Website of The Week -- Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy
Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) is a national network of young people professional s and people involved in the work of organized philanthropy. EPIP's mission is to support and strengthen the next generation of grantmakers in order to advance social justice philanthropy. Go to: http://www.epip.org/index.php.
Publication of the Week -- Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time by Claire Diaz-Ortiz
From the publisher: As recent events in Japan, the Middle East, and Haiti have shown, Twitter offers a unique platform to connect individuals and influence change in ways that were unthinkable only a short time ago. In Twitter for Good, Claire Diaz Ortiz, Twitter’s head of corporate social innovation and philanthropy, shares the same strategies she offers to organizations launching cause-based campaigns. Filled with dynamic examples from initiatives around the world, this groundbreaking book offers practical guidelines for harnessing individual activism via Twitter as a force for social change.
• Reveals why every organization needs a dedicated Twitter strategy and explains how to set one
• Introduces the five-step model taught at trainings around the world: T.W.E.E.T. (Target, Write, Engage, Explore, Track)
Author @claired is the head of corporate social innovation and philanthropy at Twitter, collaborating with organizations like Nike, Pepsi, MTV, the American Red Cross, charity:water, Room to Read, the Gates Foundation, the Skoll Foundation, the Case Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, Kiva, the United Nations, Free the Children, Committee to Protect Journalists, Partners in Health, FEMA, Ushahidi, The Acumen Fund. With more than 200 million users worldwide, Twitter has established itself as a dynamic force, one that every business and nonprofit must understand how to use effectively. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – High Levels of Civic Engagement Builds Economic Resilience of Communities
A report released today by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) finds that states with higher levels of civic engagement are more resilient in an economic downturn. The report identifies five measures of civic engagement – attending meetings, helping neighbors, registering to vote, volunteering and voting – which appear to protect against unemployment and contribute to overall economic resilience. Of these five civic health indicators, working with neighbors was the most important factor in predicting economic resilience, as an increase of one percent in neighbors working together to solve community problems was associated with a decrease of .256 percent in the unemployment rate. Public meeting attendance emerged as the second most important factor, followed by volunteering and registering to vote as top important predictors of unemployment change. The NCoC report found that of the states with the highest rates of volunteering and working with neighbors, Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota and South Dakota had the smallest increase in unemployment between 2006 and 2010. Of the states with the lowest rates of volunteering and working with neighbors, Alabama, California, Florida, Nevada and Rhode Island had the highest increase in unemployment. The report calls on community and business leaders to use these findings to inform a public discussion of how civic health can help improve the economy. For more information, go to: http://www.ncoc.net/unemployment-release.
Resource of the Week –Tools and Resources for Assessing Social Impact (TRASI)
TRASI is a project of the Foundation Center, developed in partnership with McKinsey & Co. and with input from experts in the field, to address the growing interest in measuring impact. The TRASI database of tools and resources includes information on approaches to impact assessment, guidelines for creating and conducting an assessment, and ready-to-use tools for measuring social change. You can browse over 150 tools, methods, and best practices in the TRASI database. Sort by name, sponsor, or approach type. For a complete overview of an approach, click on its name. For more information, go to: http://trasi.foundationcenter.org/browse.php.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Compress Pictures in PowerPoint 2010
If you’ve ever tried to email a PowerPoint presentation containing several pictures, you have probably discovered that the file size can be quite large. There is a way to reduce the file size. Here’s how:
• Select a picture to display the Picture Tools Format tab
• In the Adjust group, click the Compress Pictures button to display the Compress Pictures dialog box
• If you want ALL pictures compressed make sure the Apply only to this picture box is NOT selected
• In the Target Output section there are three compression options
• Choosing the last option, Email (96 ppi), will result in the smallest file size
• Click OK to apply the settings and close the dialog box
Remember that the more you compress the pictures the less quality there is for printing. But if you just want to share these photos online, give it a try. The procedure in PowerPoint 2007 is nearly identical.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Picks of the Week: September 18 - 24, 2011
Website of the Week -- ArtsReady
Premiering Fall 2011, ArtsReady is a web based emergency preparedness platform designed to provide arts organizations with customized business continuity plans for post crisis sustainability. A national initiative of South Arts, the ArtsReady readiness, response and recovery tool was developed in partnership with the University of California/Berkeley and Fractured Atlas with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, Mississippi Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, go to: http://www.artsready.org.
