Next experiment on Facebook: Distributing $5M for charities - NJ.com

Next experiment on Facebook: Distributing $5M for charities - NJ.com: "The most ambitious Facebook philanthropy effort to date, the program is being watched by nonprofit leaders and charity observers alike. The campaign -- part competition, part marketing effort -- refines a concept introduced by Target stores earlier this year, and expands a smaller effort by PayPal. Together, the programs represent a sea change in corporate giving strategies, said Allison Fine, a senior fellow at Demos, a New York City think tank."

Clinton Global Initiative Calls On Next Generation of Leaders | Social Citizens Blog

Clinton Global Initiative Calls On Next Generation of Leaders | Social Citizens Blog: "ou’ve probably heard of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), which was founded in 2005 by President Bill Clinton to bring together world leaders to take action on global challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together some of the biggest difference-makers in the world, and its members have made nearly 1,700 commitments valued at $57 billion, which have already improved more than 200 million lives in 150 countries. But do you also know about Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U)? CGI U was launched two years ago to engage the next generation of leaders on college"

NH nonprofits eager for boost in volunteers - NashuaTelegraph.com

NH nonprofits eager for boost in volunteers - NashuaTelegraph.com: "he law triples the size of the AmeriCorps service program over the next eight years, expands ways for students to earn money for college and establishes a fund to help nonprofit organizations recruit and manage more volunteers. That last piece is crucial, said Jackson, whose organization offers leadership and management seminars and other programs for nonprofit groups.

“Volunteerism is critical and essential, but it also deserves and requires effective management,” she said. “A lot of the services provided by nonprofits are complex and they require a variety of skills.”"

Two Very Different Groups, One Fund-Raising Event - Philanthropy.com

Two Very Different Groups, One Fund-Raising Event - Philanthropy.com: "Two Very Different Groups, One Fund-Raising Event

A desire for cross pollination and cost savings drove the decision by two New York charities to combine their year-end young professionals events into a joint fund raiser."

Professional Athletes and Their Philanthropy - Philanthropy.com

Professional Athletes and Their Philanthropy - Philanthropy.com: "Professional Athletes and Their Philanthropy

Are professional athletes “obligated” to give back?

The Nascar driver Jeff Gordon, football quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and other sports stars are debating this question on the blog of Athletes for Hope, a charity that helps athletes with their giving."

Nonprofits Review Space Options in Downturn

Nonprofits Review Space Options in Downturn: "NEW YORK CITY-In view of declines in donations and an uncertain outlook for the region’s economy in 2010, 45% of nonprofit respondents surveyed are reviewing their real estate strategies. 'The survey results show that nonprofits are seeking ways to maximize the efficiency of their real estate in a creative manner,' says Suzanne Sunshine, president of S. Sunshine & Associates, in a release. The brokerage firm specializes in nonprofits."

Glide Memorial: Annual Asian Lunch and Dinner to Feed Needy and Homeless for Holidays : Indybay

Glide Memorial: Annual Asian Lunch and Dinner to Feed Needy and Homeless for Holidays : Indybay: "The Asian Chefs Association (ACA), a collection of the Bay Area’s most renowned Asian chefs, will host the annual Chefs Without Borders Holiday Lunch and Dinner, a free Asian fusion holiday lunch and dinner to feed 2,500 poor and homeless clients of Glide Memorial Church on Monday, December 14. And, in a special Asian-fused celebration for the Reverend Cecil Williams 80th birthday earlier this year, the renowned Leung’s White Crane Lion and Dragon Dance School will perform a lively traditional Lion Dance featuring fighting lions."

Randolph College will use $2.68 million donation to fund scholarships | Lynchburg News Advance

Randolph College will use $2.68 million donation to fund scholarships | Lynchburg News Advance: "Mary Virginia Whiteside graduated from Randolph Macon Woman’s College more than 50 years before the school went coed and changed its name to Randolph College.

