Monday, August 29, 2011

Picks of the Week: August 28 - September 10, 2011

Website of the Week – Capaciteria

Capaciteria is a comprehensive, searchable database directory of capacity-building resources for nonprofits. It promotes peer review because members can comment on and rate individual resource links, as well as add useful new links. Capaciteria was developed by Jonathan Peizer, Chief Technology Officer of the Open Society Institute. Go to: http://capaciteria.org.


Publication of the Week -- Social Media for Social Good: A How-to Guide for Nonprofits by Heather Mansfield

From the publisher: Based on more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit communications and 15,000+ hours spent utilizing social and mobile media, Social Media for Social Good: A How-To Guide for Nonprofits is a comprehensive 256-page hardcover book packed with more than 100 best practices covering Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web 3.0 nonprofit communications and fundraising. From building your e-newsletter list to finding your "Twitter voice" to launching a mobile website and texting campaign on a small budget, this guide presents a step-by-step strategic plan for launching and maintaining successful social media and mobile marketing campaigns.

Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Latest Volunteer Trends

Volunteers provide a powerful economic and social benefit to communities across the nation, with 62.8 million adults serving almost 8.1 billion hours through organizations in 2010, according to research released today by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The agency’s annual Volunteering in America research finds that America’s volunteers provided services valued at nearly $173 billion to communities and the nation last year, using Independent Sector’s estimate of the dollar value of volunteer time. Notably, Generation X volunteers (born 1965-1981) devoted more time to service in 2010 than they ever have before, giving more than 2.3 billion hours—an increase of almost 110 million hours over 2009. Generation X members more than doubled their volunteer rate between 1989 and the present day, from 12.3 percent in 1989 to 29.2 percent in 2010. This rise demonstrates a shift that researchers are seeing across the “volunteer lifecycle”—the arc of civic involvement that tends to increase as citizens feel a deeper connection to their communities through personal networks, their workplace, and their children’s schools. While the overall national volunteer rate dipped slightly from 26.8 percent in 2009 to 26.3 percent in 2010, the number of hours volunteers served remained approximately the same at 8.1 billion hours, indicating many volunteers committed more hours to service. The proportion of volunteers who serve 100 hours or more appears to have increased between 2009 and 2010 from 33.2 percent to 33.8 percent, and the median number of hours served per volunteer appears to have increased from 50 to 52 per year. For more information, go to: http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov.


Resource of the Week – Finding Your Funding Model: A Practical Approach to Nonprofit Sustainability

Developing a funding strategy that leads to financial sustainability is central to any nonprofit's ability to increase its impact. Building on years of primary research and consulting experience with dozens of nonprofits, The Bridgespan Group has developed an approach to help organizations identify and develop funding models that can best position them to achieve programmatic aspirations. Finding Your Funding Model provides practical guidance for the steps required, and the decisions and tradeoffs to be made, that will confront nonprofit leaders along the way. This detailed guide outlines a six step journey to identify and build the funding model that is right for your organization. Go to: http://www.bridgespan.org.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Recording Narrations in PowerPoint 2010

In a previous tip we covered recording narrations in PowerPoint 2007. In PowerPoint 2010, here's how:
• Click the Slide show tab on the Ribbon
• In the Set Up group click the Record Slide Show icon
• In the Record Slide Show dialog box, select what you want to record
• Click Start Recording

Monday, August 22, 2011

Picks of the Week: August 21 - 27, 2011

Website of the Week – National Center for Children in Poverty

The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) is the nation’s leading public policy center dedicated to promoting the economic security, health, and well-being of America’s low-income families and children. NCCP uses research to inform policy and practice with the goal of ensuring positive outcomes for the next generation. NCCP promotes family-oriented solutions at the state and national levels. Founded in 1989 as a division of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, NCCP is a nonpartisan, public interest research organization. Go to: http://www.nccp.org/about.html.


