity - CSMonitor.com: "On Aug. 6 and 7, more than 5,000 cyclists will ride on 11 routes throughout Massachusetts for the 32nd annual Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC). Routes range from 25 to 190 miles, and take one to two days to complete. To date, the event has raised $303 million, all for The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. The PMC, which is responsible for more than 60 percent of the Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue, was one of the first athletic fundraising events in the country, and raises more money each year than any other single athletic fundraising event, say organizers. We sat down with the PMC’s founder and executive director Billy Starr to ask, how can one event raise so much money for charity, again and again?"

Nonprofit Leaders to Set Recommendations for Growing US Philanthropy | eJewish Philanthropy: Your Jewish Philanthropy Resource

Nonprofit Leaders to Set Recommendations for Growing US Philanthropy | eJewish Philanthropy: Your Jewish Philanthropy Resource: "Thirty-six leading U.S.-philanthropy experts, including nonprofit leaders, technology suppliers and consultants, and associations, recently gathered to discuss how the nonprofit sector can work together to grow the level of individual giving by Americans. The Growing Philanthropy Summit, held recently in Washington D.C., was sponsored by Blackbaud, Inc. and SHartsook Companies and was hosted by The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University."

Fun and Philanthropy at Harbor Days

Fun and Philanthropy at Harbor Days: "“One thing about a small town – everyone volunteers,” said Mattapoisett resident Eloise Ricciardelli, who helped resident Lisa Hill operate the Mattapoisett Historical Society table.

The Harbor Days event is one of the main ways non-profit organizations like the Historical Society get noticed, the volunteers said, and they used the opportunity to sell old maps, books, note cards, and most importantly: memberships.

“Our membership is steady. It’s not declining,” said Ms. Hill, who said that they wanted to keep it that way. Ms. Hill, who is also involved with the Junior Friends of the Mattapoisett Library, was excited about the animal-friendly activities that were scheduled at the library."

Monitoring Your Portfolio

Monitoring Your Portfolio: "Nonprofit leaders are encouraging organizations to plan for the future by creating a reserve fund. Once you start building your reserve fund, you'll need to put it somewhere. And just like individual investors, nonprofits need to keep an eye on what their investments are doing. Here are some options for managing your organization's portfolio. Note: This article is provided for information only and is not intended to serve as financial or investment advice. Consult a financial professional for advice specific to your situation."

Building Relationships with Donors

Building Relationships with Donors: "Building Relationships with Donors
A Checklist for Creating a Proactive-Relationship Development Process

July 2011

Not-for-profit organizations depend on the financial support of individuals and corporate donors, and whether you realize it or not, a pledge can be the beginning of a long-term relationship with your organization. Or, as Humphrey Bogart so eloquently put it, a donation to support your cause can be 'the start of a beautiful friendship.'"

Why Are Nonprofits AWOL in Budget Fight? - Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Why Are Nonprofits AWOL in Budget Fight? - Opinion - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Nonprofits must recognize that they remain on the sidelines at their peril. If federal deficits continue to spiral out of control, nonprofits face a future of trying to do more and more with less and less, as a weakening economy exacerbates social ills and reduces both government aid and private giving.

Staying on the sidelines also gives the lie to lofty civil-society rhetoric about nonprofits’ role as the bedrock of the democratic process. Our democracy is in crisis. Surely the leaders of civil society have a duty to lead citizens in a conversation about fixing the problem."

Don Griesmann's Nonprofit Blog: The Best Web Sites To Find Grants

Don Griesmann's Nonprofit Blog: The Best Web Sites To Find Grants

New Debt Plan Calls for 'Reform' of Charitable Deduction - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

New Debt Plan Calls for 'Reform' of Charitable Deduction - Government & Politics Watch - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "New Debt Plan Calls for ‘Reform’ of Charitable Deduction

July 20, 2011, 10:56 am

By Suzanne Perry

A proposal to reduce the federal debt unveiled on Tuesday calls for changes to the charitable deduction as part of an overall strategy to overhaul the tax code.

An executive summary of the plan—drawn up by a bipartisan group of senators dubbed the “Gang of Six” and praised by President Obama—does not spell out what those changes might be. However, it says its overall strategy is “consistent” with recommendations that the president’s debt commission issued last year."

Can a Thank-You Letter Contain an Ask? | Michael Rosen Says…

Can a Thank-You Letter Contain an Ask? | Michael Rosen Says…: "A thank-you letter to a donor can certainly contain an ask for another gift along with a response envelope. However, should it?

NO!!!

This is not just my opinion. Penelope Burk, author of Donor-Centered Fundraising, also feels that a thank-you letter should be a demonstration of appreciation and not another solicitation."

