Website of the Week -- CreateAthon
CreateAthon is a 24-hour, work-around the clock creative blitz during which local advertising agencies generate advertising services for local nonprofits that have little or no marketing budget. Since the program’s expansion from a single market to an international effort in 2001, 40 agencies have joined the CreateAthon network, holding CreateAthon events in their cities. This effort has benefited 833 nonprofit organizations with 1,809 projects valued at $7 million. Go to: http://www.createathon.com/about.php.
Publication of the Week -- Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding: Seven Principles to Power Extraordinary Results by Jocelyne Daw and Carol Cone
From the publisher: A hands-on guide to help your nonprofit build its brand, raise its profile, strengthen impact and develop deeper relationships with donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders. Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding is about the power a constituency-focused, compelling brand can have to revolutionize an organization and the way people view and support it.
• Shows how to optimally define what your organization stands for to differentiate, create value and breakthrough
• Explains how to build loyal communities inside and outside of your
organization to increase social impact
• Features seven principles for transforming a brand from ordinary trademark to strategic advantage
• Includes case studies of eleven breakthrough nonprofit brands and transferable ideas and practices that nonprofits of any size, scope or experience can implement
A practical road map and essential tool for nonprofit leaders, board members, and volunteers, this book reveals the vital principles you need to know to build and manage your organization's most valuable asset – its brand. In today’s highly competitive nonprofit world, building a breakthrough brand is no longer a "nice to do," but the new imperative.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Gaps In Financial Knowledge Challenge Mid-Size Nonprofits
A new survey of financial managers at mid-size nonprofit organizations reveals gaps in their financial knowledge, even as they grapple with economic challenges. The study was conducted by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University to help nonprofits understand and increase their financial knowledge levels and improve their effectiveness. Nonprofits’ knowledge, policies and procedures were studied; some results were positive, while others revealed a clear need for financial education. Nearly half (49 percent) of mid-size nonprofits had less than three months’ worth of cash reserves for operating expenses available. A quarter (26 percent) had four to six months’ worth on hand, while another quarter had more than seven months of operating expenses. Other key findings include:
• Respondents said they were knowledgeable about negotiating with banks or lenders (78 percent), cash flow projections (75 percent) and financial scenario planning (72 percent).
• Only 46 percent reported knowing about debt restructuring.
• Financial literacy increased with the number of courses taken in accounting, economics, operations and financial management, and with the nonprofit’s revenue.
• Boards were involved in accountability (66 percent), but less so in managing investments (38 percent), developing budgets (30 percent) and scenario planning (27 percent).
• Less than 40 percent of nonprofits surveyed had an audit committee.
To access the study, go to: http://philanthropy.iupui.edu.
Resource of the Week – Resources for Responding to Automatic Revocations by IRS
On June 8, 2011, the IRS posted the first Automatic Revocation of Exemption List, naming 279,599 non-profit organizations that had had their exempt status revoked for failure to file required annual returns. The list has been updated several times, and as of November 9, 2011, the IRS had revoked the exempt status of nearly 393,000 non-profit organizations. This unprecedented mass revocation has its roots in laws enacted by Congress as part of the Pension Protection Act of 2006. The first requires small non-profits, previously not required to file, to submit an annual return: Form 990-N, also sometimes referred to as the E-Postcard. The second requires the IRS to revoke the tax exempt status of any organization that fails to file an annual return for three consecutive years. Resources for responding to an automatic revocation by IRS are available at http://www.501cfreebook.com/Automatic_Revocation.html.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Automatically Tab from Cell to Cell In Excel 2007/2010
If you have a spreadsheet with several data input cells and would like to automatically jump from cell to cell using your tab key, you can use the Protect feature to accomplish this. In a previous tip we explain how to Protect Cells in Excel 2007/2010.
After you have:
• Unlocked the cells that can be changed and
• Protected the worksheet
You can simply use your tab key to automatically move from cell to cell. This can greatly simplify some types of data input and you'll learn about worksheet protection in the process!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Picks of the Week: March 18 - 24, 2012
Website of the Week -- David Lamb's Prospect Research Page
Lamb, a former development officer at the University of Washington and Santa Clara University, has developed a collection of truly useful Internet sites for researching corporations, foundations, and individual donors. David Lamb's Prospect Research Page includes links to directories of doctors, judges, lawyers, and airplane owners; online news sources; and corporate and public records databases. What's nice about the Prospect Research Page is that Lamb has distilled the vast number of potential sources of information on the Internet into a relatively small selection of annotated sites. Go to: http://www.lambresearch.com.
Publication of the Week -- Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Manager's Guide to Getting Results by Alison Green and Jerry Hauser
From the publisher: A nonprofit manager's fundamental job is to get results, sustained over time, rather than boost morale or promote staff development. This is a shift from the tenor of many management books, particularly in the nonprofit world. Managing to Change the World is designed to teach new and experienced nonprofit managers the fundamental skills of effective management, including: Managing specific tasks and broader responsibilities; Setting clear goals and holding people accountable to them; creating a results-oriented culture; hiring, developing, and retaining a staff of superstars. The book offers nonprofit managers a clear guide to the most effective management skills; shows how to address performance problems, dismiss staffers who fall short, and the right way to exercising authority; gives guidance for managing time wisely and offers suggestions for staying in sync with your boss and managing up. This important resource contains 41 resources and downloadable tools that can be implemented immediately.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Charitable Giving Affected by Racial and Age Stereotypes
According to a new report, charitable behavior towards African American children decreases – and negative stereotypical inferences increase – with the age of those children. Using data from an online charity that solicits donations for school projects, we found that proposals accompanied by images of older African American students (Grades 6-12) led to fewer donations than proposals with images of younger African Americans (pre-K-Grade 5), with the opposite pattern for proposals with images of multiples races or of all White students. A laboratory experiment demonstrated that negative stereotypical beliefs about African Americans (e.g., that they are lazy) increased with age more for African American children than for White children, a pattern that predicted decreases in giving. To access the study report, go to: http://www.people.hbs.edu.
