Giving hits record-high $358 billion « Philanthropy North Carolina

Giving hits record-high $358 billion « Philanthropy North Carolina: "Charitable giving in the U.S. grew to $358.38 billion in 2014, marking the fifth straight year of growth and exceeding its peak in 2007 before the economy collapsed, a new report says.

Individuals, corporations, foundations and bequests all gave more, says Giving USA 2015, a report from the Giving USA Foundation and researched and written by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University."



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GRATs Could Lose Allure if Interest Rates Move Higher - WSJ

GRATs Could Lose Allure if Interest Rates Move Higher - WSJ: "If the Federal Reserve boosts interest rates this year, as is widely expected, at least one popular estate-planning tool may lose a bit of luster: grantor retained annuity trusts.

In recent years, these vehicles, known as GRATs, have been used commonly by wealthy individuals and families seeking to pass down appreciating assets to heirs without taking a big gift-tax hit and to lower their overall estate-tax burden."



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Spring gala scene sets records for fundraising - In Other News - Crain's Chicago Business

Spring gala scene sets records for fundraising - In Other News - Crain's Chicago Business: "What's happening in Chicago is happening across the country, said Michael Nilsen, vice president of public affairs at the Arlington, Va.-based Association of Fundraising Professionals, which keeps track of such information.

“The economy is doing better and we're definitely seeing growth in giving. You're seeing more giving from wealthier and middle-class donors, and I think that speaks to the success of some of these high-scale black-tie fundraisers,” he said, pointing to the New York-based Robinhood Foundation, which raised a record-breaking $101 million."



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Ace your next fundraising job interview with these easy tips

Ace your next fundraising job interview with these easy tips

The AFP Blog: New Controversies, Same Issues

The AFP Blog: New Controversies, Same Issues: Every time there is a significant charitable controversy or issue, like clockwork, along come the columns and thought pieces on what the cha...

New Carnival cruise brand devotes ship to volunteer trips - US News

Another approach to  Voluntourism



New Carnival cruise brand devotes ship to volunteer trips - US News: "Carnival Corp. announced a new concept in cruising Thursday: service trips where passengers sail to a destination in order to volunteer there."



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The Celebrity Factor in Fundraising - Non-Profit PRO

The Celebrity Factor in Fundraising - Non-Profit PRO: "Based on my experience, I have three key takeaways that are important to focus on when choosing celebrities to help raise awareness for a cause:"



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Harvard Draws Megagifts With Move Into Naming Rights - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Harvard Draws Megagifts With Move Into Naming Rights - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "Harvard University, long an exception to the higher-education trend of big donors' names adorning academic departments, is attracting unprecedented donations after reversing course, writes Boston.com."



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High Net-Worth Donors Want To ‘Giving Back’ - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

High Net-Worth Donors Want To ‘Giving Back’ - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "More than half of high net-worth (HNW) individuals consider “giving back to society” essential to a life well lived, and another one-third describe it as “important,” for a combined 86 percent.

The 2015 U.S. Trust Insights on Wealth and Worth Survey is the fifth annual study focused on high net-worth and ultra high net-worth adults. It surveyed 640 adults with investable assets of at least $3 million, not including the value of their primary residence."



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Former Trader Joe’s Exec Opens Super Cheap Nonprofit Supermarket | Money.com

Former Trader Joe’s Exec Opens Super Cheap Nonprofit Supermarket | Money.com: "On Thursday, June 4, a new not-for-profit grocery store called the Daily Table opened in Dorchester, Mass. The new store is notable for two main reasons: 1) It’s the baby of Doug Rauch, the former president of Trader Joe’s, which was recently named among America’s favorite supermarkets; and 2) The prices of many items are incredibly affordable."



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Essay urges people to applaud Harvard's fund-raising success | InsideHigherEd

Essay urges people to applaud Harvard's fund-raising success | InsideHigherEd: "That success should be celebrated alongside the fund-raising successes of many institutions across the country. But I’ve read critiques that state Paulson should have given his gift elsewhere -- somewhere more “worthy” or more “needy.” But the reality is that donors support the causes for which they are passionate. And in that way, all gifts are worthy."



