Online Extras for May 23, 2013
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Why Nonprofits Should Rethink Their E-Mail Campaigns
With the growth of smartphone use, messages need to be more concise and attention-grabbing and should include multimedia, says an expert.
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How to Land a Fundraising Job in Today’s Market
Read the transcript of an online discussion about how to improve your career prospects.
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Peter Sagal Tells How to Stir Fun Into Your Mission
Read the transcript of a live discussion featuring advice from the host of NPR's "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!" and a skilled fundraiser.
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Opinion: Hershey Trust Settlement Shows What Matters on Board Duties
The Pennsylvania attorney general took a high standard in deciding whether anybody had breached fiduciary duty at the $9-billion trust and said nobody broke the law amid...
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Opinion: Attorney General Inquiry Into Hershey School Resolves Little
The conclusions, which absolve leaders of wrongdoing, are hard to square with what journalists and advocacy groups have reported.
Online Extras for May 9, 2013
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How to Raise Money From the Crowd
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about the best ways to use Kickstarter, Razoo, and similar sites.
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Online Fundraising Shows Strong Gains
Fourth-quarter online giving rose 16.7 percent from 2011 to 2012. Explore data for three quarters by month, day, and hour.
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Using Data: Resources for Nonprofits
An array of information is available to help groups learn to measure results.
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How to Pick a Leadership Program: Tips From Experts
Programs that train nonprofit executives often focus on specific skills, so it's important to figure out what you need most.
Online Extras for April 25, 2013
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Why Small Nonprofits Often Make a Big Difference
The chief executive of Britain’s National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts on why big change is often a slow, organic process.
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How to Curb Fundraising Turnover
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about the smartest ways to keep people satisfied in their development jobs.
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How to Avoid Stereotyping Donors by Age
Fundraisers need to avoid falling into the trap of thinking all older or younger donors are alike.
Online Extras for April 11, 2013
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A New Trend in Design Can Help Charities Do Better Work
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How to Make the Most of Giving Days
Read the transcript of a live online discussion on how charities can take advantage of local efforts to promote donations.
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Why Charities Should Use More Kinds of Social Media
Don’t limit your organization to Facebook and Twitter. Encourage your whole staff to use a wide variety of social-media sites.
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Girls Scouts Leader Talks About the Next 100 Years
Anna Maria Chávez is trying to keep the organization relevant as she works to convince adults that it's as important to raise money for girls as for boys.
Online Extras for March 28, 2013
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Wait, Wait ... Let’s Raise Money
The host of the NPR game show "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me" explains in a video how to tell powerful stories to connect with donors.
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How Fundraisers Can Find Satisfaction on the Job
Rosetta Thurman, a careers consultant, offers advice on steps that development officers can take to increase their success and happiness on the job.
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An Easier Way to Show How Programs Are Doing
Ned Breslin of Water for People is building a new online platform to help charities see—and show others—how well they are doing in real time.
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How to Get a Raise
Read a transcript of a live online discussion about the best ways to negotiate for a salary increase in the sputtering economy.
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Little-Known Federal Program Boosts Work of Boston Housing Group
The program gives people incentive to get a job, get off welfare, and achieve other goals.
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Nonprofit Programs Help Clients Use Tax Refunds Wisely
One group hopes its debit card, which people can use to receive their tax refunds, will encourage people to open bank accounts.
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Calif. Charity Helps People Build Financial Safety Nets
Opportunity Fund uses a matching-gift program to help people with shaky finances put money aside for emergencies.
Online Extras for March 14, 2013
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How Charities Stifle Employee Passion Online
Requiring employees to keep separate personal and professional social-media accounts gets in the way of spreading the word about important nonprofit causes, says a digital...
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Clever Ways to Evaluate Programs Without Spending a Lot
Indirect ways of assessing a charity’s work can be easy, inexpensive, and reliable and can yield valuable information.
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How to Build Ties to Young Donors and Volunteers
Watch a recording of a Google+ hangout with charity experts who have attracted people in their 20s to good causes.
Online Extras for February 28, 2013
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How Nonprofits Can Build Loyal Communities
Figuring out why your organization wants a strong network of supporters online is a question more nonprofits should ask, says Sarah Robinson, author of Fierce...
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What to Do When Board Members Won't Raise Money
Now more than ever, charities rely on trustees to help bring in much-needed funds, but many of them are uninterested or intimidated by the process.
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Why Foundations Should Pay Attention to Radical Thinkers
Grant makers can't expect to bring about change unless they support more people who challenge conventional wisdom, says Bradford Smith, head of the Foundation Center.
Online Extras for February 14, 2013
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The 2013 Philanthropy 50
See who made the list of the most generous donors of 2012, and what causes they donated to.
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Moving Fundraising Data to the Cloud
Small charities that can't afford their own technology experts are increasingly moving all their databases on donors to computers outside their own walls.
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Nonprofit PR in the Twitter Age
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about the best ways to get attention in the news media and elsewhere.