Giving Graduates For Educational Institutions - TheNonProfitTimes

Giving Graduates For Educational Institutions - TheNonProfitTimes: "Fundraisers at educational institutions estimate that donations during the academic year that ended June 30, 2011, increased by 4.7 percent compared to the previous year, according to survey results released today by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in Washington, D.C. They also predicted further growth of 5.5 percent for the academic year that began July 1, 2011."

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Next Generation Leaders: What They Want and Need from the Workplace

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Next Generation Leaders: What They Want and Need from the Workplace: "Have you ever wondered what makes Millennials tick? So did we, so in the fall of 2011 we interviewed Millennials and their managers to learn more about this generation. Because many organizations struggle with how to best integrate Millennials into the workplace, we interviewed Millennials and their managers through face to face and telephone interviews. The people we interviewed came from a variety of organizations and industries, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small companies. The survey spanned different industries including the drug industry, engineering, biotechnology and financial services."

Nonprofits Fear Tax Limit On Charitable Deductions | The Jewish Week

Nonprofits Fear Tax Limit On Charitable Deductions | The Jewish Week: "In its ongoing efforts to raise the debt ceiling before the Aug. 2 deadline, the Obama administration has gone back to an idea it had already proposed twice before—that of limiting the tax deduction for charitable donations. The suggestion has alarmed several Jewish nonprofit groups and catalyzed them to lobby congressional leaders against adopting such a policy."

Small Jewish Communities Across the U.S. Are Fighting To Stay Afloat – Forward.com

Small Jewish Communities Across the U.S. Are Fighting To Stay Afloat – Forward.com: "When you look at philanthropy in America,” he said, “35% of all giving goes to religion — churches, synagogues and mosques. If you looked at the chart 10 years ago, 50% of all giving in America went to religion. Although the pie [of general giving dollars] has grown substantially, the percentage of the pie for religion is less, and the leadership of houses of worship — I’m not even going to pinpoint those of us in the Jewish community — have not kept pace with the trends, the more sophisticated financial management of other for-profit or nonprofit entities.

“We’re behind the times.”"

SOFII's Blog: Measuring your fundraising effectiveness

SOFII's Blog: Measuring your fundraising effectiveness: "Now the Association of Fundraising Professionals in the USA (AFP) have introduced growth in giving (GiG) reports, based on results from their fundraising effectiveness project (FEP). Just in case you’re not familiar with the fundraising effectiveness project, here’s the summary from AFP’s website"

House Bill Would Provide Permanent Extension for IRA Charitable Rollover | PNNOnline.org

House Bill Would Provide Permanent Extension for IRA Charitable Rollover | PNNOnline.org: "A new bill introduced in the U.S. House would permanently extend the Individual Retirement Account (IRA) charitable rollover and expand it to allow increased charitable giving, most notably through donor advised funds. It is a preferred approach for many donors, allowing them to create a fund through an organization, such as a community foundation, and to recommend how those funds should be used."

Charitable Advisors: (Is An) Exodus of Executive Directors Expected?

Charitable Advisors: (Is An) Exodus of Executive Directors Expected?: "Here is another take on the recently released Daring to Lead 2011 report of 3000 nonprofit executive directors from www.PhilathropyJournal.org. The findings would indicate that a significant number of nonprofit executives will be leaving their roles over the next five years due to frustrations with funding, boards, and lack of work/life balance."

Double Check A Nonprofit's Tax-Exempt Status - NY1.com

Double Check A Nonprofit's Tax-Exempt Status - NY1.com: "That has been made more complex because the IRS, acting on orders from Congress from a few years ago, now requires all charities to re-register. Those that failed to had their tax except status revoked, and 275,000 of them now have no rating.

Just as having a 501c3 is no guarantee of honesty, having it revoked does not make an organization dishonest."

The Business Case for Volunteering – Case #1 | HandsOn Blog

The Business Case for Volunteering – Case #1 | HandsOn Blog: "Employee Engagement: The direct connection to business success

The evidence supporting the importance of employee engagement is incontrovertible. Beyond the reports and analysis, even common sense will tell you that an engaged workforce is important to a company’s well-being and profitability."

Kickstart Your Supporters with 5 NEW Fundraising Contest Ideas | NetWitsThinkTank.com

Kickstart Your Supporters with 5 NEW Fundraising Contest Ideas | NetWitsThinkTank.com: "It’s a great time to start fundraising contests if you’re managing or helping run a fall fundraising event. In fact, I bet you’re already planning a few."

"Boston Cares Named “Innovation Hub” to Spur Volunteer Action::

massnonprofit.org ::: "Boston Cares Named “Innovation Hub” to Spur Volunteer Action

July 15, 2011 — Boston Cares, which annually mobilizes thousands of volunteers to work with hundreds of schools and nonprofits throughout Greater Boston, was recently named one of 10 national “Innovation Hubs,” which will enable to it to provide grant funding and build executive leadership."