Picks of the Week: December 4 - 10, 2011

Website of the Week -- Independent Sector

Independent Sector is the leadership network for charities, foundations, and corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good in America and around the world. Our nonpartisan coalition of approximately 600 organizations leads, strengthens, and mobilizes the nonprofit and philanthropic community in order to fulfill our vision of a just and inclusive society and a healthy democracy of active citizens, effective institutions, and vibrant communities. Included in the website is the new Resource Center for Good Governance and Ethical Practice containing more than 250 materials to help organizations improve their operations. Go to: http://www.independentsector.org/about


Publication of the Week -- The Volunteer Management Handbook: Leadership Strategies for Success by Tracy D. Connors (Editor)

From the publisher: Completely revised and expanded, the ultimate guide to starting—and keeping—an active and effective volunteer program. Drawing on the experience and expertise of recognized authorities on nonprofit organizations, The Volunteer Management Handbook, Second Edition is the only guide you need for establishing and maintaining an active and effective volunteer program. Written by nonprofit leader Tracy Connors, this handy reference offers practical guidance on such essential issues as motivating people to volunteer their time and services, recruitment, and more. Up-to-date and practical, this is the essential guide to managing your nonprofit's most important resource: its volunteers. Now covers volunteer demographics, volunteer program leaders and managers, policy making and implementation, planning and staff analysis, recruiting, interviewing and screening volunteers, orienting and training volunteers, and much more. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Foundation Giving Trends

Among the major areas of activity, education, health, human services, and public affairs/society benefit captured the largest shares of grant dollars awarded by sampled foundations in 2009, according to Foundation Giving Trends (2011 Edition). By number of grants, human services continued to rank first, with sampled funders allocating 27 percent for this area. Key findings include:

• Foundations awarded 186 grants of $10 million or more in 2009. Of the 10 largest, five were awarded by the Gates Foundation, mainly for health and education.
• International giving — which cuts across all areas and includes grants awarded directly to overseas recipients and to U.S.-based international programs — accounted for nearly 24 percent of total grant dollars awarded.
• Among specific populations, the economically disadvantaged benefited from the largest share of grant dollars (29 percent) and grants (25 percent).

To download the report highlights, go to: http://foundationcenter.org.


Resource of the Week – Nonprofit Collaboration Database

In addition to identifying and showcasing exceptional nonprofit collaboration efforts, The Collaboration Prize, supported by the Lodestar Foundation, provides models and best practices for the field through the Nonprofit Collaboration Database, a resource for everyone seeking real-life examples of how nonprofit organizations are working together. The database is housed with the Foundation Center. The database contains detailed information on 250 collaborations nominated for the 2009 Prize, and will be further expanded to include new collaboration models resulting from the 2011 Prize process, as well as other examples that are not part of The Collaboration Prize project of nonprofits working together. Information is arranged by searchable categories, including ways to collaborate, reasons to collaborate, challenges and outcomes. Go to: http://collaboration.foundationcenter.org/search.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Create a List with Clickable Checkboxes in Word 2010

Last week we covered a simple way to create a checkbox list for printing. This week's tip covers a more advanced technique for creating checkbox lists which you can click on to check. Here's how:

•If the Developer tab is not displayed on your Ribbon you will need to add it:
1. Click the File Menu
2. Click the Options button at the bottom of the left pane
3. Click Customize the Ribbon in the left pane
4. Click to select Developer under the Main Tabs pane on the right

• To add the checkbox, click the Developer tab on the Ribbon
• Click the checkbox in the control group

Click the checkbox control to select (or deselect). We recommend using a table for this type of a list, placing the checkbox in a column beside the list items.