Thursday, December 10, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Emerging Forces in 2010: Trends That Will Shape the Nonprofit World

What trends will shape the nonprofit world as it enters what could be the toughest year in its history?

In recent weeks, Chronicle reporters and editors have interviewed nonprofit leaders, fund raisers, support staff, volunteers, and board members to answer that question. The result was the release this week of a special report outlining the 10 key trends shaping the nonprofit world in the next year.

Join us Thursday, December 10, to discuss this report with some of the the journalists who compiled it. You'll have a chance to ask what data and ideas shaped the list and discuss what you think was left out or not given enough attention.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, December 8, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Building Communities on Twitter

Turning that page into a tool that builds relationships with supporters and volunteers is much more difficult.

How can your organization use Twitter to create a community of supporters who are willing to spread the word about your activities, enlist their friends to help your cause, and help you raise money?

John Haydon, a marketing consultant for small nonprofit groups in Boston, has studied how some charities are using Twitter to build meaningful relationships with supporters. He will be available on Tuesday, December 8, at noon, Eastern time to share his observations and take your questions about how to use Twitter to create strong ties with those who care about your cause.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Thursday, December 3, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Giving As a Way of Life

Tom Hsieh has taken a novel approach to fighting poverty in his hometown of Los Angeles.

Mr. Hsieh, who owns a telecommunications company, has committed to supporting his family on the U.S. median household income.

In 2008, his family lived on about $38,000 although he earned more than $200,000. He donated the balance of his after-tax income to antipoverty groups in Los Angeles.

What motivates Mr. Hsieh's giving? How does he decide what causes and organizations to support? What lessons can other donors learn from him? And what should fund raisers and other charity officials understand as they seek to encourage more people to give in this difficult economic time?

Mr. Hsieh and a fellow philanthropist, Anne Ellinger, will answer those and other questions during a special online discussion on Thursday, December 3, at noon Eastern time. The discussion is part of a series of conversations with donors hosted by The Chronicle and Bolder Giving, an organization that works to encourage philanthropists to give more generously.

Click here to submit a question in advance.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, December 1, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Getting Good News Coverage: How to Persuade Journalists to Cover Your Cause

How can charities grab the attention of journalists when so many organizations are clamoring for coverage? What kinds of pitches are most effective? What are some of the most common errors nonprofit groups make when they approach reporters and editors and how can they build a better and more productive relationship?

Join us Tuesday, December 1, at noon Eastern time, to learn how your organization can help generate headlines that spread the message about their work and get the attention of prospective donors, volunteers, and clients.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, November 17, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Creating Effective Marketing Messages

Nonprofit groups need to do more than simply have a great mission to capture attention from donors and other supporters. They also must step up their efforts to market their ideas and causes.

One way to grab your supporters' attention is through tag lines, imaginative slogans that cement an image in the public's mind. What are some of the nonprofit world's most effective tag lines? Why is it important to have a compelling tag line? How do you create one that makes others remember what your organization stands for?

Join us Tuesday, November 17, at noon Eastern time, when Nancy E. Schwartz, a marketing expert, will join us to answer those questions and others about effective communications, as well as to discuss her newly published report on nonprofit tag lines.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Thursday, November 12, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Managing in a Changing Economic Environment

Some economic indicators are up, and some are down -- but most nonprofit groups continue to feel the impact of the weak economy. Financial turmoil has changed the nonprofit world in ways that will play out in the months and years ahead.

This discussion will offer practical advice for leaders of nonprofit organizations and foundations dealing with continued economic uncertainty.

How can organizations continue to survive these tough times while preparing for what's ahead? What lessons are relevant when true recovery begins? For organizations that have received stimulus or emergency support, what approaches will help shore up and sustain financial gains?

This event is part of The Chronicle of Philanthropy's series of free live discussions featuring Nonprofit Finance Fund to provide advice to nonprofit and foundation leaders on how to manage in hard times.

Clara Miller, chief executive of Nonprofit Finance Fund, along with other experts, will offer concrete and practical tips and ideas on some of the most pressing financial issues charities face today.

