Website of the Week -- The Philanthropy Journal
The Philanthropy Journal, the name notwithstanding, is a website that delivers news, information, resources and opinion about charitable giving, fundraising, management, leadership, marketing and communications, focusing in particular on organizational effectiveness, donor engagement and collaboration. The vision of the Philanthropy Journal is to help people understand, support and work in the nonprofit and philanthropic world, and help them recognize and solve social problems. The Philanthropy Journal is a publication of the A.J. Fletcher Foundation in Raleigh, N.C., that supports the Foundation's mission and grantees. The site publishes two newsletters: the Weekly Bulletin eNewsletter is published every Monday and People & Nonprofits in the News eNewsletter is published every other Wednesday. To view the website and subscribe to the eNewsletters, go to: http://www.philanthropyjournal.org/
Publication of the Week -- Fund Raising Realities Every Board Member Must Face: A 1-Hour Crash Course on Raising Major Gifts for Nonprofit Organizations by David Lansdowne
From the publisher: If every board member of every nonprofit organization across America read this book, it’s no exaggeration to say that millions upon millions of additional dollars would be raised.How could it be otherwise when, after spending just one hour with this gem, board members everywhere would understand virtually everything they need to know about raising major gifts. Not more, not less. Just exactly what they need to do to be successful. In his bestselling book, Fund Raising Realities Every Board Member Must Face: A 1-Hour Crash Course on Raising Major Gifts for Nonprofit Organizations, David Lansdowne has distilled the essence of major gifts fundraising, put it in the context of 47 “realities,” and delivered it in unfailingly clear prose. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Corporate Contributions Rise Again
A new study by the Conference Board reports that total corporate contributions in the U.S. and abroad (among 189 major corporations and corporate foundations) amounted to $10.2 billion in 2006, up from $9.8 billion in 2005. Total U.S. giving among 189 corporations polled was $7.9 billion. This represents 62 percent of the overall estimated $12.72 billion in corporate charitable giving in the U.S. in 2006. The Conference Board study also compared U.S. giving among 146 corporations and foundations between 2005 and 2006 and found that their contributions to worthy causes decreased by 6.3% from $7.2 billion in 2005 to $6.7 billion in 2006. Median U.S. giving among this group also declined from $49 million in 2005 to $46 million in 2006. These matched cases provide the most accurate analysis of year-to-year trends in U.S. giving. Reflecting the increased global reach of business operations, international grantmaking is emerging as an increasingly significant component in the giving programs of many large companies. Total overseas charitable contributions (as reported by 88 companies surveyed) soared in 2006-their total reaching $2.3 billion. For more detail and to download a copy of the full report, go to: http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=3315.
Resource of the Week -- Nonprofit Information Technology (IT) Staffing Resource
Staffing the information technology (IT) function is frequently a challenge for nonprofit organizations. Financial resources are typically limited, and hiring managers often feel overwhelmed and under-educated when it comes to IT. Determining where IT should fit into the organization, how many IT staff people are needed, and what those people should be spending their time doing can be difficult decisions. In order to shed some light on these questions, the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) and the Nonprofit Times teamed up to create the Nonprofit IT Staffing Survey. The results of this survey will be presented in three parts. The first report, "Staffing Levels, Recruiting, Retention, and Outsourcing" focuses on the nature of IT staff and departments in nonprofits. Future reports will cover Salaries & Budgets and IT Management & Planning. To download the first report for free, go to: http://nten.org/research/it_staffing.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Using Bookmarks in Word 2007
There are many ways to move through a long document in Microsoft Word 2007 − such as the PgUp or PgDn keys or clicking the scroll bar. Or, you can use a bookmark.
To create a bookmark in a document:
• Click where you want the bookmark to go
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Links group, click Bookmark (or press Ctrl+Shift+F5)
• Type a descriptive name in the Bookmark Name box. (You cannot include spaces in bookmark names.)
• Click the Add button
To go to a bookmark:
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Links group, click Bookmark (or press Ctrl+Shift+F5)
• Double-click the name of the bookmark (or select it and click the Go To button)
• Click the close button or press Enter
Monday, February 25, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Picks of the Week: February 17 - 23, 2008
Website of the Week -- Center for Association Leadership
The Center for Association Leadership, founded by the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives (GWSAE), is an organization of people, resources and ideas focused on the future of associations. The site offers an extensive array of programs, knowledge resources and community networks including a Knowledge Resource section where you'll find association case studies, models and samples, articles and whitepapers, book reviews, the Ten Cool Ideas collection and expert recommendations covering all aspects of association management. Go to: http://www.asaecenter.org/AboutUs/GWNetwork.cfm?navItemNumber=15937
Publication of the Week -- Giving Back: Connecting You, Business, and Community by Peter Economy and Bert Berkley
From the Publisher: There is something exciting happening in businesses across the country. More business-people and more companies than ever are participating in charitable activities and are learning that giving back is not a slogan—it is a way of doing business and a way of life. Giving Back reveals how fundamental and lasting changes are being accomplished in communities and highlights highly effective organizations from a number of major metropolitan areas, including Kiva.org, Horizons for Homeless Children, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, LINC, Stonyfield Farm Profits for the Planet, and many more. You will be inspired by the stories, anecdotes, personal observations, experience, and advice of visionary leaders in business, including:
• Roger Brown and Linda Mason, cofounders of Bright Horizons Family Solutions
• S. Truett Cathy, founder and Chairman, Chick-fil-A®, Inc.