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Can You Sum Up Your Charity's Work in One Simple Tag Line?
If you can’t do it quickly and clearly, it’s time to find a better way to say what you do.
Online Extras for December 6, 2012
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5 Qualities Necessary for Social Change
Tenacity to pursue problems over the long haul is indispensable, says Alberto Ibargüen, head of the Knight foundation, seen here, at left, surveying damage in Biloxi,...
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How to Inspire Giving in Your Community
Read the transcript of our recent discussion about how to foster giving in your community.
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Target Pledges $1-Billion to Education, but Some Question Its Impact
The commitment is one of the most ambitious in history, but some critics say the company's nut-and-bolts approach might not make a lasting difference.
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Target Chooses Schools to Help, Then Gives Money, Expertise and Volunteers
As part of its $1-billion pledge to aid education, the retailer offers it design and construction employees to renovate school libraries.
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How Target Evaluates Its Education Grants
Online Extras for November 15, 2012
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Why You Need to Keep an Eye on Social Media
Fundraisers, chief executives, and others need to understand what challenges Facebook, Twitter, and other sites can bring to a nonprofit’s reputation, says Allyson...
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Get Fundraising Advice From the Best: Religious Leaders
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about the fundraising lessons religious leaders can offer charities of all kinds as the crucial year-end giving starts.
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How Nonprofits Invest Their Endowment Assets
Select a nonprofit endowment or search by name to see how it invested its assets for the most recent fiscal year.
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Median Asset Allocation by Size of Endowment
Organizations with larger endowments were more likely to invest in riskier alternative investments, such as hedge funds or private equity.
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2012 Expected Return on Investments
Find out what yields nonprofit endowments and private foundations expect on their investments in 2012.
Online Extras for November 1, 2012
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5 Ways to Lose Your Development Director in 2 Years or Less
Nonprofit executives fret and obsess about finding great development staff, but all too often they inadvertently do things that send those staff members out the door.
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How Volunteers Can Help Plan Events
Learn how a small nonprofit kept supporters motivated and accountable when it organized an anniversary celebration.
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The Tragic Consequences of Crisis Volunteering
When doctors and nurses race to disaster zones, lack of training and standards sometimes cause unintended pain for the injured and haunting emotional trauma for medical...
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Saudi Princess Uses Philanthropy to Bridge Cultural Divides
Alwaleed Foundations official looks to empower women and use social media to promote tolerance.
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'Cash Mobs' Give Charities a Boost in Donations and Visibility
People connect through social media and descend on charities spontaneously to provide small gifts.
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Nonprofit Workers Need to Be Inspired to Stay on the Job
At least 80 percent of employees would be seeking new jobs if the economy were stronger, a sign that nonprofit leaders should work to connect their workers to the mission.
Online Extras for October 4, 2012
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Getting the Right Volunteers to Aid Fundraising
Rich Foss, author of Green Light Fundraising, explains how enlisting influential community leaders can help increase donations without expanding a nonprofit's...
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Are Online Philanthropy Contests Worth the Effort?
Members of The Chronicle’s LinkedIn group discuss the costs and benefits or participating in vote-driven donation contests like Chase Community Giving.
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The Nonprofit Job Market: Explore Salary Ranges by Position
See how salaries compare at organizations of various sizes and how men's and women's salaries differ.
Online Extras For September 20, 2012
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How Nonprofits Can Weave Stronger Networks
June Holley, an author and consultant, discusses how organizations can use social networks to connect previously overlooked supporters to their causes.
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How to Build Long-Term Ties to Donors
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about innovative ways to keep donors connected to your organization in ways that lead to greater giving.
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Ask an Expert: Handling Donors From Family Foundations
A fundraiser at a Montreal social-service group seeks ideas about the best way to assign fundraisers to woo a wealthy family. Kent Dove, a veteran fundraiser offers his...
Online Extras for August 23, 2012
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The Secrets Behind Successful Nonprofit Home Pages
Within a few seconds, visitors to your site should understand what you do and what actions you want them to take.
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Kiva's Succinct Mission Statement: Does It Work on the Home Page?
Not everyone may understand that the power of Kiva involves linking donors with struggling entrepreneurs who need small loans.
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Simplicity in Home-Page Design: One.org
The antipoverty group helps viewers see what matters most about the organization’s work, not just focusing on the newest campaign.
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Michael J. Fox Charity's Home Page: Patience Required
Because so many people know about the actor’s fight against Parkinson’s Disease, the page’s marketing speak and other flaws are less problematic than they would be for...
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Goodwill's Home Page: Missing a Chance to Win Supporters
The nonprofit doesn’t explain its mission clearly or entice people to visit again and again.
Online Extras for July 26, 2012
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Keeping It Simple: What Nonprofits Can Learn From Steve Jobs
A former Apple employee describes how nonprofits can create a culture of simplicity much like the one that guided the founder of one of the world's most successful...
