Website of the Week -- Nonprofit Finance Fund
Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) is a national leader in financing nonprofits, strengthening their financial health and improving their capacity to serve their communities. With NFF's help, nonprofits build and renovate facilities, fund growth needs, and expand and sustain operations over time. NFF serves both nonprofits and their funders, offering an integrated package of financial and advisory services, including facilities and working capital loans and lines of credit; asset-building programs; intensive workshops; Nonprofit Business Analyses, and other consultations to help nonprofit management understand the impact on their finances of management and program decisions. A newly launched entity, NFF Capital Partners, helps nonprofits attract equity-like growth capital. NFF was established in 1980 and is now one of the nation's leading community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Go to: http://www.nonprofitfinancefund.org.
Publication of the Week -- Strengthening Nonprofit Advocacy by Gary D. Bass, David F. Arons, Kay Guinane, and Matthew F. Carter
From the publisher: Seen but Not Heard: Strengthening Nonprofit Advocacy provides new research findings about the extent of nonprofit advocacy while also detailing the barriers and incentives for nonprofits seeking to engage in various types of policy activities. Seen but Not Heard: Strengthening Nonprofit Advocacy provides new research findings about the extent of nonprofit advocacy while also detailing the barriers and incentives for nonprofits seeking to engage in various types of policy activities, including lobbying. The book, written by Gary D. Bass, David F. Arons, Kay Guinane, and Matthew F. Carter, with assistance from Susan Rees, is the culmination of survey research, focus groups and interviews with nonprofit executives and board members around nonprofit policy engagement. It is a comprehensive analysis of advocacy – which includes lobbying – by charities and provides recommendations for strengthening nonprofit policy participation. Click here to preview the book.
Trend of the Week -- Involving Youth in Nonprofit Arts Organizations
The future of nonprofit arts organizations large and small depends on attracting the best new talent to administer their affairs, to serve as artists and audiences, and to act as advocates, boosters, and financial supporters. Given the shrinking pool of younger people and the increased competition for their attention, action to meet this pressing, and increasingly complex, challenge can no longer be left to a vague future date. This report, prepared by Barry Hessenius and commissioned by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, explores these issues and challenges with the hope of sparking a national discussion. Key findings and recommendations include:
• As a field, the nonprofit arts sector needs to intensify its efforts to convince young people of the value of involvement in the arts, widen bridges and lines of communication to the next generation, and involve young people in areas heretofore outside the scope of their experience, for example, financial support and advocacy.
• Launch a national dialogue about youth involvement in the arts. As soon as possible, leaders in the field should convene forums and discussion groups in major urban and regional centers across the country to address the issue of generational succession and youth involvement.
• Develop a sector-wide strategic plan to: 1) aggressively market the benefits of involvement with the arts to young people; and 2) create a nationwide grassroots corps of young activists and advocates for the arts.
To download an executive summary and full report, go to: http://www.hewlett.org/Programs/PerformingArts/Publications/YouthReport.htm.
Resource of the Week -- Online Advocacy Resources
The Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest has assembled an extensive collection of online resources for advocacy. The links are organized in six categories: web based advocacy tool kits, organizations strengthening nonprofit lobbying, advocacy, public policy engagement and sites with lobbying & advocacy resources - by state, public policy web portals, take action on public policy issues and track bills web sites, and nonprofit sector and civic infrastructure organizations. Go to: http://www.clpi.org/Links.aspx.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Creating a Template in Excel 2007
Templates are boilerplate worksheets that can save time and promote standardization. To create an Excel 2007 template:
• Enter all necessary data and apply required formatting
• Click on the office button to open the drop down menu
• Choose the Save As option
• Choose the Other formats option
• Choose the Save As option to open the Save As dialog box
• Click on the Save as type option to open the drop down list
• Scroll through the list to find the template options
• For most templates, choose the Excel Template (*.xltx) option
• If your template contains macros, choose the Macro Enabled Template (*.xltm) option
• If you plan to use your template with older versions of Excel, choose the Excel 97 - 2003 Template (*.xlt) option
To use your template to create a new worksheet, click the office button and select New. Your template will be listed in the My templates… folder.
On the Web you can find thousands of Excel templates for just about anything you can think of. A good place to start is office.microsoft.com
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Picks of the Week: April 20 - 26, 2008
Website of the Week -- African American Nonprofit Network
The African American Nonprofit Network was founded in 2006 to strengthen diversity among the leadership of nonprofit organizations within the National Capital Region. By broadening the base of African American management and leadership, AANN helps nonprofits better understand and address the needs of the children, youth and families they serve. AANN achieves these results by helping nonprofit organizations in the National Capital Region identify:
• Experienced African American managers within the nonprofit sector to serve as president, executive director, CEO, COO, CFO, chief human services officer, and in other senior management capacities;
• Talented African Americas in other arenas, such as the for-profit sector and military service, that are interested in working in the nonprofit sector, and helping them to transition their careers; and
• African Americans with strong leadership skills that are interested in serving as board members, advisors, and mentors for board members. Go to: http://www.aannexchange.org.
Publication of the Week -- The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization by Peter F. Drucker and the Leader to Leader Institute
From the publisher: With Peter Drucker’s five essential questions and the help of five of today’s thought leaders, this little book will challenge readers to take a close look at the very heart of their organizations and what drives them. A tool for self-assessment and transformation, answering these five questions will fundamentally change the way you work, helping you lead your organization to an exceptional level of performance. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Giving by U.S. Family Foundations Jumped 21 Percent in 2006
America's family foundations gave $17 billion in 2006, a 21 percent increase over 2005, according to the Foundation Center's new report, Key Facts on Family Foundations (2008 Edition). Since 1998 — the first year for which statistics on family foundations are available — giving by these grantmakers has more than doubled. The report identified 37,100 independent foundations with measurable donor or donor-family involvement. Among other key findings in the report:
• 67 percent of all family foundations have been established since 1990.
• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ranked as the largest family foundation by giving and assets in 2006.
• Many family foundations are small, with 49 percent giving less than $50,000 annually.
• Education was the top funding priority of family foundations located in the Northeast, Midwest, and South, while health accounted for the biggest share among Western family foundations, largely due to the Seattle, WA-based Gates Foundation.
To download a copy of the report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/keyfacts_fam_2008.pdf.
Resource of the Week -- Blue Avocado
Blue Avocado is a new online magazine whose aim is to engage and support the people of community nonprofits. Blue Avocado will publish on the 1st and 15th of every month—and is delivered via email newsletter, website, and RSS feed. Future issues will include
• Board Cafe for nonprofit board members
• Personal Finance column: making it work on nonprofit salaries
• Ask Rita in HR: A nonprofit-specific human resources advice column
• Consumer reviews of products
• Word on the Street . . . nonprofit people on the frontlines report on the sustainability movement, human services, funding for films, and more
• Strategies for Financial Sustainability, and more
The magazine is available at no charge. To subscribe, go to: http://www.blueavocado.org/node/21.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Remove Extra Space between Paragraphs in Word 2007
By default Word 2007 adds a space between paragraphs. You cannot delete this space by backspacing. To turn off the space between paragraphs, follow these steps:
• Click the Home tab
• In the Paragraph group, click the small arrow in the lower right corner to display the Paragraph dialog box
• Select “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style"
• Click OK
To remove the space between paragraphs already typed simply select the text and follow the above steps. This only affects the current document. To change this default for all documents, click the Default button in the Paragraph dialog box.
The African American Nonprofit Network was founded in 2006 to strengthen diversity among the leadership of nonprofit organizations within the National Capital Region. By broadening the base of African American management and leadership, AANN helps nonprofits better understand and address the needs of the children, youth and families they serve. AANN achieves these results by helping nonprofit organizations in the National Capital Region identify:
• Experienced African American managers within the nonprofit sector to serve as president, executive director, CEO, COO, CFO, chief human services officer, and in other senior management capacities;
• Talented African Americas in other arenas, such as the for-profit sector and military service, that are interested in working in the nonprofit sector, and helping them to transition their careers; and
• African Americans with strong leadership skills that are interested in serving as board members, advisors, and mentors for board members. Go to: http://www.aannexchange.org.
Publication of the Week -- The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization by Peter F. Drucker and the Leader to Leader Institute
From the publisher: With Peter Drucker’s five essential questions and the help of five of today’s thought leaders, this little book will challenge readers to take a close look at the very heart of their organizations and what drives them. A tool for self-assessment and transformation, answering these five questions will fundamentally change the way you work, helping you lead your organization to an exceptional level of performance. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Giving by U.S. Family Foundations Jumped 21 Percent in 2006
America's family foundations gave $17 billion in 2006, a 21 percent increase over 2005, according to the Foundation Center's new report, Key Facts on Family Foundations (2008 Edition). Since 1998 — the first year for which statistics on family foundations are available — giving by these grantmakers has more than doubled. The report identified 37,100 independent foundations with measurable donor or donor-family involvement. Among other key findings in the report:
• 67 percent of all family foundations have been established since 1990.
• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ranked as the largest family foundation by giving and assets in 2006.
• Many family foundations are small, with 49 percent giving less than $50,000 annually.
• Education was the top funding priority of family foundations located in the Northeast, Midwest, and South, while health accounted for the biggest share among Western family foundations, largely due to the Seattle, WA-based Gates Foundation.
To download a copy of the report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/keyfacts_fam_2008.pdf.
Resource of the Week -- Blue Avocado
Blue Avocado is a new online magazine whose aim is to engage and support the people of community nonprofits. Blue Avocado will publish on the 1st and 15th of every month—and is delivered via email newsletter, website, and RSS feed. Future issues will include
• Board Cafe for nonprofit board members
• Personal Finance column: making it work on nonprofit salaries
• Ask Rita in HR: A nonprofit-specific human resources advice column
• Consumer reviews of products
• Word on the Street . . . nonprofit people on the frontlines report on the sustainability movement, human services, funding for films, and more
• Strategies for Financial Sustainability, and more
The magazine is available at no charge. To subscribe, go to: http://www.blueavocado.org/node/21.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Remove Extra Space between Paragraphs in Word 2007
By default Word 2007 adds a space between paragraphs. You cannot delete this space by backspacing. To turn off the space between paragraphs, follow these steps:
• Click the Home tab
• In the Paragraph group, click the small arrow in the lower right corner to display the Paragraph dialog box
• Select “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style"
• Click OK
To remove the space between paragraphs already typed simply select the text and follow the above steps. This only affects the current document. To change this default for all documents, click the Default button in the Paragraph dialog box.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Picks of the Week: April 13-19, 2008
Website of the Week -- Community Leadership Association
The mission of the Community Leadership Association is to strengthen and transform communities by enhancing the capacity of inclusive, community leadership development efforts. Through training seminars, annual leadership conferences, collaborations, partnerships, and educational publications, the Community Leadership Association seeks to inspire and encourage community leadership programs across the country and to help them address issues of vital importance to their respective communities. The website includes a discussion forum, a directory, access to publications, information concerning professional development, list of awards given, conferences, and memberships. Go to: http://www.communityleadership.org.
