Survey Shows Donor Retention Still Undervalued by Nonprofits

Survey Shows Donor Retention Still Undervalued by Nonprofits: It was a disappointment to read in Kivi Leroux Miller's 2014 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report that donor retention is still not highly valued by many people working at nonprofits.

The Report states:

"Donor retention continues to be a hot topic . . . But are nonprofits doing more than talking about it? In our 2013 report, acquisition beat retention as a goal by nearly 2 to 1. In 2014, the number of nonprofits selecting retention as a top three goal held steady at 30%, while acquisition as a top three goal fell from 57% to 53%."

It’s Legal. You’re Honest. But Are You Ethical?: Associations Now

It’s Legal. You’re Honest. But Are You Ethical?: Associations Now: Abiding by the law and being honest are two core principles of ethical conduct. But being a truly ethical professional demands more.

Streamline Now! Figuring Out Feedback | Project Streamline Blog

Streamline Now! Figuring Out Feedback | Project Streamline Blog: By this time, there can be no doubt that Project Streamline advocates seeking feedback from your grantees and grantseekers. Believe it or not, this blog post will contain no rants on this topic (if you crave some rants, you’ll find them in the following posts: Go on, ask! , Better than a Bad Lunch, Feedback Matters – Part 1, and Feedback Matters – Part 2).

In fact, Dr. Streamline wants to give you the gift of a sample grantee feedback survey!

The Right Annual Report for Your Audience- Part Two | Third Sector Today

The Right Annual Report for Your Audience- Part Two | Third Sector Today: he Right Annual Report for Your Audience – Part Two

So, you know you need an annual report, right? Now that you have read Part One of our post about planning your nonprofit report asked a half a dozen questions helpful for determining the “whys” of your project. Now explore some options on how to execute this project in a way that suits both your purpose and resources. Match the type of project to your needs.

Atlas of Giving Estimates U.S. Charity Jumped 13% in 2013 – Philanthropy Today - Blogs - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Atlas of Giving Estimates U.S. Charity Jumped 13% in 2013 – Philanthropy Today - Blogs - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: Preliminary numbers from philanthropy tracker Atlas of Giving indicate Americans gave away $416.5-billion last year, a 12.9-percent increase from 2012, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Richmond’s Landmark Theater: A surprise in the making - Richmond Times-Dispatch: Economic News

Richmond’s Landmark Theater: A surprise in the making - Richmond Times-Dispatch: Economic News: Richmond’s renowned Landmark Theater is closing in on the completion of a $60 million, top-to-bottom renovation.

Though the grand performing arts center is being used for productions — the hit musical “Jersey Boys” is playing now — the shows are being scheduled around the work.

Proposed DIA deal an important step for Detroit's future | The Detroit News

Proposed DIA deal an important step for Detroit's future | The Detroit News: As philanthropies with deep ties to the region, we share that commitment for Detroit’s future. That is why we have come together as part of a plan proposed by Chief Judge Gerald Rosen and his bankruptcy mediation team, to help Detroit honor its commitment to retirees and protect the remarkable DIA collection in perpetuity. We view this proposal as a productive step towards revitalizing Detroit, and a valuable contribution to a balanced overall settlement of the bankruptcy case.

Content Marketing Can be King For Donors | The NonProfit Times

Content Marketing Can be King For Donors | The NonProfit Times: More than nine out of 10 nonprofit marketers, or 92 percent, use content marketing, but only 26 percent consider themselves effective at it. One-quarter has a documented content strategy. Those are some of the results of a survey released by the Content Marketing Institute of Cleveland, Ohio, and Charleston, S.C. tech firm Blackbaud.

Ford puts philanthropy on display at Detroit auto show | United Way for Southeastern Michigan | Live United

Ford puts philanthropy on display at Detroit auto show | United Way for Southeastern Michigan | Live United: estled among ambulances and other vehicles Ford provides to help enable public service is a Transit Connect painted with the Gleaners Community Food Bank for Southeastern Michigan logo.

It is one of 13 Transit Connects that Ford and its dealers have donated since 2009 for use by local nonprofits and one of 34 it has deployed to bolster nonprofit efforts nationally.

Napa Valley CanDo thanks those involved with Give!Guide

Napa Valley CanDo thanks those involved with Give!Guide: How do you thank an entire community? We are the CanDo volunteers who created the Napa Valley Give!Guide, and we’re writing to thank our generous communities for their support in helping the 2013 Give!Guide raise $95,649.64 in November and December.