The events take place every other Thursday at noon, U.S. Eastern time, though November 12.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, November 10, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Disaster Philanthropy in a Post-Recession World

American charities took the lead in raising billions of dollars to aid survivors in the aftermath of disasters that have struck in the United States and elsewhere in recent years.

The nation's largest charities raised nearly $3.7-billion for relief and recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005 and raised more than $41-million to help survivors of the cyclone that struck Myanmar, and the earthquake in China, in 2008.

But at a time when the American economy is still in turmoil, it is unclear how well charities would do in raising such big sums if a catastrophe struck today or whether enough people would volunteer to help with recovery efforts.

Since a disaster can strike at any time, what steps can nonprofit groups take now to guard against fund-raising difficulties?

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Monday, November 9, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

The Philosophy of Giving

What motivates some philanthropists to give significant portions of their fortunes to charitable causes? How do they decide what causes and organizations to support?

What lessons can other donors learn from them? And what should fund raisers and other charity officials understand as they seek to encourage more people to give in this difficult economic time?

To answer these questions, The Chronicle and Bolder Giving, an organization that works to encourage philanthropists to give more generously, have developed a series of live online discussions with some of the nation's most interesting philanthropists.

Join us on Monday, November 9, at noon Eastern time, when two donors — Karen Ansara and Anne Ellinger — will take your questions about their giving philosophies.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, November 3, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Fund Raising Forecast: What Does the Future Hold?

The first barometer of fund raising in 2009 is now available as The Chronicle releases its annual Philanthropy 400 rankings showing that the nation's biggest charities predict a sharp drop this year.

Charities on the Philanthropy 400 — the groups that raise the most from private source -- say fund raising is likely to drop by a median 9 percent.

As the tough times continue, charities are coming up with creative ways to approach their fund raising, especially as they gear up for the busy year-end fund raising season.

How can you learn what techniques and messages work best in these tough economic times? What are smart charities doing to rein in costs and make their appeals more effective? What are the key factors fund raisers should consider as they approach the year-end giving season?

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Thursday, October 29, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Building Meaningful Alliances With Other Nonprofit Groups

Many nonprofit groups are working together in new and innovative ways in order to maintain services during financial crisis. Organizations are finding that collaboration can be an effective way to sustain programs while dealing with their financial challenges — in both good and bad times.

This discussion will offer expert advice about collaborating on programs, including important considerations for nonprofit organizations and foundations that support them. It will feature real-world examples of collaboration in action, and lessons the participating groups learned.

This event is part of The Chronicle of Philanthropy's series of free live discussions featuring Nonprofit Finance Fund to provide advice to nonprofit and foundation leaders on how to manage in tough times.

Clara Miller, chief executive of Nonprofit Finance Fund, along with other experts, will offer concrete and practical tips and ideas on some of the most pressing financial issues charities face today.

The events take place every other Thursday at noon, U.S. Eastern time, though November 12.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, October 27, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Foundation Giving: What Might the Future Hold?

Next year is expected to be one of the toughest ever for grant seekers, as foundations cope with huge losses in their endowments.

Last year alone, The Chronicle of Philanthropy found, assets at the nation's biggest foundations totaled $163.4-billion, compared with $213.8-billion in 2007, a loss of $50.4-billion in just one year. Such figures might automatically mean many foundations must reduce the amount of grant money they can award.

So how are grant makers coping with a diminished pool from which to give? Have they found ways to give as much as they did in the past? Or are they drastically reducing how much they give and the number of organizations they support? And what might grant makers face in the coming months and years, and how might they prepare?

Join us Tuesday October 27 at noon Eastern time to pose your questions to Bradford K. Smith, president of the Foundation Center, an organization that conducts research on grant-making trends and offers a range of tools to help grant seekers.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, October 20, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

How to Share Nonprofit Research With a Wide Audience

Foundations, universities, charities, advocacy groups and many other types of nonprofit organizations are producing reams of research. Yet few know how to make sure their findings reach the widest audience possible.

How can nonprofit groups make sure the research they conduct reaches a broad audience of not only other researches, but journalists, policy makers, educators, and others? How do you attract interest in your group's research and how can you identify those that would be most interested?