Resource of the Week – A Practical Guide for Engaging Stakeholders in Developing Evaluation Questions
This practical guide offers best practices that encourage soliciting input from stakeholders early in the evaluation design process to address specific stakeholder interests for improving program effectiveness, influencing policy decisions, and instituting behavioral and organizational change. The guide describes a five-step process for engaging stakeholders in developing evaluation questions, and includes four worksheets to facilitate the planning and implementation of a stakeholder engagement process. Go to: http://www.fsg.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Add a Drop Cap in Word 2010
A drop cap is used to display the first letter of the paragraph in a large font. To add a drop cap to a paragraph in Word 2010:
• Click in the paragraph where you would like to apply a drop cap
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the text group, choose Drop Cap
• From the Drop Cap list, click to select the style or choose options for additional choices
Lamb, a former development officer at the University of Washington and Santa Clara University, has developed a collection of truly useful Internet sites for researching corporations, foundations, and individual donors. David Lamb's Prospect Research Page includes links to directories of doctors, judges, lawyers, and airplane owners; online news sources; and corporate and public records databases. What's nice about the Prospect Research Page is that Lamb has distilled the vast number of potential sources of information on the Internet into a relatively small selection of annotated sites. Go to: http://www.lambresearch.com.
Publication of the Week -- Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Manager's Guide to Getting Results by Alison Green and Jerry Hauser
From the publisher: A nonprofit manager's fundamental job is to get results, sustained over time, rather than boost morale or promote staff development. This is a shift from the tenor of many management books, particularly in the nonprofit world. Managing to Change the World is designed to teach new and experienced nonprofit managers the fundamental skills of effective management, including: Managing specific tasks and broader responsibilities; Setting clear goals and holding people accountable to them; creating a results-oriented culture; hiring, developing, and retaining a staff of superstars. The book offers nonprofit managers a clear guide to the most effective management skills; shows how to address performance problems, dismiss staffers who fall short, and the right way to exercising authority; gives guidance for managing time wisely and offers suggestions for staying in sync with your boss and managing up. This important resource contains 41 resources and downloadable tools that can be implemented immediately.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Charitable Giving Affected by Racial and Age Stereotypes
According to a new report, charitable behavior towards African American children decreases – and negative stereotypical inferences increase – with the age of those children. Using data from an online charity that solicits donations for school projects, we found that proposals accompanied by images of older African American students (Grades 6-12) led to fewer donations than proposals with images of younger African Americans (pre-K-Grade 5), with the opposite pattern for proposals with images of multiples races or of all White students. A laboratory experiment demonstrated that negative stereotypical beliefs about African Americans (e.g., that they are lazy) increased with age more for African American children than for White children, a pattern that predicted decreases in giving. To access the study report, go to: http://www.people.hbs.edu.
Resource of the Week – A Practical Guide for Engaging Stakeholders in Developing Evaluation Questions
This practical guide offers best practices that encourage soliciting input from stakeholders early in the evaluation design process to address specific stakeholder interests for improving program effectiveness, influencing policy decisions, and instituting behavioral and organizational change. The guide describes a five-step process for engaging stakeholders in developing evaluation questions, and includes four worksheets to facilitate the planning and implementation of a stakeholder engagement process. Go to: http://www.fsg.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Add a Drop Cap in Word 2010
A drop cap is used to display the first letter of the paragraph in a large font. To add a drop cap to a paragraph in Word 2010:
• Click in the paragraph where you would like to apply a drop cap
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the text group, choose Drop Cap
• From the Drop Cap list, click to select the style or choose options for additional choices
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Picks of the Week: March 11 - 17, 2012
Website of the Week -- Social Impact Exchange
The Social Impact Exchange is a community of funders, advisors, wealth managers, intermediaries, nonprofits and researchers interested in funding and developing practices for scaling-up social solutions. The Exchange’s purpose is to establish a marketplace ecosystem that consistently enables effective social interventions to achieve scaled impact. The Exchange has three main functions: Facilitate increased funding of nonprofit scaling initiatives through funder networks and growth capital markets in specific issues and geographies ; Develop and share knowledge, including research, information and education that leads to more effective scaling efforts; Build Field Infrastructure to enable a capital marketplace to emerge, including standards, funding platforms, and distribution channels to efficiently connect funders with growth initiatives. For more information, go to: http://www.socialimpactexchange.org.
Publication of the Week -- POLICY vs. PAPER CLIPS - THIRD EDITION: How Using the Corporate Model Makes a Nonprofit Board More Efficient & Effective by Dr. Eugene H. Fram
From the publisher: POLICY vs. PAPER CLIPS is an unusual how-to book. It is a serious subject – improving nonprofit board governance while enhancing a management focus – but it is written in a highly user friendly way. Two old friends with ties to vastly different nonprofit organizations discuss via email what it takes to adopt the Corporate Model, an approach that can position your nonprofit to meet the demanding realities of the 21st century world. Given today’s difficult times for nonprofits, hardly any can continue to operate as they have in the past. For most, it is no longer possible for a volunteer group of directors to be involved in day-to-day operations of the organization. The Corporate Model establishes a framework for separating policy development from operational activities. When customized appropriately to your own nonprofit, the Model promotes growth. This book shows you how to tap the creative energies of the board of directors to address critical issues about vision, direction, assessment of outcomes; how to adapt to new challenges and how to capture emerging opportunities – while turning over day-to-day operational matters to management. The Corporate Model works best for nonprofits that have an annual budget of about $1 million or more and staffs of about 15 or more. However, anyone associated with a nonprofit group can benefit from reading this book. It provides an essential self-examination that can serve as a catalyst for becoming a more dynamic organization.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Voluntary Turnover Rates To Double in 2012
According to a new study, nonprofits expect their voluntary turnover rates to double in 2012 to 14% from 7%. And, since the same survey indicates that three-quarters of nonprofits say they do not have a formal strategy for retaining staff, some nonprofits, for whatever reason, may be sailing into danger when the economy picks up steam. Not only may they see their top talent walking out the front door, but they may be faced with skills and competency gaps particularly at the entry to mid-level career mark. Many nonprofits cannot afford this type of talent shift as it can affect the organization's mission. Nonprofit Employment Trends Survey, conducted annually by Nonprofit HR Solutions, found that most nonprofit organizations (87%) do not anticipate their overall turnover rate to increase this year when compared to last year, however more organizations expect turnover through retirements and voluntary resignations to increase. The survey shows that last year, only 1% of organizations anticipated turnover to increase due to retirements compared to 13% of organizations surveyed this year. For more information, go to: http://www.nonprofithr.com.