Though Whiteside, class of 1944, initially opposed the change, she left the bulk of her estate – about $2.68 million – to her alma mater when she died in 2007."

1150AM WDEL • WDEL.com • Dependable News, Delaware's Views

1150AM WDEL • WDEL.com • Dependable News, Delaware's Views: "Lietuenant Governor Matt Denn told the audience at the unveiling of the report, 'Philanthropy in the First State' that non-profits are effective partners of state government, often serving the most vulnerable citizens more efficiently and quickly than government agerncies can."

Some Phonathon Shortcuts Lead to Big Cuts in Productivity - Resource Center - AFP

Some Phonathon Shortcuts Lead to Big Cuts in Productivity - Resource Center - AFP: "Some Phonathon Shortcuts Lead to Big Cuts in Productivity

By Jason Fisher

Higher education phonathon veteran, Jason Fisher, senior operations manager and consultant at RuffaloCODY, offers his advice on ways to ensure your calling program is fresh, sharp and effective.

(Dec. 8, 2009) We're all guilty of taking shortcuts at times. We tell ourselves that finding a quicker way to get things done will make our jobs easier and our bosses happier. But before we stencil our name into the employee of the month trophy, consider that some time shavers in our industry have serious and often unforeseen consequences. What starts off as a good intention or a passing thought turns into a more serious issue down the road. We may not immediately notice a problem, but over a period of weeks, months and years, results can suffer."

Nonprofits build winning workplaces - Business - The Orange County Register

Nonprofits build winning workplaces - Business - The Orange County Register: "Imagine getting free tickets to some of the best artistic performances in Orange County. Or winning an ABCD award (Above and Beyond the Call of Duty). Or celebrating Independence Day with a picnic.

These perks might not match multi-million-dollar Wall Street bonuses, but they are like gold to employees at the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana, Coastline Regional Occupational Program in Costa Mesa and Elwyn California in Fountain Valley, all of which have made the Register's list of Top Workplaces in Orange County. They, like several others on the list, are nonprofit entities that have financial or legal restrictions on employee goodies and yet create enjoyable and rewarding workplaces."

The Phoenix - Loyola given historic museum as part of largest-ever donation to university

The Phoenix - Loyola given historic museum as part of largest-ever donation to university: "Loyola has recently been gifted the largest donation in the university's history, according to an announcement today on Loyola's Web site. The $50 million gift, donated by John Cuneo Jr., his wife, Herta and the Cuneo Foundation, includes the Cuneo Museum and Gardens in Vernon Hills, Illinois, nearly 100 surrounding acres of property and an extensive collection of art and furnishings."

Transparency & Community Engagement: Part 1 | Creating the Future!

Transparency & Community Engagement: Part 1 | Creating the Future!: "Transparency & Community Engagement: Part 2 »
Transparency & Community Engagement: Part 1
Published
by
Hildy
on November 30, 2009
in Community Engagement
.

The post that follows isn’t new. But because I will be writing about the concepts in this post this week, I thought I’d start by posting it again, as a sort of “refresher course.” Tomorrow, I’ll post about why I am thinking so much about the concept of Community Engagement. (Hint - it has to do with honest transparency and an authentic accountability that goes beyond balance sheets and HR policies…)"

Choosing a Charity - Old Rules Fall as Donors Insist on Results

Choosing a Charity - Old Rules Fall as Donors Insist on Results: "Most donors to good causes have moved beyond just writing a check to whatever charity catches their attention. Now donors are asking how they can really know that a charity does a good job."

Fund Raisers Strongly Object to Deduction Limit, Poll Finds - Philanthropy.com

Fund Raisers Strongly Object to Deduction Limit, Poll Finds - Philanthropy.com: "The poll, conducted by the American Association of Fundraising Professionals, surveyed 813 fund raisers who responded to questions posted on the association’s Web site over a five-week period ending November 30.

