Picks of the Week: June 29 - July 5, 2008

Website of the Week -- Women's Funding Network

The Women's Funding Network is a network of funds specifically supportive of nonprofit groups and initiatives working to improve the lives of women and girls. Some 125 such funds across the US and in 17 other countries are members or affiliates of the network; the site includes a search engine to find one near you. Go to: http://www.wfnet.org/about.


Publication of the Week -- Exposing the Elephants: Creating Exceptional Nonprofits by Pamela J. Wilcox

From the publisher: Providing an insider's look into the need for change, Exposing the Elephants: Creating Exceptional Nonprofits gives an eye-opening assessment of the state of the nonprofit sector today, as well as practical and useful recommendations for real change from within. Written by nonprofit authority Pamela Wilcox, Exposing the Elephants is straightforward in tone and brims with optimism for the future of the nonprofit industry. This stirring guide confronts the brutal facts of daily existence in the nonprofit setting, and equips you with a new and pragmatic framework to propel your organization to embrace innovation, new venture risk, and lasting mission achievements. Divided into three parts, Part I of Exposing the Elephants introduces the nonprofit industry and explores the public perception of nonprofits. Part II tackles the "what" and "why" of the five nonprofit "elephants," with each elephant representing an uncomfortable truth that volunteer and staff leaders recognize, but refuse to acknowledge. Finally, Part III explores the revolutionary ideas and practices—elephant solutions—that can tame and transform unruly pachyderms into well-behaved friends. Successful tools and techniques are sprinkled throughout the chapters. Click here to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week -- Trends in Black America

According to one of the largest-ever studies of Black America, 70 percent of African Americans already have a plan for their future. The survey was released today by Radio One Inc., the study’s sponsor, and Yankelovich, the Chapel Hill-based research firm. The survey of 3,400 African Americans between 13 and 74 years of age, the only study to include Black teens and seniors, found also that 54 percent were optimistic about their future and 60 percent believe “things are getting better for me.” The study provides the most detailed snap shot of African American life in the United States today, and finds strong group identity across age and income brackets. It also discloses a comprehensive look at how African Americans feel about many aspects of life in America, and cautions against a simplistic reading of Black America as a monolithic group. In fact, it shows that Blacks are divided evenly on how they liked to be described, with 42 percent (who are more likely to be affluent) preferring to be called “Black” and 44 percent preferring “African American.” The survey, representing nearly 30 million Black Americans, identified eleven specific segments within Black America today, ranging from Connected Black Teens, Digital Networkers and Black Onliners at the younger end, to Faith Fulfills, Broadcast Blacks and Boomer Blacks at the older end. To download a copy of the report as well as several facts sheets, go to: http://www.blackamericastudy.com.



Resource of the Week -- Handbook on Citizen Engagement

The Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN) has released a Handbook on Citizen Engagement, a resource useful for those working in community development. The report, written by Amanda Sheedy and released in March 2008 describes citizen engagement as the belief that people should have and want to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. The handbook is “intended to whet the appetite for citizen engagement for those new to citizen engagement, and for those with experience to deepen the analysis behind citizen engagement projects and provide a synthesis of the field and a concise reference tool. The long term vision is to contribute to the closing of the gap between governments and citizens, to allow public servants and politicians to reconnect with citizens’ needs, priorities and values.” To download the Handbook on Citizen Engagement from the CPRN website go to: http://www.cprn.org/documents/49583_EN.pdf.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Remove Formatting in Word 2007

To remove formatting in Word 2007:

• Select text
• Click the Home button on the Ribbon
• In the Font group, click the clear formatting button