Join us Tuesday October 20 at noon Eastern time when three experts will answer those questions and many more related to getting your research out to a wide audience.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Thursday, October 22 at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

What Makes a Donor Give a Fortune to Charity?

What motivates some philanthropists to give the majority of their fortunes to charitable causes? How do they decide where to make their contributions?

What lessons can other donors learn from them? And what should fund raisers and other charity officials understand as they seek to persuade more people to give in this difficult economic time?

To answer these questions, The Chronicle and Bolder Giving, an organization that works to encourage affluent people to significantly increase their donations, have developed a series of live discussions with some of the nation's most noteworthy philanthropists.

These donors will be available to take your questions and will offer special insights into why wealthy people support good cause.

Join us on Thursday, October, 22, at noon Eastern time for the first in this series of discussions.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Thursday, October 15, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Nonprofit Finance: What Board Members and Trustees Need to Know

Board members and trustees are in a unique position to help guide and protect the financial health of the organizations they serve. Finance, however, is also one of the most complex issues on the board table. Even leaders with a good knowledge of for-profit finance my find themselves with many questions about sector-specific concerns.

This discussion provides an opportunity for board members and trustees to get answers to their most pressing nonprofit finance questions. It will also be relevant to nonprofit organizations interested in how to cultivate a financially-savvy board.

This event is part of The Chronicle of Philanthropy's series of free live discussions featuring Nonprofit Finance Fund to provide advice to nonprofit and foundation leaders on how to manage in tough times.

Clara Miller, chief executive of Nonprofit Finance Fund, along with other experts, will offer concrete and practical tips and ideas on some of the most pressing financial issues charities face today.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, October 13, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

How to Use Facebook Causes to Promote Your Nonprofit Group

Facebook Causes, a tool created to let people develop their own charitable projects and campaigns on the popular social networking site Facebook, has become a useful tool for many nonprofit groups that want to raise money and reach out to potential supporters, especially young people, online.

But fund raising isn't the only reason to use Causes. How might the tool be used to simply attract people to a nonprofit organization's Web site where they can find out how to volunteer, donate, or just learn more about a charity? How should nonprofit leaders use Causes to talk about their charity's mission? How does one get started using the Causes tool? What's the difference between a cause and a nonprofit profile?

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Thursday, October 8, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Breaking Into a Career in the Nonprofit World

An intensely competitive job market is making it harder than ever for recent graduates and established business professionals to break into careers in the nonprofit world.

People who seek nonprofit jobs today are confronting a tight market and competition from many worthy competitors.

What can you do to stand out from the crowd? What can you do to be sure you are an attractive candidate for a great new role when conditions improve? And if you do land a position, what should you do to make the most of your opportunity?

Join us on Tuesday, October 8, when we assemble a panel of career experts to take these and other questions about breaking into a career in the nonprofit world.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, October 6, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Executive Compensation: Is the Recession Affecting Nonprofit Salaries?

Some top executives in the nonprofit world have taken pay cuts to help improve their organizations bottom lines during these tough economic times. Yet at other organizations, compensation is rising quickly.

Join us on Tuesday October 6 when in conjunction with The Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual report on executive compensation we will explore these trends and take your questions on executive compensation trends in the nonprofit world during these difficult economic times.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Thursday, October 1, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Real Estate and Facilities: Understanding Your Options

Real-estate issues loom large for many nonprofit organizations, as physical space often represents a significant expense. Is it better to rent or buy? What are the best options for financing facilities? What "hidden" costs and issues can organizations expect?

The economic downturn has raised the stakes and added a new layer of complexity to classic real-estate challenges. This discussion will include answers to questions about the financial options for nonprofit organizations, foundations, and boards.

This event is part of The Chronicle of Philanthropy's series of free live discussions featuring Nonprofit Finance Fund to provide advice to nonprofit and foundation leaders on how to manage in tough economic times.

Clara Miller, chief executive of Nonprofit Finance Fund, along with other experts, will offer concrete and practical tips and ideas on some of the most pressing financial issues charities face today.