Publication of the Week -- Finance Fundamentals for Nonprofits, with Website: Building Capacity and Sustainability by Woods Bowman

From the publisher: A complete guide to the financial requirements a nonprofit organization must follow to indefinitely maintain the volume and quality of their services. An organization may have plenty of capacity in the long run, but in the short run, donor restrictions and limited financing options are constraining. Here-and-now liquid assets are the only resources available. Finance Fundamentals for Nonprofits: Building Capacity and Sustainability shows how to measure a nonprofit organization's financial capacity in different time frames and how to measure its ability to sustain capacity in each case.

• Explains how nonprofits differ from businesses and how they promote values-centered management
• Reveals how to improve financial capacity and sustainability
• Written by a nonprofit scholar

Filled with real-world case studies and actionable advice relating financial health to financial capacity and sustainability, this book is essential reading for every nonprofit professional.

Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Child Poverty Rates Increase in US

According to data released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in its annual KIDS COUNT® Data Book, over the last decade there has been a significant decline in economic well-being for low income children and families. The official child poverty rate, which is a conservative measure of economic hardship, increased 18 percent between 2000 and 2009, essentially returning to the same level as the early 1990s. This increase means that 2.4 million more children are living below the federal poverty line. Data also reveals the impact of the job and foreclosure crisis on children. In 2010, 11 percent of children had at least one unemployed parent and 4 percent have been affected by foreclosure since 2007. For more information, go to: http://datacenter.kidscount.org.


Resource of the Week – Outcome Indicators Project

The Outcome Indicators Project provides a framework for tracking nonprofit performance. It suggests candidate outcomes and outcome indicators to assist nonprofit organizations that seek to develop new outcome monitoring processes or improve their existing systems. The Outcome Framework is applied to 14 program areas. For each program, there is a sample mission statement, an outcome sequence chart, a table of candidate program-specific outcomes, and data collection strategies with suggested data sources for each outcome indicator. For convenience, the outcome sequence chart and table of candidate program-specific outcomes are available for download. The sequence chart is an MS Word document and the table is an MS Excel spreadsheet. The program reports are available as PDFs. An excellent resource. Go to: http://www.urban.org.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Keep a Table Row from Breaking in Word 2007/2010

To keep a table row from breaking between pages in Word 2007/2010:

• Select the row you want to keep together on the same page
• Below the Table Tools tab on the Ribbon, click the Layout tab
• In the Table group, click Properties to open the Table Properties dialog box
• Click the Row tab
• Clear to de-select the Allow row to break across pages check box
• Click OK

Monday, August 15, 2011

Picks of the Week: August 14 - 20, 2011

Website of the Week – GrantStation.com

GrantStation.com, Inc. (GrantStation) offers nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies the opportunity to identify potential funding sources for their programs or projects as well as resources to mentor these organizations through the grantseeking process. GrantStation provides access to a searchable database of private grantmakers that accept inquiries and proposals from a variety of organizations; federal deadlines, which are updated twice a week; links to state funding agencies; and a growing database of international grantmakers. In addition, GrantStation publishes two e-newsletters highlighting upcoming funding opportunities; the weekly GrantStation Insider, which focuses on opportunities for U.S. nonprofit organizations; and the monthly GrantStation International Insider, which focuses on international funding opportunities. Go to: http://www.grantstation.com.

Publication of the Week -- You and Your Nonprofit: Practical Advice and Tips from the CharityChannel Professional Community by Norman Olshansky and Linda Lysakowski

From the publisher: You And Your Nonprofit has been written for those who want to learn more about the nonprofit sector or improve their knowledge and skills related to nonprofit leadership, management and fundraising. Peer-reviewed articles selected for inclusion in this book have been contributed by nationally known experts within the nonprofit sector, all of whom participate on CharityChannel.com as part of its distinguished professional community. You And Your Nonprofit explores planning issues that are often a challenge to nonprofit organizations; provides models for improvement of management, governance and leadership; presents best practices related to the science and art of fundraising; addresses many of the day-to-day issues that confront nonprofit leaders and professionals; and provides practical and replicable problem-solving suggestions. You And Your Nonprofit is one in a series of IN THE TRENCHES books published by CharityChannel Press. In his foreword to the book, Bob Carter, CFRE, Chair-Elect of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, wrote, "This is surely the book I wish I had decades ago."

Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Under 40 Leaders' Perspectives on Cross-Sector Collaboration

A new report summarizes findings of a survey sponsored by Independent Sector and the American Express Foundation. The report highlights the potential power of an emerging group and an important approach for improving lives across the country and around the world. The group is NGen—people under 40 who are America's next generation of leaders. The approach is collaboration—the ability to work across sectors in order to combine the resources and skills of the nonprofit, for-profit, and government sectors. Both have already made substantial contributions to enriching lives and solving problems in communities everywhere. But this
report — based on the survey that asked more than 2,000 NGeners for their perspectives on leadership development, cross-sector collaboration and how to solve society’s most pressing problems — suggests that with more opportunities for leadership training and further engagement across sectors, that impact can be much greater. The five key findings of the survey are:

• Ngeners mostly agree on the top issues facing communities, the nation, and the world
• Ngeners feel collaboration across sectors is very important but do not know the people, the leaders or the methods to facilitate collaboration
• The majority of Ngeners could not identify a single leader under the age of 40 who is effectively solving a societal problem
• Ngeners believe the nonprofit sector is best positioned to take the lead in engaging other sectors to solve problems
• Ngeners believe they need more, organized leadership development opportunities

For the full report, go to: http://buildingmovement.org.


Resource of the Week – Red Beans & Rice Newsletter

Red Beans & Rice is a weekly e-mail of interesting articles, funding resources, professional development opportunities and other areas related to the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. The newsletter is edited by John Brothers, Principal of Cuidiu Consulting. An excellent resource! Go to: http://archive.constantcontact.com.


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

Monday, August 8, 2011

Picks of the Week: August 7 - 13, 2011

Website of the Week – National Center for Charitable Statistics

The National Center for Charitable Statistics, a project of the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, is the national repository of data on the nonprofit sector in the United States. Lobbying expenditure data for all 501(c)(3) organizations that are required to file Form 990 are available. Data are available from 1989 to 1998. The new "digitized" database will soon be available and will provide richer information on all 501(c)(3)s, including their advocacy activities. Go to: http://www.nccs.urban.org.


Publication of the Week -- Scaling Social Impact: New Thinking by Paul N. Bloom and Edward Skloot

From the publisher:"Scaling Social Impact could not be released at a more opportune moment. When resources to support social change seem more limited than ever, two of our field's most significant thought leaders collaborate to bring us some of the best, most current and engaging perspectives on a topic that to this point one might argue has been more fad than strategy. By presenting us with writings from a host of researchers and experienced field builders, Bloom and Skloot offer us not only vision but informed, research-based insights into the concept and complications of what it means to attain the highest potential of effective social programs. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Online Giving Trends

On an ongoing basis, Blackbaud publishes the Index of Charitable Giving. According to the Q1 & Q2 2011 Online Giving Index overall giving increased for both Q1 2011 and Q2 2011, compared to the same periods in 2010. Charity website giving saw mixed results across the first half of 2011, compared to the same period in 2010. Charity websites with branded donation pages achieved five times more donation dollars, on average, than sites with generic donation pages. . To download the Q1 & Q2 2011 Online Giving Index, go to: http://www.blackbaud.com.