Resource of the Week – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of 360 Degree Evaluations
This article by CompassPoint staff members Michelle Gislason and Marissa Tirona in The Nonprofit Quarterly thoroughly discusses the features, pros, and cons of a 360° performance evaluation process. With careful planning and forethought, this tool can surface powerful insights on an employee's work patterns that can serve as a springboard for personal development and new organizational contributions. See if it's right for your organization. To access the resource, go to:
http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Run PowerPoint 2010 Slide Show in a Window
Have you ever wanted to be able to run a PowerPoint slideshow in a window? This can be done by adding a button to the Quick Access Toolbar. Here’s how:
• Click the File tab on the Ribbon
• Click the Options button at the bottom
• Click Quick Access Toolbar in the left pane
• Under Choose commands from, select Commands Not in the Ribbon
• Scroll down and select Slide Show in a Window
• Click Add to add this button to the Quick Access Toolbar
• Click OK
To run a slideshow in a window simply click "easel stand" button on the Quick Access Toolbar in the upper left of the screen.
The Social Impact Exchange is a community of funders, advisors, wealth managers, intermediaries, nonprofits and researchers interested in funding and developing practices for scaling-up social solutions. The Exchange’s purpose is to establish a marketplace ecosystem that consistently enables effective social interventions to achieve scaled impact. The Exchange has three main functions: Facilitate increased funding of nonprofit scaling initiatives through funder networks and growth capital markets in specific issues and geographies ; Develop and share knowledge, including research, information and education that leads to more effective scaling efforts; Build Field Infrastructure to enable a capital marketplace to emerge, including standards, funding platforms, and distribution channels to efficiently connect funders with growth initiatives. For more information, go to: http://www.socialimpactexchange.org.
Publication of the Week -- POLICY vs. PAPER CLIPS - THIRD EDITION: How Using the Corporate Model Makes a Nonprofit Board More Efficient & Effective by Dr. Eugene H. Fram
From the publisher: POLICY vs. PAPER CLIPS is an unusual how-to book. It is a serious subject – improving nonprofit board governance while enhancing a management focus – but it is written in a highly user friendly way. Two old friends with ties to vastly different nonprofit organizations discuss via email what it takes to adopt the Corporate Model, an approach that can position your nonprofit to meet the demanding realities of the 21st century world. Given today’s difficult times for nonprofits, hardly any can continue to operate as they have in the past. For most, it is no longer possible for a volunteer group of directors to be involved in day-to-day operations of the organization. The Corporate Model establishes a framework for separating policy development from operational activities. When customized appropriately to your own nonprofit, the Model promotes growth. This book shows you how to tap the creative energies of the board of directors to address critical issues about vision, direction, assessment of outcomes; how to adapt to new challenges and how to capture emerging opportunities – while turning over day-to-day operational matters to management. The Corporate Model works best for nonprofits that have an annual budget of about $1 million or more and staffs of about 15 or more. However, anyone associated with a nonprofit group can benefit from reading this book. It provides an essential self-examination that can serve as a catalyst for becoming a more dynamic organization.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Voluntary Turnover Rates To Double in 2012
According to a new study, nonprofits expect their voluntary turnover rates to double in 2012 to 14% from 7%. And, since the same survey indicates that three-quarters of nonprofits say they do not have a formal strategy for retaining staff, some nonprofits, for whatever reason, may be sailing into danger when the economy picks up steam. Not only may they see their top talent walking out the front door, but they may be faced with skills and competency gaps particularly at the entry to mid-level career mark. Many nonprofits cannot afford this type of talent shift as it can affect the organization's mission. Nonprofit Employment Trends Survey, conducted annually by Nonprofit HR Solutions, found that most nonprofit organizations (87%) do not anticipate their overall turnover rate to increase this year when compared to last year, however more organizations expect turnover through retirements and voluntary resignations to increase. The survey shows that last year, only 1% of organizations anticipated turnover to increase due to retirements compared to 13% of organizations surveyed this year. For more information, go to: http://www.nonprofithr.com.
Resource of the Week – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of 360 Degree Evaluations
This article by CompassPoint staff members Michelle Gislason and Marissa Tirona in The Nonprofit Quarterly thoroughly discusses the features, pros, and cons of a 360° performance evaluation process. With careful planning and forethought, this tool can surface powerful insights on an employee's work patterns that can serve as a springboard for personal development and new organizational contributions. See if it's right for your organization. To access the resource, go to:
http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Run PowerPoint 2010 Slide Show in a Window
Have you ever wanted to be able to run a PowerPoint slideshow in a window? This can be done by adding a button to the Quick Access Toolbar. Here’s how:
• Click the File tab on the Ribbon
• Click the Options button at the bottom
• Click Quick Access Toolbar in the left pane
• Under Choose commands from, select Commands Not in the Ribbon
• Scroll down and select Slide Show in a Window
• Click Add to add this button to the Quick Access Toolbar
• Click OK
To run a slideshow in a window simply click "easel stand" button on the Quick Access Toolbar in the upper left of the screen.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Picks of the Week: March 4-10, 2012
Picks of the Week: March 4-10, 2012
Website of the Week -- Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy
The Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy (CNP) conducts and disseminates research on the role and impact of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy. In addition, CNP conducts research on and analyzes trends in the operations and finances of U.S. charitable organizations through data developed and maintained by its National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) and other sources. NCCS serves as a comprehensive source for information regarding U.S. nonprofits through its extensive databases of information collected by the Internal Revenue Service and others. The data provided by NCCS provides the foundation for the many research projects at CNP. NCCS is also actively involved in improving the quality of nonprofit sector data by, among other initiatives, encouraging and supporting the use of electronic filing of required IRS forms for nonprofits. Go to: http://www.urban.org/center/cnp/index.cfm.