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How to Make Sure Your Logo Tells Your Story
Too often, nonprofits attempt to do too much with a logo, or they use generic, ubiquitous, and clichéd visual motifs that ignore what makes a group special, writes...
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Take Chances and Accept Failure: Advice From a Veteran Fundraiser
Learn from experience, but try not to fail more than once at the same thing, says the winner of the Outstanding Fundraising Professional award.
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How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal
Veteran proposal writers explain what to tell grant makers and how to show them why investing in your organization will yield strong returns.
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How America’s Biggest Companies Give
Browse data about cash giving, in-kind gifts, employee programs, and grant-making areas for corporations included in our 2011 survey.
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The Gender Gap in Pay Among Young Nonprofit Workers
Even early in their careers, women are likely to make less than their male counterparts, according to a...
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Resources for Nonprofit Advocates
As charities seek to influence the election season, they are working to make sure they don't run afoul of election laws with old-fashioned voter forums and new social-media...
Online Extras for June 28, 2012
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Giving USA: What It Means
Watch the recording of a panel discussion with philanthropy experts.
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How Fundraisers Can Navigate the Slow Recovery
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about the recession's impact on giving and the 2012 "Giving USA" Report.
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Why Thinking Small Helps Win Big Grant Money
Grant seekers should look for different sources of money for each project rather than looking for foundations that will pay for a comprehensive program, say two experts.
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How Businesses Raise Money for Charity on Social Networks
A bank in Maine worked with six nonprofits to spread the word about a cause-marketing effort.
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Nonprofits Need More Help Recruiting the Right Board Members
Maybe lackluster board performance isn’t because trustees don’t understand their roles. Maybe it’s because nonprofits are recruiting the wrong people.
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Private Social Networks Connect People With Personal Problems
The Wounded Warrior Project uses an exclusive network to share information and help people talk about sensitive topics.
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Putting a Community’s Needs Ahead of Fundraising
Sonya Campion, co-founder of the Campion Foundation, says organizations that have a deep commitment to their communities are most likely to be effective in their missions.
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What CharityWatch Looks for on Tax Forms
A Form 990 tax document highlighting some of the areas that CharityWatch examines in evaluating nonprofits
Online Extras for May 31, 2012
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How to Turn Event Participants Into Long-Term Donors
Susan Paresky, chief of fundraising at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, explains how to figure out which participants in walkathons and other events are charitably inclined...
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YouTube for Nonprofits
Read the transcript of a discussion on how your nonprofit can use YouTube to raise money, build awareness, and advance your mission.
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Video: The Biggest Challenge for Fundraisers
The “death of the unrestricted gift” and the struggle to get people to give more are top-of-mind problems facing charity officials we interviewed. Share your biggest...
Online Extras for May 3, 2012
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Martinis and Major Gifts: an Ethical Challenge
What’s an executive director supposed to do when her new fundraiser seems to be landing big gifts by taking donors to a bar?
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Five Words That Helped a Nonprofit Raise More Money
Women tend to give more money to charities that use words like "caring" and "compassionate" as they pitch the gift, an Indiana radio station learned. But the approach doesn't...
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Video: How Small and Large Nonprofits Use Social Media
Two nonprofit leaders discuss how they use Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and other networks and who on staff in involved in using social media.
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Video: The Art of the 'Elevator Speech'
Watch more than 25 examples of short pitches from fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, and others.
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Making Connections on Social Networks
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about how nonprofits can effectively create and curate content for multiple social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and...
Online Extras for April 19, 2012
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Podcast: How and Why Causes Gain Momentum Online
Learn how social media have helped fuel large-scale public displays such as protests sparked by the death of Trayvon Martin.
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The Power of Making Connections
Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, discusses how nonprofits can urge their supporters to work together to advance social goals.
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New Project Aims to Motivate Movie Fans to Do Good
The Harry Potter Alliance is branching out with its new Imagine Better Project, using popular books and films like The Hunger Games to build interest in advocacy and...
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DoGooder Awards Highlight Effective Nonprofit Videos
Eight charities have won cash grants honoring advocacy and fundraising works.
Online Extras for April 5, 2012
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Comic Videos Help Charities Get Attention
Nonprofits say a lighthearted touch often gets more attention than emotional images like crying puppies or kids with extended bellies.
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An Animal Charity’s Slick Musical Product Meets a Legal Waterloo
A North Carolina group got in trouble with the pop group Abba because its video with the group's songs seemed too professional and commercial.
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Sex and Satire Help Cancer Charities Promote Breast Screenings
One charity mimicked Madison Avenue tacitics while another mocked nonprofits' heart-tugging appeals.
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A Museum Staff Boards a YouTube Bandwagon
The Atlanta History Center mimicked a popular video that captures cliches that different types of people use, as staff members collected all the hilarious questions they get...
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A 'Social Revolución' Gives Attention to Latino Causes
At the South by Southwest Interactive conference, Latinos gathered to honor people who use technology to help others.