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12 pieces of advice for folks graduating and entering the nonprofit sector / Nonprofit With Balls

12 pieces of advice for folks graduating and entering the nonprofit sector / Nonprofit With Balls: "12+ Pieces of Advice for Professionals Entering the Nonprofit Sector

Get several mentors. Mentors are totally awesome. But some people freak out under the pressure of being called a mentor. So what you do is find someone you admire, take them out for coffee, ask for their advice, then say, “I really appreciate your advice. Would you mind if we meet up once a while so I could pick your brain from time to time?” Bam! They’re a mentor, and they might not even know it. Suckas.(Note: Do not call your mentors suckas.)"



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Crowdfunding Website Charidy Has Unique Formula for Giving-Day Success - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Crowdfunding Website Charidy Has Unique Formula for Giving-Day Success - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "A new model of crowdfunding and giving days is gaining traction among Orthodox Jewish nonprofits in the U.S. and abroad. Charidy, an online platform created in 2013, combines the heft of major donors, the pressures of time, and an all-or-nothing funding contingency."



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The Wall Street Takeover of Nonprofit Boards | Stanford Social Innovation Review

The Wall Street Takeover of Nonprofit Boards | Stanford Social Innovation Review: "Over the past twenty-five years the composition of the boards at some of America’s most important nonprofit organizations has dramatically changed. Without much notice, a legion of Wall Street executives (investment bankers, hedge fund managers, and others) has taken a growing number of seats in nonprofit boardrooms. Not o"



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Will major donors pay overhead to leverage engagement and giving from new donors? - CFRE International

Will major donors pay overhead to leverage engagement and giving from new donors? - CFRE International: "A study published last fall in Science (view abstract) reports that more first-time donors gave and gave higher amounts when an appeal stated that overhead costs had been met by a prior donor. The total project costs were $20,000, and all comparison groups in the study had $10,000 commitments in hand. The letters that stated the $10,000 commitment was for overhead raised the most. The research is part of the Science of Philanthropy Initiative, based at the University of Chicago."



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Malcolm Gladwell goes nuts on John Paulson's Harvard donation - Business Insider

Malcolm Gladwell goes nuts on John Paulson's Harvard donation - Business Insider: "In case you missed it, a Wall Street billionaire donated $400 million to Harvard on Wednesday. That donation, by hedge fund manager John Paulson, was Harvard's largest gift of all time and added to Harvard's already mammoth $36.4 billion endowment. "



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Who Will Watch the Charities? - NYTimes.com

Who Will Watch the Charities? - NYTimes.com: "LAST week federal authorities disclosed that four cancer charities had bilked tens of millions of dollars from donors. Questions continue to surface about the lack of transparency at the Clinton Foundation. Philanthropy, we’re learning, is a world with too much secrecy and too little oversight. Despite its increasing role in American society, from education to the arts to the media, perhaps no sector is less accountable to outsiders."



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Nuzzel - Yogurt Mogul Is Latest Billionaire to Make Giving Pledge

Nuzzel - Yogurt Mogul Is Latest Billionaire to Make Giving Pledge:



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Polarity Thinking: Critical Guidance for Family Trusts - Part 1 of 5 | Planned Giving Design Center

Polarity Thinking: Critical Guidance for Family Trusts - Part 1 of 5 | Planned Giving Design Center: "This five-part article introduces the reader to Polarity Thinking in the trustscape, including consideration of trusts’ core polarity: Honoring the wishes of the trust creator while simultaneously empowering the beneficiary."



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How Charity Fraud Hurts the Sector - Third Sector Today

How Charity Fraud Hurts the Sector - Third Sector Today: "I’ve talked before about how much it pains me to find out charities are doing not-so-good work. Those organizations that take in money but only donate a small percentage to their actual cause make us as donors really think (or at least they should)."



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United Way of the Greater Triangle redefining its purpose (Guest Blog Post) | United Way of the Greater Triangle

Interesting blog post from United Way of Greater Triangle

United Way of the Greater Triangle redefining its purpose (Guest Blog Post) | United Way of the Greater Triangle: "The Triangle region has been recognized with many accolades for being business friendly, having a great quality of life and a vibrant culture. However, behind these accolades, the very real pervasiveness of poverty is hidden in the Greater Triangle. Recognizing this, the United Way of the Greater Triangle (UWGT) is redefining its purpose and planning to strategically meet the needs of those in our communities who struggle to meet life’s most basic needs. Over the last few years, the United Way of the Greater Triangle has been working with its partners and other community service organizations to create unprecedented collaborative efforts between these organizations."



