Friday, March 22, 2013

Marc Chardon: Nonprofit Trends: Fastest Growing Sector?

Marc Chardon: Nonprofit Trends: Fastest Growing Sector?: In my initial post of this year, I noted that there are shifts occurring today in how nonprofits are being viewed. To be clear, I meant this as a good thing, that nonprofits are capturing a growing part of the public consciousness. Certainly, the debate about the charitable deduction has helped with this, increasing people's awareness of the role

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Academic Corporate Relations Program White Paper

Home: 012 White Paper - NEW

To coincide with NACRO's Annual Conference, we are pleased to present a brand new white paper titled “Metrics for a Successful Twenty-First Century Academic Corporate Relations Program”. The paper is intended for any organization serious about capitalizing on industry’s interest in academic institutions for recruitment, research engagements, intellectual capital and expertise, technology licensing, and philanthropy. The paper describes key performance indicators that are tied to the business processes of corporate relations, and the core metrics that align with this corporate engagement process.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Case Study: 50 things (at least!) not to do in your direct mail appeal | Agents of Good

Case Study: 50 things (at least!) not to do in your direct mail appeal | Agents of Good: Ladies and gentlemen, I give you:

50 things (at least!!!) NOT TO DO in your direct mail appeal.

A Flurry of Museum Building With a Personal Stamp - NYTimes.com

A Flurry of Museum Building With a Personal Stamp - NYTimes.com

Va. Survey Sheds Light on Nonprofit Mergers and Collaborations - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Va. Survey Sheds Light on Nonprofit Mergers and Collaborations - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: A recent study by the Fairfield County Community Foundation in Virginia focuses on collaboration and mergers among local nonprofits. The survey drew a 30 percent response rate, and of the 104 Fairfield County nonprofits surveyed, eight percent have merged and 21 percent have considered a merger. Those organizations that merged reported that the primary benefit was not cost savings, but higher quality and quantity of services available to the community. Those who have considered a merger but did not complete one stated that the primary reasons included cultural differences, personnel considerations, and the questionable financial return on investment. The results of this study are consistent with David La Piana’s argument that mergers don’t always lead to better financial returns.

Who Owns Your Event? A Stinky Cautionary Tale - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Who Owns Your Event? A Stinky Cautionary Tale - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

EO Update March 4, 2013

EO Update March 4, 2013: 3. 2012 Form 990 and 990-EZ – Significant changes

This chart summarizes significant changes to the Form 990, Form 990-EZ, schedules and instructions for tax year 2012.

The Yin and Yang of Celebrity Leaders

The Yin and Yang of Celebrity Leaders: The Yin and Yang of Celebrity Leaders

March 2013

The board of directors of a well-known, well-respected national nonprofit announced all agog to staff that the organization had just landed a high-profile former politician as its new president.

For all intents and purposes, the organization's selection for new president could best be described as a celebrity leader, someone with the personal charisma, cachet, and connections that could, in relatively short order, bring in millions of dollars from any number of corporations and industry titans as well as the general public.

Quite an envious catch! But as with all things, even celebrity leaders come with a price.

CT Philanthropy President to Step Down�|�The Hartford Guardian

CT Philanthropy President to Step Down�|�The Hartford Guardian: HARTFORD – Nancy Roberts, president of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy since 1991, has announced that she will step down by the end of March.

The national search for Robert’s successor, will be conducted by a search committee of the Board, led by former Council Board Chair Patricia Baker, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation. Th

Why the Rich Don't Give to Charity - Ken Stern - The Atlantic

Why the Rich Don't Give to Charity - Ken Stern - The Atlantic: It is not. One of the most surprising, and perhaps confounding, facts of charity in America is that the people who can least afford to give are the ones who donate the greatest percentage of their income. In 2011, the wealthiest Americans—those with earnings in the top 20 percent—contributed on average 1.3 percent of their income to charity. By comparison, Americans at the base of the income pyramid—those in the bottom 20 percent—donated 3.2 percent of their income. The relative generosity of lower-income Americans is accentuated by the fact that, unlike middle-class and wealthy donors, most of them cannot take advantage of the charitable tax deduction, because they do not itemize deductions on their income-tax returns.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Opinion: Social-Enterprise Group Questions Toms Shoes Model - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Opinion: Social-Enterprise Group Questions Toms Shoes Model - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: The head of an organization that works with for-profit social enterprises says in a New York Times blog post that the buy-one, give-one approach popularized by footwear firm Toms Shoes risks perpetuating rather than alleviating poverty.

