Friday, January 23, 2009

Giving goes away « The CityBusiness Blog

Giving goes away « The CityBusiness Blog: "Giving goes away
Monday, January 12, 2009 · No Comments

By Deon Roberts, Online Editor

These are not the easiest times to be a charity.

According to an Association of Fundraising Professionals survey released today, more than half of charities across North America raised less money during the 2008 holiday giving season — October through December — than they did during the same period last year.

“The survey underscores the extraordinary difficulties that charities face in a fundraising environment that is more challenging than anything we’ve seen in recent history,” said Paulette V. Maehara, president and CEO of AFP."

The Ellsworth American - New Tax Rules for Nonprofits Outlined

The Ellsworth American - New Tax Rules for Nonprofits Outlined: "New Tax Rules for Nonprofits Outlined Print E-mail
Written by James Straub
Thursday, January 22, 2009

ELLSWORTH — New rules from the Internal Revenue Service demand greater participation among board members serving nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations.

The rules, which go into effect with 2008 tax filings, are intended to provide the IRS and the public with more detailed information about how nonprofits conduct business."

Madoff: New victims, old scam - THE WEEK

Madoff: New victims, old scam - THE WEEK: "Madoff: New victims, old scam

Ponzi schemes are one of the oldest investment frauds, yet as the Bernard Madoff scandal demonstrates, their appeal never wanes. How do they work?"

Ohio.com - Ohio foundations cut back

Ohio.com - Ohio foundations cut back: "Ohio foundations cut back

Nonprofit groups less likely to receive grants at same time that need for help grows

By Rick Armon
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published on Friday, Jan 23, 2009

More than half of Ohio's charitable foundations plan to hand out fewer grants this year because of losses in the anemic financial markets, according to a new survey by the Ohio Grantmakers Forum.

Foundations reported their financial assets tumbled between 15 and 40 percent over the past year.

With less money available, about 60 percent of foundations in the state said they will cut back on giving this year — a blow to nonprofit groups that are seeing an increased demand for help in the slumping economy.

'

Financing the future: the role of philanthropy : columnists : Estes Park Trail-Gazette

Financing the future: the role of philanthropy : columnists : Estes Park Trail-Gazette: "ESTES PARK, Colo. — “The great use of a life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”- William James

Philanthropy is defined as “the effort to advance human well-being, as through charitable gifts or endowments.” The dictionary, however, does not define a mistaken notion many people have about philanthropy: a pursuit undertaken only by the very wealthy."

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Resume Charitable Activities :: PNNOnline ::

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Resume Charitable Activities :: PNNOnline ::: "Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Resume Charitable Activities
Posted by: philcrosby on Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Topic General Fundraising


The philanthropic arms of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, formerly the top two givers to charity in the Washington, D.C., region, have received a green light from the federal government to restart their giving after a three-month hiatus, the Washington Business Journal reports."

Arthur C. Brooks: Conservatives Have Answered Barack Obama's Call - WSJ.com

Arthur C. Brooks: Conservatives Have Answered Barack Obama's Call - WSJ.com: "Unfortunately, we nonprofit leaders, like our for-profit counterparts, are laying awake nights. The end of 2008 was disappointing for philanthropy, and some believe that 2009 will be difficult as well. Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy publishes the Philanthropic Giving Index (PGI), which tracks the predictions of nonprofit leaders about charitable giving. Like the more-famous Consumer Confidence Index, it shows a level of gloom not seen in years, falling from 83 to 65 (on a 0-100 scale) in just six months."

Nonprofit groups need reserve cash, too - Business - San Luis Obispo

Nonprofit groups need reserve cash, too - Business - San Luis Obispo: "Most financial planners use this same guideline for individuals and families. Lenders cite such reserves in calculating creditworthiness.

So shouldn’t a reserve fund at least one indicator of a well-run nonprofit organization? Shouldn’t donors be attracted to well-run organizations?"

Charity Organization Helps With Inaugural Meals : NPR

Charity Organization Helps With Inaugural Meals : NPR: "All Things Considered, January 19, 2009 · DC Central Kitchen, a charity organization, got its start 20 years ago this week by collecting leftover food from the inaugural balls of George H. W. Bush and giving it to the homeless. Now, the group's culinary arts students — many of whom have been homeless themselves or in prison — are helping with some of the cooking for this year's inaugural festivities."