The series will take place every other Thursday at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time, beginning Oct. 1.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, September 29, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Helping Nonprofit Groups Make Smart Financial Decisions

Most nonprofit leaders are passionate about their causes and are adroit at finding creative ways to help those they serve.

However, many of those same leaders are not adequately trained in finance. As a result, they are often charged with making financial decisions without the right tools — and those decisions often work against their efforts to carry out their social missions.

What are some of the most pressing finance and business planning issues facing nonprofit groups? How can nonprofit leaders make smart decisions?

How can grant-making organizations help charity leaders overcome such challenges? What types of support should grant makers offer to nonprofit groups to help them succeed? And how can foundations and others streamline the grant-making process for nonprofit groups?

Join us on September 29 as we seek to answer those questions and more with the help of the leader of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, which recently published a new report called, "On the Money: The Key Financial Challenges Facing Nonprofits Today."

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, September 22, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Diversity Efforts in the Nonprofit World

The Chronicle's special report on diversity efforts at nonprofit organizations reveals new data on the leadership of America's biggest charities, and how the recession is forcing many nonprofit groups to adjust their efforts to create more-inclusive organizations.

How are groups finding ways to work around the problems presented by the troubled economy? Is recruiting volunteers and interns, as some organizations are now doing, a good way to increase diversity when your organization cannot take on new full-time workers?

The Chronicle's coverage also revealed that employees from poor and working-class backgrounds continue to face a wide variety of obstacles as they work their way up the ladder at nonprofit organizations. What obstacles do they face? Is the economy helping or hindering the climb up the ladder? How can those working in the nonprofit world overcome such challenges?

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, September 15, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Raising Money Online: How to Get Started

While online fund raising is growing faster than most other forms of charity solicitation, not all nonprofit groups are sold on the idea, and still others are unsure of how to set up an efficient system that will allow donors to give easily.

What are the key steps to take in setting up an online donation system? What are the pitfalls to avoid? And how can charities be creative in their online fund raising?

Join us on September 15 as we discuss these questions and many others related to online donation systems.

Tuesday, September 8, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Employee Benefits at Nonprofit Groups: How They Are Faring in the Recession

Employee benefits are a prized part of any compensation package, and at nonprofit organizations they are crucial to attracting and retaining talented staff members.

But in a financial climate that is forcing nonprofit leaders to reduce salaries and slash jobs, how are benefits packages faring?

Are groups offering new enticements as non-cash incentives? How have they revamped benefit plans? What might nonprofit organizations do to continue to provide decent benefits for their employees?

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, September 1, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

How To Recruit and Create a Successful Board

A cohesive board can help a nonprofit group realize its highest goals. But recruiting the wrong board member can lead to problems that can keep a nonprofit organization from focusing on its mission.

To avoid such problems, how can organizations find trustees whose outlook and agenda will aid the charity in reaching its goals? Is it worth the cost to hire executive recruiters to search for board members? What qualities and experience should a nonprofit leader look for in a trustee?

And what should organizations seek out in terms of fund-raising responsibilities? Should trustees assume they will be expected to donate money at annual intervals? How involved should board members be in fund raising? And what are the best ways board members might lead by example?

Join us on September 1 as we discuss these questions and many others related to recruiting and building the best board possible.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, August 25, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Changing Careers to Change the World

Increasingly, people who work outside of the nonprofit world are pursuing long-held dreams of starting a charity to attempt to solve many of the world's most intractable problems.

But establishing one's own nonprofit organization is not easy, and often presents a set of challenges not usually found in the business world. So how do you set up a charity? What are the toughest obstacles? And how are these new charities and the people who establish them changing the philanthropic landscape?

Join us on August 25 as we hear from a woman who, after leaving the high stakes world of Wall Street, started a charity to help some of Afghanistan's most impoverished women; and another who learned through interviews with those who've established their own nonprofit groups the challenges in trying to respond to, through private philanthropic action, the globe's most pressing social problems.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, August 18, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

The Economic Downturn and Donor-Advised Funds: What You Need to Know

Before the recession, donor-advised funds were growing fast in popularity. But as the financial markets have tumbled, the values of many of those funds have declined sharply — and donors have had less money to pour into these charitable gift funds.