Court Rejects Oklahoma State U. Appeal on Donor-Insurance Plan - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Court Rejects Oklahoma State U. Appeal on Donor-Insurance Plan - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Court Rejects Oklahoma State U. Appeal on Donor-Insurance Plan

March 20, 2013, 10:07 am

A federal appeals court has dealt what might be the final blow to efforts by billionaire philanthropist T. Boone Pickens and Oklahoma State University to recoup tens of millions of dollars the institution spent on life-insurance policies for boosters, The Dallas Morning News and The Wall Street Journal write.

Columbia U. Professor Sues Over Use of Endowment Funds - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Columbia U. Professor Sues Over Use of Endowment Funds - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Columbia U. Professor Sues Over Use of Endowment Funds

March 20, 2013, 10:07 am

A Columbia University journalism professor filed suit against the New York institution Tuesday, claiming it inappropriately spent $4.5-million in funds related to a Knight Foundation endowment, reports The New York Times.

Arizona non-profits online Wednesday for funding

Arizona non-profits online Wednesday for funding: Arizona non-profits hope to collect at least $2 million by midnight Wednesday from residents by encouraging online giving.

The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and Arizona Grantmakers Forum launched Arizona Gives Day, a 24-hour fundraiser, this morning.

Getting donated items to nonprofits is goal of Day of Sharing - The Daily Progress: Business

Getting donated items to nonprofits is goal of Day of Sharing - The Daily Progress: Business: he 2013 class of Leadership Charlottesville has partnered with the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area to sponsor the inaugural United Way Day of Sharing.

The goal of the event is to match local businesses with nonprofit organizations to donate items on the nonprofits’ wish lists. Items needed include office and school supplies, furniture and playground equipment.

Special Events: Bigger Proves To Be Better | The NonProfit Times

Special Events: Bigger Proves To Be Better | The NonProfit Times: Special Events: Bigger Proves To Be Better
By The NonProfit Times - March 15, 2013

Revenue from fundraising events by the nation’s 100 largest organizations exceeded $1 billion during 2011 with just five organizations walking — or running — away with the largest hauls.

According to data compiled for the NPT 100, the annual ranking of the nation’s largest nonprofits (see Nov. 1 issue), 22 of the nearly 40 organizations that listed revenue under fundraising events on the federal Form 990 saw an increase from 2010 to 2011.

Health care groups urged to diversify investments | Philanthropy North Carolina

Health care groups urged to diversify investments | Philanthropy North Carolina: The new model was developed over three decades by educational institutions and increasingly adopted by other types of nonprofits, and shifting to it and reaping benefits from it could take decades, making that shift “all the more urgent,” says Assessing the State of Healthcare, the white paper from the Commonfund Institute.

“It is in the interest of health care organizations, rating agencies and donors that health care endowments evolve toward becoming more like those of other long-term nonprofit institutions,” the white paper says.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Small Grant Makers Lead Gains in Foundation Giving, Says Study - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Small Grant Makers Lead Gains in Foundation Giving, Says Study - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Foundations with assets under $50-million increased their giving by 9 percent last year, according to preliminary findings of a study of 700 small and midsize grant makers released today.

The smallest grant makers increased their giving the fastest, with foundations worth $1-million to $10-million responsible for most of the increase.

Students on spring break lend a hand to nonprofits | Wichita Eagle

Students on spring break lend a hand to nonprofits | Wichita Eagle: After two decades, it has almost become a rite of spring: Wichita-area students volunteering during spring break to help out nonprofit organizations.

The Great Give: New fundraiser targets $500,000 for county nonprofits - CapitalGazette.com: Business

The Great Give: New fundraiser targets $500,000 for county nonprofits - CapitalGazette.com: Business: The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County is recruiting nonprofits like the Connected Warrior Foundation to participate in their effort to raise $500,000 for 100 of the county’s nonprofits.