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Sickles Student Helps Lead National 'Souper Bowl' Charity

Sickles Student Helps Lead National 'Souper Bowl' Charity: "Daigneault, a senior at Sickles High School, is one of 19 students nationally serving on the youth advisory board for the Souper Bowl of Caring. The 20th annual event coordinates food drives on Super Bowl weekend for local charities through schools, churches, businesses and organizations."

Belmont Student Starts New Charity - News- msnbc.com

Belmont Student Starts New Charity - News- msnbc.com: "At a kick-off event on Monday, students gathered their spare change, which will be donated to help children living in poverty.

Maisner said that as a college student, it's hard to write a big check once a month, but if more people donate, each can give less.

'At a school like Belmont University, with 5,000 of us, if each of us gave $1 a week over a 20-week period, we'd be able to give $100,000,' said Maisner."

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide: "an. 21 (Bloomberg) -- The Bernard Madoff scandal has intensified efforts to hold investment advisers more accountable for their clients’ interests, as the Obama administration considers an overhaul of financial regulation."

The stage is reset in New Orleans - Los Angeles Times

The stage is reset in New Orleans - Los Angeles Times: "New Orleans, hammered by Hurricane Katrina 3 1/2 years ago and still lurching toward a full recovery, received a helping hand -- and voice -- Saturday.

Superstar tenor Plácido Domingo culminated a 10-day grand reopening of the city-owned Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts, which has undergone $22 million in renovations after being severely damaged by the hurricane flood waters. The arts center had been closed since it took on 14 feet of water in the 2005 storm and left the New Orleans Opera, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and New Orleans Ballet Assn. without a home."

BillingsGazette.com :: Montanans answer call to service

BillingsGazette.com :: Montanans answer call to service: "Across Montana, people are honoring the president-elect's call to service on Martin Luther King Day with nearly 60 events in 30 cities and towns. In Sidney, they're writing letters to Montana soldiers. In Circle, they're building a wheelchair ramp for a man injured in a car accident. In Fishtail, they're compiling a list of volunteer opportunities in Stillwater County and contacting volunteers to get the work done."

Avon nonprofit collects keys for scrap-metal donations - The Boston Globe

Avon nonprofit collects keys for scrap-metal donations - The Boston Globe: "'I saw the paper clip story and it hit me: What about starting with keys?' said Greenberg, referring to children in Whitwell, Tenn., who collected millions of paper clips to commemorate each person killed in the Holocaust.

Greenberg's Key for Hope, incorporated in 2006 in Avon, now administers key drives, much like book drives. So far the nonprofit has set up about 30 sites around the South Shore where people can take their keys.

The campaign reached a high point last month when the founda tion's Keys in the Classroom program collected 31,000 keys from the Avon, Holbrook, Randolph, and Stoughton school systems - enough to donate 5,000 pounds of food to food pantries in those towns."

Aid organisations hit by fall in value of the pound - Third Sector

Aid organisations hit by fall in value of the pound - Third Sector: "Aid organisations hit by fall in value of the pound

By David Ainsworth, Third Sector, 20 January 2009

Higher inflation in the developing world contributing to loss of NGO spending power, say finance directors

International aid organisations are facing a steep drop in their overseas spending power because of the falling international value of the pound."

onPhilanthropy: Articles: Obama vs. Madoff: Charity, Change and Crisis at the Dawn of a New Era

onPhilanthropy: Articles: Obama vs. Madoff: Charity, Change and Crisis at the Dawn of a New Era: "Obama vs. Madoff: Charity, Change and Crisis at the Dawn of a New Era
Friday, January 16, 2009
By: Tom Watson

We do not have an advance copy of President--Elect Barack Obama's inauguration address just at hand, but it's no particular leap of faith to predict that a national call to public service will be issued from the west front of the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon."

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management

The NonProfit Times - The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management: "Postal Hike Capped At 3.8% Average

By Mark Hrywna

Plummeting energy prices during the last quarter of 2008 could very well have saved nonprofits untold thousands in future postal increases.

The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) determined a cap of 3.8 percent on the average postal class after new economic data were released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Postal reform legislation approved by Congress in December 2006 allows the United States Postal Service (USPS) to adjust rates annually by no more than the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the preceding 12 months. The PRC’s rate cap is determined by incorporating the December CPI-U figure and a percentage change between years."