General News
Assorted articles with non-profit news
It takes time and effort to find grantmakers that are truly good prospects, but the results can be worth the research efforts you expend. Keep your expectations realistic. Foundations and other grantmakers will not likely meet even a majority of your financial needs. Individual donations still account for the great majority of the funds given to nonprofit organizations. Currently, foundations and corporations combined only provide about 17 percent of philanthropic gifts, and only a portion of this is given for Christian projects. However, these funds can make all the difference for your project!
Do not focus all your efforts on one...
posted @ Monday, October 24, 2011 12:51 PM |
Over the past weeks, there’s been much written about the attacks on the World Trade Center. Richard Swenson, however, writes about a different aspect of those attacks.
On the 103rd floor as the workers were beginning their day, they were at first unaware of the commotion on the floors below. But as the shock and horror unfolded, some were able to make last minute phone calls. Some of those phones were recovered. What did the rescuers find in those last minute phone calls?
They weren’t calls to their broker to sell their stock. No phone calls were made to purchase...
posted @ Thursday, October 20, 2011 9:57 AM |
I don’t know about you but there’s a lot of noise in my life. Not long ago, I sought to eliminate much of the advertisement related email in my inbox. I set out faithfully to unsubscribe to everything I could.
I’m not sure what happened. My email multiplied. So much for simplicity. Particularly in this day and age, the idea of simplicity is a foreign one. This week I attended a breakout session at a conference called Soul Care for leaders. One statement particularly stood out:
Our iPhones, iPads and constant exposure to technology is killing our souls.
Think about it. ...
posted @ Thursday, October 20, 2011 9:54 AM |
My daughter Jessica turned 20 yesterday—no longer a teenager. She came home from college to celebrate her birthday.
The weekend passed by in a blur. We had soccer games, and she had friends to see, but in the midst of the hustle and bustle, she ran out.
Well, let me clarify that. In the bright afternoon sun, she dressed up in one of her purple little dresses, camera in hand and headed to the park. She had a grin on her face, her step lively and said she was off on an adventure.
An hour later she was back. She...
posted @ Thursday, October 20, 2011 9:40 AM |
Who buys real estate in a land already conquered by the enemy? Foolish.
But that’s what the prophet Jeremiah did. In Jeremiah 32, the Lord tells Jeremiah that his uncle is coming to sell him land. (By the way, what does this say about the uncle—he’s doing Jeremiah no favors by selling land already trod upon by the enemy!) In any event, the Lord tells Jeremiah to buy the land.
So Jeremiah does. And he makes quite a show of it. He counts out 17 shekels of silver. He has the purchase witnessed by a crowd of elders. He wants...
posted @ Thursday, October 20, 2011 9:32 AM |
Across Europe, we’ve seen many great and historic churches close. Some now are owned by businesses. Some are converted to mosques.
For many, the response to these closures is shock, dismay. For those wondering why, the answer is often the apparent decline of faith in these countries. But few are as quick to point to another cause: population decline.
For years now, European countries have faced dwindling birth rates. On average, it takes at least 2.1 births per woman for most industrialized countries. In many European countries the birth rate is well below this—1.6. Put it bluntly, the churches...
posted @ Thursday, October 20, 2011 9:22 AM |
I’ve got the bug. I wake up early usually. That means I’m not deterred by early morning flights. And it works out that when I get those flights, well, I drive right into the sunrise.
If you drive too early, its just blackness other than the shadows that emerge from the streetlights. But if you time it just right, you can see the sun just begin to peak up at the horizon. The colorful twinge begins with streaks of orange and grey. And as the light seems to move outward, it’s like a backlight for the clouds. It’s a...
posted @ Thursday, October 20, 2011 9:16 AM |
The Generous Donut
Donuts can be generous.
Let me explain. More than 17 years ago, my wife and I decided we’d pick a place and go there year after year for family vacations. That place was Estes Park, CO. The kids have enjoyed it, appreciate the routine and things they call ours—family traditions.
Well, one of the places we’ve come to appreciate is the Donut Haus. The Donut Haus has been in business for more than 30 years. They make handmade donuts and pastries. They say their hours are 6am to 12am, but in truth, they are usually sold...
posted @ Wednesday, September 07, 2011 12:00 AM |
Regret. What is it? The dictionary defines it as: a feeling of disappointment or distress about something that one wishes could be different.
It that’s the case—disappointment over something we wish could be different—here’s the question: will we have regret in heaven? Will we wish something could be different?