Called the Great Give, the event is designed so donors give to selected charities over a 24-hour period. From 7 p.m. May 15 to 7 p.m. May 16, participating groups will solicit money via the Internet.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Uri Dadush: The Limits of Philanthropy

Uri Dadush: The Limits of Philanthropy: What do Mark Zuckerberg, inventor of Facebook; Ted Turner, founder of CNN; and George Lucas, Director of Star Wars, have in common? All three are billionaires who have signed "The Giving Pledge."

An Aging American Legion Fights for Relevancy - NYTimes.com

An Aging American Legion Fights for Relevancy - NYTimes.com: The Elgin post’s struggles are reflected at American Legion halls across the United States, where the enemies these days are old age, apathy and budget deficits. Long serving as hometown hubs where veterans and nonveterans alike gathered for beer, bingo and camaraderie, many American Legion posts have grown quieter, with total membership nationwide down 11 percent since 2000, to less than 2.4 million members in 2012. The legion has also seen a decline in the number of operating posts, dropping from 14,700 posts in 2000 to just under 13,800 this year, officials said.

Staff Turmoil Roils Leaderless San Francisco Museums - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Staff Turmoil Roils Leaderless San Francisco Museums - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Staff Turmoil Roils Leaderless San Francisco Museums

March 18, 2013, 9:26 am

The New York Times reports on internal strife disrupting San Francisco’s largest public cultural entity, the Fine Arts Museums, since the death 15 months ago of its director.

NGOsource Launches Online Equivalency Determination Service That Streamlines International Grantmaking | Fort Mill Times - Fort Mill, SC

NGOsource Launches Online Equivalency Determination Service That Streamlines International Grantmaking | Fort Mill Times - Fort Mill, SC: A project of the Council on Foundations and TechSoup Global, NGOsource employs a streamlined process (known as equivalency determination or ED) to determine if a non-U.S. organization is equivalent to a U.S. public charity and creates a central repository of certified EDs that will benefit both U.S. grantmakers and the international organizations they support.

Mergers and collaborations new trend among area nonprofits - Thehour.com: Norwalk

Mergers and collaborations new trend among area nonprofits - Thehour.com: Norwalk: A report released by the Fairfield County Community Foundation explores the movement and offers recommendations on what makes for a successful nonprofit merger.

"Since 2008, there has definitely been

Colorado nonprofits dance to, and benefit from, the music - The Denver Post

Colorado nonprofits dance to, and benefit from, the music - The Denver Post: And the intimacy of a fundraiser — the opportunity to watch a favorite musician or band from feet away rather than across a packed arena — is a big draw.

"I've been the chairman for a number of black-tie events, very traditional events, and the fact is more people show up to the musical ones because they get a kick out of it," said Steve Bangert, chairman and CEO of CoBiz Financial, a business bank that each year hosts the BizBash.

Time Is Money: How to Measure the Value of Volunteers : FundRaising Success

Time Is Money: How to Measure the Value of Volunteers : FundRaising Success: he three most common ways to measure the value of volunteer time, as outlined by the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community ServiceOpens in a new window at the University of Texas at Austin

What Is The Watchdog Watching? | The Agitator - Fundraising, Direct Marketing and Advocacy Strategies for Nonprofits

What Is The Watchdog Watching? | The Agitator - Fundraising, Direct Marketing and Advocacy Strategies for Nonprofits: This week the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported that members of the Direct Marketing Association are working on an official protest against the watchdog Charity Navigator.

At issue is Charity Navigator’s decision to challenge a longstanding accounting practice to count some of the money nonprofits spend in the course of fundraising as ‘program costs’ rather than ‘fundraising costs’.

Nonprofit Consulting Goes Global - Good Advice - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Nonprofit Consulting Goes Global - Good Advice - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: As more governments move toward democracy and greater privatization, nongovernmental organizations are popping up in new places—and the worldwide marketplace for consultants to nonprofits is heating up. For instance, some consulting companies now define themselves through a global mission, with international markets and services. And large consulting firms like Accenture have extended their global reach to encompass nonprofits as well as businesses and government.

In addition, existing nonprofit groups, especially giant international organizati