Church World Service, in Elkhart, Ind., is embarking on a new campaign to raise $1-million for the construction of affordable, hurricane-resistant houses, after a small group of similar homes proved capable of withstanding the fury of Hurricane Gustav this week.

The Terrebonne Readiness and Assistance Coalition, in Houma, La., where Gustav made landfall, had already joined with Oxfam America and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to design and build five low-cost “lift” houses that are both hurricane and flood resistant.

Nonprofit groups — including Church World Service, the American Red Cross, Catholic Social Services, and the United Way for South Louisiana — helped finance the homes, which are elevated 10- to 14-feet above sea level and designed to be energy efficient. The Louisiana group aims to raise enough money to erect 25 more of the…

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A new reality television show that seeks to raise at least $10-million per episode for charity is being planned by Scott O. Talbot, an Australian businessman and philanthropist.

Working with the producer Blayne K. Ross, who was previously at Showtime, Mr. Talbot said that each show would document a fund-raising gala. While that would cost up to $500,000 to carry out, he said the charity will not be charged.

The show would star four professionals — an event planner, chef, decorator, and bartender — as they work to pull off a one-of-a-kind charity event for each episode.

The series would benefit charities such as Unicef, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and March of Dimes, but Mr. Talbot said he wants at least half of the charities represented to be smaller, little-known organizations.

Mr. Talbot said has already secured $120-million in advertising and product offers from companies…

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Though charities are increasingly forming partnerships with corporations on cause-marketing deals, the economy’s downturn may discourage businesses from these ventures, writes Joe Waters, author of the Selfish Giving blog.

Mr. Waters, the director of of cause marketing for an unnamed Boston group, writes that, “Just this week a major partner slashed its sponsorship from $93,000 to $7,500. Ouch!”

He offers three tips to charities on retaining corporations in cause-marketing relationships. First, he says, keep your friends (or longstanding supporters) close. Secondly, keep your “enemies,” or less supportive corporations, closer.

“They are the ones who want to run when things get hot in the trenches,” he writes. “These are the companies that you have to hand-hold through the rough spells…the ones you have to give room to to adjust the timing, theme, and length of their…

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