Publication of the Week -- Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations: A Guide to Strengthening and Sustaining Organizational Achievement, 3rd Edition by John M. Bryson
From the publisher: When it was first published more than sixteen years ago, John Bryson's Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations introduced a new and thoughtful strategic planning model. Since then it has become the standard reference in the field. In this completely revised third edition, Bryson updates his perennial bestseller to help today’s leaders enhance organizational effectiveness. This completed updated 3rd edition:
• Features the Strategy Change Cycle—a proven planning process used by a large number of organizations
• Offers detailed guidance on implementing the planning process and includes specific tools and techniques to make the process work in any organization
• Introduces new material on creating public value, stakeholder analysis, strategy mapping, balanced scorecards, collaboration, and more
• Includes information about the organizational designs that will encourage strategic thought and action throughout the entire organization
• Contains a wealth of updated examples and cases
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Dramatic Affect of Recession on Nonprofit Executive Compensation
GuideStar-- a leading source of nonprofit information--today published its 2011 GuideStar Nonprofit Compensation Report, the only large-scale analysis of its kind that relies exclusively on data reported to the IRS. The report, which was GuideStar's first look at how the "Great Recession" affected salaries and benefits across the nonprofit sector, showed that the economy undoubtedly played a role in lessening compensation. In 2008, median increases in incumbent CEO compensation were generally 4 percent or higher. In 2009, increases were generally 2 percent or less. Highlights of the 2011 report include:
• Median compensation of females continued to lag behind that of males when considering comparable positions at similar organizations. The gap ranged from 13.4 percent for CEOs at organizations with budgets of $250-$500 thousand to 24.6 percent at organizations with budgets of more than $50 million. Since 1999, though, these gaps have narrowed for most sizes of organizations. The notable exception is organizations in the $1-$5 million range, where the gap has actually increased.
• Since 1999, the percentage of female CEOs has increased for organizations of all sizes. The majority of organizations with budgets of $1 million or less have women as CEOs, although female representation in that role declines as budget size increases. Only 16 percent of organizations with budgets of more than $50 million have female CEOs.
• As usual, health and science organizations had the highest overall median salaries. Food, religion, and youth development organizations brought up the rear.
• For the sixth straight year, Washington, D.C., had the highest overall median salaries of the 20 largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), and Riverside-San Bernardino, California, had the lowest. Adjusted for cost of living, New York replaced San Francisco as the MSA where nonprofit executives had the lowest median buying power, whereas those in Boston had the highest.
For more information, go to: http://www2.guidestar.org.
Resource of the Week – Nonprofit Voter Engagement Webinars
Nonprofit VOTE hosts webinars on a variety of voter engagement topics, designed specifically with the 501(c)(3) nonprofit community in mind. Topics range from how to plan and execute voter engagement activities at your nonprofit to best practices for encouraging clients and constituents to vote on election days. Use the links provided to watch the recorded webinar online, or download each webinar's PowerPoint presentation and associated audio file. Select a topic from the menu provided or simply browse through the webinar offerings. Go to: http://www.nonprofitvote.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Disable Auto Resize of Fonts in PowerPoint 2007/2010
In PowerPoint 2007/2010 Auto Resize intentionally shrinks the size of text as large amounts are added to a slide. One of the top complaints about PowerPoint slide presentations is that text is too small. PowerPoint Design Themes were created to force good design by setting font size automatically. The AutoFit feature defeats this purpose and actually encourages too much text on slides by shrinking it as you type, allowing people to use fonts too small to be seen. To turn this feature off:
• Click the Microsoft Office Button in 2007 or the File tab in 2010
• Click the PowerPoint Options button
• Click Proofing
• Click AutoCorrect Options
• Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab
• Click to clear the check boxes for AutoFit Body text to placeholder and AutoFit title text to placeholder if you want to disable both the body text AND the title text from auto sizing
Monday, September 12, 2011
Picks of the Week: September 11-17, 2011
Website of the Week -- Nonprofit VOTE
Founded in 2005, Nonprofit VOTE partners with America's nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. The organization is a leading source of nonpartisan resources to help nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services. Nonprofit VOTE's goals include:
• Providing high quality resources for nonprofits and social service agencies to help them incorporate voter engagement activities into to their ongoing work.