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Easy Steps to Attract Online Gifts
An online-giving expert and a fundraiser at a New York food bank discuss how charities can improve their Web sites to attract more donations.
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Fundraisers Share How They Began Their Careers
Few people decide in college to become fundraisers, so here’s how several people found their calling.
Online Extras for March 22, 2012
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Buy One and Give One: Inside Toms Shoes
Toms Shoes, founded by Blake Mycoskie, is among the hottest entrepreneurial efforts in the country, largely because of its promise to give one pair of shoes to a child in the...
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Getting Competitors to Work Together
Lori Seibel, chief executive of the Community Health Endowment in Lincoln, Neb., shares how two hospitals work together to save money and better serve the poor.
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Pinterest for Nonprofits
Read the transcript of a live discussion about how nonprofits can take advantage of the hot, new social network.
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Building Better Nonprofit Blogs
Britt Bravo, a communications consultant, explains why blogs still play an important role in attracting supporters and sharing information—and shows nonprofits how to...
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'Elevator Speech’ Can Sell Mission Succinctly
Experts say that winning over potential supporters is all about telling a charity's story—and the shorter the better.
Video:
Online Extras for March 8, 2012
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How to Give and Receive Feedback
Read the transcript of a live online discussion about ways for nonprofit managers and employees to improve communications, morale, and productivity.
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Hull House Collapse Is a Cautionary Tale for Boards and Executives
The closure of a iconic charity offers a sobering case study of how a nonprofit’s leaders and its board can fail to protect an organization’s best interests.
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YouTube Seeks to Improve Nonprofit Videos
YouTube has released a new guide for nonprofits that want to create effective videos and is offering training to select organizations.
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How a Graphic Spotlights an Organization's Work
A informational graphic gives an international charity an opportunity to spotlight its work.
Online Extras for February 23, 2012
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Inside the President's Proposed 2013 Budget
A look at how President Obama's budget proposal would affect the nonprofit world, and reaction from leaders to his proposed changes.
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World-Famous Children’s Hospital Is a Family Affair
The founder of the hospital, the comedian Danny Thomas, created a separate fundraising arm with its own board to keep the medical staff from getting pulled into efforts to...
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A Bookseller's Lessons on Change
A business that stuck to its mission, even amid rapid growth, provides management ideas for nonprofits seeking to build strong communities.
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How to Attract Individuals to Give
Two fundraising experts advise charities on the best ways to ask for money and then thank those who give.
Online Extras for February 9, 2012
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Direct Mail in an Era of Rapid Change
Read the transcript of our recent live discussion on how to make the most of your charity's direct-mail efforts.
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How Your Nonprofit Can Use Google+
Read the transcript of a live discussion about how your nonprofit can use the new social network to further its mission.
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How the X-Prize Foundation Creates Prizes
The process is rigorous, starting with a six- to 12-month study to determine goals, how to appeal to competitors, and other factors.
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What Would Founder Jane Addams Think of Hull House Demise?
The Nobel Prize winner who is considered the founder of the social-service movement probably wouldn't recognize the organization she created, says one scholar.
Online Extras For January 19, 2012
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Lessons for Nonprofits From the Arab Spring
Andy Carvin, NPR's social-media senior strategist, discusses how effective causes need networks of people who have the strength to pull together in the face of opposition.
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Creating Change Through Better Meetings
Read the complete transcript of Tuesday’s live discussion to learn how you and your organization can hold meetings that advance your mission.
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Giving Time to Gritty Causes
Mark Goldsmith, a retired cosmetics executive, doesn't believe that anyone is beyond help. And he has proved that by successfully helping hundreds of young men stay out of...
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Haiti Earthquake Relief, Two Years Later: an Update
A look at how various charities used their donations to provide services after the disaster.
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How Nonprofits Make Data Fun and Informative
More organizations are designing infographics that weave anecdotes and solid evidence into easy-to-read elements for donors and others.
Online Extras for December 8, 2011
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Why DonorsChoose.org Works With Internet Entrepreneurs
Charles Best, the founder of the online education charity DonorsChoose.org, talks about how big-name online supporters like Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, are...
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Video: A Neighborhood Art Exhibition Draws Visitors, Keeps Crime at Bay
See a video of the Heidelberg Project, 25-year-old outdoor art exhibition located in Detroit, Mich.
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Controversy Over Drug Values at Aid Groups: A Look at a Key Player
How international aid groups and a company that supplies drugs to the nonprofits make use of the lack of clarity in accounting rules.
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Exploring the Business of Doing Good
The reporter and radio producer speaks with two women who have worked to expose corruption in international adoption policies. Plus, she interviews a Chronicle...
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Slideshow: Kirov Ballet Academy
The Kirov ballet made significant changes after losing its major funder.
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Take a Street View Tour of the Heidelberg Project
Take a virtual walk-through of the neighborhood and its outdoor art exhibits.
