Are We There Yet? A Conversation on Performance Measures in the Third Sector | Nonprofit Quarterly

Are We There Yet? A Conversation on Performance Measures in the Third Sector | Nonprofit Quarterly:



'via Blog this'

New Online Site to Function as a ‘Yelp’ for Grant Makers - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

New Online Site to Function as a ‘Yelp’ for Grant Makers - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "People review charities on GreatNonprofits, restaurants on Yelp, companies on Glassdoor, hotels on TripAdvisor, home-repair companies on Angie’s List — and just about every other entity somewhere. Foundations have so far mostly escaped such public scrutiny, but now their time has come.

Meet GrantAdvisors.org, an embryonic online review site that asks grant seekers, grantees, foundation employees, and others to describe their experiences working with foundations: Were their guidelines helpful, their staff members receptive, their reporting requirements reasonable? And, in the end, would you recommend working with them?"



'via Blog this'

10 Great Charitable Deductions For The 2015 Holiday Season -- The Motley Fool

Interesting list via the Motley Fool

10 Great Charitable Deductions For The 2015 Holiday Season -- The Motley Fool: "We at the Fool are big supporters of charitable giving, as you can see from our annual Foolanthropy campaign (check out this year's details here). In addition to the Fistula Foundation, our 2015 Foolanthropy partner, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other charities that support wonderful causes."



'via Blog this'

The Ice Bucket Challenge Was Not Peer-to-Peer Fundraising - NonProfit PRO

The Ice Bucket Challenge Was Not Peer-to-Peer Fundraising - NonProfit PRO: "The beloved (Otis Fulton, my husband and Turnkey’s psychologist) leapt from his chair with a shocked expression on his face and social science book-of-the-day in hand. He said, “The Ice Bucket Challenge was not peer-to-peer fundraising!”
Like a cow, I chewed the bland cud of my oatmeal and blankly stared back at him.
“Don’t you see?” he said. “Peer-to-peer is a closed loop. The Ice Bucket Challenge was an open loop.”"



'via Blog this'

Harrison’s Fund hoping for a bah humbug Christmas » Charity Digital News

Harrison’s Fund hoping for a bah humbug Christmas » Charity Digital News: "So next time you’re nursing a hangover after the office party, or you’re up to your eyeballs in wrapping paper and getting annoyed, spare a thought for Harrison and the boys like him, have a good old moan, then pop a pound (or two) into the Bah Humbug Box. You can get your grumpy friends and cranky colleagues involved too.”"



'via Blog this'

Reporting Net Assets In Correct Columns - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

Reporting Net Assets In Correct Columns - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "Financial statements of nonprofits display net assets (equity) in three classes: unrestricted, temporarily restricted and permanently restricted. These categories are based on the existence or absence of donor-imposed restrictions and are defined in the accounting standards under FASB ASC 958-210-20."



'via Blog this'

#GivingTuesday Headed Toward $70 Million - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

#GivingTuesday Headed Toward $70 Million - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times:



'via Blog this'

Case statement helps organizational efficiency - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

Case statement helps organizational efficiency - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "Nonprofit managers and fundraisers are aware of the need for a good case statement to rally support of one kind or another. What many of them overlook is the benefit case statements can have beyond fundraising."



'via Blog this'

Amid the Buying, a Tuesday Devoted to Giving - The New York Times

Amid the Buying, a Tuesday Devoted to Giving - The New York Times: "“Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world,” wrote the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer. That field has been pretty narrow lately, with so much of the news focused on murderous violence — from Paris to Colorado Springs. So let’s take note: today is #GivingTuesday, the fourth anniversary of a day that offers a glimpse of the world beyond the pathological extremes: a view of the commonplace generosity and social concerns of millions of people."



'via Blog this'

Nonprofits, Aiming for Relevance, Try On New Names - The New York Times

Nonprofits, Aiming for Relevance, Try On New Names - The New York Times: "ive-On NY is among dozens of nonprofit groups in the city and surrounding area that are shedding longstanding — and sometimes long-winded — names and embarking on efforts to rebrand themselves."



'via Blog this'

This Giving Season, Make Sure You Stand Out - PhilanTopic | PND | Foundation Center

This Giving Season, Make Sure You Stand Out - PhilanTopic | PND | Foundation Center: "Whenever someone offers marketing advice like this, my first impulse is to ask: "Do you have a study you can point me to that offers evidence in support of that claim?" As you might imagine, the conversation usually turns pretty quickly to other subjects.

So what does it really take for your organization's brand to resonate and be remembered by donors at this time of year?

