On the occasion of their first wedding anniversary this year, Dana Goodyear and Billy Lehman took a trip to Malawi. But the trip wasn’t just about celebrating their marriage. It was also about due diligence.

When Ms. Goodyear and Mr. Lehman got married in May 2007, they asked their guests to help Save the Children, the Westport, Conn., aid organization, build a school. In lieu of presents, the guests contributed nearly half the cost of the Malawi school, about $23,000. Ms. Goodyear and Mr. Lehman contributed the rest. (Click here to see their wedding page with an explanation of the gift).

This summer the couple visited the school. They helped with construction. They also took photographs and videos that they plan to post on their Web site, to update their wedding guests on the school’s progress.

And the couple’s turn as fund raisers doesn’t end there. They plan to ask their...

The sluggish economy has dealt a blow to charity auctions, which aren’t raising as much money as they have in past years, according to a new survey by cMarket, an online-auction company.

Sixty-five percent of charities said the economy had an impact on their fund-raising event, while 66 percent said it had become more difficult to get donated items from local merchants. Twenty-nine percent reported lower attendance at this year’s event, while 20 percent said they’d had fewer bidders.

Two hundred and fifty charities responded to the survey, which was conducted from January through April.

Of those surveyed, 38 percent said merchants were demanding more marketing benefits, while 34 percent said corporate sponsors had become more demanding.

“We found that respondents were feeling the impact of the economy in many different ways,” said Timothy Matthews, senior analyst at cMarket,...

Fathers across the country will be feted this Sunday — and a handful of charities are hoping to take advantage of the occasion to raise money for their causes.

The World Wildlife Fund is giving supporters a chance to “adopt” endangered animals on behalf of their fathers. For $50 or $100, fathers will receive a soft plush version of the adopted species, as well as a “Happy Father’s Day” bag, an adoption certificate, and a species fact sheet.

The charity offers animals to suit all personality types. Patriotic dads might like the American Bald Eagle, while fathers with a great sense of humor might prefer a clown fish.

Boats, building tools, and tents make good Father’s Day gifts for the outdoorsy Dad. Oxfam America is giving its supporters a chance to donate those products on behalf of their fathers. A contribution of $25 will purchase building tools for a poor community overseas,...

Want to hear fewer complaints from donors about the number of times you ask them for money?

Try converting your charity’s finances from a fiscal- to a calendar-year basis, writes Kelly Kleiman on The Nonprofiteer.

“Very few individuals operate their lives, or plan their charitable contributions, on the basis of your fiscal year: when they give you money in May, they don’t expect you to ask them again in September, and they’re justifiably annoyed when you do,” she writes. “You, by contrast, are justifiably annoyed at their complaints, because you know that May is the end of one year and September is almost midway into another.”

Both fund raisers and donors will feel more appreciated, says Ms. Kleiman, if both parties keep track of their contributions the same way.

What do you think of Ms. Kleiman’s advice?