Hey, heaven’s supposed to be the perfect place. No more crying. No more tears. The end of the suffering life. We’ll be with the eternal God and experiencing life in all its fullness. We’ve finally made it back to Eden. Right?
Certainly, here in this life we’ll experience regret. It may be the loss...
posted @ Friday, June 10, 2011 6:31 PM |
You know how you intend to do some things and never really get around to them, and then it’s too late. So it is with this piece. I intended to write it a long time ago but life got in the way. Because it’s a bit overdue, you’ll have to be patient and read a bit longer.
Roger Russell died on Friday, May 27. Let me explain why that is so important. My office is in a residential community called Olathe, Kansas. It’s famous for being part of the Santa Fe Trail, the westward expansion. We’ve had a lot of...
posted @ Thursday, June 02, 2011 1:08 PM |
“Funeral services will be…” Those were the words of a text I received from a good friend just the other day. His father had just died—suddenly, unexpectedly. While his dad was 77 years old, he was still in great health and his passing caught everyone by surprise.
I texted back and told him what a great guy his dad was, and how he was one of my favorites. He sent me a quick text in reply. But I decided I would pick up the phone and call.
My conversation was quick, but painful. He told me that it was...
posted @ Thursday, June 02, 2011 12:53 PM |
Not long ago a ministry approached me wanting a grant. This is not a new happening. I’m used to the idea.
posted @ Tuesday, May 10, 2011 8:45 AM |
Ron had finally managed to set up what he thought was one of those mountaintop meetings—a key major donor. He thought he’d arrived. This man was known to be generous and quick to give.
But Ron was nervous. He didn’t want to botch it. So he called me for advice. I told him simply, “Ron, ask questions, and listen. Talk less.” That was the extent of my advice.
Ron was an eager student and promised me that he would follow my advice. The big day arrived—the appointed time of the meeting. Afterwards, Ron was the first to call me. He...
posted @ Tuesday, May 10, 2011 8:42 AM |
Writing a Proposal
Structure, attention to detail, concise persuasive writing, and a reasonable budget are the critical elements of the writing stage. There are many ways to organize proposals. Read the guidelines for specifications about required information and how it should be arranged. Standard proposal components are: the narrative, budget, appendix of support material, and authorized signature. Sometimes proposal applications require abstracts or summaries, an explanation of budget items, and certifications.
1. Narratives-Statement of need
Purpose, goals, measurable objectives, and a compelling, logical reason why the proposal should be supported. Background provides perspective and is often a welcome component.
2. Approach
Method and process...
posted @ Tuesday, February 01, 2011 7:29 PM |
Do you believe that Americans are greedy?
I saw an advertisement recently for a documentary called American Greed. Truthfully, I reacted a bit. While we’ve seen certain politicians call out American greed and our lack of attention to the poor, I found myself pausing.
Aren’t Americans known for their generosity? When tragedy strikes, it’s Americans who rush in and provide relief. Is there any other country in the world known for their giving like the United States. America values generosity so much that they encourage it as a matter of public policy.
Now I know as well that Americans are known as well for their consumerism. Whether its spending...
posted @ Sunday, January 16, 2011 1:52 PM |
I confess. I was one of those early shoppers on Black Friday. There were a couple of deals that were too good to pass up.
As I stood in line, the four women in front of me guarded their loaded cart. They each wore matching pink t-shirts with the promise: “I’ll be good next year”—apparently in their reference to refrain from shopping so much. Likewise, they each wore black knit scarves and well cushioned running shoes. They were an assault team. Pity those who got in their way.
In keeping with an assault team, their efforts had been well coordinated. One had been dispatched to the $3.99 DVDs. One had gone...
posted @ Sunday, November 28, 2010 8:06 PM |
There’s much occurring in the non profit landscape. The astute observer should be and always willing to look behind the covers of what is happening. Here’s a few thoughts to help bring sense to what is happening:
1. 25% of non profits will lose their tax exempt status. Guidestar made this prediction as the result of non profits failing to file their annual 990. While many will seek reinstatement of their status, the implications behind this trend is a continued winnowing of the non profit field. The key trend is the push towards greater accountability and sophistication in how non profits are being run. No longer does...
posted @ Saturday, October 09, 2010 6:12 PM |
Downturn. It continues to be the language of the day. This weekend’s edition (July 31-August 1, 2010) of the Wall Street Journal reports that the outlook for the remainder of 2010 remains bleak.
