After reading Wendy’s post about endowments last week, I realized that there’s a second part to this issue. Because even if now isn’t the right time for an endowment or other major campaign, that’s not to say you can’t or shouldn’t be cultivating major gifts. At last week’s Giving Institute Summer Symposium, keynote speaker Dr…. Read more »
Creating an endowment seems like a sound business practice to most nonprofit boards. But is it really the next logical step for your organization? “For many, amassing an endowment represents a ‘nirvana’ state, where fundraising (and related pain) ceases and programs are amply funded,” wrote Clara Miller, CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, in a… Read more »
Controversy erupted today over ESPN’s decision to give away an hour of primetime programming to announce which NBA team LeBron James will join. The sports network will donate proceeds from advertising sponsorships of the announcement show to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a charity long supported by James. “Many in the media world are… Read more »
Yesterday, the inaugural edition of Blackbaud’s Index of Charitable Giving was released. Blackbaud is a global provider of software and services for nonprofits. The news is good. Not only did the index find that nonprofits of all sizes are emerging from the recession, overall nonprofit revenue increased by 12.1 percent for the three months ending… Read more »
Last week, Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates issued a challenge to the nation’s wealthiest citizens. They asked them to take a giving pledge and commit at least half of their net worth to charity during their lifetime or after death. Billionaires Eli and Edythe Broad took the pledge, saying they’ll give 75 percent of… Read more »
Now that we’ve had a chance to digest and discuss the data from Giving USA 2010, here are the most important takeaways for nonprofits. It’s no surprise that charitable giving declined in 2009. What did surprise us is that it dropped by only 3.6 percent, given last year’s economy and job market. And giving by… Read more »
Giving USA 2010, the annual report on philanthropy for 2009 published by Giving USA Foundation and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, was released today. You can get a free executive summary of the report here. As a Giving USA board member, Keith was interviewed today by The Virginian-Pilot and Richmond Times-Dispatch to talk about the… Read more »
Over the last few weeks, Keith and I have both encountered the same issue with nonprofits boards that have recently hired a development director. I know it’s a very big step for small nonprofits to take, but it should not be done with the intention of that person solving all the fundraising issues and challenges… Read more »
Last Thursday’s Funders Forum, held by Volunteer Hampton Roads and moderated by Keith, gave nonprofit professionals and board members a direct line to a panel comprising the Hon. Richard Bray of the Beazley Foundation, Angelica Light of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, Deborah Wyld of the Norfolk Southern Foundation, Michael Howland of the Southeastern Council of… Read more »
Plenty of helpful insights were shared at yesterday’s Funders Forum, which was produced by Volunteer Hampton Roads, moderated by Keith, and well-attended by nonprofit professionals and board members. The panel of funders was impressive: the Hon. Richard Bray of the Beazley Foundation, Angelica Light of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, Deborah Wyld of the Norfolk… Read more »