Publication of the Week -- How Good Board Members Become Great Fundraisers by Bill Young
From the publisher: How Good Board Members Become Great Fundraisers If you are a veteran Board member or volunteer or ready to join a Board of Directors for a nonprofit, Bill Young's book conveys a proven system created over 15 years that will help you transform from a good Board member to a great fundraiser. Steeped in real-world fundraising experience, Bill has logged over 5,000 consulting and volunteer hours with several nonprofit Boards. His book, simple and to-the-point, helps you understand what can inhibit fundraising efforts and guides you through seven innovative strategies with specific steps. How Good Board Members Become Great Fundraisers is a new and innovative approach for nonprofit Board members challenged with raising funds in the marketplace where less money is available and limited time to devote to fundraising.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – More Children Living in High Poverty Areas
A new report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, using the most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, indicates that after declining between 1990 and 2000, both the percent and the number of children living in high-poverty areas increased over the last decade. The 2006-10 five-year estimates produced by the American Community Survey replaced the decennial census for many data points and are the most recent data available to estimate concentrated poverty at the census-tract level. Estimates from 2006 through 2010 suggest that 7,879,000 children lived in areas of concentrated poverty. The percent of children living in these areas increased from 9 to 11 percent over the past decade. While two-thirds of children living in areas of concentrated poverty are in large cities, millions live outside urban areas in suburbs and rural communities. Overall, children living in rural areas (10 percent) and large cities (22 percent) are considerably more likely than those in suburbs (4 percent) to live in a community of concentrated poverty. Among the country’s 50 largest cities, Detroit (67 percent), Cleveland (57 percent), Miami (49 percent), Milwaukee (48 percent), Fresno (43 percent), and Atlanta (43 percent) have the highest rates of children living in areas of concentrated poverty. For more information, go to: http://www.aecf.org/~/media/Pubs/Initiatives/KIDS%20COUNT/D/DataSnapshotonHighPovertyCommunities/KIDSCOUNTDataSnapshot_HighPovertyCommunities.pdf.
Resource of the Week – 25 Tips for Optimizing Online Communication with Volunteers
Energize, Inc. has compiled "25 Tips for Optimizing Online Communication with Volunteers" into a 5-page booklet. It is available as a free download at: http://www.energizeinc.com.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Clear Recent Documents List in Word 2010
• Click the File tab on the Ribbon
• Click Options in the left pane
• Click Advanced
• Scroll down to the Display section
• Change “Show this number of Recent Documents” to 0
If you want to turn the feature back on at any time, go back to this menu and choose a new number of files to display.
Website of the Week -- Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy
The Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy (CNP) conducts and disseminates research on the role and impact of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy. In addition, CNP conducts research on and analyzes trends in the operations and finances of U.S. charitable organizations through data developed and maintained by its National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) and other sources. NCCS serves as a comprehensive source for information regarding U.S. nonprofits through its extensive databases of information collected by the Internal Revenue Service and others. The data provided by NCCS provides the foundation for the many research projects at CNP. NCCS is also actively involved in improving the quality of nonprofit sector data by, among other initiatives, encouraging and supporting the use of electronic filing of required IRS forms for nonprofits. Go to: http://www.urban.org/center/cnp/index.cfm.
Publication of the Week -- How Good Board Members Become Great Fundraisers by Bill Young
From the publisher: How Good Board Members Become Great Fundraisers If you are a veteran Board member or volunteer or ready to join a Board of Directors for a nonprofit, Bill Young's book conveys a proven system created over 15 years that will help you transform from a good Board member to a great fundraiser. Steeped in real-world fundraising experience, Bill has logged over 5,000 consulting and volunteer hours with several nonprofit Boards. His book, simple and to-the-point, helps you understand what can inhibit fundraising efforts and guides you through seven innovative strategies with specific steps. How Good Board Members Become Great Fundraisers is a new and innovative approach for nonprofit Board members challenged with raising funds in the marketplace where less money is available and limited time to devote to fundraising.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – More Children Living in High Poverty Areas
A new report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, using the most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, indicates that after declining between 1990 and 2000, both the percent and the number of children living in high-poverty areas increased over the last decade. The 2006-10 five-year estimates produced by the American Community Survey replaced the decennial census for many data points and are the most recent data available to estimate concentrated poverty at the census-tract level. Estimates from 2006 through 2010 suggest that 7,879,000 children lived in areas of concentrated poverty. The percent of children living in these areas increased from 9 to 11 percent over the past decade. While two-thirds of children living in areas of concentrated poverty are in large cities, millions live outside urban areas in suburbs and rural communities. Overall, children living in rural areas (10 percent) and large cities (22 percent) are considerably more likely than those in suburbs (4 percent) to live in a community of concentrated poverty. Among the country’s 50 largest cities, Detroit (67 percent), Cleveland (57 percent), Miami (49 percent), Milwaukee (48 percent), Fresno (43 percent), and Atlanta (43 percent) have the highest rates of children living in areas of concentrated poverty. For more information, go to: http://www.aecf.org/~/media/Pubs/Initiatives/KIDS%20COUNT/D/DataSnapshotonHighPovertyCommunities/KIDSCOUNTDataSnapshot_HighPovertyCommunities.pdf.
Resource of the Week – 25 Tips for Optimizing Online Communication with Volunteers
Energize, Inc. has compiled "25 Tips for Optimizing Online Communication with Volunteers" into a 5-page booklet. It is available as a free download at: http://www.energizeinc.com.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Clear Recent Documents List in Word 2010
• Click the File tab on the Ribbon
• Click Options in the left pane
• Click Advanced
• Scroll down to the Display section
• Change “Show this number of Recent Documents” to 0
If you want to turn the feature back on at any time, go back to this menu and choose a new number of files to display.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Picks of the Week: February 26 - March 3, 2012
Website of the Week -- National Council of Nonprofits
The National Council of Nonprofits, the nation’s largest nonprofit network, works through its member State Associations to amplify the voices of America’s local community-based nonprofit organizations, help them engage in critical policy issues affecting the sector, manage and lead more effectively, collaborate and exchange solutions, and achieve greater impact in their communities. The NCNA website housed one of the most extensive collections of resources for nonprofits of all types. To access this collection, click on "resources" on the opening webpage. If your nonprofit is not already a member of a state council affiliated with the National Council of Nonprofits, it's time to consider joining. For membership information and much more, go to: http://www.councilofnonprofits.org.