• Building lasting capacity for nonpartisan, nonprofit voter participation.
• Promoting sustained increases in voter participation, especially among voters new to the process or with a recent history of lower participation.
• Engaging voters where they gather to work, learn, advocate and receive services.
• Broadening support for the revitalization of democracy and election reforms; and
• Strengthening the nonprofit sector and encouraging new civic leadership.
Nonprofit VOTE partners with state nonprofit associations, national service provider networks, foundations and other nonprofit conveners. We provide partners with programmatic support as well as access to our online resources, free printed materials and other voter engagement resources. Go to: http://www.nonprofitvote.org.
Publication of the Week -- The Nonprofit Outcomes Toolbox: A Complete Guide to Program Effectiveness, Performance Measurement, and Results by Robert M. Penna
From the publisher: The Nonprofit Outcomes Toolbox identifies stages in the use of outcomes and shows you how to use specific facets of existing outcome models to improve performance and achieve meaningful results. Going beyond the familiar limits of the sector, this volume also illustrates how tools and approaches long in use in the corporate sector can be of great analytical and practical use to nonprofit, philanthropic, and governmental organizations . An outstanding resource for organizational and program leaders interested in improving performance, there is nothing else like this work currently available.
• Shows how to identify and set meaningful, sustainable outcomes
• Illustrates how to track and manage with outcomes
• Offers guidance in assessing capacity, and using outcome-based communications
• Features a companion Web site with the tools found in this book
Providing the tools and explanations needed to achieve program success, this book is a complete resource for the nonprofit, governmental, or philanthropic professional striving for greater effectiveness in programs or organizations.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Use of Mobile and Location-based Services Rising
According to a new Pew Internet Project report, more than a quarter (28%) of all American adults use mobile or social location-based services of some kind. This includes anyone who takes part in one or more of the following activities:
• 28% of cell owners use phones to get directions or recommendations based on their current location.
• A much smaller number (5% of cell owners) use their phones to check in to locations using geosocial services such as Foursquare or Gowalla. Smartphone owners are especially likely to use these services on their phones, with 12% doing so.
• 9% of internet users set up social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn so that their location is automatically included in their posts on those services.
Taken together, 28% of U.S. adults do at least one of these activities either on a computer or using their mobile phones—and many users do several of them. These figures come from a new national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and represent Project’s most expansive study of location services to date. To read or download the full report, go to: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Location.aspx.
Resource of the Week – Nonprofit Law Blog
The Nonprofit Law Blog Is published by Gene Takagi and Emily Chan of the NEO Law Group. The blog includes a number of nonprofit law articles and resources that will be of great use to staff and board members of nonprofit organizations. Go to: http://www.nonprofitlawblog.com/home.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Creating a PowerPoint Presentation Using Word 2007/2010
To use a Word document to create a PowerPoint presentation:
• Format the document using Word heading styles
• PowerPoint uses the heading styles in your Word document to set up the slides in a presentation ̶ each Heading 1 becomes the title of a new slide, and each Heading 2 becomes the first level of text
• You must apply a heading format to the text you want to include in a slide
• You can manually insert heading styles or create a document using Word outline
To create a Word Outline:
• Click the View menu
• Click Outline in the Document Views group
• Type your outline using Tab to add subheadings (promote)
• Press Shift Tab to decrease the indent (demote)
• You can also use the Promote and Demote buttons on the Ribbon
• Save your outline
To Insert Outline Text from Word into PowerPoint:
• In PowerPoint, click the Outline tab in the left pane
• Click the Home tab of the Ribbon
• In the Slides group, click the arrow next to New Slide
• Click Slides from Outline
Founded in 2005, Nonprofit VOTE partners with America's nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. The organization is a leading source of nonpartisan resources to help nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services. Nonprofit VOTE's goals include:
• Providing high quality resources for nonprofits and social service agencies to help them incorporate voter engagement activities into to their ongoing work.