The growth the economy experienced in late 2009 and early 2010 is now slowing. Some economists and now predicting that they will cut growth estimates for the second half of the year.
Perhaps most troubling is that “growth” is largely dependent on consumer spending. As the Journal reports, “purchases account for 70% of economic activity.” It is a vicious cycle. Consumers won’t spend if they think...
posted @ Wednesday, August 04, 2010 8:34 AM |
Christian Foundation Grants is thrilled to announce the release of their first book:
"Grants for Christian Ministries and More!"
This is not just another book on fundraising…
It’s about how your ministry or church can receive grants and More.
We obtained some of the best at their craft and had each contribute a chapter.This book contains chapters on the grant process, writing a grant, preparing a budget, and more, such as beginning a planned giving program, demographics affecting the charity crisis, and new alternatives to foundation giving. All the chapters are designed to help your ministry advance to the next level of your funding.
“Do...
posted @ Monday, July 19, 2010 9:32 AM |
Do you want to get a head start on your year-end fundraising? A webinar is being held on July 22nd that will help you be successful in your online donations.
Care2 is hosting this webinar. They have posted the below information on the webinar:
"You might know that 40 percent of all online donations come in during December. But did you also know that year-end fundraising doesn’t just happen in December? It takes months of list building, inspiring donors, cultivating them, testing, and analyzing metrics to make the absolute most of year-end opportunities.
Join Alia McKee Scott of Sea Change Strategies, Milo Sybrant of...
posted @ Wednesday, July 07, 2010 9:04 AM |
Mergers, Closings Plague Charities - that was the headline of a front page article in the The Wall Street Journal this week. The article indicates that poor performing charities may not event make it. I was intrigued by the comment of the charity leader who was surprised that "funders want to see outcomes." When givers invest in a charity they want know their giving is making a difference - they are interested in knowing the ROI. A charity's mission should be the driver but it is clear goals and measurable outcomes that help us know how we are doing in...
posted @ Sunday, February 07, 2010 4:26 PM |
There have been many trends in fundraising this year so it is important to know which ones will last, which ones are good short-term investments, and which ones to avoid. Sarah Hoddinott, a writer from Fundraising Success, analyzes the various trends in her recent article.
1) Promote events online—Even though the capabilities of using the internet have continued to grow, many nonprofits are still not using it to its maximum potential. Hoddinott noted the growth of using the Internet to promote events. Organizations have had fundraising success by also promoting their major fundraising events through their websites/social media instead of just...
posted @ Thursday, August 13, 2009 9:36 AM |
The effects of the recent economic downturn are undeniable in the lives of nonprofits: high operating costs, increased demand for services, and the nagging question of whether donors will continue their support in the midst of trying times are worries that weigh on the minds of many organization leaders. Tim Delaney, president and CEO of the National Council on Nonprofits, has noted the increased pressures on organizations throughout the last few years, and asserts that the economic dowturn can be traced to shabby ethics in the government and giving sectors. At a workshop sponsored by the Philanthropy Journal, Delaney illustrated...
posted @ Wednesday, June 24, 2009 1:12 PM |
Some people may wonder why we chose to create a database of private foundations. After all, aren’t there other ways that might help ministries and non-profits find better funding? Well, according to the Giving USA 2009 report, “Foundation grant-making increased 3 percent (in current dollars), although giving from all other types of donors declined. Foundation grants accounted for more than 13 percent of total charitable giving, and the Foundation Center estimates that grant-making in 2008 surpassed all prior records.” As seen by these statistics, foundations are a good place to look for grant money.
So, what exactly is a private foundation?...
posted @ Monday, June 22, 2009 2:34 PM
Because of the declining economy, many nonprofits are considering mergers in order to survive. A recent survey by the Nonprofit Finance Fund found that almost 1 in 5 nonprofits said they were interested in conducting a merger feasibility analysis, and 5% reported they were planning to or had already undergone a merger. That 5% is in increase from the average merger rate of 1.7% in the for-profit sector and 1.5% in the nonprofit sector over the last decade, according to another report. However, there are pros and cons to mergers.
There are many good reasons to merge: mergers increases a nonprofit’s...
posted @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 2:26 PM
Recently, United Way announced that it may have to cut up to 40% of its grants due to a $15 million drop in donations. As United Way prepares to makes cuts to many of the charities it supports, churches are discussing how they can fill the gap.