Here are five things that will help:"



'via Blog this'

Does #GivingTuesday Really Work Or Is It Just Hype? : Goats and Soda : NPR

Does #GivingTuesday Really Work Or Is It Just Hype? : Goats and Soda : NPR: "#GivingTuesday was born four years ago to encourage people to open their wallets for a good cause. Not everyone is a fan. Some critics think #GivingTuesday clutters people's inboxes with empty fundraising appeals that provide no compelling reason to give. And they ask why the day is in December, a time when most charities see a bump in donations anyway as folks remember how nice it is to be generous (and to get a tax deduction for the current year).

On the other hand, it's hard to argue with the results. Last year alone, #GivingTuesday pulled in a whopping $46 million in charitable donations – a 63 percent increase from 2013."



'via Blog this'

Giving Tuesday: Your Opinions, Please | Nonprofit Quarterly

Giving Tuesday: Your Opinions, Please | Nonprofit Quarterly: "At NPQ, we feel that we often are consciously waiting out heavily promoted or evangelized fads. Is this nonprofit/philanthropic sector more rife with them than others? Probably not, but over time we have noted that although some advances are real, leading to new practice, some new ideas just cycle through, eventually losing steam because their results have not lived up to their loudly heralded promises. In the worst cases, inadequate or even regressive concepts stick around for years—well marketed but underperforming—because no one wants to challenge them."



'via Blog this'

Grassroots giving goes mainstream: Popular giving circles are sweeping across the country

Grassroots giving goes mainstream: Popular giving circles are sweeping across the country: "There’s a new form of grassroots giving that is taking Canada’s charitable sector by storm.

Here’s how it works: Gather 100 people four times a year, with every person committing $100 per meeting. Each meeting lasts no longer than one hour, during which time members listen to pitches from three local charities, then vote on which charity will get the pot of pooled money. Charities issue tax receipts to donors and repo"



'via Blog this'

Why communities of color are getting frustrated with Collective Impact / Nonprofit With Balls

Why communities of color are getting frustrated with Collective Impact / Nonprofit With Balls: "Talking to other nonprofit leaders, I’ve started noticing some patterns. There is definitely a sense of frustration of how CI has been manifesting in Seattle, and among leaders of color, that sense of frustration is even more palpable. We need to have an open discussion about how Collective Impact has been affecting diverse communities, and work toward some concrete actions that would make it more effective."



'via Blog this'

#GivingTuesday Set To Usher-in Holidays - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times

#GivingTuesday Set To Usher-in Holidays - The NonProfit TimesThe NonProfit Times: "The fourth iteration of #GivingTuesday kicks off at midnight Tuesday, with thousands of nonprofits preparing to officially kick off their busiest time of the year with visions of donors dancing in their heads."



'via Blog this'

Mental-Health Groups Miss Opportunities to Build Support - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Mental-Health Groups Miss Opportunities to Build Support - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: "In the aftermath of tragic events perpetrated by people who are mentally ill, such as mass shootings, 88 percent of charities focused on mental-health issues did not alter their fundraising efforts, according to a new study.

And 72 percent of such nonprofits, the survey reported, saw no change in the amount of money they raised after such events.

This failure to plea more aggressively for support at a time when their cause is on the minds of the public represents a missed opportunity, says Benjamin Waxman, executive director of the Mental Health and Addiction Network, known as MHANe."



'via Blog this'

Museums Test New Ways to Captivate Patrons—With and Without Technology | Nonprofit Quarterly

Museums Test New Ways to Captivate Patrons—With and Without Technology | Nonprofit Quarterly:



'via Blog this'

7 Canadians Who Know What Fundraising Is All Aboot | changefundraising

7 Canadians Who Know What Fundraising Is All Aboot | changefundraising:



'via Blog this'

The importance of screening volunteers / L’importance du filtrage des bénévoles | Volunteer Canada

The importance of screening volunteers / L’importance du filtrage des bénévoles | Volunteer Canada: "Organizations have moral, legal and ethical responsibilities to the people they reach.

This includes members, clients, employees and volunteers. Screening is especially important for organizations that work with vulnerable people. Vulnerable people may include children, people with disabilities and senior adults.

The benefits of screening are:

People’s skills and experience are better matched to the needs and opportunities of organizations
The quality and safety of volunteer programs in communities are improved
The risks and liability for people and organizations are reduced"



'via Blog this'

New IRS Gift Substantiation Guidelines Opposed by National Council of Nonprofits | Nonprofit Quarterly

New IRS Gift Substantiation Guidelines Opposed by National Council of Nonprofits | Nonprofit Quarterly: "A new voluntary gift substantiation regime proposed by the IRS is being opposed by the National Council of Nonprofits as well as a number of individual state associations of nonprofits.