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Checkout-Fundraising Campaigns Raised $388 Million in 2014 - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Checkout-Fundraising Campaigns Raised $388 Million in 2014 - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "Title: 2015 America’s Checkout Champions

Organization: Cause Marketing Forum

Summary: The annual report found that 77 charity checkout campaigns at the nation’s top retailers and restaurants raised more than $388 million in 2014."



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Arrested Development; why has support fallen for the international aid sector? | nfpSynergy

Arrested Development; why has support fallen for the international aid sector? | nfpSynergy: "As well as running research on individual charities or issues, nfpSynergy keeps a close eye on developments in the charity sector as a whole. Our latest findings show that overseas aid and development has seen a decline in popular support in recent years, and I have been considering why that might be the case. As an area of work, overseas aid is subject to some unique pressures and challenges, so have these contributed to a fall in support for the organisations involved?"



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Why Red Nose Day Was No Ice Bucket Challenge : FundRaising Success

Why Red Nose Day Was No Ice Bucket Challenge : FundRaising Success: ""The telethon has been replaced by the individualized community experience," said Matt Waghorn, director of communications planning at Huge.
After much publicity rollout, the Red Nose Day fundraiser was a three-hour event on NBC that aimed to raise money for several poverty-focused charities through singing, dancing and pre-recorded comedic skits. The event is the first U.S. installment of a nearly 30-year-old British tradition..."



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Giving Is Hard: Organizations Make Is Harder - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

Giving Is Hard: Organizations Make Is Harder - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "After a year-end marathon week of donating to dozens of my favorite charities online this past December, I concluded some nonprofits make it exceedingly difficult for me to give them my money.

Every year I vow to spread my donations over 12 months so I don’t go crazy as the end of the tax year approaches. But most years I only get a few donations made before Christmas, setting me up for an annual sprint before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

"



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Which Companies Match Gifts Most?

Which Companies Match Gifts Most?: "According to Double the Donation, a firm that advises nonprofits and companies regarding matching gifts programs, about 65 percent of Fortune 500 companies (and many others) match employee donations. But some companies are far more active at contributing matching gifts than most, and that’s because their employee participation rates in matching programs are higher."



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After Debate, Montana Regents OK Naming Law School for Donor - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

After Debate, Montana Regents OK Naming Law School for Donor - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "The Montana Board of Regents voted Friday to rename the University of Montana law school in recognition of a $10-million gift, turning back one member's protest over a lack of public participation in the naming-rights process, the Missoulian reports. The gift will be used in part to create a program in consumer law and protection at what is now the Alexander Blewett III School of Law."



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A Practical (and Possibly Provocative) Approach to Leadership Transitions - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

A Practical (and Possibly Provocative) Approach to Leadership Transitions - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: "Leadership transitions in the nonprofit sector occur regularly*. For small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations, the average term for an executive director or CEO is about six years. With sufficient time and preparation, these transitions can be positive events that make an organization"



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Where’s A Tuba When You Really Need One? - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

Where’s A Tuba When You Really Need One? - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "kay, maybe symphony orchestra directors don’t talk like scheming street vendors. They have the same problem a lot of organizations do — fixed costs.  When Wagner wrote his symphonies he was thinking about the soaring beauty of violins and the mellow tone of a cello, not how he could cut corners. A symphonic orchestra with 123 musicians creates a substantial payroll. And, cutting it to 50 makes it a chamber orchestra. How do you cope?

If all other costs besides fixed costs are in line there is only one answer — boost revenue. "



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4 financial issues that inform strategy - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

4 financial issues that inform strategy - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "4 financial issues that inform strategy
by The NonProfit Times - May 21, 2015
The bottom line is money. Finance has to be at the top of the agenda when developing organizational strategies.

During a session called “Elevating the Financial Voice in Strategy Development,” during an American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) conference in Washington, D.C., four key factors were discussed."



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