In Charlotte, NC, churches and ministries are discussing ways to alleviate the effects of United Way’s cuts. Some churches, including the Myers Park United Methodist Church, have begun making larger donations to charities. Mecklenburg Ministries is co-sponsoring a “community conversation” to raise awareness and discuss possible ways to aid nonprofits. While no church-led community...
posted @ Tuesday, June 09, 2009 1:58 PM
Summer is almost here! This means it is time to start up the blog again. It has been a busy time at Christian Foundation Grants, and we are excited to fill you in on all the latest happenings.
Summer time means even more foundation updates are being added to our database. We expect to get even closer to 5,000 foundations in our database. We make sure too that every single one of these foundations accept applications and has a history of giving to faith-based causes-- making us the most comprehensive Christian database available! All of the foundations we currently have...
posted @ Tuesday, May 26, 2009 9:51 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 |
Imagine that as your best friend tells you about a non-profit organization he volunteers with, he mentions that his organization is starting a program that benefits a cause you support. Or perhaps you are in your favorite restaurant and you begin a conversation with the waitress and discover that she is behind on medical payments for her ailing son. As much as you want to help these organizations and individuals, it would be impossible for you to accomplish much on your own, especially with the current economy. However, there is an option that is bringing together groups of people to...
posted @ Monday, December 29, 2008 10:17 AM |
George Barna recently completed a survey on giving trends over the last three months. It's a little disturbing. No doubt the past three months have been some of the most tumultous in history. Stock market crashes. Market swings. An uncertain economy. Job losses. The list is exhaustive. What's been the effect on giving?
1. 20% of households have decreased their giving to churches;
2. nearly 19% have decreased their giving to chruches by as much as 20% and 11% had decreased their giving by 50%;
3. 22% have stopped giving to churches altogether;
4. upscale household were most likely to decrease their giving;
5. ...
posted @ Saturday, December 06, 2008 1:12 PM |
In case you had not heard, cash is tight. Credit is tight. The stock market is unpredictable.
On the other hand, many are rushing in to predict what giving will do in the coming months. Some say up. Some say down. Some say it will stay the same. Don't let the prognosticators fool you. Things are changing.
We live in an age of relatively stable if not declining birth rates here in the United States. Meanwhile our population continues to age. In the coming years, some demographers tell us that we'll have a population where 19% of our people will be 65...
posted @ Saturday, October 18, 2008 10:08 PM |
I just got my retirement fund statement. It was down by 20%. My statement is certainly a reflection of the overall stock market.
What does it mean for the non profit? In 2007, the stock market was hot. Consequently, we saw lots of gifts of publicly traded stock and mutual funds. In 2008, we simply don’t expect many of those kinds of gifts.
The decline in publicly traded gifts is not the end of the story. Rising gas prices and grocery prices means that people simply have less cash. The backbone of many non profits are the monthly...
posted @ Wednesday, October 08, 2008 8:18 AM |
In the U.S., charitable giving has a long and illustrious history that includes community participation, neighbors settling new land helping one another, and most recently, giving circles. Giving circles are a recent but growing trend in philanthropy. In 2006, they generated $13 million dollars for community projects. A giving circle is “a group of individuals who come together to pool their dollars, learn together about the community and philanthropy, and then decide collectively where to give their money.”
Due to the weakened economy, giving circles will become more effective as they allow members to make large donations to nonprofits.
For...
posted @ Tuesday, October 07, 2008 2:32 PM |
The annual Philanthropy Midwest Conference will be held in Kansas City at the Overland Park Convention Center on November 10th and 11th, 2008. This two day conference will have 25 workshops that will discuss subjects such as fundraising, marketing, nonprofit management, volunteers, grant writing, and nonprofit trends.
The featured speaker is Heather McLeod Grant, the co-author of Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits. The second keynote speech will be given by Cal LeMon, who will address emotional and spiritual health and avoiding burnout in high stress nonprofits.
The conference is sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and is...
posted @ Wednesday, September 10, 2008 2:27 PM |
Many nonprofit websites lack one essential thing – information on staff and organizational employees. Employees are very diverse and vital part of the organization, but they are often neglected or relegated to a community that is separate from the donors, volunteers, and board members. However, employees must be engaged in order to build a strong nonprofit. Employees must become a part of the organization’s community.
Below are several ideas on how to make employees a part of the organization’s community”
Let the staff tell their stories. On the “Contact Us” page, do not let the staff members just be names, numbers, and...
posted @ Friday, August 29, 2008 2:48 PM |
U.S. Senators Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York, and Richard Burr, a Republican from North Carolina, have created a Senate Philanthropy Caucus to find ways to aid foundations and charities.