The system would provide an alternative to the “contemporaneous written acknowledgements” now in use by providing 501(c)(3) nonprofits with the option to report gifts over $250 to the IRS by the donor’s social security number. Though it is not intended to be mandatory, it is seen as being confusing, unnecessary, and potentially injurious to giving. NCN’s statement reads:"



'via Blog this'

Stakeholders Squabble over Future of San Francisco Arts Center | Nonprofit Quarterly

Stakeholders Squabble over Future of San Francisco Arts Center | Nonprofit Quarterly: "Behind closed doors, many nonprofit arts organizations struggle these days to make payroll and to find new ways to fulfill their missions and serve their communities. But when the stakeholders of an arts group start pointing fingers and questioning leadership decisions—publicly—it’s hard to keep those doors closed. In San Francisco, a call last week for the dismissal of the executive director of the African American Art and Culture Complex has created a firestorm, adding a public relations challenge to already-existing tensions around mission and finances."



'via Blog this'

3 Tips To Control Your Nonprofit’s Google Search Results

3 Tips To Control Your Nonprofit’s Google Search Results: "3 Tips To Control Your Nonprofit’s Google Search Results"



'via Blog this'

Stop Ignoring This Amazing Source of Contributions | Michael Rosen Says...

Stop Ignoring This Amazing Source of Contributions | Michael Rosen Says...: "Stop Ignoring This Amazing Source of Contributions
There is a funding source that donated $12.5 billion to charities last year. Sadly, most nonprofit organizations ignore this massive opportunity for support with only 23 percent saying they are “very familiar” with how this funding source works, according to a report from Vanguard Charitable.

I’m speaking of Donor Advised Funds."



'via Blog this'

Top of the Phoenix Lists: Corporate Volunteer Programs - Phoenix Business Journal

Top of the Phoenix Lists: Corporate Volunteer Programs - Phoenix Business Journal:



'via Blog this'

Women in Nonprofits: Then & Now | GuideStar Blog

Women in Nonprofits: Then & Now | GuideStar Blog:



'via Blog this'

An Imperative for Nonprofit Boards: The Time is Now to Step Up Your Game | Exceptional Boards

An Imperative for Nonprofit Boards: The Time is Now to Step Up Your Game | Exceptional Boards: "Earlier this year, BoardSource released Leading with Intent: A National Index of Nonprofit Board Practices 2015 in which chief executives and board chairs used BoardSource’s 10 basic responsibilities of nonprofit boards — including mission, financial oversight, and strategy — to assess their board’s performance. The result was a disappointing B- average, reflecting “responsible, but not necessarily exceptional, performance.” The Leading with Intent survey found that boards have a particularly difficult time adapting and adjusting to change, noting that “boards do well at functions related to compliance and oversight, but face challenges with their strategic and external work.”

Given the critical role boards play in influencing and guiding the work of social sector organizations, when it comes to performance, anything less than exceptional is simply unacceptable. Underpinning all of our fiduciary and legal responsibilities on the boards we serve is the need to help our organizations adapt, innovate, and…change."



'via Blog this'

Giving by donor-advised funds surges

Nonprofit news roundup, 11.20.15 « Philanthropy North Carolina: "Giving by donor-advised funds surges

Charitable giving from donor-advised funds grew 27 percent in 2014 to $12.49 billion, while contributions from donors to donor-advised funds grew 14.1 percent to $19.66 billion, and grantmaking assets of donor-advised funds grew $23.9 percent to $70.7 billion, a new report says."



'via Blog this'

Sector Crusader Rick Cohen Dies SuddenlyThe NonProfit Times

Sector Crusader Rick Cohen Dies SuddenlyThe NonProfit Times: "Rick Cohen was at times the conscience of the nonprofit sector, one of its most honest skeptics and yet always a champion for the underdog. Cohen, editor of The Cohen Report, national correspondent for Nonprofit Quarterly and former executive director of the National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) , died Nov. 17 at age 64 in his Virginia home. The cause of death is pending."



'via Blog this'

Fidelity Charitable opens doors to bitcoin giving - The Boston Globe

Fidelity Charitable opens doors to bitcoin giving - The Boston Globe: "The charitable savings arm of Fidelity Investments will start accepting bitcoin, signaling a wider acceptance of the virtual currency once used by money launderers and drug dealers trying to skirt authorities."



'via Blog this'