Publication of the Week -- Smart Stewardship for Nonprofits: Making the Right Decision in Good Times and Bad by Peter C. Brinckerhoff
From the publisher: A practical guide to effective decision-making frameworks and tools for nonprofits that ensure successful stewardship. The basic tenets of decision making for nonprofits are similar, whether you're growing, shrinking, or trying to think your way out of a box. Smart Stewardship for Nonprofits provides the tools to make the best stewardship decisions in these varied, but common, situations. Coverage includes the keys to smart stewardship for your nonprofit, the smart stewardship decision tree, understanding capability and capacity, making innovation the norm, understanding the true cost of growth, going to scale, and smart stewardship in bad times.
• Features tools to make the best stewardship decisions in every kind of situation
• Written for executive directors of nonprofit organizations, nonprofit board members, CPAs, and other financial counsel for nonprofits, development directors
• Provides a website hosting a variety of online tools and materials
• Also by Peter Brinckerhoff: Mission-Based Marketing, Mission-Based Management, Social Entrepreneurship, and Faith-Based Management
With innovative organizational change initiatives to foster new growth and effectiveness, Smart Stewardship for Nonprofits offers your nonprofit the critical guidance it needs to get there.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Consumer Attitudes Around Social Purpose
The GoodPurpose study is an annual global research published by Edelman, the world’s largest independent public relations firm. The study explores consumer attitudes around social purpose, including their commitment to specific social issues and their expectations of brands and corporations. The survey was conducted in 13 countries among more than 7,000 adults. It is the only global study of its kind. According to the latest study results, while consumers in emerging markets now outrank their peers on several measures of commitment to social purpose, citizens around the world maintain a high level of interest and engagement in cause. For the fourth year running, in all European and North American countries surveyed, purpose is more important than design/innovation or brand loyalty as a purchase trigger. when quality and price are the same. Despite the prolonged recession, two-thirds (66 percent) of global consumers report that they are likely to buy and recommend products and services from companies that support a good cause. Additional Key Findings Include:
• Sixty-nine percent of consumers globally believe corporations are in a uniquely powerful position to make a positive impact on good causes—as high as 80 percent in the U.S. and 82 percent in Mexico.
• Nearly two-thirds of global respondents (64 percent) believe it is no longer enough for corporations to give money; they must integrate good causes into their everyday business
• Seventy percent of global consumers say that a company with fair prices that gives back is more likely to get their business than a company that offers deep discounts and doesn’t give back.
• Globally, food and beverage tops the list of industries considered the most involved in good causes, virtually tied with media and healthcare providers.
• “Protecting the environment” ranks as the no. 1 cause that global consumers care about, followed by “improving the quality of healthcare”.
• Globally, 71 percent of consumers believe that projects that protect and sustain the environment can help grow the economy—with even higher numbers for China, Mexico, India, Brazil, and the U.S (87, 81, 81, 79, and 75 percent, respectively
To access the study report, go to: http://www.goodpurposecommunity.com.
Resource of the Week -- Beckner Research Digests
The University of Wisconsin Center for Nonprofits has published a new series of online resources that bridge the gap between scholarly research and the real world of community organizations. The Beckner Research Digests synthesize research on topics useful to nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and other organizations. The first round of 10 Digests present research conducted by faculty in different disciplines across UW-Madison—for example, Principles for Effective Family and Youth Prevention Programs by Stephen Small, professor of human development and family studies; Talking About Race by Katherine Cramer Walsh, associate professor of political science; A New Approach to Labor – Environment Coalitions by Laura Senier, assistant professor of community and environmental sociology, and Social Support for Academic Success of African American Boys by Jeffrey Lewis, UW-Extension, and Amy Hilgendorf, Kansas State University. One Digest, Tips on Building a Broad Base of Engaged and Empowered Volunteers, features Christens’ own research. He describes key implications for community organizations from the findings he recently published in several journal articles on community participation and psychological empowerment. Dr. Christens developed the Digests concept in collaboration with Jeanan Yasiri, executive director of the Center for Nonprofits. The Beckner Research Digests are available online at the UW Center for Nonprofits website at http://www.centerfornonprofits.wisc.edu.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Calculate the Days, Months or Years between Dates in Excel
Use the DatedIf function to calculate the interval between dates in Excel. Here's how:
• Enter the function into a cell
=DATEDIF ( start_date , end_date, unit )
• For example, to calculate the number of months between two dates, if the start date is in cell D2 and the end date is in cell E2 you could enter this formula into cell F2:
To learn more about this function, go to to the Microsoft website or watch a YouTube video. This tip works in Excel 2007 and 2010, as well as earlier versions.
The National Council of Nonprofits, the nation’s largest nonprofit network, works through its member State Associations to amplify the voices of America’s local community-based nonprofit organizations, help them engage in critical policy issues affecting the sector, manage and lead more effectively, collaborate and exchange solutions, and achieve greater impact in their communities. The NCNA website housed one of the most extensive collections of resources for nonprofits of all types. To access this collection, click on "resources" on the opening webpage. If your nonprofit is not already a member of a state council affiliated with the National Council of Nonprofits, it's time to consider joining. For membership information and much more, go to: http://www.councilofnonprofits.org.
Publication of the Week -- Smart Stewardship for Nonprofits: Making the Right Decision in Good Times and Bad by Peter C. Brinckerhoff
From the publisher: A practical guide to effective decision-making frameworks and tools for nonprofits that ensure successful stewardship. The basic tenets of decision making for nonprofits are similar, whether you're growing, shrinking, or trying to think your way out of a box. Smart Stewardship for Nonprofits provides the tools to make the best stewardship decisions in these varied, but common, situations. Coverage includes the keys to smart stewardship for your nonprofit, the smart stewardship decision tree, understanding capability and capacity, making innovation the norm, understanding the true cost of growth, going to scale, and smart stewardship in bad times.