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Penn State Grapples With Angry Donors
A few donors have responded to the child sex-abuse scandal by taking the university out of their wills, but some are planning to give for the first time to show their...
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How to Make Great Thank-You Videos
Be concise and tell donors what their gifts mean to your charity, suggests a fund-raising expert.
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University Thanks Big Donors With a Rap Video
An Ohio institution celebrates its new sports center with a production featuring its biggest supporters.
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Behind a Ballet School’s Financial Transformation Is a Strong Artistic Director
A Washington ballet academy had to woo a leader who was reluctant to return to tough fund-raising demands, but when he persuaded the board to allow him to make big changes,...
Online Extras for November 17, 2011
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Where the GOP Presidential Contenders Stand on Nonprofit Issues
With the GOP set to nominate Mitt Romney as its presidential candidate this week, The Chronicle offers a snapshot look at where the businessman and former governor...
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How a New Foundation Listens to Its Community
Sidney Hargro, cheif executive of the Community Foundation of South Jersey, shares how is organization is finding ways to help eight diverse counties work together.
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Fund-Raising Lessons From a Startup Nonprofit
Read the transcript of a live online discussion with Nyla Rogers, who started her own nonprofit to fight poverty in Africa.
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Social-Venture Fund Matures and Thrives
Silicon Valley Venture Fund, one of the first such efforts, now has 150 donors who give advice and money.
Online Extras for October 20, 2011
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How to Seek Volunteers Using Social Networks
Social networks help charities recruit volunteers and give them a way to spread the word about the charities they help.
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How Charities Can Use Data to Learn to Do a Better Job
Read the transcript from our live online discussion about how nonprofits of all sizes can measure their performance and use the results to improve their programs and internal...
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How a Grant Maker Became a Social-Change Agent
Roger Hughes, chief executive of a community health foundation in Phoenix, Ariz., discusses how his organization transformed into an effective proponent for social change.
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Who's Really in Charge of Board Performance?
Executive directors are ultimately responsible for making sure their boards function effectively.
Online Extras for October 6, 2011
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Quiz: Is Your Board Suffering From Burnout or a Lack of Engagement?
If you're a trustee or chief executive, take this simple quiz created by BoardSource to find out whether your nonprofit board needrejuvenation.
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How to Handle Annual Job Reviews During Tough Times
Read the transcript from our live discussion about the best ways to get a successful annual review.
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22 New 'Genius' Prizes Awarded
Twenty-two people have received $500,000 no-strings-attached prizes from the MacArthur Foundation.
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Five Ways Foundations Can Strengthen Nonprofit Boards
Foundations should have high expectations for their grantees' boards and should communicate how important the quality of the board is to grant-making decisions.
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Getting Ready to Ask for a Big Gift
Andrea Kihlstedt, a co-founder of Asking Matters, and Megan Hodges, a fund raiser at Harlem RBI, explain how to prepare volunteers and staff members before seeking a big...
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A Grass-Roots Drive Raises Millions for a Historic Bridge
A retired veterinarian with no fund-raising experience managed to attract more than $2-million in private gifts to restore a collapsed stone aqueduct outside Washington.
Online Extras for September 22, 2011
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How Foundations Can Support Online Movements
Two grant makers explain how foundations can advance their missions and the charities they support by relying on social networks.
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Sustaining Social Change Long After Disaster Strikes
Albert Ruesga, chief executive of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, discusses how to keep people involved in civic-change efforts long after urgency has subsided.
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Leading a Nonprofit: Smart Tips for Success
Read the transcript of a live online discussion designed for executive directors—and those who aspire to lead a nonprofit group.
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The Importance of Fund-Raising Experience
A community-college system is adding seasoned veterans as it puts more emphasis on raising private sums.
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Creating Fund-Raising and Other Nonprofit Videos
Read the transcript from our live online discussion about how nonprofits can use video to raise money, tell their stories, and spread the word about their causes.
Online Extras for August 25, 2011
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Pet Contest Raises Big Money on Facebook
The Humane Society of the United States recruits donors by urging them to participate in an online contest to spotlight their animals.
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A Celebrity’s Boost on Twitter Aids Atlanta Hospital
People who followed a professional golfer's tweets were given a chance to win prizes if they made a gift to support health care for children.
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Disease Charity Motivates Supporters on Facebook
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society offers an array of social-network tools to help participants in walkathons, bikeathons, and other events raise money.
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Online Board Game and Other Features Aid March of Dimes on Facebook
The March of Dimes added a competitive and fun element to fund raising by creating its own Facebook application.
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In New Orleans, a Volunteer Group Gets Creative to Keep City Residents Safe
The group is pressing the city to install large, colorful artworks to show people where to go in case of emergencies that threaten residents' safety.
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A Top Twitter Official's Advice for Charities
Claire Diaz Ortiz, who leads Twitter’s efforts to promote social innovation, provides advice on how nonprofits can best use the service to produce tangible results.