Late in July, these two men sent a letter to Congress members asking them to join the caucus to “support the long tradition of good works by the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.” The letter goes on to applaud philanthropy for bettering American society through education, clean water, public health, public libraries, and by allowing towns to research and experiment with new ideas. The letter said, “The work done by...
posted @ Thursday, August 28, 2008 9:04 AM |
Looking for more information on developing impactful giving? Inspired Philanthropy would be a great resource for you to pick up. It provides information on a wide range of topics from partnering with nonprofit leaders, questions to ask organizations, to building values that impact your giving.
Statistics are updated. Current happenings in the nonprofit world are discussed. More resources on youth and different areas are available. Worksheets and other resources are available on the CD that comes with the book.
This book is available on Amazon or local retailers.
--Jessica High is a Research Assistant at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is subscription...
posted @ Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:27 PM |
Although fundraisers tend to attribute their success to their techniques and methods, there are deeper motivations that also cause donors to give. In order to understand why people give and why Americans are so generous, one must look at the religious, psychological, marketing, historical, and cultural factors.
First, all of the world’s largest religions teach the importance of all living things on the earth and about the necessity of good deeds. The love of mankind, which all major religions promote, encourages philanthropy.
There are also other factors such as fear, elitism, guilt, anger, and greed. Below are twenty-four reasons that fundraiser...
posted @ Monday, August 11, 2008 11:03 AM |
Steve Meyerson, a Washington fundraising consultant, asked a recent audience of fundraising professionals to think about how their non-profit would handle hard economic times “if [they] knew for a fact that there’d be no recovery until 2010.” That answer, he said, should dictate their non-profit’s planning now. At this fundraising conference in Washington, Mr. Meyerson offered several fundraising tips for raising money during a recession: Tell donors how the non-profit changes its client’s lives. “Donors are not that interested in numbers,” he said. Donors want to know...
posted @ Wednesday, August 06, 2008 9:22 AM |
At a conference in Washington last week, Jon Duschinsky, an international fundraising expert, told his audience that American charities might soon be competing with organizations worldwide for donations. With the rise of online giving, donors are no longer hampered by geographic boundaries when choosing organizations to support. Mr. Duschinsky, founder of Bethechange Consulting in Paris, said that globalization is forcing non-profits to realize that their world is changing. For example, American donors who are interested in medical research are no longer limited to supporting American hospitals or scientists. They can easily find information about new research and...
posted @ Tuesday, July 29, 2008 9:46 AM |
In 2007, charitable bequests rose to $23.15 billion, and foundation giving also rose to $38.52 billion, a 10.3% increase. Campbell & Company President Peter Fissinger says this information from the Giving USA 2008 study may indicate that the generational transfer of wealth is beginning. With this increase in bequests and foundation giving, charitable organizations need to have knowledgeable staff ready to discuss planned giving and major giving strategies with clients. In doing so, charities may be less affected by the sluggish economy. Mike Poston, vice president for advancement at Guilford College, says that while a slow economy...
posted @ Friday, July 25, 2008 10:00 AM |
There are many young people in our communities today that have vast potential to go into Christian ministry. However, many do not understand calling or all the opportunities of ministry. The Fund for Theological Education (FTE) is seeking to remedy this by offering competitive grants from $5,000-$12,000 to programs that will help youth better understand the call to ministry and spark interest in it. By 2009, they would like to have over 500 partners to help further their goal of reaching young people. This grant program is part of the Calling Congregations initiative. “Calling Congregations is a...
posted @ Tuesday, July 15, 2008 9:06 AM |
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) invites church and other non-profit leaders and board members to attend one of ECFA’s four regional meetings in July and August 2008. These workshops will provide valuable information for non-profit leaders and will be led by experts in the evangelical field. The speakers include Michael Batts and Gregg Capin, partners in their CPA firms; Tom Brandon and Jim Pluymert, partners in their law firms; Tom McCallie, McClellan Foundation officer; Lauren Libby, COO of The Navigators; Wes Wilmer, author and development officer with Biola University; Corey Odden, ECFA vice president;...
posted @ Monday, June 30, 2008 12:00 AM |
They just stumbled into it. He was having lunch with a guy who mentioned his collection of classic photographs. As it turned out, this wasn't just any collection of photographs. It was a great collection of photographs--mostly black and white, mostly historical in nature, and mostly focused on celebrities. So what do you do with a bunch of black and white photographs? Well, in this case you can donate them. The photos represent real value. It seems there's a real demand out there for those old time photos. Black and white. Historical in nature. Even the mundane. A...
posted @ Monday, June 30, 2008 12:00 AM |
The timeshare industry is booming. Across the country, there are 6 million timeshare owners. Some estimate the industry is growing by 20% per year. And why not?