• Features tools to make the best stewardship decisions in every kind of situation
• Written for executive directors of nonprofit organizations, nonprofit board members, CPAs, and other financial counsel for nonprofits, development directors
• Provides a website hosting a variety of online tools and materials
• Also by Peter Brinckerhoff: Mission-Based Marketing, Mission-Based Management, Social Entrepreneurship, and Faith-Based Management
With innovative organizational change initiatives to foster new growth and effectiveness, Smart Stewardship for Nonprofits offers your nonprofit the critical guidance it needs to get there.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Consumer Attitudes Around Social Purpose
The GoodPurpose study is an annual global research published by Edelman, the world’s largest independent public relations firm. The study explores consumer attitudes around social purpose, including their commitment to specific social issues and their expectations of brands and corporations. The survey was conducted in 13 countries among more than 7,000 adults. It is the only global study of its kind. According to the latest study results, while consumers in emerging markets now outrank their peers on several measures of commitment to social purpose, citizens around the world maintain a high level of interest and engagement in cause. For the fourth year running, in all European and North American countries surveyed, purpose is more important than design/innovation or brand loyalty as a purchase trigger. when quality and price are the same. Despite the prolonged recession, two-thirds (66 percent) of global consumers report that they are likely to buy and recommend products and services from companies that support a good cause. Additional Key Findings Include:
• Sixty-nine percent of consumers globally believe corporations are in a uniquely powerful position to make a positive impact on good causes—as high as 80 percent in the U.S. and 82 percent in Mexico.
• Nearly two-thirds of global respondents (64 percent) believe it is no longer enough for corporations to give money; they must integrate good causes into their everyday business
• Seventy percent of global consumers say that a company with fair prices that gives back is more likely to get their business than a company that offers deep discounts and doesn’t give back.
• Globally, food and beverage tops the list of industries considered the most involved in good causes, virtually tied with media and healthcare providers.
• “Protecting the environment” ranks as the no. 1 cause that global consumers care about, followed by “improving the quality of healthcare”.
• Globally, 71 percent of consumers believe that projects that protect and sustain the environment can help grow the economy—with even higher numbers for China, Mexico, India, Brazil, and the U.S (87, 81, 81, 79, and 75 percent, respectively
To access the study report, go to: http://www.goodpurposecommunity.com.
Resource of the Week -- Beckner Research Digests
The University of Wisconsin Center for Nonprofits has published a new series of online resources that bridge the gap between scholarly research and the real world of community organizations. The Beckner Research Digests synthesize research on topics useful to nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and other organizations. The first round of 10 Digests present research conducted by faculty in different disciplines across UW-Madison—for example, Principles for Effective Family and Youth Prevention Programs by Stephen Small, professor of human development and family studies; Talking About Race by Katherine Cramer Walsh, associate professor of political science; A New Approach to Labor – Environment Coalitions by Laura Senier, assistant professor of community and environmental sociology, and Social Support for Academic Success of African American Boys by Jeffrey Lewis, UW-Extension, and Amy Hilgendorf, Kansas State University. One Digest, Tips on Building a Broad Base of Engaged and Empowered Volunteers, features Christens’ own research. He describes key implications for community organizations from the findings he recently published in several journal articles on community participation and psychological empowerment. Dr. Christens developed the Digests concept in collaboration with Jeanan Yasiri, executive director of the Center for Nonprofits. The Beckner Research Digests are available online at the UW Center for Nonprofits website at http://www.centerfornonprofits.wisc.edu.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Calculate the Days, Months or Years between Dates in Excel
Use the DatedIf function to calculate the interval between dates in Excel. Here's how:
• Enter the function into a cell
=DATEDIF ( start_date , end_date, unit )
• For example, to calculate the number of months between two dates, if the start date is in cell D2 and the end date is in cell E2 you could enter this formula into cell F2:
To learn more about this function, go to to the Microsoft website or watch a YouTube video. This tip works in Excel 2007 and 2010, as well as earlier versions.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Picks of the Week: February 19 - 25, 2012
Website of the Week -- Data Without Borders
Data Without Borders seeks to match non-profits in need of data analysis with freelance and pro bono data scientists who can work to help them with data collection, analysis, visualization, or decision support. Big companies like Google and Amazon recognize the importance of dedicated data science teams and can support fulltime analysts, but non-profits, though they may have rich and interesting datasets, don’t have the resources to capitalize on their data or may not even know the value of the data they already collect. Data Without Borders aims to close that gap through a data scientist exchange, bringing exciting new problems to the data community and helping to solve social, environmental, and community problems alongside nonprofits and NGOs. If you’re a non-profit who could use some data analysis or a data junkie who wants to pitch in and help, Data Without Borders encourages you to make contact. Go to: http://datawithoutborders.cc.
Publication of the Week -- Before Onboarding: How to Integrate New Leaders for Quick and Sustained Results by Michael K. Burroughs
From the publisher: Recent studies show that the attrition rates for outside hired executives is high. Some say between 30 and 50%, and many of these failures will occur within the first two years. The statistics are not much better for internally promoted leaders. The first 90 days of a new leader's tenure will often determine ultimate success or failure. Onboarding programs are prolific and helpful, but they are not designed to prepare new leaders to secure early successes while avoiding costly mistakes. Something else has to be done to reduce this alarming attrition rate. The author is a veteran executive recruiter and coach. He has placed leaders from CEO to director level in the US, Asia and Europe. While an organization development executive in the Fortune 500, he developed and refined a New Leader Integration "pre-boarding" process that significantly compresses the time it takes for new leaders to be effective. The new leader arrives on the first day with a "blueprint for success" in hand and has been thoroughly briefed regarding the expectations of the boss, peers and direct reports. The outcome is a new leader who gets the right results quickly and sustains them over the long term. This book provides a template that clearly defines how to implement a New leader Integration program in a variety of organizations. The process is appropriate for leaders at all levels.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Engagement Levels of Nonprofit Employees is Dangerously Low
Opportunity Knocks (OK) has released their a report, Engaging the Nonprofit Workforce: Mission, Management and Emotion, and it indicates that the current engagement level of nonprofit employees is dangerously low. According to OK, "55% of respondents plan to continue working for their current employer. Of those planning on leaving their current organization (45%), more than half plan on leaving within the next two years." OK does not consider these low percentages to be surprising. According to their report, nearly half of the respondents of their survey felt that "fulfilling all of their job responsibilities did not improve their chances of being promoted and only one third are satisfied with their pay level." The goal of their report is to better understand the ways in which nonprofit employees are engaged and the impact of employee engagement and disengagement upon employees, nonprofit organizations and communities. To access the complete report, go to: http://content.opportunityknocks.org.