Publication of the Week -- Ethical Fundraising: A Guide for Nonprofit Boards and Fundraisers by Janice Gow Pettey
From the publisher: Ethical Fundraising is an invaluable collection of essays based on the rich experience of philanthropic leaders. The book is full of cases, anecdotes, codes, and other hands-on material as well as wise reflections on the central role of ethics in fundraising. The book offers a range of practical tools and techniques to incorporate ethical standards and practices in nonprofit fundraising Featuring contributions from a host of well-known and respected senior-level fundraising professionals, Ethical Fundraising provides clear and concise explanations of common ethical fundraising challenges along with practical case studies to stimulate thought and discussion. Essential topics are covered, including:
• Appearance of impropriety
• Rights of donors
• Tainted money
• Using donations as intended
• Choosing a leadership role
• Ethical decision-making
• Restoring public confidence in the nonprofit sector
• The ethics of grant making and grant seeking
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com
Trend of the Week -- Survey: Many Non-Profits Fall Short on Ethics
Fraud is as prevalent in nonprofit organizations as it is in business or government, and misconduct in these organizations is at the highest level on record according to an Ethics Resource Center (ERC) survey. The ERC, an 85-year-old Arlington, Va.-based group devoted to research and the advancement of high ethical standards, used the Opinion Research Corp. to poll 3,452 employees and received telephone responses from 558 employees in the nonprofit sector between June 24 and Aug. 15, 2007. Fraud, in the Ethics Resource Center’s National Nonprofit Ethics Survey, consisted of lying; the alteration of documents, including financial records; and the misreporting of hours. Additionally, the survey found, six types of misconduct posed high risk to the nonprofit sector: discrimination, sexual harassment, misuse of confidential information, lying to stakeholders, improper hiring and safety violations. The ERC surveyed employees in business and government during the same period as well. In the business sector, 56 percent of employees surveyed said they observed misconduct, as opposed to 57 percent in the government sector and 55 percent in the nonprofit sector. The survey shows that rate of observed misconduct in nonprofit organizations is at the highest level since the ERC began measuring it in 2000, when it was reported by 46 percent of respondents. In 2007, more than half (55 percent) of nonprofit employees observed one or more acts of misconduct. To download a copy of the report, go to: http://www.ethics.org/download.asp?fid=131.
Resource of the Week -- Resources for Organizational Sustainability
The US Department of Labor’s Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives has complied an extensive list of web-based resources on various aspects of organizational sustainability. The resources are organized in the following categories: Building a Sustainable Initiative, Collaboration and Identifying Stakeholders, Leadership and Board Development, The Business Plan for Nonprofits: Creating A Case, and Additional Resources. Go to: http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/tlc/sustainability.htm.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Calculate Remaining Days in the Year in Excel
Have you ever wanted to calculate the number of days remaining in the year? If the date is in cell A1, use the following formula:
=DATE(YEAR(A1),12,31)-A1
The mission of the Community Leadership Association is to strengthen and transform communities by enhancing the capacity of inclusive, community leadership development efforts. Through training seminars, annual leadership conferences, collaborations, partnerships, and educational publications, the Community Leadership Association seeks to inspire and encourage community leadership programs across the country and to help them address issues of vital importance to their respective communities. The website includes a discussion forum, a directory, access to publications, information concerning professional development, list of awards given, conferences, and memberships. Go to: http://www.communityleadership.org.
Publication of the Week -- Ethical Fundraising: A Guide for Nonprofit Boards and Fundraisers by Janice Gow Pettey
From the publisher: Ethical Fundraising is an invaluable collection of essays based on the rich experience of philanthropic leaders. The book is full of cases, anecdotes, codes, and other hands-on material as well as wise reflections on the central role of ethics in fundraising. The book offers a range of practical tools and techniques to incorporate ethical standards and practices in nonprofit fundraising Featuring contributions from a host of well-known and respected senior-level fundraising professionals, Ethical Fundraising provides clear and concise explanations of common ethical fundraising challenges along with practical case studies to stimulate thought and discussion. Essential topics are covered, including:
• Appearance of impropriety
• Rights of donors
• Tainted money
• Using donations as intended
• Choosing a leadership role
• Ethical decision-making
• Restoring public confidence in the nonprofit sector
• The ethics of grant making and grant seeking
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com
Trend of the Week -- Survey: Many Non-Profits Fall Short on Ethics
Fraud is as prevalent in nonprofit organizations as it is in business or government, and misconduct in these organizations is at the highest level on record according to an Ethics Resource Center (ERC) survey. The ERC, an 85-year-old Arlington, Va.-based group devoted to research and the advancement of high ethical standards, used the Opinion Research Corp. to poll 3,452 employees and received telephone responses from 558 employees in the nonprofit sector between June 24 and Aug. 15, 2007. Fraud, in the Ethics Resource Center’s National Nonprofit Ethics Survey, consisted of lying; the alteration of documents, including financial records; and the misreporting of hours. Additionally, the survey found, six types of misconduct posed high risk to the nonprofit sector: discrimination, sexual harassment, misuse of confidential information, lying to stakeholders, improper hiring and safety violations. The ERC surveyed employees in business and government during the same period as well. In the business sector, 56 percent of employees surveyed said they observed misconduct, as opposed to 57 percent in the government sector and 55 percent in the nonprofit sector. The survey shows that rate of observed misconduct in nonprofit organizations is at the highest level since the ERC began measuring it in 2000, when it was reported by 46 percent of respondents. In 2007, more than half (55 percent) of nonprofit employees observed one or more acts of misconduct. To download a copy of the report, go to: http://www.ethics.org/download.asp?fid=131.
Resource of the Week -- Resources for Organizational Sustainability
The US Department of Labor’s Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives has complied an extensive list of web-based resources on various aspects of organizational sustainability. The resources are organized in the following categories: Building a Sustainable Initiative, Collaboration and Identifying Stakeholders, Leadership and Board Development, The Business Plan for Nonprofits: Creating A Case, and Additional Resources. Go to: http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/tlc/sustainability.htm.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Calculate Remaining Days in the Year in Excel
Have you ever wanted to calculate the number of days remaining in the year? If the date is in cell A1, use the following formula:
=DATE(YEAR(A1),12,31)-A1
Monday, April 7, 2008
Picks of the Week: April 6 - 12, 2008
Website of the Week -- The Finance Project
The Finance Project is a specialized non-profit research, consulting, technical assistance and training firm for public and private sector leaders nationwide. The group aims to help leaders make smart investment decisions, develop sound financing strategies, and build solid partnerships that benefit children, families and communities. The Finance Project was founded in 1994 with support from a consortium of national foundations interested in ensuring the viability and sustainability of promising initiatives that contribute to better futures for children, families, and communities. The site contains links to numerous resources, many available at no charge. Go to: http://www.financeproject.org/index.cfm.