What are organizations that offer donor-advised funds doing to counter the financial challenges? How are charities being affected? What can fund raisers do to attract money from the funds?

To better understand how the recession has affected charitable gift funds, The Chronicle has conducted its annual study of America's largest donor-advised funds.

You can learn more about what those results mean to you by participating in a live online discussion with experts on August 18.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, August 11, 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

How to Reconnect With Donors Who Stopped Giving

As the recession deepens, many nonprofit groups are trying to reconnect with former donors for support. Such donors are usually easier to recruit than someone who has never given in the past — but they are nevertheless tricky to cultivate as the economy forces many contributors to limit the number of organizations they support.

What tactics work best to seek out past donors? What are the best ways to reconnect with these donors? How can you reignite their interest in your organization, and convince them to support your group now and in the future?

Join us on August 11 to learn the answers to those questions and many more.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, August 4, 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Finding a Sponsor for Your Group's Next Event

If your organization is considering a gala, walk-a-thon, or some other fund-raising event, how will you find a sponsor in today's economic climate?

While challenging, finding a corporation or other donor to underwrite a charity event in a time of recession is possible.

Join us Tuesday, August 4, at noon Eastern time, as we gather a team of experts to explore the best ways to secure sponsorships for fund-raising events in these tough economic times.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Thursday, July 30, at 3:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern time

Shaking Up Journalism and Philanthropy

In an effort to innovate news reporting and grant making, Alberto Ibargüen, president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, is circumventing the top-down nature of foundation giving and seeking the "wisdom of the crowd." With its signature Knight News Challenge and programs to help the arts and neighborhood development, the foundation is holding contest-like grant competitions and soliciting ideas from charity leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday citizens.

Its grant making has led to creative, and sometimes controversial, efforts to redefine journalism for the digital age. Knight has supported such ventures as Spot Us, a Web site that seeks donations so reporters can pursue specific news stories they pitch, an online investigative database created by The New York Times, and several nonprofit Internet newspapers, like MinnPost and Pro Publica.

Mr. Ibargüen will be available to answer questions about the future of journalism and Knight's new philanthropy during a one-hour live discussion with Chronicle readers.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, July 28, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Using Data to Boost Your Fund-Raising Performance

How can fund raisers best use research tools to identify potential donors and make strategic decisions about their fund-raising campaigns?

How should nonprofit group leaders harness data and use it to increase their organizations' ability to raise money? What type of data should be used? What kinds of technologies are involved in collecting data? And how much does it cost to step up efforts to use more data?

Join us on July 28 as we explore answers to those questions and many others about donor research.

Isaac D. Castillo is the director of learning and evaluation at the Latin American Youth Center, in Washington, where he oversees the organization's performance management, research, and evaluation efforts. Previously, Mr. Castillo worked at a private research and evaluation firm, and he worked on an evaluation program sponsored by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention that was designed to measure the effectiveness of school and community violence-prevention programs.

Andrew Niklaus is the chief operating officer of First Place for Youth, an Oakland, Calif., organization that helps young people who are making the transition from foster care to independent living. Previously, Mr. Niklaus was the director of education and employment services at Larkin Street Youth Services, a San Francisco group that helps homeless and runaway youths. He also served as employment-development coordinator and manager of workforce development at Larkin.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, July 21, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

What's the Payoff? How Charities Can Figure Out How Much Time and Money to Invest in Social Networking

Nonprofit workers are spending an increasing amount of time building relationships with supporters on social-networking Web sites such as Twitter and Facebook, on blogs, and in virtual worlds like Second Life.

But as they devote more time and money to such activities, they often do so without a clear understanding of what they are getting out of these tools.

Many are not sure how to measure the value of these interactions. Should they focus on dollars raised, number of online "friends," mentions on blogs, or visitors to their Web sites?

Beth Kanter has been studying how nonprofit groups measure the return on investment in online social networks and has written extensively about the topic on her popular blog, Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media. She will take your questions on the topic during a live, online discussion on Tuesday, July 21.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, July 14, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

How Charities Can Benefit From a Foundation's Visit

Nonprofit groups often spend days preparing grant proposals that they hope will garner the attention of foundation program officers. But they often devote considerably less attention to preparing for meetings with foundation officers who are intrigued by their written proposals.

