Picks of the Week: July 18 - 24, 2010

Website of the Week – Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership

The mission of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership (MCNL) is to enhance the performance and effectiveness in the nonprofit sector through high quality community-oriented education, applied research, problem solving and service. MCNL applies the resources and talents of the University and the sector to the problems and issues facing the nonprofit sector so its members are better prepared to serve their communities. MCNL creates opportunities for the leaders of this vital community to come together as colleagues to learn, network and support each other, and to encourage personal, professional and organizational renewal and effectiveness. The Midwest Center is a service and outreach unit of the L.P. Cookingham Institute of Public Affairs in the Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. Go to: http://www.bloch.umkc.edu/mwcnl/aboutus.htm.


Publication of the Week -- The Networked Nonprofit: Connecting With Social Media to Drive Change by Beth Kanter and Allison Fine

From the publisher: This groundbreaking book shows nonprofits a new way of operating in our increasingly connected world: a networked approach enabled by social technologies, where connections are leveraged to increase impact in effective ways that drive change for the betterment of our society and planet. Named one of the most influential women in technology by Fast Company and one of BusinessWeek's "Voices of Innovation for Social Media," Beth Kanter is the author of Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media. Allison H. Fine is the author of Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age, which was the winner of the 2007 Terry McAdams National Nonprofit Book Award. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Foundation Giving Trends

Among the major areas of activity, health, education, arts and culture, and human services captured the largest shares of grant dollars awarded by sampled foundations in 2008, according to Foundation Giving Trends (2010 Edition). By number of grants, human services continued to rank first, with sampled funders allocating 26.4 percent for the field. Other key findings include:

• Foundations awarded a record 214 grants of $10 million or more in 2008. Of the 10 largest, six were made by the Gates Foundation mainly for health-related activities and international development.
• International giving — which cuts across all areas and includes grants awarded directly to overseas recipients and to U.S.-based international programs — reached a record 24.4 percent of total grant dollars awarded.
• Among specific populations, the economically disadvantaged benefited from the largest share of grant dollars, rising to a record $6.9 billion.

To download the highlights at no charge, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge. To order the full report, go to:
http://foundationcenter.org/marketplace.


Resource of the Week – Blackbaud Index of Charitable Giving

The Blackbaud Index of Charitable Giving is a broad-based fundraising index that reports revenue trends of 1,426 nonprofit organizations representing $2.24 billion in yearly revenue on a monthly basis. The Index is based on actual revenue statistics from nonprofit organizations of all sizes representing arts, culture, and humanities; education; environment and animals; healthcare; human services; international affairs; public and society benefit; and religion sectors. Go to: http://www.blackbaud.com/bb/index/bb-giving-index.aspx.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Nudging Objects on PowerPoint 2007 Slides

Have you ever tried to move an object on a slide just a little? Try this:

• Select the object
• Press Ctrl + an arrow key

This tip also works in earlier versions.