Resource of the Week – Building Future Leaders" Diagnostic Survey
According to a Bridgespan Group survey of more than 150 nonprofit leadership teams, leadership development and succession planning for senior leader positions is the single greatest organizational weakness nonprofits face. To help address this challenge, Bridgespan has developed a free diagnostic survey to help leaders understand where their organizations are strong – and what can be improved. You can take the survey, see how your organization compares to others, and jumpstart your thinking on what successful leadership development could look like in your organization. Go to: http://www.bridgestar.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Quickly Change Font Size in Word
To quickly increase or decrease the font size of selected text by 1 point, do this:
• Select Text
• Ctrl + ] to increase by 1 point
• Ctrl + [ to decrease by 1 point
This trick seems to works in all versions, including 2007 and 2010.
Data Without Borders seeks to match non-profits in need of data analysis with freelance and pro bono data scientists who can work to help them with data collection, analysis, visualization, or decision support. Big companies like Google and Amazon recognize the importance of dedicated data science teams and can support fulltime analysts, but non-profits, though they may have rich and interesting datasets, don’t have the resources to capitalize on their data or may not even know the value of the data they already collect. Data Without Borders aims to close that gap through a data scientist exchange, bringing exciting new problems to the data community and helping to solve social, environmental, and community problems alongside nonprofits and NGOs. If you’re a non-profit who could use some data analysis or a data junkie who wants to pitch in and help, Data Without Borders encourages you to make contact. Go to: http://datawithoutborders.cc.
Publication of the Week -- Before Onboarding: How to Integrate New Leaders for Quick and Sustained Results by Michael K. Burroughs
From the publisher: Recent studies show that the attrition rates for outside hired executives is high. Some say between 30 and 50%, and many of these failures will occur within the first two years. The statistics are not much better for internally promoted leaders. The first 90 days of a new leader's tenure will often determine ultimate success or failure. Onboarding programs are prolific and helpful, but they are not designed to prepare new leaders to secure early successes while avoiding costly mistakes. Something else has to be done to reduce this alarming attrition rate. The author is a veteran executive recruiter and coach. He has placed leaders from CEO to director level in the US, Asia and Europe. While an organization development executive in the Fortune 500, he developed and refined a New Leader Integration "pre-boarding" process that significantly compresses the time it takes for new leaders to be effective. The new leader arrives on the first day with a "blueprint for success" in hand and has been thoroughly briefed regarding the expectations of the boss, peers and direct reports. The outcome is a new leader who gets the right results quickly and sustains them over the long term. This book provides a template that clearly defines how to implement a New leader Integration program in a variety of organizations. The process is appropriate for leaders at all levels.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Engagement Levels of Nonprofit Employees is Dangerously Low
Opportunity Knocks (OK) has released their a report, Engaging the Nonprofit Workforce: Mission, Management and Emotion, and it indicates that the current engagement level of nonprofit employees is dangerously low. According to OK, "55% of respondents plan to continue working for their current employer. Of those planning on leaving their current organization (45%), more than half plan on leaving within the next two years." OK does not consider these low percentages to be surprising. According to their report, nearly half of the respondents of their survey felt that "fulfilling all of their job responsibilities did not improve their chances of being promoted and only one third are satisfied with their pay level." The goal of their report is to better understand the ways in which nonprofit employees are engaged and the impact of employee engagement and disengagement upon employees, nonprofit organizations and communities. To access the complete report, go to: http://content.opportunityknocks.org.
Resource of the Week – Building Future Leaders" Diagnostic Survey
According to a Bridgespan Group survey of more than 150 nonprofit leadership teams, leadership development and succession planning for senior leader positions is the single greatest organizational weakness nonprofits face. To help address this challenge, Bridgespan has developed a free diagnostic survey to help leaders understand where their organizations are strong – and what can be improved. You can take the survey, see how your organization compares to others, and jumpstart your thinking on what successful leadership development could look like in your organization. Go to: http://www.bridgestar.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Quickly Change Font Size in Word
To quickly increase or decrease the font size of selected text by 1 point, do this:
• Select Text
• Ctrl + ] to increase by 1 point
• Ctrl + [ to decrease by 1 point
This trick seems to works in all versions, including 2007 and 2010.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Picks of the Week: February 12 - 18, 2012
Website of the Week -- WhatWorks
The mission of WhatWorks is to guide philanthropy, nonprofits, and communities to higher results, moving the needle on social issues. WhatWorks operates as a network of nonprofit organizations, grant-makers, researchers, and consultants who are interested in investing in what works to achieve what matters. Available resources include: Access to a variety of online resources such as Outcomes Portal, Archived Webcasts, Case Studies, Best Practices, Articles; quarterly Learn What Works e-Newsletter; information about new ways to define, track, achieve, improve, communicate and manage to higher results; webinars and conferences; and much more. Go to: http://www.whatworks.org. Becoming a member of The Center for What Works is currently free and open to individuals as well as organizations. For more information, go to: http://www.whatworks.org.