With a vision, a catalog and an online presence, we were able to bring attention to 40 very worthy local nonprofit organizations that work hard each and every day to better the lives of those who call the Napa Valley home.

Foundations Aim to Save Pensions in Detroit Crisis - NYTimes.com

Foundations Aim to Save Pensions in Detroit Crisis - NYTimes.com: National and local philanthropic foundations have committed $330 million toward a deal to avoid cuts to Detroit retirees’ pensions and to save the Detroit Institute of Arts’ renowned collection, federal mediators involved in the city’s bankruptcy proceedings announced on Monday

State Registration Requirements For Nonprofit Fundraising - Corporate/Commercial Law - United States

State Registration Requirements For Nonprofit Fundraising - Corporate/Commercial Law - United States: The following discussion is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as legal advice. For advice on how state fundraising registration requirements apply to your organization, consult your attorney.

Question: Fundraising in all 50 states via (1) the Internet and (2) mailed solicitations. What do we need to know? Do we need solicitation permits in each state? What are the current laws regarding this type of fundraising?

How to Pick the Best Crowdfunding Platform

How to Pick the Best Crowdfunding Platform: Variations of this phenomenon are flooding the internet, with new platforms being created and launched every day. As crowdfunding platforms become more prevalent, more niches are being defined. Whether you are a tech-savvy entrepreneur or a food connoisseur, there is a perfect crowdfunding website to gather support and fuel your new business.

Below are six online crowdfunding platforms, each targeting different users in specific industries.

Nonprofit Raised $41k on Twitter | Social Media Today

Nonprofit Raised $41k on Twitter | Social Media Today: Knowing a lot of snow was on the way, he took to Twitter and sent out a simple challenge:

I'm donating $100 per inch of snow tomorrow (airport measure) to @WheelerMission. Who will join me? Any $$ per inch would be great.
— Peter Dunn (@PeteThePlanner) January 4, 2014

Within minutes, the tweet went viral and the pledges started pouring in from businesses and individuals:

The Challenges of Crowdfunding for a Research Community - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

The Challenges of Crowdfunding for a Research Community - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

7 Top Crowdfunding Sites for Nonprofits and Higher-Ed Institutions

7 Top Crowdfunding Sites for Nonprofits and Higher-Ed Institutions: There are several hundred crowdfunding platforms currently available to choose from with a variety of different features, focus, and pricing. If you’re looking to get started with crowdfunding for your fall event season, end of year giving, or year round campaigns, we’ve broken down 7 crowdfunding sites for your nonprofit or higher-ed institution that you can consider.

PPP Blog: The Perpetual Campaign

From the PPP Blog

PPP Blog: The Perpetual Campaign: The Perpetual Campaign
We’ve been talking to PPP members around the country about how their organizations treat planned gifts during capital campaigns. One gift planner working for a university in the final year of a five-year, $1 billion campaign said he expects to transition immediately into the silent phase of the next campaign. It’s a high energy, high stress, production-oriented atmosphere for everyone in the development operation, and especially for gift planners, whose “production” doesn’t easily fit in a time-limited box. Is the perpetual campaign good or bad for planned giving?

Low morale of federal employees is putting a crimp in charitable giving - The Washington Post

Low morale of federal employees is putting a crimp in charitable giving - The Washington Post: When federal employees are mired in the muck of low morale, the effect can be found in more places than office cubicles.

The impact of that and their thinner wallets hurts their charitable giving.

Fairfield County GIVING Day Aids Local Nonprofits

Fairfield County GIVING Day Aids Local Nonprofits: "Our local nonprofits provide critical services in our community, and Fairfield County Giving Day is a great way to showcase their important work and help them raise funds that will allow them to do more," said Juanita T. James, president & CEO, Fairfield County Community Foundation. "Whether you support a food bank in Fairfield, a land trust in Redding or an after school program in Greenwich, you'll know that your gift is helping a local nonprofit. Your $10 gift could help that organization secure a much larger grant."

Friday Is the New Tuesday, and Other Observations on the “New Normal” in the Nonprofit Arts Sector - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Friday Is the New Tuesday, and Other Observations on the “New Normal” in the Nonprofit Arts Sector - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: Friday Is the New Tuesday, and Other Observations on the “New Normal” in the Nonprofit Arts Sector

McCormick Museum Does Nice Thing for Charities So They Can Do Nice Things for All - Giving - Elmhurst, IL Patch

McCormick Museum Does Nice Thing for Charities So They Can Do Nice Things for All - Giving - Elmhurst, IL Patch: Of the seven Christmas trees displayed at Wheaton's Robert R. McCormick Museum, the one decorated by SaveAVet.org received the most votes from the public. All the charitable organizations entered in the contest will get a $2,500 grant, and Save-A-Vet will get an additional $2,500 from the McCormick Foundation for winning the popular vote.