They appear to side with other charity leaders who say that, particularly when the bad economy has caused donations to many nonprofit groups to decline sharply, reducing the charitable deduction would only further dampen giving, just when charities need it most.

But while the majority of fund raisers in the poll opposed the proposal, 14 percent said they agreed with the plan. Another 18 percent said they were undecided and needed more information."

Giving for Good: Young professionals getting involved in philanthropy • Columnists (www.HometownAnnapolis.com - The Capital)

Giving for Good: Young professionals getting involved in philanthropy • Columnists (www.HometownAnnapolis.com - The Capital): "'I think it is important to educate ourselves and our peers on the issues in our community, learn more about philanthropy and get involved,' said Hall Chaney, project manager at Chaney Enterprises and a founding member of Next Gen of Anne Arundel County, a new giving circle comprised of young professionals hosted by the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. On Friday night, Next Gen hosted a kick-off event at The Grandview, located at the Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole. All of the advertising for the event took place on Facebook, and more than 70 people attended to learn more and join the giving circle."

So Where’s the Proof Social Entrepreneurship Works? | Philanthropy Central

So Where’s the Proof Social Entrepreneurship Works? | Philanthropy Central: "In fact, there’s a good deal of compelling evidence—beyond default references to Muhammad Yunus and microfinance—that social entrepreneurs are producing results at scale.

Notice my language here. I’ve intentionally coupled “results” and “scale” rather than using the ubiquitous “going to scale” phrase, which suggests, to me anyway, that scale is more about an organization’s size than its impact. For the Skoll Foundation, it’s all about impact. Of course, to the degree organizational capacity fuels impact or achieves economies in driving order-of-magnitude results, a beefier organization may be entirely justifiable. But let’s be clear that what we’re after is that social ROI."

House establishes permanent 'death tax' branch (OneNewsNow.com)

House establishes permanent 'death tax' branch (OneNewsNow.com): "The House passed a permanent extension of the 45 percent federal estate tax yesterday over the objections of Republicans who say the death tax needs to be completely abolished. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer hailed the death tax extension as permanent 'tax relief' for American families, saying it 'strikes a fair balance between what we owe to families, farmers, and small businesses.' He also billed it as 'an important step toward fiscal responsibility.'"

Majority of Charities Would be Hurt by Proposal to Decrease Donation Value :: PNNOnline ::

Majority of Charities Would be Hurt by Proposal to Decrease Donation Value :: PNNOnline ::: "More than half of charitable fundraisers surveyed indicated their organizations would be hurt by a White House proposal to decrease the value of the charitable deduction, according to an informal poll by the Association of Fundraising Professionals."

The World's Top 25 Philanthropists -- Barron's Ranking Based on Impact - Barrons.com

The World's Top 25 Philanthropists -- Barron's Ranking Based on Impact - Barrons.com: "THE NAME OF THE GAME IN PHILANTHROPY this year is to make your dollars go far -- very far. With the recession squeezing donors and charities alike, it's more important than ever to make sure your giving really makes a difference."

Low-Cost Event Benefits Both Charities and Consultants - Philanthropy.com

Low-Cost Event Benefits Both Charities and Consultants - Philanthropy.com: "Low-Cost Event Benefits Both Charities and Consultants

In New York City, pounded hard during the recession, local fund-raising consultants and charity officials came together this week for a mutually beneficial “speed consulting” event.

The benefit for charity officials: The chance to get 15 minutes of free advice from one or more consultants at the event."

Harvard Law Drops Free-Tuition Offer for Public-Service Pledges - Philanthropy.com

Harvard Law Drops Free-Tuition Offer for Public-Service Pledges - Philanthropy.com: "Harvard Law Drops Free-Tuition Offer for Public-Service Pledges

Harvard University’s law school is suspending its offer to waive tuition for students who promise to spend five years working for nonprofit groups or the government, citing economic pressures and the program’s surprising popularity, according to The New York Times."