Publication of the Week -- Forging Nonprofit Alliances: A Comprehensive Guide to Enhancing Your Mission Through Joint Ventures & Partnerships, Management Service Organizations by Jane Arsenault
From the publisher: One of the first books published on the subject and it remains among the best. In Forging Nonprofit Alliances, Jane Arsenault draws on her years of experience helping nonprofits join forces to show how nonprofits can use consolidation as a strategic tool to enhance rather than undermine mission. By forging alliances, nonprofits of all sizes can ensure the survival of key programs that may be threatened by shifts in funding and can attain necessary resources to pursue new opportunities. In addition, strategic alliances offer the potential to expand the reach and impact of organizations that already have substantial resources. Whether your nonprofit is ready to embark on an alliance, is considering the possibility, or is trying to evaluate your options, this practical, detailed guide gives you the tools needed to understand and simplify this often contentious and intimidating process-and the means to work through it step by step. In this comprehensive guide to enhancing mission, Arsenault explores the various options for consolidation-including joint ventures and partnerships, management service organizations, parent corporations, and mergers. She also details the negotiation process and demonstrates how to design and frame the consolidation process in a positive and constructive way for staff, donors, and constituents. Written for nonprofit managers and boards, Forging Nonprofit Alliances determines which options are right for an organization and clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of all members of nonprofit board and staff in planning and implementing an alliance. Arsenault's practical advice, along with worksheets, examples, and sample documents, makes Forging Nonprofit Alliances an invaluable hands-on guide to one of the most difficult challenges facing nonprofits today.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – State of the Nonprofit Industry
Blackbaud has conducted its State of the Nonprofit Industry survey annually for seven of the past eight years. The study asked nonprofit leaders to report on some of the management strategies they’re using, and the degree to which they anticipate changes in their organizations this year and next. According to the latest survey, although the global economic climate remains uncertain, there is once again a growing sense of optimism in the nonprofit sector regarding growth in staffing and earned and charitable income, especially when looking forward to 2012. At the same time, organizations anticipate an increased demand for services and increased expenditures. The majority of organizations expect to see an increased demand for their services in 2011 and 2012, similar to last year’s study. To meet the projected increase in demand for services, organizations are primarily anticipating either constant or growing staffing levels in 2011 and are slightly more optimistic about increased staffing in 2012. The percentage expecting overall staffing increases coincides with the percentage expecting fundraising staff growth. Similar to overall staffing, organizations expect to maintain or increase fundraising staffing levels in 2011 and 2012. For almost all countries, the percentage expecting fundraising staffing to increase is higher in 2012 than 2011. This reconfirms the finding from last year’s survey that fundraising is emerging as a widely-recognized profession around the globe. It is clear that fundraising is no longer someone’s “part-time” responsibility. For more information, go to: https://www.blackbaud.com.
Resource of the Week – Sample Personnel Policies
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits website includes resources and templates, including sample personnel policies. Go to: http://www.mncn.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Choosing Between Excel and Access for your Database
A question I hear frequently is how to choose between Excel or Access for a database. The following resources should help you answer this important question:
• Microsoft has a free online tutorial Choose between Access and Excel that will help you understand the terminology and make this decision by asking the right questions up front.
• Using Access or Excel to manage your data compares the benefits of each program, discusses when to use Access, when to use Excel, and when to use Access and Excel together, also on Microsoft.com.
• Another Microsoft article Top 10 reasons to use Access with Excel demonstrates how often the best solution is to use the 2 programs together.
The mission of WhatWorks is to guide philanthropy, nonprofits, and communities to higher results, moving the needle on social issues. WhatWorks operates as a network of nonprofit organizations, grant-makers, researchers, and consultants who are interested in investing in what works to achieve what matters. Available resources include: Access to a variety of online resources such as Outcomes Portal, Archived Webcasts, Case Studies, Best Practices, Articles; quarterly Learn What Works e-Newsletter; information about new ways to define, track, achieve, improve, communicate and manage to higher results; webinars and conferences; and much more. Go to: http://www.whatworks.org. Becoming a member of The Center for What Works is currently free and open to individuals as well as organizations. For more information, go to: http://www.whatworks.org.
Publication of the Week -- Forging Nonprofit Alliances: A Comprehensive Guide to Enhancing Your Mission Through Joint Ventures & Partnerships, Management Service Organizations by Jane Arsenault
From the publisher: One of the first books published on the subject and it remains among the best. In Forging Nonprofit Alliances, Jane Arsenault draws on her years of experience helping nonprofits join forces to show how nonprofits can use consolidation as a strategic tool to enhance rather than undermine mission. By forging alliances, nonprofits of all sizes can ensure the survival of key programs that may be threatened by shifts in funding and can attain necessary resources to pursue new opportunities. In addition, strategic alliances offer the potential to expand the reach and impact of organizations that already have substantial resources. Whether your nonprofit is ready to embark on an alliance, is considering the possibility, or is trying to evaluate your options, this practical, detailed guide gives you the tools needed to understand and simplify this often contentious and intimidating process-and the means to work through it step by step. In this comprehensive guide to enhancing mission, Arsenault explores the various options for consolidation-including joint ventures and partnerships, management service organizations, parent corporations, and mergers. She also details the negotiation process and demonstrates how to design and frame the consolidation process in a positive and constructive way for staff, donors, and constituents. Written for nonprofit managers and boards, Forging Nonprofit Alliances determines which options are right for an organization and clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of all members of nonprofit board and staff in planning and implementing an alliance. Arsenault's practical advice, along with worksheets, examples, and sample documents, makes Forging Nonprofit Alliances an invaluable hands-on guide to one of the most difficult challenges facing nonprofits today.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – State of the Nonprofit Industry
Blackbaud has conducted its State of the Nonprofit Industry survey annually for seven of the past eight years. The study asked nonprofit leaders to report on some of the management strategies they’re using, and the degree to which they anticipate changes in their organizations this year and next. According to the latest survey, although the global economic climate remains uncertain, there is once again a growing sense of optimism in the nonprofit sector regarding growth in staffing and earned and charitable income, especially when looking forward to 2012. At the same time, organizations anticipate an increased demand for services and increased expenditures. The majority of organizations expect to see an increased demand for their services in 2011 and 2012, similar to last year’s study. To meet the projected increase in demand for services, organizations are primarily anticipating either constant or growing staffing levels in 2011 and are slightly more optimistic about increased staffing in 2012. The percentage expecting overall staffing increases coincides with the percentage expecting fundraising staff growth. Similar to overall staffing, organizations expect to maintain or increase fundraising staffing levels in 2011 and 2012. For almost all countries, the percentage expecting fundraising staffing to increase is higher in 2012 than 2011. This reconfirms the finding from last year’s survey that fundraising is emerging as a widely-recognized profession around the globe. It is clear that fundraising is no longer someone’s “part-time” responsibility. For more information, go to: https://www.blackbaud.com.
Resource of the Week – Sample Personnel Policies
The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits website includes resources and templates, including sample personnel policies. Go to: http://www.mncn.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Choosing Between Excel and Access for your Database
A question I hear frequently is how to choose between Excel or Access for a database. The following resources should help you answer this important question:
• Microsoft has a free online tutorial Choose between Access and Excel that will help you understand the terminology and make this decision by asking the right questions up front.
• Using Access or Excel to manage your data compares the benefits of each program, discusses when to use Access, when to use Excel, and when to use Access and Excel together, also on Microsoft.com.
• Another Microsoft article Top 10 reasons to use Access with Excel demonstrates how often the best solution is to use the 2 programs together.
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