Publication of the Week -- The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution: Real-Time Strategic Planning in a Rapid-Response World by David LaPiana
In this ground-breaking book, strategy expert David La Piana introduces “Real-Time Strategic Planning,” a fluid, organic process that engages staff and board in a program of systematic readiness and continuous responsiveness. With it, your nonprofit will be able to identify, understand, and act on challenges and opportunities as they arise—not in six months when the “plan” is done. At the heart of this practical book is the Real-Time Strategic Planning Cycle. Based on four years of research and testing with a variety of nonprofits, this proven process guides you through the steps to sound strategy. You’ll find tools for
• Clarifying your competitive advantage—where your organization fits in its marketplace, who your competitors are, and what sets you apart from the pack.
• Generating a strategy screen—criteria for evaluating strategies. The next time a critical issue pops up, you’ll have strategic principles in place and be able to respond quickly.
• Handling big questions—the opportunities or threats that require development of a new strategy in order to respond.
• Developing and testing strategies—reduce the chances of picking the wrong strategy.
• Implementing and adapting strategies—learn how to continuously probe for crises and opportunities—not just once every three years.
This useful guide also includes exhibits and case examples showing how concepts play out in real-life, 27 tools—10 of which are essential for forming strategies, theory to action sidebars telling you which tool to use for a given task, and a CD with all the tools and interactive worksheets you’ll need. Preview this book at Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Teen Volunteerism on the Rise
Youth Helping America--Building Active Citizens: The Role of Social Institutions in Teen Volunteering shows that 55 percent of American teenagers volunteered in 2004, compared to just 29 percent of adults. Approximately 15.5 million teenagers contributed more than 1.3 billon hours of service in 2004, according to the survey, produced by the Corporation for National and Community Service in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau and Independent Sector. Going beyond previous studies linking volunteering to individual and social characteristics, this analysis also looked at the frequency of youth volunteering, and at the relationship between social institutions and their level of volunteer commitment. Key findings include:
• 39 percent of the teenagers who volunteer are regular volunteers, compared with 55 percent of adult volunteers who fall in that category, while 35 percent of youth are occasional volunteers and 27 percent are episodic volunteers.
• The stronger the social ties, the more likely a teen is to be a regular volunteer:
- Youth with at least one parent who volunteers are nearly three times more likely to be regular volunteers than youth from non-volunteer families – 33 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
- Youth who attend religious services regularly are nearly twice as likely to be regular volunteers as those who do not attend services.
- Students who report doing better in school are more likely to volunteer regularly than are students who do not do as well.
• High school students are more likely to be regular volunteers than are junior high school students – 24 percent and 15 percent, respectively.
For a copy of the report, go to: http://www.learnandserve.org/pdf/05_1130_LSA_YHA_study.pdf.
Resource of the Week -- Google for Nonprofits
A new portal, called Google for Nonprofits, is now available that provides nonprofits access and guidance on how to use a variety of tools and resources that Google offers. The portal offers such programs and features as:
• The Gmail email system
• An online donation collection and processing program
• A system for sharing and editing documents online
• An analytics program to determine how often people go to your website and how they use the information that it provides
• An online grant search engine
• A dynamic, interactive maps program to visually illustrate the work of a charity
• Blogging software
For each service, Google for Nonprofits also offers instructions (with video tutorials) on how to use the program, as well as guidance as to how nonprofits can get the most benefit out of each. Use of each of the services is free of charge. The site also features examples of how some nonprofits are already using the various tools to further their mission. None of the programs offered through the portal are new. They have all been previously offered by Google, but the Google for Nonprofits portal is the first time the company has proactively marketed many of them to the nonprofit community. Go to: www.google.com/nonprofits.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Inserting the Filename and Path in Word 2007 Header/Footers
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Header & Footer group, click Header or Footer
• Select Edit Header or Footer
• In the Insert group, click Quick Parts and then Field
• From Field menu scroll down and select FileName from the Field name list
• Choose the desired Format
• Select Add path to filename, if desired
• Click OK
The Finance Project is a specialized non-profit research, consulting, technical assistance and training firm for public and private sector leaders nationwide. The group aims to help leaders make smart investment decisions, develop sound financing strategies, and build solid partnerships that benefit children, families and communities. The Finance Project was founded in 1994 with support from a consortium of national foundations interested in ensuring the viability and sustainability of promising initiatives that contribute to better futures for children, families, and communities. The site contains links to numerous resources, many available at no charge. Go to: http://www.financeproject.org/index.cfm.
Publication of the Week -- The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution: Real-Time Strategic Planning in a Rapid-Response World by David LaPiana
In this ground-breaking book, strategy expert David La Piana introduces “Real-Time Strategic Planning,” a fluid, organic process that engages staff and board in a program of systematic readiness and continuous responsiveness. With it, your nonprofit will be able to identify, understand, and act on challenges and opportunities as they arise—not in six months when the “plan” is done. At the heart of this practical book is the Real-Time Strategic Planning Cycle. Based on four years of research and testing with a variety of nonprofits, this proven process guides you through the steps to sound strategy. You’ll find tools for
• Clarifying your competitive advantage—where your organization fits in its marketplace, who your competitors are, and what sets you apart from the pack.
• Generating a strategy screen—criteria for evaluating strategies. The next time a critical issue pops up, you’ll have strategic principles in place and be able to respond quickly.
• Handling big questions—the opportunities or threats that require development of a new strategy in order to respond.
