Funding Non Profits

Gifts for the Sea

Julie Packard | Posted 12.17.2009 | Green

Read More: Gandhi, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Funding Non-Profits, Nature, Gifts From the Sea, Julie Packard, Ocean Acidification, Plastic-Pollution, Nature-Deficit-Disorder, Climate Change, Sustainable Seafood, Disposable Plastics, Plastic Bottles, Plastic Bags, Carbon Footprint, Connect With Nature, Green Living, Green News
Julie Packard

A half-century ago, Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote Gifts from the Sea, bestseller in which she described what we as individuals can take away from our times of quiet reflection along the shore.

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Jack Shafer: Concerned About My Bank Balance, and Knows My Inner Motivations. Where Have You Been All My Life?

John Thornton | Posted 12.01.2009 | Media

Read More: Jack Shafer, Funding Non-Profits, Texas Tribune, Newspapers, Clinton, Kennedy, New York Times, Washington Post, Future of Journalism, Slate, Media News
John Thornton

The forty years between Kennedy and Clinton were an accident of economic and demographic history, resulting in a temporary but highly profitable industry structure for the papers that dominated their markets.

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Navigating the Non-Profitsphere

Halle Tecco | Posted 11.24.2009 | Living

Read More: Charity Organizations, Non-Profit Foundations, Non-Profit Donation, Charity, Funding Non-Profits, Non-Profits, Donating to Charity, Charity Navigator, Donating to Non-Profits, Living News
Halle Tecco

So where does your gift have the most impact? How do you find that group of people working to fix that issue you most care about? Here are some great tools for navigating the non-profitsphere.

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Your Social Capital: Invest It in Philanthropy

Ron Mirenda | Posted 09.20.2009 | Living

Read More: Philanthropy, Good Works, Charity, Social Responsibility, Funding Non-Profits, Funding, Legacy, Social Capital, Donating to Non-Profits, Fundraising, Community-Reinvestment, Making a Difference, Living News
Ron Mirenda

Social capital allows us to invest in the future of society in areas we are passionate about and in those we strongly believe will make a difference in our society.

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Why the Arts Don't Pay for Themselves

Michael Kaiser | Posted 08.20.2009 | Entertainment

Read More: Non-Profits, Arts, Not for Profits, Funding Non-Profits, Arts Funding, Kennedy Center, Entertainment News
Michael Kaiser

When people say the arts are irrelevant, I have to disagree; the arts are simply too expensive.

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Interview: Entrepreneurs Alayna Kassan & Leslie Weissman, Presents for Purpose

Felicia C. Sullivan | Posted 07.26.2009 | Style

Read More: Entrepreneurs, E-Tailer, Presents for Purpose, Funding Non-Profits, Style News
Felicia C. Sullivan

Alayna Kassan and Cynthia Dressel met in 1999. Each had successfully fought Hodgkins Disease. In 2002, they donated $20,000 to the Lymphoma Research Foundation -- Presents For Purpose was born.

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Gen Art Facing Economic Crises - Your Help is Needed!

Juliette Powell | Posted 07.23.2009 | New York

Read More: Genart, Film, Funding Non-Profits, Economic Crisis, 33millionpeople, Juliette Powell, Kevin Bacon, Charity, Halle Berry, Zack Posen, Zackbraff, New York News
Juliette Powell

The massive drop in corporate marketing dollars for Gen Art means they are literally fighting to keep their doors open through the summer.

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Profiting From a Non-Profit

Cheryl Saban | Posted 06.30.2009 | Living

Read More: Nonprofits, Fraud, Funding Non-Profits, The Giving Life, Living News
Cheryl Saban

Several employees of a non-profit that helps victims of child sexual abuse pilfered more than $50,000 from the organization. This is not the first time we've heard about such unscrupulous fraud.

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Preaching Basketball Without the Baggage

Danny Groner | Posted 06.10.2009 | World

Read More: Espys, Belfast, Full Court Peace, Funding Non-Profits, Children, Optimism, Espn, Non-Profit, Non-Profits, Violence, Struggle, Basketball, Peace, Teenagers, Catholics, Northern Ireland Violence, Northern Ireland, Harmony, Dave Cullen, Teenager, Conflict, Protestants, Irish, World News
Danny Groner

While trying to downplay differences in the world, Dave Cullen is doing his part to make a world of difference. The founder of Full Court Peace (FCP),...

