Allison Fine researches and writes about the intersection of social media and social change. She is the co-author (with Beth Kanter) of the bestselling book, The Networked Nonprofit: Connecting with Social Media to Drive Change, as well as the award-winning Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age. She hosts a monthly podcast for The […]
#PHILANTHROPY: Evidence Of ‘Emerging Charitable Markets’ & How To Tap Into Them
An article on yesterday’s E-Jewish Philanthropy caught our eye because the authors did a really interesting bit of research into the top givers in US in this calendar year. The study by Robert I. Evans and Avrum D. Lapin demonstrates how useful a careful parsing of statistics can be for fundraisers, and how that parsing […]
#INTERVIEW: Derrick Feldmann, CEO of Achieve, Discusses The Millennial Impact Report Coming June 11
Derrick Feldmann is CEO of Achieve, a creative fundraising agency that produces The Millennial Impact Report, an annual research study of Millennial Generation donors. (The 2012 report will be released on Monday.) The agency also hosts the only national virtual summit, MCON, on Millennials annually. The interview was conducted by Don Akchin, a principal of […]
#HowTo: Online Anonymity & Security Pivotal For Holiday Season
We don’t intend to be scare-mongers on this blog with so many stories on internet/cloud security. A minority of us will ever have our organization’s site hacked or email breached. The thing is, preventing such invasions is not especially difficult but prevention is a dynamic endeavor. As technology changes, and hackers’ tools changes with it, […]
#Fundraising: How To Apply For Grants From The Gates Foundation
Two weeks ago we pointed out that Apple’s new CEO, Tim Cook, has somewhat adjusted Apple’s position on philanthropic efforts – at least those of its employees. In our ongoing series on helping our readers find sources of grants and apply for them, we turn to the Gates Foundation, founded by Microsoft’s previous CEO, Bill […]
#Fundraising: How To Apply For A Grant From Apple (Sort Of)
This story is the first in a periodic series of research projects to give you the quickest onramp to begin developing programs and relationships with some major foundations. We begin with the most valuable company in the world, whose recently deceased CEO inspired and infuriated many millions. The passing of Steve Jobs last week has […]
#Philanthropy: President’s Jobs Bill & Tax Proposal Not Warmly Welcomed By Charities
As arguments over what to do with and about the US economy and the federal deficit continue to shed more heat than light, President Obama sought to take the fight back to the Republicans with the ‘American Jobs Act’ announced last week. The act contains a mix of tax realignments likely to gain some Republican […]
#SocialNetworks: Is Google+ Ready For Nonprofit Big Time? (Part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN38vHZjWXw[/youtube]
Let us begin by respectfully noting the tenth anniversary of the attacks in New York City, on the Pentagon, and on the thwarted attack in Shanksville PA on September 11th. We hope those directly touched by the terrorists’ attacks have been able to find some modicum of peace over the decade. And we hope all […]
#Public Policy: Charities’ Off-Shore/Tax-Free Holdings Brought Under Congressional Scrutiny
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e23_1282179202
All the talk about US domestic politics and economics at the moment focuses on the federal budget and the possible default that will result if the US debt limit is not raised by 2 August. As our readers are surely aware, Republicans keep floating grand proposals of “Cut, Cap, and Balance“, while Democrats deride the […]
Philanthropy: Fundraising Is Tough, And Thus Inspirational
Mondays in early May can be tough for the same, yet opposite, reason Mondays in early December can be tough. In May, those first warm but not hot days entice us to lounge in our pjs or dream of lunch in the park. Or maybe you did all that with your mom yesterday, and the […]
#Fundraising: Japan Relief & Creative Strategies to Motivate Giving
We welcome back Maria Lilly, who is discussing the ways many businesses are giving to relief efforts in Japan. The crisis in Japan has caught the attention of the entire world. As the Japanese search for survivors, struggle to control nuclear plants, and face the daunting challenge of reconstruction, governments around the world are trying […]
#Communications: The Value of Digital Annual Reports to Nonprofits
As we have switched our clocks this past weekend and approach the vernal equinox next weekend, many nonprofits are also preparing their annual reports for 2010. In the last couple of years numerous charities and fundraising groups have been moving their ARs online and into digital spaces. Though the flexibilities and advantages are many, the […]
#PublicPolicy: Battle Over Federal Budget Puts Nonprofits In Firing Line
We have not seen much love in Washington DC recently, and the presentation of President Obama’s budget for 2012 is not likely to be taken as a gesture of friendship. As soon as the dust settled after last November’s midterm elections, both political parties and numerous commissions began to draw up agendas to discuss the […]
Which Cities Were Most Generous Giving Online In 2010?
Lists keep us organized at the store, doing our chores, getting through our work, and letting us know we have capped off one year and moved into the next one. The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently reported on the list of the Top 10 cities giving money online to charities and nonprofits in 2010. For those […]
Abigail Disney Can Help Your Organization Attract Big-Name Donors
She is the daughter of Roy O. Disney, the brother and business partner of Walt Disney. She was born to wealth, and her name opened doors most people have to try for years to break through. And she is using those resources not only to strengthen the Daphne Foundation in New York City, but also […]
Resources That Will Build Your Nonprofit
Today we present one of our periodic omnibus entries that includes a number of resources, updates, and seminars that have come our way – and that we believe are of particular value to our readers. The turning of the calendar inspires many of us to resolve to improve personally and professionally. Here are a few […]
Happy Martin Luther King Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAYITODNvlM”>Dr.