• Matt Flannery, cofounder of Kiva.org
• Gary Hirshberg, Chairman, President, and CEO of Stonyfield Farm
• Kent C. (Oz) Nelson, retired chairman and CEO of United Parcel Service
In each case, you will discover the positive benefits of becoming personally involved in your community and of affiliating your business with charities and nonprofits. These benefits include an increase in your bottom line and in your employees' morale, as well as a boost to your company's brand and reputation—all through giving back.
http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-047016753X.html
Trend of the Week -- Civic Engagement Among Minority Youth
A report from the CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) authored by Karlo Barrios Marcelo, Mark Hugo Lopez, and Emily Hoban Kirby summarizes trends in civic engagement among minority youth. Minority youth are engaged in a wide variety of civic activities. Recent research suggests that there are differences in the nature and degree of civic engagement among young people by race and ethnicity. This research generally finds that African-American youth are among the most engaged politically, and Asian-American youth are among the most engaged in civic activities such as volunteering. In contrast, most work has found that young Latinos often lag behind every other group on traditional measures of engagement, especially in voting and volunteering. However, Latino youth are highly engaged in other ways, such as protesting. The report utilized data from the 2006 Civic and Political Health of the Nation Survey, and several other sources. Go to: http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/FactSheets/FS_07_minority_ce.pdf.
Resource of the Week -- Planned Giving: A Board Member’s Perspective
The purpose of this resource is to provide board members with an overview of the fundamentals of planned giving. Board members are critical to the success of a planned giving initiative, as they often can help set the stage with donors and support the staff in executing agreements. In fluid economic times, with volatile stock markets and income streams making unexpected swings, more organizations may rely on planned giving programs for meeting their financial goals. The need for maintaining and increasing the endowment ranks high on the agenda of most organizations. Few programs support this objective of long-term financial stability more effectively than planned gifts. Go to: http://www.grantthornton.com/staticfiles/GTCom/files/Industries/NotForProfit/planned%20giving.pdf.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Total Data in an Excel 2007 Table
New in Excel 2007, you can now total the data in a Microsoft Office Excel table by displaying a totals row at the end of the table. Here's how:
• Click anywhere in the table to display the Table Tools Design tab
• Click the Design tab
• In the Table Style Options group, select the Total Row check box
• In the total row, click the cell in the column you want to calculate a total for
• Click the drop-down list arrow that appears
• In the drop-down list, select the function you want to use to calculate the total
The Center for Association Leadership, founded by the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives (GWSAE), is an organization of people, resources and ideas focused on the future of associations. The site offers an extensive array of programs, knowledge resources and community networks including a Knowledge Resource section where you'll find association case studies, models and samples, articles and whitepapers, book reviews, the Ten Cool Ideas collection and expert recommendations covering all aspects of association management. Go to: http://www.asaecenter.org/AboutUs/GWNetwork.cfm?navItemNumber=15937
Publication of the Week -- Giving Back: Connecting You, Business, and Community by Peter Economy and Bert Berkley
From the Publisher: There is something exciting happening in businesses across the country. More business-people and more companies than ever are participating in charitable activities and are learning that giving back is not a slogan—it is a way of doing business and a way of life. Giving Back reveals how fundamental and lasting changes are being accomplished in communities and highlights highly effective organizations from a number of major metropolitan areas, including Kiva.org, Horizons for Homeless Children, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, LINC, Stonyfield Farm Profits for the Planet, and many more. You will be inspired by the stories, anecdotes, personal observations, experience, and advice of visionary leaders in business, including:
• Roger Brown and Linda Mason, cofounders of Bright Horizons Family Solutions
• S. Truett Cathy, founder and Chairman, Chick-fil-A®, Inc.
• Matt Flannery, cofounder of Kiva.org
• Gary Hirshberg, Chairman, President, and CEO of Stonyfield Farm
• Kent C. (Oz) Nelson, retired chairman and CEO of United Parcel Service
In each case, you will discover the positive benefits of becoming personally involved in your community and of affiliating your business with charities and nonprofits. These benefits include an increase in your bottom line and in your employees' morale, as well as a boost to your company's brand and reputation—all through giving back.
http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-047016753X.html
Trend of the Week -- Civic Engagement Among Minority Youth
A report from the CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) authored by Karlo Barrios Marcelo, Mark Hugo Lopez, and Emily Hoban Kirby summarizes trends in civic engagement among minority youth. Minority youth are engaged in a wide variety of civic activities. Recent research suggests that there are differences in the nature and degree of civic engagement among young people by race and ethnicity. This research generally finds that African-American youth are among the most engaged politically, and Asian-American youth are among the most engaged in civic activities such as volunteering. In contrast, most work has found that young Latinos often lag behind every other group on traditional measures of engagement, especially in voting and volunteering. However, Latino youth are highly engaged in other ways, such as protesting. The report utilized data from the 2006 Civic and Political Health of the Nation Survey, and several other sources. Go to: http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/FactSheets/FS_07_minority_ce.pdf.
Resource of the Week -- Planned Giving: A Board Member’s Perspective
The purpose of this resource is to provide board members with an overview of the fundamentals of planned giving. Board members are critical to the success of a planned giving initiative, as they often can help set the stage with donors and support the staff in executing agreements. In fluid economic times, with volatile stock markets and income streams making unexpected swings, more organizations may rely on planned giving programs for meeting their financial goals. The need for maintaining and increasing the endowment ranks high on the agenda of most organizations. Few programs support this objective of long-term financial stability more effectively than planned gifts. Go to: http://www.grantthornton.com/staticfiles/GTCom/files/Industries/NotForProfit/planned%20giving.pdf.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Total Data in an Excel 2007 Table
New in Excel 2007, you can now total the data in a Microsoft Office Excel table by displaying a totals row at the end of the table. Here's how:
• Click anywhere in the table to display the Table Tools Design tab
• Click the Design tab
• In the Table Style Options group, select the Total Row check box
• In the total row, click the cell in the column you want to calculate a total for
• Click the drop-down list arrow that appears
• In the drop-down list, select the function you want to use to calculate the total
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