• Developing and testing strategies—reduce the chances of picking the wrong strategy.
• Implementing and adapting strategies—learn how to continuously probe for crises and opportunities—not just once every three years.
This useful guide also includes exhibits and case examples showing how concepts play out in real-life, 27 tools—10 of which are essential for forming strategies, theory to action sidebars telling you which tool to use for a given task, and a CD with all the tools and interactive worksheets you’ll need. Preview this book at Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Teen Volunteerism on the Rise
Youth Helping America--Building Active Citizens: The Role of Social Institutions in Teen Volunteering shows that 55 percent of American teenagers volunteered in 2004, compared to just 29 percent of adults. Approximately 15.5 million teenagers contributed more than 1.3 billon hours of service in 2004, according to the survey, produced by the Corporation for National and Community Service in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau and Independent Sector. Going beyond previous studies linking volunteering to individual and social characteristics, this analysis also looked at the frequency of youth volunteering, and at the relationship between social institutions and their level of volunteer commitment. Key findings include:
• 39 percent of the teenagers who volunteer are regular volunteers, compared with 55 percent of adult volunteers who fall in that category, while 35 percent of youth are occasional volunteers and 27 percent are episodic volunteers.
• The stronger the social ties, the more likely a teen is to be a regular volunteer:
- Youth with at least one parent who volunteers are nearly three times more likely to be regular volunteers than youth from non-volunteer families – 33 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
- Youth who attend religious services regularly are nearly twice as likely to be regular volunteers as those who do not attend services.
- Students who report doing better in school are more likely to volunteer regularly than are students who do not do as well.
• High school students are more likely to be regular volunteers than are junior high school students – 24 percent and 15 percent, respectively.
For a copy of the report, go to: http://www.learnandserve.org/pdf/05_1130_LSA_YHA_study.pdf.
Resource of the Week -- Google for Nonprofits
A new portal, called Google for Nonprofits, is now available that provides nonprofits access and guidance on how to use a variety of tools and resources that Google offers. The portal offers such programs and features as:
• The Gmail email system
• An online donation collection and processing program
• A system for sharing and editing documents online
• An analytics program to determine how often people go to your website and how they use the information that it provides
• An online grant search engine
• A dynamic, interactive maps program to visually illustrate the work of a charity
• Blogging software
For each service, Google for Nonprofits also offers instructions (with video tutorials) on how to use the program, as well as guidance as to how nonprofits can get the most benefit out of each. Use of each of the services is free of charge. The site also features examples of how some nonprofits are already using the various tools to further their mission. None of the programs offered through the portal are new. They have all been previously offered by Google, but the Google for Nonprofits portal is the first time the company has proactively marketed many of them to the nonprofit community. Go to: www.google.com/nonprofits.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Inserting the Filename and Path in Word 2007 Header/Footers
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Header & Footer group, click Header or Footer
• Select Edit Header or Footer
• In the Insert group, click Quick Parts and then Field
• From Field menu scroll down and select FileName from the Field name list
• Choose the desired Format
• Select Add path to filename, if desired
• Click OK
Monday, March 31, 2008
Picks of the Week: March 30 - April 5, 2008
Website of the Week -- Nonprofit Centers Network
The Nonprofit Centers Network is a community of Multi-tenant nonprofit Centers and their philanthropic, government, academic and real estate partners. Through conferences, peer networking, mentoring and the internet, The Network provides education and resources for the creation and operation of quality nonprofit office and program space. Face-to-face educational events to increase the operational effectiveness of existing MTNCs. To date, the Network has achieved three national and one regional Collaborating for Success conferences attracting participants from over 29 states and 5 countries. Online educational resources and peer guidance to enable emerging Centers and facilities projects in development to learn the field. An Online Resource Center at www.nonprofitcenters.org enables users to find documents ranging from a model lease to an actual pro-forma to a fact sheet on program related investments. Go to: http://www.nonprofitcenters.org/index.php.
Publication of the Week -- Leader to Leader 2: Enduring Insights on Leadership from the Leader to Leader Institute's Award Winning Journal edited by Frances Hesselbein and Alan Shrader
From the Publisher: Leader to Leader 2 brings together the best and most popular articles from the award-winning journal Leader to Leader by some of the best-selling authors and thought leaders of our day. With thirty-five new chapters not included in the previous volume, this book is designed as a resource for leaders at all levels. Each of the book’s five parts opens with guidance and ideas on how to enact the concepts discussed, practical action steps, thought-provoking questions, and handy tools. The Parts include: Understanding Leadership, Improving Your Personal Effectiveness, Developing People and Teams, Leading High-Performance Organizations, Leading Strategically in a World That Demands Innovation. Preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Charitable Giving Focusing On the Needs of the Poor
The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and Google partnered on a study to estimate how much of the charitable giving by households in the U.S. focuses on the needs of the poor. The report, entitled “Patterns of Household Charitable Giving by Income Group, 2005”, found that less than one-third of the money individuals gave to nonprofits in 2005 was focused on the needs of the economically disadvantaged. Of the $250 billion in donations, less than $78 billion explicitly targeted those in need. Only 8 percent of households' donated dollars were reported as contributions to help meet basic needs--providing food, shelter or other necessities. An additional estimated 23 percent of total giving from all sources went to programs specifically intended to help people of low income--either providing other direct benefits (such as medical treatment and scholarships) or through initiatives creating opportunity and empowerment (such as literacy and job training programs). For a copy of the report, go to: http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/Research/Giving%20focused%20on%20meeting%20needs%20of%
Resource of the Week -- Nonprofit Management Toolkits
The McKnight Foundation has prepared a set of nonprofit management toolkits. Each toolkit provides a variety of selected online resources in nonprofit management, linked by topic area. These selected online resources are provided as a service to the staffs of nonprofit organizations. Access toolkits on the following topics:
• General: Basic information to address a range of general needs for nonprofit management.