Martin Luther King Day was signed into law by Ronald Reagan in 1983 and first observed in 1986. Either in the spirit of nonviolent protest encouraged by
Gift-Giving Champions’ Table Follow-Up
The economic malaise that has gripped the country for the last few years continues to have an impact on charitable giving, according to Maria Di Mento of the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The downturn in big-gift giving is striking: “The 10 biggest gifts donated by Americans in 2010 totaled slightly more than $1.3-billion, compared with $2.7-billion […]
Gift-Giving Champions’ Table For 2010 Posted
Happy New Year to you and yours. As we all move into 2011, the best of/worst of/biggest of/etc reports of 2010 are coming at us thick and fast. For example, the Chronicle of Philanthropy has posted its table of the biggest donations for 2010. The list has 293 as of our posting, with the largest […]
Harsh Op-Ed On ‘Charitable Scrooges’
Debates about social media as catalyst, about political responses to economic crises, about open internets, about the care of our health… can help us sharpen our own positions and/or encourage us to take on ideas that we had avoided. This particular blog outlet tends to focus on the nexus of nonprofits, politics, and communications technologies, […]
Twitter And Philanthropy In The Holiday Season
“Twitter and philanthropy. They go together like a horse and carriage….” Well, it does not rhyme, but at least you are not hearing my Sinatra impression. The philanthropic and nonprofit communities have been on the forefront of many extensions of the uses of social media, largely because the financial investments are minimal. The rewards can […]
Resolved: Social Media Produces Social Good (Part 1: Arguments For The Affirmative)
http://vimeo.com/16837339
As a buildup to our upcoming Perspectives interview with Kristen Cambell, Director of Programs and New Media the National Conference on Citizenship, that will be published this Thanksgiving week, we wanted to point our loyal readers to a brewing debate about social media as a change-agent for good – that social media have the capabilities […]
The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Is Your Nonprofit Prepared?
The clocks fell back a few weeks ago. We have seen political power shift yet again in Congress. We are out of the Great Recession, though only Wall Street bankers seem to be enjoying the economic ‘growth.’ And Facebook has developed an email service that seems to be about ending email as a viable service. […]
Nonprofits Prepare For Changing Political Landscape
Image via Wikipedia Yes, the elections were a whole week ago. The new Congress will not be seated until January 2011, anyway. But some voices in the nonprofit world are still responding to the former and preparing for the latter. We would encourage our readers in the mission-based community to continue to do the same. […]
The Midterms Are Here! The Midterms Are Here!
News sources, pundits, entertaining commentators, irritating commentators, restoration rallies, and $3.5 billion in spending have all been leading up to this day. You’ve probably made up your mind and/or cast your votes, or you will be doing both in the next few hours. We want to join in the chorus to Get Out The Vote, […]
A Compendium Of Recent News About (The Effects Of) Unemployment
Perhaps rainy days and Mondays can get us down, but so can recent economic news. And we have had a fair amount of that in the last few days. For example, the last jobs report before the midterm elections shows a notable reduction in public-sector jobs (mostly caused by the ending of the last of […]
Some Guides To Fundraising In A Tepid Economy
As has been reported over the last week or so, and touted to little effect by Democrats seeking (re)election, the US Economy officially came out of recession in July 2009. What has also been reported, and touted to better effect by Republicans, is that unless you are a Wall Street banker, you might not have […]
The Asia Foundation Discusses Major Fundraising Via Facebook
The social impact of Facebook is beyond doubt. Almost 57 million Americans used it as of March 2009, and that number has since doubled. Facebook itself claims that over half its members are engaged with their 100-plus friends at any given moment of the day. The largest growth is seen among women over forty, and […]
President Obama’s New AIDS Initiative Posted On WhiteHouse.gov
Yesterday, President Barack Obama shifted emphasis from his predecessor on yet another issue, as he announced the administration’s launch of the “Natinal HIV/AIDS Community Discussions” to be hosted by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP). “HIV remains an serious challenge to the American people and I am committed to developing an effective […]
Charitable Giving In US Shrinks But Does Not Collapse In Face Of Recession & Oil Spill
Americans give over 1.5% of GDP to charitable organizations, according to International Comparisons of Charitable Giving by the ‘Charities Aid Foundation’ in England. Such generosity is almost double the next nation’s rate of giving: England with .73%. Such willingness to give to those less fortunate is a wonderful quality about America, and surely stems in […]
Foursquare: Yet Another Social Network, Yet Another Fundraising Tool
The means to communicate quickly online and establish networks of like-minded folks come thick and fast these days: MySpace superseded by Facebook (still king), challenged by Twitter, who has had to contend with Google Buzz!, Socialvibe, Zooppa, and a myriad of others that (mostly) cater to fairly specific communities. We have reported about how a […]
Twitter Tables To Turn Up Fundraising Fun
Charity events, galas, and $X000-a-plate dinners have been traditional ways to raise funds, even in these difficult times. And yet, social media have captured the imaginations of many a fundraising group and we have often reported on ways social media, philanthropy, and community involvement are tweaking the traditional ways to do things. Well, The Chronicle […]