Nonprofits brace for financial squeeze from municipalities

Nonprofits brace for financial squeeze from municipalities: he financial squeeze being felt by nonprofits on the eastern seaboard is being closely monitored by nonprofit executives in Michigan.

That’s because if a tax reform movement taking hold on the East Coast eventually moves to Michigan, it could put the state’s nonprofits in a precarious position, said Donna Murray-Brown, president and CEO of the Michigan Nonprofit Association.

Bradenton Kiwanis surpass $6M in giving with latest bequests | Local News | Bradenton Herald

Bradenton Kiwanis surpass $6M in giving with latest bequests | Local News | Bradenton Herald: The Bradenton Kiwanis expanded upon their 92-year history of charitable contributions Tuesday.

The Bradenton Kiwanis Club has invested more than $6 million in charitable giving in just the past 17 years.

Entrepreneurial venture helps nonprofit thrive | Business | NewsObserver.com

Entrepreneurial venture helps nonprofit thrive | Business | NewsObserver.com: She called the nonprofit the Above and Beyond Learning Center and operated out of an empty building behind a Charlotte church.

Fourteen years later, Blackmon, 52, oversees a program that has grown exponentially. Above and Beyond now has four sites, 54 employees and hundreds of children who spend their after-school time in a nurturing environment where school work is made fun, attendance is rewarded with field trips, and activities such as cooking, chess and choir are championed.

But what's earning her program state-level attention and praise is the organization's latest development: a for-profit arm.

Stop Trying To Offer Conference Content To Everyone

Stop Trying To Offer Conference Content To Everyone: As a conference organizer, you want everyone to become a registrant, right?

Male, female, young, old and everyone in between.

So you try to attract as many people as possible with your programming. And you try to reach as many people as possible with your marketing. You are willing to take money from anyone willing to give it to you.

What the Super-Rich Are Spending Their Fortunes On Now | TIME.com

What the Super-Rich Are Spending Their Fortunes On Now | TIME.com: The super rich are feeling more generous, according to new research on charitable giving. That’s good news for nonprofits. But it’s yet another sign that the divide between the wealthy and everyone else grows larger by the day.

Key Issue for One Fund Boston: How to Distribute New Funds

massnonprofit.org ::: One Fund Boston, a nonprofit fundraising entity created the day after last April’s Boston Marathon bombing, has collected $12 million since initially distributing $61 million to victims last June, prompting the organization to figure out how to parcel out the additional funds most equitably.

One Fund Boston aims to disperse the new funds to “those most affected,” Mike Sheehan, the fund’s treasurer was quoted in a story in The Boston Globe. “But the definition of that, with more education, might change a bit.”

He said a new process will be developed to determine how to distribute the new funds, with some funds potentially being held in reserve to help victims with future costs they incur relating to their injuries, the paper reported.

Mass. Nonprofits Are Getting Better at Measuring Outcomes

massnonprofit.org ::: January 7, 2014 — Massachusetts nonprofits of all sizes recognize the importance of measuring outcomes in attracting and retaining financial support and are getting better at what can be a complex task, but many, especially smaller organizations, are grappling with how to do it, according to a number of community-based funders.

Collaborating and Connecting at the People of Color Network Gathering

Collaborating and Connecting at the People of Color Network Gathering: The People of Color Network (PCN) came together for a gathering in Cambridge Massachusetts and, as a member of EPIP Philadelphia, I saw this as an opportunity to connect with more of my peers working in the foundation community. It was an uplifting and inspiring couple of days, and I walked away from the event with one thing on my mind: the science of connection.

L.A. Contemporary-Art Museum Hits $100-Million Endowment Goal – Philanthropy Today - Blogs - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

L.A. Contemporary-Art Museum Hits $100-Million Endowment Goal – Philanthropy Today - Blogs - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: L.A. Contemporary-Art Museum Hits $100-Million Endowment Goal

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles said it has reached a $100-million fundraising target to quadruple its endowment and secure its long-term survival as an independent institution, the Associated Press and The New York Times report.