• Communications: Develop your key messages, and then share those messages with the media, the public, and policymakers.
• Evaluation: Capture ongoing assessments of all outcomes—successful and otherwise—to help inform future work.
• Fundraising: Raise funds effectively through successful grantwriting and other funding opportunities.
• Technology: Develop, or simply take control of, your organization's computers, network, and online presence.
• Volunteers: Recruit and use your most powerful workforce wisely, with an eye toward screening, evaluation, legal risks, and more.
Go to: http://www.mcknight.org/resources/toolkit.aspx.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Viewing and Navigating Documents in Word 2007
To view a document's organization and jump to different sections:
• Click the View tab on the ribbon
• In the show/hide group, click Document Map
When working on a longer document use Thumbnail view to navigate:
• Click the View tab on the ribbon
• In the show/hide group, click Thumbnails
The Nonprofit Centers Network is a community of Multi-tenant nonprofit Centers and their philanthropic, government, academic and real estate partners. Through conferences, peer networking, mentoring and the internet, The Network provides education and resources for the creation and operation of quality nonprofit office and program space. Face-to-face educational events to increase the operational effectiveness of existing MTNCs. To date, the Network has achieved three national and one regional Collaborating for Success conferences attracting participants from over 29 states and 5 countries. Online educational resources and peer guidance to enable emerging Centers and facilities projects in development to learn the field. An Online Resource Center at www.nonprofitcenters.org enables users to find documents ranging from a model lease to an actual pro-forma to a fact sheet on program related investments. Go to: http://www.nonprofitcenters.org/index.php.
Publication of the Week -- Leader to Leader 2: Enduring Insights on Leadership from the Leader to Leader Institute's Award Winning Journal edited by Frances Hesselbein and Alan Shrader
From the Publisher: Leader to Leader 2 brings together the best and most popular articles from the award-winning journal Leader to Leader by some of the best-selling authors and thought leaders of our day. With thirty-five new chapters not included in the previous volume, this book is designed as a resource for leaders at all levels. Each of the book’s five parts opens with guidance and ideas on how to enact the concepts discussed, practical action steps, thought-provoking questions, and handy tools. The Parts include: Understanding Leadership, Improving Your Personal Effectiveness, Developing People and Teams, Leading High-Performance Organizations, Leading Strategically in a World That Demands Innovation. Preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Charitable Giving Focusing On the Needs of the Poor
The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and Google partnered on a study to estimate how much of the charitable giving by households in the U.S. focuses on the needs of the poor. The report, entitled “Patterns of Household Charitable Giving by Income Group, 2005”, found that less than one-third of the money individuals gave to nonprofits in 2005 was focused on the needs of the economically disadvantaged. Of the $250 billion in donations, less than $78 billion explicitly targeted those in need. Only 8 percent of households' donated dollars were reported as contributions to help meet basic needs--providing food, shelter or other necessities. An additional estimated 23 percent of total giving from all sources went to programs specifically intended to help people of low income--either providing other direct benefits (such as medical treatment and scholarships) or through initiatives creating opportunity and empowerment (such as literacy and job training programs). For a copy of the report, go to: http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/Research/Giving%20focused%20on%20meeting%20needs%20of%
Resource of the Week -- Nonprofit Management Toolkits
The McKnight Foundation has prepared a set of nonprofit management toolkits. Each toolkit provides a variety of selected online resources in nonprofit management, linked by topic area. These selected online resources are provided as a service to the staffs of nonprofit organizations. Access toolkits on the following topics:
• General: Basic information to address a range of general needs for nonprofit management.
• Communications: Develop your key messages, and then share those messages with the media, the public, and policymakers.
• Evaluation: Capture ongoing assessments of all outcomes—successful and otherwise—to help inform future work.
• Fundraising: Raise funds effectively through successful grantwriting and other funding opportunities.
• Technology: Develop, or simply take control of, your organization's computers, network, and online presence.
• Volunteers: Recruit and use your most powerful workforce wisely, with an eye toward screening, evaluation, legal risks, and more.
Go to: http://www.mcknight.org/resources/toolkit.aspx.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Viewing and Navigating Documents in Word 2007
To view a document's organization and jump to different sections:
• Click the View tab on the ribbon
• In the show/hide group, click Document Map
When working on a longer document use Thumbnail view to navigate:
• Click the View tab on the ribbon
• In the show/hide group, click Thumbnails
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Picks of the Week: March 23 - 29, 2008
Website of the Week -- Asset-Based Community Development Institute
The Asset-Based Community Development Institute (ABCD), established in 1995 by the Community Development Program at Northwestern University's Institute for Policy Research, is built upon three decades of community development research by John Kretzmann and John L. McKnight. The ABCD Institute spreads its findings on capacity-building community development in two ways: (1) through extensive and substantial interactions with community builders, and (2) by producing practical resources and tools for community builders to identify, nurture, and mobilize neighborhood assets. Go to: http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/abcd.
Publication of the Week -- Board Members Rule: How to Be a Strategic Advocate for Your Nonprofit by Ann, W. Lehman and Robert, M. Zimmerman
From the publisher: Zimmerman and Lehman, authors of Boards That Love Fundraising, have written a new and accessible hands-on book, Board Members Rule, based on their experience in working with boards and nonprofits for many years. Board Members Rule reframes a board member's role to be a strategic advocate for your nonprofit and its constituency. Given the heightened awareness of accountability and transparency, Board Members Rule shows how to pay attention to both while furthering your values, mission and vision and promoting pragmatic, effective and efficient strategies. It's filled with practical and common-sense tools, resources, grids, forms, and examples. There is a learning exercise to fit every chapter, and lists of references, resources and support centers throughout the nation. Ann Lehman and Robert Zimmerman are partners at Zimmerman Lehman, a consulting firm for nonprofits. They have over 60 years of combined experience working with nonprofits in board development, fundraising and public policy. Preview this book at Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Foundation Giving Trends
The nation's largest foundations increased funding for all major subject areas in 2006, with a record number of exceptionally large grants helping to drive this growth. According to the Foundation Center's new report, Foundation Giving Trends (2008 Edition), six out of 10 fields posted double-digit rates of growth in the latest year, led by the field of international affairs/development/peace, which grew 72.5 percent. For the first time ever, health surpassed education based on the share of grant dollars received.