• Building lasting capacity for nonpartisan, nonprofit voter participation.
• Promoting sustained increases in voter participation, especially among voters new to the process or with a recent history of lower participation.
• Engaging voters where they gather to work, learn, advocate and receive services.
• Broadening support for the revitalization of democracy and election reforms; and
• Strengthening the nonprofit sector and encouraging new civic leadership.
Nonprofit VOTE partners with state nonprofit associations, national service provider networks, foundations and other nonprofit conveners. We provide partners with programmatic support as well as access to our online resources, free printed materials and other voter engagement resources. Go to: http://www.nonprofitvote.org.
Publication of the Week -- The Nonprofit Outcomes Toolbox: A Complete Guide to Program Effectiveness, Performance Measurement, and Results by Robert M. Penna
From the publisher: The Nonprofit Outcomes Toolbox identifies stages in the use of outcomes and shows you how to use specific facets of existing outcome models to improve performance and achieve meaningful results. Going beyond the familiar limits of the sector, this volume also illustrates how tools and approaches long in use in the corporate sector can be of great analytical and practical use to nonprofit, philanthropic, and governmental organizations . An outstanding resource for organizational and program leaders interested in improving performance, there is nothing else like this work currently available.
• Shows how to identify and set meaningful, sustainable outcomes
• Illustrates how to track and manage with outcomes
• Offers guidance in assessing capacity, and using outcome-based communications
• Features a companion Web site with the tools found in this book
Providing the tools and explanations needed to achieve program success, this book is a complete resource for the nonprofit, governmental, or philanthropic professional striving for greater effectiveness in programs or organizations.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Use of Mobile and Location-based Services Rising
According to a new Pew Internet Project report, more than a quarter (28%) of all American adults use mobile or social location-based services of some kind. This includes anyone who takes part in one or more of the following activities:
• 28% of cell owners use phones to get directions or recommendations based on their current location.
• A much smaller number (5% of cell owners) use their phones to check in to locations using geosocial services such as Foursquare or Gowalla. Smartphone owners are especially likely to use these services on their phones, with 12% doing so.
• 9% of internet users set up social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn so that their location is automatically included in their posts on those services.
Taken together, 28% of U.S. adults do at least one of these activities either on a computer or using their mobile phones—and many users do several of them. These figures come from a new national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and represent Project’s most expansive study of location services to date. To read or download the full report, go to: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Location.aspx.
Resource of the Week – Nonprofit Law Blog
The Nonprofit Law Blog Is published by Gene Takagi and Emily Chan of the NEO Law Group. The blog includes a number of nonprofit law articles and resources that will be of great use to staff and board members of nonprofit organizations. Go to: http://www.nonprofitlawblog.com/home.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Creating a PowerPoint Presentation Using Word 2007/2010
To use a Word document to create a PowerPoint presentation:
• Format the document using Word heading styles
• PowerPoint uses the heading styles in your Word document to set up the slides in a presentation ̶ each Heading 1 becomes the title of a new slide, and each Heading 2 becomes the first level of text
• You must apply a heading format to the text you want to include in a slide
• You can manually insert heading styles or create a document using Word outline
To create a Word Outline:
• Click the View menu
• Click Outline in the Document Views group
• Type your outline using Tab to add subheadings (promote)
• Press Shift Tab to decrease the indent (demote)
• You can also use the Promote and Demote buttons on the Ribbon
• Save your outline
To Insert Outline Text from Word into PowerPoint:
• In PowerPoint, click the Outline tab in the left pane
• Click the Home tab of the Ribbon
• In the Slides group, click the arrow next to New Slide
• Click Slides from Outline
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
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
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
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
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
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