Picks of the Week: May 3 - May 9, 2009

Website of the Week -- Outcome Measurement Resource Network

The Resource Network of the United Way of America offers information, downloadable documents, and links to resources related to the identification and measurement of program- and community-level outcomes. Go to: http://www.liveunited.org/outcomes/?.


Publication of the Week -- Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Strategic Approach, 3rd Edition by Joan E. Pynes

From the publisher: Public and nonprofit organizations face difficult challenges today that make the strategic management of human resources crucial. This book shows how to integrate HR practices with the mission of their organization. An accessible tool complete with an instructor s manual, this book provides an integrated approach to current HR concerns and is unique in its focus on both public and nonprofit agencies. Offering guidance and techniques for implementing effective human resource management strategies job analysis, performance evaluation, recruitment and selection, training and development, compensation and benefits, and collective bargaining Pynes demonstrates how strategic human resources management is essential to proactively managing change. Click here to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week -- Downward Trend in High School Volunteering

Fewer high school age (16-18) Americans stepped up to volunteer their time over the past two years, new research reveals. Traditionally, teenagers have volunteered at slightly higher rates than other age groups, but in 2007 people 25 or older were more likely to volunteer than were those 16 to 18. These are some of the findings from a study examining youth volunteering trends from 2002 to 2007 released by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University’s Tisch College. The research presents volunteer rates by state and age groups calculated using the Current Population Survey (CPS), a joint product of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau. Overall trends showed a 6 percentage point decline in volunteering among 16-to-18 year-olds since the rate peaked in 2005 at 33 percent. Meanwhile, volunteer rates for the population aged 19-to-25 (18 percent) and 25 years and older (28 percent) both changed very little (2 percentage points or less) since 2002. The study also examined the state policies impacting youth volunteering, which many researchers believe have an impact on the levels of volunteering for 16-to-18 year-olds. For more information on the study, go to: http://www.civicyouth.org/?p=338.


Resource of the Week -- Social Networking Guides and Resources for Nonprofits

Networking for Good has compiled an excellent collection of introductory articles and resources to help you determine whether or not online social networks including services like Facebook, MySpace, and blogs fit your needs, and if so, how to get started. You can access the collection at http://www.fundraising123.org/social-networking. A great place to start is the article entitled “10 Things You Need to Do Prior to Diving into Social Media”. Go to: http://www.fundraising123.org/article.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Freeze a Formula into its Current Value

To freeze a formula into its current value:

• Select the formula
• Press F2 (Edit)
• Press F9 (Calc)
• Press Enter

Now you can copy or move the value anywhere you need it. This trick works in all versions of Excel, even 2007!