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The Army Of Unemployed: How The Laid-Off Can Change The World

Adlai Wertman | Posted 03.29.2009 | Living

Read More: Poverty, Charity, Food Stamps, Funding Non-Profits, Volunteers, Non-Profits, Nonprofits, Jobs, Philanthropy, Unemployment, Volunteering, Homelessness, Volunteer, Homeless, Poor, Fundraising, The Giving Life, Living News
Adlai Wertman

Is this a time, though, where we can apply a basic math rule -- two negatives equal a positive? Could a large group of unemployed actually be good for the charities?

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Guest Post by Jacob Harold -- The Nonprofit Marketplace: Getting Social Impact Bang For Our Philanthropic Bucks

Paul Brest | Posted 03.16.2009 | Business

Read More: Mckinsey, Business Plan, Investment Funds, Overhead, Goals, Open Information, Foundations, Nonprofit Effectiveness, Nonprofits, Funding Non-Profits, Business News, Nonprofit Information Marketplace, Fundraising, Giving, Impact, The Nature Conservancy, Philanthropic Goals, Intermediary Organizations, Social Impact, Strategy, Rating Nonprofits, Economic Crisis, Philanthropy, Contributions, Jacob Harold, Markets, Donations, Rainforest Action Network, Charity, Nonprofit Marketplace, Public Benefit, Progress, Donors, Financial Advisors, Economy, Guidestar, Business News
Paul Brest

The nonprofit marketplace doesn't exhibit the single most essential characteristic of a well-functioning market: open exchange of high-quality information that helps people make good decisions.

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Administrative Costs and Overhead

Paul Brest | Posted 03.02.2009 | Business

Read More: Corporate Philanthropy, Philanthropy, Business Plan, Overhead, Goals, Donations, For-Profit Firms, Charity, Foundations, Rating Nonprofits, Nonprofits, General Operating Support, Funding Non-Profits, Business News, Administrative Costs, Execute Plan, Public Benefit, Progress, Dan Pallotta, Donors, Giving, Economy, Uncharitable, Business News
Paul Brest

Don't yawn and click on another link -- administrative costs and overhead sound really boring, but they're critically important for nonprofit organizations and also for donors.

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Is Corporate Philanthropy to Philanthropy What Military Music is to Music?

Paul Brest | Posted 02.27.2009 | Business

Read More: Philanthropy, Business Plan, Goals, Donations, For-Profit Firms, Charity, Foundations, Nonprofits, Funding Non-Profits, Business News, Corporate Philanthropy, Execute Plan, Philanthrocapitalism, Giving, Public Benefit, Progress, Donors, Economy, Business News
Paul Brest

Most real-world decisions involve tradeoffs, and much corporate philanthropy lies somewhere between pure philanthropy and marketing.

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Why Evidence is Essential in Defining the Missions of Non-Profits

Paul Brest | Posted 02.09.2009 | Business

Read More: Philanthropy, Non-Profits, Social Change, Smart Philanthropy, Non-Profit Foundations, Sean Stannard-Stockton, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy, Business, Grants, Donations, Charity, Obama Stimulus Plan, Foundations, KIPP Charter Schools, Funding Non-Profits, Tactical Philanthropy, Business News, Strategic Philanthropy, Giving, Economy, Business News
Paul Brest

I believe that a great nonprofit organization is ultimately only as good as its theory of change. There is considerable knowledge about what works and what doesn't work in particular contexts.

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Guest Post: Sean Stannard-Stockton

Paul Brest | Posted 02.09.2009 | Business

Read More: Non-Profit Foundations, Charity, Funding Non-Profits, Economy, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy, Grants, Non-Profits, Smart Philanthropy, Business, Sean Stannard-Stockton, Philanthropy, Strategic Philanthropy, Tactical Philanthropy, Business News, Donations, Giving, Foundations, Obama Stimulus Plan, Business News
Paul Brest

The theory of change concept makes sense in a static landscape. But it fails in a dynamic landscape, where what you learned on your last trip might not apply this time.

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Michael Edwards' Case Against Philanthrocapitalism

Paul Brest | Posted 02.02.2009 | Business

Read More: Philanthropy, Non-Profits, Michael Edwards, Bill Gates, Non-Profit Foundations, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy, Business, Grants, Donations, Politics News, Charity, Funding Non-Profits, Business News, Strategic Philanthropy, Civil Society, Just Another Emperor: The Myths and Realities of Philanthrocapitalism, Philanthrocapitalism, Giving, Economy, Business News
Paul Brest

In "Just Another Emperor?" Michael Edwards challenges philanthrocapitalists to transform the economic system that made them rich, not just address its symptoms.