Tough Choices for Givers - WSJ.com

Tough Choices for Givers - WSJ.com: "When you sit down to consider your charitable contributions this year, you may want to bring your heart along with your budget.

Many of us, facing pay cuts, job worries and uncertainty about what's ahead, may not feel able to give as much this year as we have in the past, forcing us to make difficult decisions beyond dollars and cents. A recent American Red Cross poll found that 20% of givers planned to reduce their contributions this year, though 62% were hoping to give about the same amount."

Five Charity-Evaluation Groups Mount Effort to Educate Americans About Smarter Giving - Philanthropy.com

Five Charity-Evaluation Groups Mount Effort to Educate Americans About Smarter Giving - Philanthropy.com: "harity Navigator, poking holes in the value of overhead ratio? Actually, yes.

The watchdog group, which gives charities good scores for spending little on overhead in comparison to their program expenses, is one of five organizations trying to get Americans to pay less attention to administrative and fund-raising costs when they think about which groups to support. (See this press release from the five groups.)"

The outlook for fundraising in 2010 | Mal Warwick's Newsletter

From Mal Warwicks Newsletter

The outlook for fundraising in 2010 | Mal Warwick's Newsletter: "The outlook for fundraising in 2010
by Peter Schoewe
From December 2009

It would be easy to write off 2009 as a terrible year for fundraising. Because of the economic crisis at the end of 2008, the past 12 months have been a time of uncertainty and challenges for many fundraising programs. But there have been bright spots—believe it or not—amid the wreckage of falling donor counts and dropping average gifts in the past year. Here are a couple:"

Ind. charities hope for more holiday donations -- chicagotribune.com

Ind. charities hope for more holiday donations -- chicagotribune.com: "INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana charities are hoping donations will pick up this holiday season to meet the skyrocketing demand for help during the slumping economy.

Charities in Indiana have reported increased requests for help with rent, utility costs, food and other services. Many people asking for help have never done so before, and cities with high unemployment rates, such as Elkhart, Kokomo and Marion, are seeking more aid."

Americans still have giving holiday spirit: poll | Lifestyle | Reuters

Americans still have giving holiday spirit: poll | Lifestyle | Reuters: "The poll commissioned by the American Red Cross showed that nearly 70 percent of people believe it is more important to donate this year because of the state of the economy.

'People are still giving,' said Roger Lowe of the American Red Cross, 'but they're giving less.'"

Area leaders talk about shared success and giving back | New England Business Bulletin

Area leaders talk about shared success and giving back | New England Business Bulletin: "Lanagan was one of the founders of the South Coast Business Alliance (SCBA), which has the goal of joining talented people from a diverse mix of industries, while raising money for youth-based organizations and the arts.

'It's very important to give back to the community in which you draw your business from and it's important to genuinely know what's going on in your city,' Lanagan said.

Among its efforts, SCBA members built a boxing gym at the Boys & Girls Club of New Bedford."

Roanoke’s Hope Fund partnership featured in O Magazine - Roanoke College - Salem, Virginia

Roanoke’s Hope Fund partnership featured in O Magazine - Roanoke College - Salem, Virginia: "Roanoke College provides four-year scholarships for Palestinian students

Yahia Abu Hashem came to Roanoke College from a different background than most students. A Palestinian student from the Gaza Strip, Hashem came to Roanoke in the fall of 2007 through a program called the Hope Fund, a program for young Palestinian refugees who excel academically but whose poverty makes it difficult for them to achieve higher education."

New Hospice chief maps vision | dailyworld.com | Daily World

New Hospice chief maps vision | dailyworld.com | Daily World: "Hospice of Acadiana is in its 26th year of service to southwest Louisiana, established as the only nonprofit hospice in the area and still one of the few nonprofit hospice facilities in the nation.

'This organization attracted me because it has an outstanding reputation in the community,' Trout said. 'We have over 400 volunteers, who are champions of the organization. For a community this size, that's a lot of people."