Resource of the Week – Best Web Sites To Find Grants

The Best Web Sites To Find Grants has been compiled by Don Griesmann. The list includes links to U.S. foundations and corporations and for the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. There are data banks aimed at international NGOs. There are specialized banks for animals, women, human rights, health, the environment and international development. Griesmann has included what he considers to be the best data banks for U.S. government funds including funds for international purposes. Some of the data banks require a user name, a password and an e-mail address. In some instances your account will require activation through a return e-mail to you to be returned to them or clicking on a link. To access this amazing resource, go to: http://dongriesmannsnonprofit.blogspot.com.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Move or Copy Sheets between Workbooks in Excel 2007/2010

• Open the sheet you want to move or copy
• Click the Home tab on the Ribbon
• In the Cells group, click Format
• Under Organize Sheets, select Move or Copy Sheet
• Choose where you want the sheet to be copied or moved to
• Be sure to select the create a copy box if you do not want your sheet moved

Monday, August 1, 2011

Picks of the Week: July 31 - August 6, 2011

Website of the Week – Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship

A research and education center based at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) promotes the entrepreneurial pursuit of social impact through the thoughtful adaptation of business expertise. Numerous nonprofits are adopting the language and tools of business and some are actually converting to for-profit status. At the same time, for-profit firms are competing directly with nonprofits by moving into social sector arenas, ranging from education to economic development to environmental conservation. This rash of sector-blurring activity has created an opportunity for leading business schools to have significant social impact by constructively exploring the adaptation of business concepts for the social sector. CASE was founded to capitalize on this opportunity while building upon a deep respect for the talent, passion, and dedication of the countless individuals who have devoted their lives to working for the common good. For more information about CASE and to access related resources, to go: http://www.caseatduke.org.


Publication of the Week -- Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business by Ann Handley, and C.C. Chapman

From the publisher: Blogs, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other publishing platforms are giving everyone a "voice," including organizations and their customers. So how do you create the bold stories, videos, and blog posts that cultivate fans, arouse passion for your products or services, and ignite your business? Content Rules equips you for online success with a one-stop source on the art and science of developing marketing content that people care about. This coverage is interwoven with case studies of companies successfully spreading their ideas online-and using them to establish credibility and build a loyal customer base.

• Learn the art of storytelling and the science of journalism
• Find an authentic "voice" and craft bold content that will resonate with prospects and buyers and encourage them to share it with others
• Leverage social media and social tools to get your content and ideas distributed as widely as possible

Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Federal Expenditures on Children

Kids' Share 2011: Report on Federal Expenditures on Children through 2010, a fifth annual report, looks comprehensively at trends over the past 50 years in federal spending and tax expenditures on children. Key findings suggest that the size and composition of expenditures on children have changed considerably, but children have not been a budget priority. Federal expenditures on children in 2010, were 11 percent of the federal budget, slightly higher than in 2009. This increase is temporary, however, with the children's share of the budget expected to shrink to less than 8 percent by the end of the next decade. Absent reform of current law, federal spending on children is projected to fall over the next several years, whether measured in real dollars, as a share of the federal budget, or as a share of the economy. Between 2010 and 2015, for example, outlays on children are projected to fall from $374 billion to $339 billion, a decline of 9 percent. As the temporary boost in spending under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) comes to an end, federal spending on education and certain other programs for children will fall dramatically. To download the report, go to: http://www.urban.org.


Resource of the Week – Using Social Media Platforms to Amplify Public Health Messages

In partnership with Ogilvy PR, Alexandra Hughes of the Georgetown University's Center for Social Impact Communication researched and developed a white paper that examines how to leverage the opportunities social media provides by identifying tenets and best practices for public health-driven social media, as well as provides insights into how to reach and engage key consumer and provider audiences. Using Social Media Platforms to Amplify Public Health Messages was informed by a review of the publicly-available public health and social marketing literature, strategies and tactics employed by public health campaigns that have successfully utilized social media to affect audience attitudes, behaviors and/or awareness of an issue, and one-on-one interviews with public health, social marketing and social media subject-matter experts across the country. To download the white paper, go to: http://smexchange.ogilvypr.com.


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 the "slideshow" button on the Quick Access Toolbar.