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Jim Luce Returns (In Part) to Corporate America

Jim Luce | Posted 01.30.2009 | World

Read More: Non-Profit Foundations, Togo, Elite Group International, Funding Non-Profits, Orphans, Non-Profits, Philanthropic Initiatives, Lucetec, Philanthropy, Ngo, Luce Foundation, Messan Minyanou, For Profit, Corporate America, James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation, Orphans International Worldwide, International NGO, Egi, World News
Jim Luce

I am excited today about the non-profit Orphans International now having the opportunity to attract the professionals it needs to move forward as I step aside.

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Philanthrocapitalism

Paul Brest | Posted 01.19.2009 | Business

Read More: Philanthropy, Non-Profits, Non-Profit Foundations, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy, Business, Grants, Donations, Charity, Politics News, Funding Non-Profits, Matthew Bishop, Business News, Michael Green, Strategic Philanthropy, Giving, Economy, Bill Gates, Philanthrocapitalism, Business News
Paul Brest

Matthew Bishop and Michael Green describe how super-rich "philanthrocapitalists" like Bill Gates are shaking up the world of giving with their businesslike methods.

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Does Your Donation Actually Make a Difference?

Paul Brest | Posted 01.12.2009 | Politics

Read More: Donations, Charity, Funding Non-Profits, Philanthropy, Non-Profits, Business News, Strategic Philanthropy, Non-Profit Foundations, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy, Business, Giving, Grants, Economy, Politics News
Paul Brest

A diverse group of nonprofit leaders have joined a Working Group for Effective Social Investing to develop a rating tool that allows donors to compare the effectiveness of various charities.

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Washington Network Watch: Learning from Bill

Bradley W. Bloch | Posted 01.09.2009 | Politics

Read More: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Clinton Global Initiative, State Department, Obama's Cabinet, Hillary Clinton Secretary of State, Ngo, Cgi, Funding Non-Profits, United Nations, Non-Profits, Obama Administration, Obama State Department, Bill Gates UN Keynote Speech, Sustainability, Politics News
Bradley W. Bloch

Obama's State Department needs to have a core of career diplomats, yes, but it should also draw heavily from the new generation of bottom-line entrepreneurial leaders.

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Changing the Present

Dr. Susan Corso | Posted 01.09.2009 | Living

Read More: Holidays, Wal-Mart, Shopping, Art Buchwald, Charles Fillmore, Changing the Present, Giving, Things, Personal Finance, Barack Obama, Happiness, Wal-Mart Death, Funding Non-Profits, Non-Profits, Christmas Commentary, Recession, Non-Profit Donation, Black Friday Shopping, Black Friday, Walmart Death, Living News
Dr. Susan Corso

Is anyone else having trouble shopping for the holidays this year? I sure am. I'm finding that I cannot buy things. I'm definitely in the spirit of the season, but things just aren't cutting it.

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Strategic Philanthropy in Tough Times

Paul Brest | Posted 01.04.2009 | Business

Read More: Donations, Charity, Funding Non-Profits, Philanthropy, Non-Profits, Business News, Strategic Philanthropy, Non-Profit Foundations, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy, Business, Giving, Grants, Economy, Business News
Paul Brest

Dollars spent today to address issues like global warming can do more good than those spent in ten years, when the cost of mitigating climate change will certainly be much higher.

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Top-Down and Bottom-Up

Paul Brest | Posted 12.21.2008 | Living

Read More: Philanthropy, Strategic Philanthropy, Bill Somerville, Bill Schambra, Funding Non-Profits, Non-Profits, Business News, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy, Living News
Paul Brest

Philanthropy is inevitably top-down in the sense that a philanthropist must choose his or her goals. No philanthropist would fund both a group advocating for gay marriage and a group seeking to ban it.

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Strategic Philanthropy

Paul Brest | Posted 12.14.2008 | Business

Read More: Bill Schambra, Non-Profits, Philanthropy, Strategic Philanthropy, Funding Non-Profits, Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy, Business News
Paul Brest

Whether an organization is housing the poor or improving educational outcomes a philanthropist has every reason to ask whether it has a sound strategy, good track record, and good leadership.

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