Saturday, April 13, 2013

Picks of the Week: March 31 - April 6, 2013

Website of the Week --  BoardSource
BoardSource has just launched its redesigned website. With nearly 25 years of hands-on experience working with nonprofit boards, BoardSource has become the go-to resource for funders, partners, and nonprofit leaders who want to magnify their impact within their community through exceptional governance practices. BoardSource supports a community of more than 60,000 individuals with customized diagnostics, live and virtual trainings, and a comprehensive library of governance resources that includes original publications. BoardSource strives to support and promote excellence in board service, is the premier source of cutting-edge thinking and resources related to nonprofit boards, and engages and develops the next generation of board leaders. Go to: www.boardsource.org

Publication of the Week -- Share of Mind, Share of Heart: Marketing Tools of Engagement for Nonprofits Sybil F. Stershic
From the publisher: Author Sybil Stershic's newest book, Share of Mind, Share of Heart Marketing Tools of Engagement for Nonprofits, brings that "share of mind and heart" mindset to the nonprofit space, where it is most needed.  In a world crowded with advice on every business front, where marketing so often focuses on the creative aspects of promotion, Stershic shows you how to bring the personal back into the conversation because in the end, it is not as much about the marketing materials, as it is about the people. Engaging with volunteers, staff, and the executive team, to create and stay true to the brand promise in your marketing materials, is not only recommended, it's necessary. This publication just won a 2013 Small Business Book Award.

Click to previewthis book on Amazon.com

Trend of the Week -- International Grantmaking by U.S. Foundations
International Grantmaking Update: A Snapshot of U.S. Foundation Trends, prepared by the Foundation Center provides a brief update on key trends in international grantmaking by U.S. foundations. The study includes an analysis of patterns of giving in 2010 and changes in funding priorities between 2008 and 2010. Key findings include:
·         International grant dollars declined faster than overall funding between 2008 and 2010.
·         Among independent and community foundations, international funding declined faster than overall giving.
·         The Gates Foundation accounted for roughly two out of five international grant dollars in the sample.
·         Overseas funding accounted for a smaller share of international grant dollars and overseas giving primarily benefited global programs, Asia, and Africa.
·         Health captured the largest share of international support.

To download the report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/intl_update_2012.pdf


Resource of the Week –  Mapping Change: Using a Theory of Change to Guide Planning and Evaluation
This brief guide, part of the GrantCraft series, explains why grant makers use theories of change to guide their questioning, unearth assumptions that underlie their work, establish common language, and develop strong action plans. Contributors to the guide also describe how a theory of change sets the stage for evaluation by clarifying goals, strategies, and milestones. Highlights include: What a theory of change looks like; Theory of change vs. logic model; Mini-case study: theory of change and strategic planning. Go to: http://www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&pageId=1542

Tech Tip of the Week -- Using Section Breaks in a Word 2007/2010 Document
Section breaks are used to:
·         Change the layout from a single-column to two columns
·         Change the orientation from portrait to landscape
·         Separate chapters/sections of a document to control page numbering
·         Create a different header or footer for a section of your document

To insert a section break:
·         Click where you want to insert a Section Break or select a portion of the document around which to insert a pair of section breaks
·         Click the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon
·         In the Page Setup group, click Breaks

Under Section Breaks, click the desired type

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