Key findings include:
• International giving overall increased 48.4 percent, driven by strong gains in funding for international affairs/development/peace and health.
• Foundations awarded a record 386 grants of $5 million or more in 2006.
• The 16.4 percent growth in grant dollars awarded by sampled foundations in 2006 followed a far more modest 6.1 percent gain in the prior year.
To view report highlights, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/fgt08highlights.pdf. To order the full report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/marketplace/catalog/product_monograph.jhtml?.
Resource of the Week -- Nonprofit Genie
Nonprofit Genie is a collection of FAQs on topics such as board development, consultants, databases, social entrepreneurship, Federal Form 990, financial management, fiscal sponsorship, fundraising insurance, Internet and telephone systems, strategic planning, technology planning and volunteer management. Go to: www.genie.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Selecting a Range in Excel
In Excel, a range is a group of connected cells. When working in Excel you often need to select a range. A simple trick for quickly selecting a range is to:
• Click anywhere within the range
• Press Ctrl + Shift + *
The range is selected! This trick works in Excel 2007 as well as earlier versions.
The Asset-Based Community Development Institute (ABCD), established in 1995 by the Community Development Program at Northwestern University's Institute for Policy Research, is built upon three decades of community development research by John Kretzmann and John L. McKnight. The ABCD Institute spreads its findings on capacity-building community development in two ways: (1) through extensive and substantial interactions with community builders, and (2) by producing practical resources and tools for community builders to identify, nurture, and mobilize neighborhood assets. Go to: http://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/abcd.
Publication of the Week -- Board Members Rule: How to Be a Strategic Advocate for Your Nonprofit by Ann, W. Lehman and Robert, M. Zimmerman
From the publisher: Zimmerman and Lehman, authors of Boards That Love Fundraising, have written a new and accessible hands-on book, Board Members Rule, based on their experience in working with boards and nonprofits for many years. Board Members Rule reframes a board member's role to be a strategic advocate for your nonprofit and its constituency. Given the heightened awareness of accountability and transparency, Board Members Rule shows how to pay attention to both while furthering your values, mission and vision and promoting pragmatic, effective and efficient strategies. It's filled with practical and common-sense tools, resources, grids, forms, and examples. There is a learning exercise to fit every chapter, and lists of references, resources and support centers throughout the nation. Ann Lehman and Robert Zimmerman are partners at Zimmerman Lehman, a consulting firm for nonprofits. They have over 60 years of combined experience working with nonprofits in board development, fundraising and public policy. Preview this book at Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Foundation Giving Trends
The nation's largest foundations increased funding for all major subject areas in 2006, with a record number of exceptionally large grants helping to drive this growth. According to the Foundation Center's new report, Foundation Giving Trends (2008 Edition), six out of 10 fields posted double-digit rates of growth in the latest year, led by the field of international affairs/development/peace, which grew 72.5 percent. For the first time ever, health surpassed education based on the share of grant dollars received.
Key findings include:
• International giving overall increased 48.4 percent, driven by strong gains in funding for international affairs/development/peace and health.
• Foundations awarded a record 386 grants of $5 million or more in 2006.
• The 16.4 percent growth in grant dollars awarded by sampled foundations in 2006 followed a far more modest 6.1 percent gain in the prior year.
To view report highlights, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/fgt08highlights.pdf. To order the full report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/marketplace/catalog/product_monograph.jhtml?.
Resource of the Week -- Nonprofit Genie
Nonprofit Genie is a collection of FAQs on topics such as board development, consultants, databases, social entrepreneurship, Federal Form 990, financial management, fiscal sponsorship, fundraising insurance, Internet and telephone systems, strategic planning, technology planning and volunteer management. Go to: www.genie.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Selecting a Range in Excel
In Excel, a range is a group of connected cells. When working in Excel you often need to select a range. A simple trick for quickly selecting a range is to:
• Click anywhere within the range
• Press Ctrl + Shift + *
The range is selected! This trick works in Excel 2007 as well as earlier versions.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Picks of the Week: March 16 - 22, 2008
Website of the Week -- Association of Donor Relations Professionals
The Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP) is the international association of professionals who advance their non-profit institutions by building and sustaining the donor relationships that lead to fund-raising success. ADRP support the development community by promoting the professional status of donor relations and stewardship offices through educational, professional development and networking opportunities. Conferences and workshops are open to members and non-members alike. Go to: www.adrp.net.
Publication of the Week -- Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy by Jody Blazek
From the publisher: This Second Edition of Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy presents easy-to-implement strategies to make financial management a more streamlined, effective process in nonprofits of all types and sizes. Addressing five key areas of financial planning, it provides practical forms and checklists to aid nonprofit managers in managing their organizations' financial resources.
Filled with numerous checklists, worksheets, and forms to guide nonprofit professionals step-by-step through the financial planning processes, this straightforward book avoids technical financial language and trendy business terms in favor of simple, down-to-earth advice filled with examples of proven financial planning strategies based on the author's firsthand experience advising nonprofits.