Foundation visits often make the difference between winning and missing out on a grant. Moreover, they often set the tone for longer-term relationships with foundation leaders.

Who within your organization should be involved in these visits? Should you ask board members to join in? Or a representative from one of the programs your group supports? How should you plan the day? And what do foundations want to see during such visits?

Join us on July 14 to gain insights into how to prepare for such a visit and how best to highlight for foundation officials your organization's work and attract future grants.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, July 7, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

Making It Easy for Donors to Give Monthly: Advice for Small and Medium-Sized Charities

Many fund raisers think only large charities can afford to set up ways for donors to give automatic monthly donations through their credit or debit cards.

But some small organizations are also raising significant money through monthly giving drives. Even so, some charities have been reluctant to undertake efforts to attract monthly gifts.

Some wonder if potential donors might be put off by the idea of a charity pulling money automatically from their credit or debit cards. Others worry that their organizations do not have the resources or the time to devote to seeking and managing monthly gift campaigns.

Join a panel of nonprofit fund raisers who have created successful monthly donation programs for a live discussion that will explain the basics of an electronic funds-transfer program. Participants will learn how they can set up these programs at their organizations, how to choose a vendor, and what messages they should be sending to prospective donors.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, June 30, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time

The Economic Downturn and Corporate Giving: What Grant Seekers Need to Know

The recession has prompted many companies to reassess their charitable giving. Some are putting more emphasis on volunteerism at a time when cash is tight, and others are redirecting money from arts organizations to social-services groups. Yet other companies say they are making no changes at all because they believe that corporate philanthropy is still a key part of their business strategy.

To better understand trends in corporate giving, The Chronicle has conducted its annual study of Americas biggest companies and will post the results online on June 29. You can learn more about what those results mean to you by participating in a live online discussion with corporate-giving experts.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Financial Management in Tough Times

The recession is forcing many charities and foundations to make crucial financial decisions, often in pressured circumstances. In many cases, nonprofit leaders and board members do not know what questions to ask and do not have a clear understanding of what their choices will mean to their organizations' long-term financial health.

To help nonprofit leaders understand their options, The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Finance Fund are offering a series of free, live online discussions that will give nonprofit and foundation leaders the opportunity to get advice from financial experts.

Clara Miller, chief executive of Nonprofit Finance Fund, along with other experts, will offer concrete and practical tips and ideas on some of the most pressing financial issues charities face today.

The series will take place every other Thursday at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time, beginning May 14.

Here's a closer look at the series.

Tuesday, June 23, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time.

Using Social Networks to Promote Good Causes

In today's economy, nonprofit leaders need to understand how to effectively promote their organizations, programs, and fund-raising campaigns.

Many groups want to use online social networks to get their messages out but don't know how to build an image and get attention on the networks.

Join us on June 23 for an encore to our recent discussion on the best ways for nonprofit groups to use online social networks. We'll continue the conversation about how you can ensure that your organization stands out through online networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and explore how those tools can complement traditional marketing efforts.

You'll also learn how to teach your organization's leaders, staff members, and volunteers to speak with a unified voice when they seek contributions and talk to others about your organization's mission.

• Read a transcript of the discussion

Tuesday, June 16, at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern time.

Grooming the Next Generation of Nonprofit Leaders: An Intergenerational Discussion

The nonprofit world is poised for major leadership changes, as the baby boomers who have founded and led so many of the nation's charitable organizations reach retirement age.

But many young nonprofit workers are not so eager to take on leadership duties unless the job of charity executive is refashioned. Many of the most-talented young workers say that they worry that nonprofit leaders' salaries are too low and that they would have to make too many sacrifices to keep their work life in balance with their other activities and obligations.

In an online discussion on June 16, we will explore ways in which today's nonprofit leaders can inspire the next generation and respond to the concerns of younger workers.

Join us to discuss how employees from all generations can better work together for the common good.

• Read a transcript of the discussion