January 2009 Entries
One of the most important fundraising principles is that you should develop multiple sources of contributions. Many charities are now finding that without multiple sources they are faced with financial collapse. Especially in difficult times, most donors aren’t willing to take on new large philanthropic commitments.
So how do you go about finding and using these multiple sources of funding? Some basic tips:
Avoid fundraising cuts - Edith Falk, a fundraising consultant says, “cutting your development program is a really bad idea. You are putting yourself behind by another six months to a year after the economy improves and...
posted @ Thursday, January 08, 2009 9:40 AM |
Congratulations! You have made it halfway through the first week of the new year! Everyone seems to be looking forward to 2009, or at least hoping things will be a whole lot better than 2008. There have been so many dismal headlines: Stock Market Plunges! Earthquakes in China! Housing Crisis! Economic Recession! Government Scandals!
Isn’t that just happy? No. Not really. So you are looking at your ministry, asking, “how on earth are we going to make it through?” Well, you have come to the right place! But this isn’t a sales pitch. We are here with the best cure for...
posted @ Wednesday, January 07, 2009 1:24 PM |
As 2009 has just begun, nonprofits should be thinking about their goals and the changes they must make to achieve those objectives. In Anne Ackerson’s blog, she lists 10 resolutions to help strengthen nonprofits and to renew commitment to the organization’s mission.
Review the mission out loud at a board meeting or members’ meeting. Discuss what the mission actually means and consider if the organization’s programs and activities support that mission. What changes need to take place in order to fulfill the mission?
Conduct a formal self-assessment of the organization’s strengths and weaknesses. A...
posted @ Tuesday, January 06, 2009 10:21 AM |
After 18 months of changes, the IRS has released the final Form 990. Charities must be aware of these new requirements. The form will require more information about organizations governance, how they pay their key employees, and how they earn unrelated business income.
According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, “The new forms include a schedule of 16 accompanying forms that probe details of lobbying, business transactions with insiders, and international activities. There is also a special form just for tax-exempt hospitals that asks about the amounts of charity care, Medicare reimbursements, debt collections, and any joint business ventures that hospitals engage...
posted @ Monday, January 05, 2009 10:22 AM |
As the recession has worsened, churches are gaining many opportunities to reach out to their church body and to the local community. However, churches are running low on funds necessary to continue their outreaches.
Historically, giving has remained fairly consistent within the church even during hard times, but a Barna Group survey revealed that during the past three months one out of five households have decreased their giving to churches and to other religious entities. Barna also said that the average church will find their revenue has dropped four to six percent during the last quarter of 2008. The reason contributions...
posted @ Friday, January 02, 2009 9:34 AM |