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How the Smithsonian Is Helping Wikipedia
Volunteers gathered for an “edit-a-thon” to help the online resource amplify its material on key American artists.
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Devising a Fund-Raising Plan
Sue Dunning, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County, in New Jersey, and Amy Eisenstein (left), a fund-raising consultant, talk about how to research,...
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Should Nonprofits Dive In to Google+?
Beth Kanter, co-author of The Networked Nonprofit, discusses whether nonprofits should begin investing time in the new Google+ social network.
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How Charities of All Sizes Can Get Corporate Marketing Help
Read the transcript from our live online discussion with Joe Waters, a consultant and former hospital fund raiser whose new book, Cause Marketing for Dummies.
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Setting a Fund-Raising Approach: How to Choose
Not every charity can get expect to raise money from every private or government source available.
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The Need for Good Advice
As the number of consultants who work with nonprofits continues to grow, so, too, does the need for information that helps consultants better serve their clients. In this new...
Online Extras for July 28, 2011
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Interactive: How 38 of the Nation's 50 Wealthiest Foundations Compensate Trustees
See how much money the nation's largest foundations pay their board members.
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Escaping the Filter Bubble: Lessons for Nonprofits
Eli Pariser, author of The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding From You, talks about the challenges nonprofits face in getting attention online.
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How to Manage Feelings of Burnout
A fund raiser in Indianapolis offers ideas to nonprofit employees who want to manage stress related to their work.
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Crafting Social-Media Policies to Guide Employees
Read the transcript of a live online discussion with two experts on how nonprofits can create effective guidelines to help employees make the most of Facebook, Twitter, and...
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Japan's Red Cross Gets Donations From Vending Machines
People in Japan can give directly by putting money in a vending machines or buy a drink that will benefit the charity.
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Thank-You Letter Includes Donors in the Camp Experience
Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer, two YMCA sailing camps in Arapahoe, N.C., thank donors by sharing stories of campers and counselors.
Online Extras for June 30, 2011
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Flash Mob Surprises Guests at Fund-Raising Dinner
An antipoverty group lets its mission inspire a creative approach to a traditional gala.
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Focusing on What Is Possible
Community change is more likely to happen when nonprofits build on the strengths of their communities, not the weaknesses, says Peter Block, a veteran activist and author.
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Advice for Young Executive Directors
A charity leader shares her experience learning to communicate with a wide variety of people as head of an organization.
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Homelessness Group Takes Its Appeal to Big Donors
Union Rescue Mission borrowed an idea from business and sent a prospectus, showing its accomplishments and challenges, to its 50 top donors.
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Video: Coping With the Slow Recovery
See how fund raisers are adjusting their strategies in the face of an uneven economy.
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Video: How to Make Fund-Raising Rebound
Fund raisers say that even as the economy recovers, donors need to hear why so many people still depend on charitable services.
Online Extras for June 2, 2011
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Common Mistakes Made by Grant Applicants
Grant makers explain what turns them off in proposals.
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Q&A: A Webby Award Winner Shares Video Advice
How the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is using video to spread the word about its efforts to fight disease in developing countries, from our Social Philanthropy...
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MacArthur's President Discusses His First Two Years on the Job
Robert Gallucci has not been focusing on big changes at the foundation—but he is concentrating on making sure the philanthropy is using its money wisely, from our...
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Develop Your Storytelling Skills
View the transcript from our live online discussion with Michael Margolis, a former nonprofit executive who is an expert on the best ways to use storytelling to raise money,...
Online Extras for May 19, 2011
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Management Tips for Every Charity
Read the transcript from our live online discussion with the editor of the new book, Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and...
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Video: 'How I Got Started in Fund Raising'
Few people in fund raising planned to spend their careers asking for gifts, but this video explores the reasons, both practical and not, that attracted people to the career.
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Podcast: The Connection Between Groupon and Charity
Patty Huber, of the popular coupon Web site Groupon, discusses how the site is using its platform to help raise money for and awareness about nonprofits.
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Podcast: What Leads to Social Change?
Three veteran activists share the best ideas on how to transform society starting with the question, "What factors lead to social change?"
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There's No Penalty for Having Reserves
Nonprofits need to get past the fear that having money in the bank will lead to public backlash.
Online Extras for May 5, 2011
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At a University Archive, Yesterday’s Cutting-Edge Video Games Play On
The University of Texas is preserving the roots of an ever-surging industry that otherwise might not pause for posterity.
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Video: What It Takes to Be a Fund Raiser
Passion for the cause is essential, say fund raisers interviewed about what’s behind their success.
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Charting a New Attempt at Nonprofit Innovation
A new Chronicle blog explores the efforts by nonprofits, businesses, and the federal government to tackle problems like persistent poverty.
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Leading Organizations in Times of Change
Read the transcript of our live online discussion with two experts on nonprofit management to learn how to master the ability to lead an organization through...
Online Extras for April 21, 2011
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Turning Great Ideas Into Reality
Read the transcript of our online discussion about how to move the best ideas at your organization from the drawing board into practice.