Despite the recent decline in the real estate market, the cost of owning and maintaining a vacation home is simply out of reach for many. Even if a family could afford a vacation home, many would not want to swallow the entire elephant of the ongoing maintenance costs. A timeshare represents a good alternative. You can effectively buy time at a place where you want to vacation at a fraction of the cost. You...
posted @ Sunday, June 22, 2008 12:00 AM |
Maria Sue, Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest adopted daughter, tragically died recently. In response to this tragic incident many fervent prayers and generous donations have been poured out. Within two weeks after his daughter's death, over $310,000 had been given to the Maria's Miracle Fund. The fund is part of Shaohannah's Hope, an orphan care and adoption ministry started by the Chapman family. The ministry gives grants to help Christian couples seeking to adopt.
The Chapmans will be meeting with the ministry's board of directors to decide how to use this generous flood of donations. Scott Hasenbalg, the ministry's executive director, said, "We are...
posted @ Friday, June 20, 2008 12:00 AM |
A recent survey by Dunham & Co. revealed that nearly half of the Christian adults in the United States have reduced their charitable giving because of the economy’s decline, in particular, due to the rise of food and gasoline prices.
The people who most feel the economic pinch are those who are the most supportive of charitable organizations – those over 55 years of age.
The survey found that frequent church attendees are less likely to let the economy decrease their giving, while those who rarely attend church are more likely to let the economy affect their giving.
Even though families with larger...
posted @ Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:00 AM |
Joy Skjegstad is a grantwriter with 20 years of experience who has a heart for the part that Christian organizations play in their communities, and she wants to see them flourish. She has worked with hundreds of ministry organizations in her career, and has found that nonprofit ministries are generally less knowledgeable than their secular counterparts in “discerning which grant funding to seek, understanding how to build relationships with funders, and putting together proposals.” In her book, Winning Grants to Strengthen Your Ministry, Skjegstad clears some of the fog for Christian organizations so that they can partner with like-minded donors...
posted @ Wednesday, June 18, 2008 12:00 AM |
A recent issue of the Chronicle on Philanthropy (April 3, 2008) noted the changing world of fundraising. This changing world demands attention from ministries all across the spectrum.
Traditionally, ministry organizations have relied upon direct mail as a primary means of support. But direct mail is declining. Michael Hoffman of See3, a non profit consulting firm says, “Direct mail is on life support.”
In 2007, a survey of 72 of the nation’s largest charities found that there was 6.2% drop in the response rate by donors. This was on top of a 10.4% drop in 2006. What accounts for this drop...
posted @ Monday, June 16, 2008 12:00 AM |
The June 12, 2008 issue of Newsweek reports on the coming charity crisis.
There is little doubt that the United States economy is struggling. Many sectors of the US economy are down: housing, banking, construction, finance. It all creates a ripple effect. Unfortunately, as Newsweek reports, many view charity as a luxury. The check to charity is what many do when the bills are paid.
For charities like the Salvation Army that rely upon the middle class as their key donors, they face particular difficulties. Rising gas prices are particularly hitting the middle class. This leaves them with less to give,...
posted @ Saturday, June 14, 2008 12:00 AM |
Fifty-four percent of Americans believe “the United States rates unfavorably in the eyes of the world,” or so a recent Gallup poll revealed. While we are so often told to think that the rest of the world views us negatively, the facts tell a different story: Americans are generous and a sizeable portion of that charitable giving is influenced by the private (often religious) sector.
The Index of Global Philanthropy states that in 2006 (the latest year information was available), the United States government gave $23.5 billion to developing countries. When combined with all funds, both public and private, the United...
posted @ Wednesday, June 04, 2008 12:00 AM |
Many organizations miss the obvious.
Most fundraising is focused on getting cash. There's direct mail, and lots of ways to do that. There's foundation work--developing relationships with foundations, submitting grant proposals and ideally receiving grant proposals. For the more mature organization, they may well focus upon online giving, including credit card and electronic transfer transactions. For the most mature, they may well add a planned giving component.
A quick note on planned giving: most are slow to enter this area because it means a long wait typically. Sometimes a planned gift is 10-30 years in the making. It usually requires a different...
posted @ Thursday, May 29, 2008 7:32 AM |