Jody Blazek (Houston, TX) is a partner in Blazek & Vetterling, LLP, a Houston-based CPA firm providing tax-compliance and auditing services to tax-exempt organizations as well as tax consulting services to other accountants and lawyers who serve nonprofits. She worked with the 1023 Revision Task Force, is currently on the 990 Revision Task Force, and is past chair of the AICPA Exempt Organization Resource Panel. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Givers See Nation's Charities as Crucially Important But Wary of Slick, Pushy Marketing
According to a report, The Charitable Impulse, by the nonpartisan research organization Public Agenda, American donors are passionate and positive about the charities and nonprofits they support. But at the same time, according to focus groups, they are concerned when these organizations market themselves in ways that mimic "big business." The study was conducted in collaboration with the Kettering Foundation and in partnership with the Independent Sector. Donor sentiment about charitable organizations, Public Agenda reports, is "enthusiastic and positive," especially when it comes to smaller, local charities and human service organizations, and typical giving tends to be based on personal experience and emotional connections. But givers also have a long memory for scandal and waste. Focus groups took past misdeeds "quite personally and the breach is nearly impossible to repair," the report states.
Givers also had strong and spontaneous negative reactions when nonprofits adopt big-business type marketing and sales techniques. Glossy brochures, unsolicited "gifts," telephone solicitations, and high-pressure appeals "all came in for criticism and generated a high level of annoyance." For the most part, donors associated the term "nonprofit" almost entirely with the work of charitable, human services organizations. Many seemed surprised and even a little resentful that large nonprofits such as hospitals and universities (organizations that charge significant fees for their services) actually fall into this category. Report highlights are available in a news release at http://www.independentsector.org/media/20051024_charitable_impulse.html. For the full report, go to: http://www.publicagenda.org/research/pdfs/charitable_impulse.pdf.
Resource of the Week -- Nonprofit Fundraising Web Resources
Hosted by the Michigan State University Libraries, this collection pf resources compiied by Jon Harrison, is intended as a starting point for those who are interested in learning more about foundations, fundraising, proposal writing, philanthropy and philanthropists, corporate philanthropy, international philanthropy, government funding, nonprofit organizations, nonprofit organization administration, planned giving, prospect research, and voluntarism, but only want to look at resources available on the web. Go to: http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/4fcelec.htm.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Creating Lines in Word
One of our favorite shortcuts from previous versions of Word still works in Word 2007! To create lines across the page of a Word document:
• Type three consecutive hyphens and press Enter for a normal line
• Type three underscores and press Enter for a bold line
• Type three equal signs and press Enter for a double line
These lines extend from the left margin to the right margin and the size of these lines will change if you change the margins of your document or if you change the orientation from Portrait to Landscape.
The Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP) is the international association of professionals who advance their non-profit institutions by building and sustaining the donor relationships that lead to fund-raising success. ADRP support the development community by promoting the professional status of donor relations and stewardship offices through educational, professional development and networking opportunities. Conferences and workshops are open to members and non-members alike. Go to: www.adrp.net.
Publication of the Week -- Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy by Jody Blazek
From the publisher: This Second Edition of Nonprofit Financial Planning Made Easy presents easy-to-implement strategies to make financial management a more streamlined, effective process in nonprofits of all types and sizes. Addressing five key areas of financial planning, it provides practical forms and checklists to aid nonprofit managers in managing their organizations' financial resources.
Filled with numerous checklists, worksheets, and forms to guide nonprofit professionals step-by-step through the financial planning processes, this straightforward book avoids technical financial language and trendy business terms in favor of simple, down-to-earth advice filled with examples of proven financial planning strategies based on the author's firsthand experience advising nonprofits.
Jody Blazek (Houston, TX) is a partner in Blazek & Vetterling, LLP, a Houston-based CPA firm providing tax-compliance and auditing services to tax-exempt organizations as well as tax consulting services to other accountants and lawyers who serve nonprofits. She worked with the 1023 Revision Task Force, is currently on the 990 Revision Task Force, and is past chair of the AICPA Exempt Organization Resource Panel. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week -- Givers See Nation's Charities as Crucially Important But Wary of Slick, Pushy Marketing
According to a report, The Charitable Impulse, by the nonpartisan research organization Public Agenda, American donors are passionate and positive about the charities and nonprofits they support. But at the same time, according to focus groups, they are concerned when these organizations market themselves in ways that mimic "big business." The study was conducted in collaboration with the Kettering Foundation and in partnership with the Independent Sector. Donor sentiment about charitable organizations, Public Agenda reports, is "enthusiastic and positive," especially when it comes to smaller, local charities and human service organizations, and typical giving tends to be based on personal experience and emotional connections. But givers also have a long memory for scandal and waste. Focus groups took past misdeeds "quite personally and the breach is nearly impossible to repair," the report states.
Givers also had strong and spontaneous negative reactions when nonprofits adopt big-business type marketing and sales techniques. Glossy brochures, unsolicited "gifts," telephone solicitations, and high-pressure appeals "all came in for criticism and generated a high level of annoyance." For the most part, donors associated the term "nonprofit" almost entirely with the work of charitable, human services organizations. Many seemed surprised and even a little resentful that large nonprofits such as hospitals and universities (organizations that charge significant fees for their services) actually fall into this category. Report highlights are available in a news release at http://www.independentsector.org/media/20051024_charitable_impulse.html. For the full report, go to: http://www.publicagenda.org/research/pdfs/charitable_impulse.pdf.
Resource of the Week -- Nonprofit Fundraising Web Resources
Hosted by the Michigan State University Libraries, this collection pf resources compiied by Jon Harrison, is intended as a starting point for those who are interested in learning more about foundations, fundraising, proposal writing, philanthropy and philanthropists, corporate philanthropy, international philanthropy, government funding, nonprofit organizations, nonprofit organization administration, planned giving, prospect research, and voluntarism, but only want to look at resources available on the web. Go to: http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/4fcelec.htm.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Creating Lines in Word
One of our favorite shortcuts from previous versions of Word still works in Word 2007! To create lines across the page of a Word document:
• Type three consecutive hyphens and press Enter for a normal line
• Type three underscores and press Enter for a bold line
• Type three equal signs and press Enter for a double line
These lines extend from the left margin to the right margin and the size of these lines will change if you change the margins of your document or if you change the orientation from Portrait to Landscape.
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