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Charting the Tax-Exempt World
A look at how the nonprofit has grown since 1991, based on data from the Internal Revenue Service.
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Social Media From the Philanthropist's Perspective
Much of the discussion around social media lately has focused on its usefulness to nonprofits, especially fund raisers. This podcast delves into the viewpoint from the...
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What Compels People to Give to Religious Causes?
The Rising Tithe, a new Chronicle blog by Jacob Berkman. explores giving to religious groups and other topics about faith and philanthropy.
Online Extras for April 7, 2011
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Is Yours a Nonprofit-Friendly State?
Tax policies, approaches to advocacy, and relations between government and contractors are important measures in determining whether a state is hospitable to nonprofits,...
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College Students and Giving
Read the transcript from a recent live online discussion about an innovative effort to encourage young people to commit to a lifetime of giving.
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The Dirty Truth About Disaster Fund Raising
The current system for raising money after a catastrophe doesn’t work, writes Saundra Schimmelpfennig in our World View blog.
Online Extras for March 24, 2011
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How Fund-Raising Sites Protect Donors
Safeguards that sites like Jumo, Facebook Causes and Crowdrise take to protect donors.
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Guidelines on Charitable Solicitations Using the Internet
Principles and guidelines for using the Internet for charitable solicitations drafted by the National Association of Attorneys General and the National Association of State...
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From Startup to Grown-Up: Managing Transitions
Read the transcript of our live online discussion with Aaron Hurst, founder of the Taproot Foundation, who discussed transitioning his group from an upstart nonprofit to an...
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The Road to Civil Discourse
Carol Rasco, a domestic-policy adviser to former President Clinton, discusses the role of civil discourse in advocacy.
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How to Avoid Jargon—and Why It Matters
Read the transcript from our live discussion about how and why nonprofits should eliminate jargon from their communications.
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S. Dakota Establishes Fund for Donors to Back State Projects
A new South Dakota law sets up an endowment to collect donations to support state government programs, the
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Two Questions NPR's Board Should Ask
The decision by NPR’s board of directors to call for the resignation of its chief executive offers important lessons for all nonprofit boards.
Online Extras for March 10, 2011
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Measuring Nonprofit Results Is Not A Futile Task
Experts on evaluation say a Chronicle columnist got it wrong when he urged foundations to stop their "measurement mania."
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The Outlook for Hiring and Pay
Read the transcript of our live online discussion about trends in nonprofit hiring and pay.
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The Nation's 10 Wealthiest Foundations
A look at the nation's 10 wealthiest foundations in 2010.
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How Much Foundations Plan to Give in 2011
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Large Grants in 2010: A Sampling
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Measurement Is a Futile Way to Approach Grant Making
Schemes to measure the outcomes of grants put a substantial burden on nonprofits and usually yield pointless results.
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Inspiring African-American Donors to Give
Read the transcript of our online discussion with a prominent donor who answered questions about philanthropy by African-American donors.
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Social-Media Lessons From the Middle East Crisis
How does the use of social media during the recent uprisings in the Middle East affect nonprofits? Two experts offer their ideas.
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Video: Investing in Social Impact
Sasha Dichter, director of business development at the Acumen Fund, discusses the relationship between investing and philanthropy and talks about an experiment in which he...
Online Extras for Feburary 24, 2011
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Webcast: Social Innovation and Community Solutions
Join us on Tuesday, February 22, at 12:15 p.m. U.S. Eastern time for a live webcast of the discussion Social Innovation and Community Solutions for a New War on Poverty.
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Making Community a Top Priority
Rich Harwood, president of the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, discusses how an organization can stop worrying about its survival and focus on the people it serves.
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Budget Plan Brings Big Changes to Tax Incentives for Donors
President Obama's proposed 2012 budget would limit the value of charitable tax breaks. Plus see a roundup of how nonprofits of all types would be affected.
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Slideshow: A Town Display of 'Swamp Gravy'
A tour of Colquitt, Ga., the home of "Swamp Gravy".
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Online Annual Reports: a Sampling
More and more charities are creating all-digital editions of their yearly reports. The new versions make liberal use of audio, animation, and video rather than long,...
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Saving Money With Smarter Technology
Read the transcript of our online discussion about how nonprofit groups can save money and staff time on technology.
Online Extras for February 10, 2011
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Using Social Media for Annual Appeals
Learn how fund raisers are using social-media tools as key components of their annual fund-raising appeals.
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Deceiving Donors and Putting Victims at Risk: a Recipe for Trouble
A Missouri official explains why the state took the harsh measure of shutting a domestic-violence charity, from our Watchdog blog.
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A Foundation Leader Shares Her Philosophy
Read the transcript of our live discussion with the philanthropist and filmmaker Abigail Disney.
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Spur-of-the-Moment Decisions Highlight a Billionaire’s Giving
David M. Rubenstein donated $25-million to three nonprofits last year, but he made many smaller gifts, often on impulse.
