Picks of the Week: November 14-20, 2010

Website of the Week – Community Resource Exchange
For over 30 years, Community Resource Exchange (CRE) has worked to create a more just, equitable and livable city for ALL New Yorkers. CRE provide strategic advice and technical services every year to more than 300 community-based nonprofit organizations confronting social issues such as poverty and HIV/AIDs in low and moderate income neighborhoods. As one of the most established nonprofit management consulting providers of its kind, CRE provides its clients with information, guidance, resources for nonprofits, skill building and leadership training for Community Based Organizations to make New York City stronger - one community group at a time. Be sure to check out their Resources for Nonprofits. Go to: http://www.crenyc.org/about_us.


Publication of the Week -- The Nonprofit Marketing Guide: High-Impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your Good Cause by Kivi Leroux Miller

From the publisher: This down-to-earth book shows how to hack through the bewildering jungle of marketing options and miles-long to-do lists to clear a marketing path that's right for your organization, no matter how understaffed or underfunded. You'll see how to shape a marketing program that starts from where you are now and grows with your organization, using smart and savvy communications techniques, both offline and online. Combining big-picture management and strategic decision-making with reader-friendly tips for implementing a marketing program day in and day out, this book provides a simple yet powerful framework for building support for your organization's mission and programs.

• Includes cost-effective strategies and proven tactics for nonprofits
• An ideal resource for thriving during challenging times
• Fast, friendly, and realistic advice to help you navigate the day-by-day demands of any nonprofit

Written by one of the leading sources of how-to info and can-do inspiration for small and medium-sized nonprofit organizations, Kivi Leroux Miller is, among other things, a communication consultant and trainer, and president of EcoScribe Communications and Nonprofit Marketing Guide.com. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week -- High Net worth Donor Trends

The 2010 Bank of America Merrill Lynch Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy tracks significant shifts as well as consistent trends in the giving behaviors of the wealthiest donors in the United States. The findings highlight the philanthropic legacy of high net worth households and offer valuable information to nonprofit organizations who seek to engage, sustain, and deepen relationships with these donors. Key findings include;

• High net worth households continued to support charitable organizations at levels seen in 2005 and 2007 (98.2 percent of high net worth households donated to charity in 2009). This indicates that despite the economic downturn, high net worth households remain committed to supporting nonprofits.
• Despite a strong commitment to nonprofits in 2009, average charitable giving by high net worth households decreased between 2007 and 2009. Average charitable giving dropped 34.9 percent from $83,034 in 2007 to $54,016 in 2009, after adjusting for inflation.
• About one-third of households cited an organization's own communications about its impact (34.1 percent) as important when giving to charity.
• In response to meeting community needs, nearly 64 percent of high net worth household gave more in 2009 than in 2008 to support people's basic needs and/or to fund the general operations of an organization.
• A few subsectors saw increases, between 4 and 21 percent, in the average amount given by wealthy households including arts, environment/animal care, international causes, and to giving vehicles. Other subsectors saw more significant declines from 2007, with giving to health experiencing a 63.7 percent decline, education a 55 percent decline, and combined purpose organizations (such as United Way, United Jewish Appeal, or Catholic Charities) experiencing a 44 percent decline.

For more information, go to:
http://mediaroom.bankofamerica.com.


Resource of the Week – TechSoup Grant Writing Series

Wish you knew more about applying for grant funding? Does it seem overwhelming and you wonder how to get started? TechSoup is offering a new grant series, Successful Grants in One Hour a Week. The online series will provide you with small steps that cover the entire grant writing and submission process. Weekly blog posts will outline your steps for the week so you'll be prepared to apply for a basic grant before the end of the year. For information, go to: http://blog.techsoup.org.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Worksheet Selection in Excel

If you have several worksheets in an Excel workbook, it can be time consuming to select the one you want to view. This shortcut can help you speed up the process.

• Right click on the sheet tab navigation arrows located in the lower left corner of the screen
• A menu of worksheet tabs pops up
• Left click the worksheet you want to view

This tip works in Excel 2007 as well as earlier versions.