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A Hedge-Fund Manager's Drive to Aid Schools
William Ackman, a hedge-fund manager, has donated $25-million to an ambitious and contentious effort to help overhaul Newark's public schools
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Focus of First Cargill Grants: the Environment, Arts, and Disaster Relief
The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation is designing its first big grant programs.
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Funds Sprout to Honor Arizona Shooting Victims
At least nine charitable funds have been created to provide direct aid to victims and their families or to honor the lives of those who were wounded or killed.
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How Charities Can Capture Their Mission in Photos
Vibrant, professional-quality photographs can help charities attract money, volunteers, and other resources.
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Sargent Shriver’s Nonprofit Legacy
R. Sargent Shriver, who died last week at age 95, created federal programs that were the training ground for many of the leaders who built and expanded programs to serve the...
Online Extras for January 13, 2011
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Haiti Earthquake Fund Raising, One Year Later
Find out what charities plan to do with the donations they have left to help the country recover from the devastating earthquake.
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Against Tough Odds, a 'Promise Neighborhood’ in D.C. Gears Up
By bringing together powerful players in the nation's capital, a small charter-school network won a big federal grant to expand its work to curb poverty.
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Scandal-Ridden Charity Seeks Aid From Veteran Nonprofit CEO
Feed the Children, one of the nation's biggest charities, has appointed the former president of the American Heart Association to help it restore its reputation.
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Twitter as an Advocacy Tool
Read the transcript of our live discussion with Claire Diaz Ortiz, Twitter's manager of philanthropic and social innovation.
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Does Your Charity’s Web Site Keep Donors in the Dark?
Nonprofit Web sites do very little to help donors understand the quality of the charity’s work.
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What to Do With an Idea
Scott Belsky, founder and CEO of Behance, shares techniques for making great ideas become successful ones.
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Building Grass-Roots Movements
John McKnight, an author and professor emeritus of social policy at Northwestern University, shares ideas learned over many decades about how to galvanize communities.
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How Charities Should Pursue Innovation
Seth Godin, the author and marketing expert, says charities need to be less businesslike in their approach to change.
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Facebook Meets Charity
Read the transcript from our recent online discussion about the social-networking site Jumo with its founder, Chris Hughes.
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Podcast: How Nonprofits Can Use LinkedIn
Allison Fine interviews Estrella Rosenberg and Amy Sample Ward, two charity officials, about the best ways for people in the nonprofit world to use the social-networking site...
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How Birthday Celebrations Can Spur Donations
New Web efforts encourage people to forgo buying birthday drinks and instead give the money to charity.
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Executive Compensation
Online Extras for December 2, 2010
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Facebook Co-Founder Applies Expertise to Charity Network
The founder of a new social network designed to connect people and nonprofit groups tells The New York Times he wants the venture to do for charity what the popular rating...
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The Ethics of Seeking Planned Gifts
Fund raisers should be familiar with their organization's planned-giving policies to avoid making poor choices when they are faced with sticky ethical situations.
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Charity: Water and the Importance of Simple Messages
By staying focused on one goal, a young charity has grown to be among the most popular organizations in the United States.
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Advice From a Charity Founder: How to Start a Nonprofit
Melissa Kushner, founder of Goods for Good, explains how she started her organization and offers advice to other would-be nonprofit founders.
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Charities Try New Tactics in Holiday Season
Nonprofits are using technology in new ways and enlisting their volunteers and supporters to help raise money.
Online Extras for October 7, 2010
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A Closer Look at Charity Galas and Special Events
A new report details what donors expect from fund-raising parties and other events—and you'll find more tips in a video that follows experts at recent fund-raising...
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Explore our Executive Compensation Database
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Donors’ Demands for Results and Professional Training Programs Fuel Growth of Consulting World
Consulting will continue to boom because most nonprofits cannot afford the in-house expertise they need to attract and retain donations.
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Video: Generosity on a Middle-Class Income
A mathematics professor pushes himself to give at least half of his income to charitable causes.
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Small Change and Strong Ties: Perspectives on Activism and Social Media
Chris Golden, co-founder of MyImpact.org, and Maya Enista, chief executive of Mobilize.org, discuss the benefits of social media for their organizations.
Online Extras for September 23, 2010
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Holding Nonprofits and Foundations Accountable
Tom Kelly, associate director for evaluation at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, explains the importance of organizations setting clear goals and working deliberately.
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Measuring the Real Value of Social Media
Why nonprofit groups need to move past counting friends and followers if they want to tell whether their social-media efforts make a difference.
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Leaders Offer Perspectives From Fall Conference for Community Foundations
Diana Sieger, president of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, discusses key themes from a meeting of community foundations nationwide that is under way this week in...
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2009 Giving to United Way Chapters, By Metro Area
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Entrepreneur Gives $24-Million to MIT
An alumnus seeks to help the Massachusetts Institute of Technology enroll more undergraduates.
