The Chronicle of Philanthropy | Ideas & Advice http://philanthropy.com/section/Ideas-Advice/255/ Sat, 26 May 2012 08:15:55 EDT <![CDATA[A Social-Service Group Helps Workers Stretch Their Pay at an In-House Grocery]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131689/ http://philanthropy.com/article/A-Social-Service-Group-Helps/131689/ A long-term health-care group allows workers to earn credits they can use to buy food and other items.

]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Social-Service Groups Urged to Link Workers With Government Safety-Net Programs]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131693/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Social-Service-Groups-Urged-to/131693/ Catholic Charities, Goodwill, and other national charities are testing a new effort financed with $1-million from the Ford Foundation.

]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Service Charities Seek Ways to Help Low-Paid Employees Get By]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131702/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Service-Charities-Seek-Ways-to/131702/ Nonprofits are helping workers get safety-net benefits and training to get better salaries. But as the economy improves, that may not be enough to keep workers on the job.

]]> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[National Charities Adapt to Keep Affiliates Happy]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131501/ http://philanthropy.com/article/National-Charities-Adapt-to/131501/ Changes in technology, generational shifts, and the bad economy have led to touchy relationships, but some groups, such as Habitat for Humanity, are healing the rifts by sharing power and decision making.

]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Red Cross Gives Local Leaders a Bigger Voice]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131508/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Red-Cross-Gives-Local-Leaders/131508/ A major restructuring is designed to help raise more money and minimize duplication, as well as give affiliates more time to do work in their communities.

]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Tough Tactics Help Charities Find People Suited to Hard Jobs]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131518/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Tough-Tactics-Help-Charities/131518/ As the economic downturn prompts more people to seek nonprofit work, charities are finding new ways to screen out people who aren't prepared for the gritty reality of helping people with deep problems.

]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Reducing Tensions Between National Headquarters and Affiliates: Tips From Experts]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131519/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Reducing-Tensions-Between/131519/ Making decisions jointly and understanding boundaries are essential to keeping harmony, nonprofit experts say.

]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Fundraiser Turnover Gets New Attention as Economy Improves]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131511/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Fundraiser-Turnover-Gets-New/131511/ As organizations find themselves in competition to retain the best fundraisers, there are incentives besides attractive salaries that can help keep good people from leaving for new positions.

]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA['Not Your Grandmother’s Audubon’ Seeks to Woo Young Supporters]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131348/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Not-Your-Grandmother-s/131348/ By offering innovative Internet games, hip social events, and other events that attract people in their 20's and 30's, the National Audubon Society seeks its next generation of supporters.

]]> Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Who Works at Foundations: a Demographic Breakdown]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131373/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Who-Works-at-Foundations-a/131373/ Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[Audubon Hopes Unifying Affiliates Will Help Its Mission]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131340/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Audubon-Hopes-Unifying/131340/ The 107-year-old organization has made sweeping changes under the leadership of David Yarnold to corral affiliates around the country to focus on conservation and fundraising.

]]> Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[More Than 40% of Nonprofits Plan to Add Workers This Year]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131314/ http://philanthropy.com/article/More-Than-40-of-Nonprofits/131314/ A new study finds that many charities are bolstering their staffs, and that four in 10 groups hired new workers last year, signs the economic strains of recent years are easing.

]]> Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:23:00 EDT <![CDATA[Employee Feedback Helps Nonprofits Refine Programs]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131199/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Employee-Feedback-Helps/131199/ Many groups are finding creative ways to solicit ideas on how programs are going and what workers hear from clients.

]]> Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA['Elevator Speech’ Can Sell Mission Succinctly]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/131178/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Elevator-Speech-Can-Sell/131178/ Experts say that winning over potential supporters is all about telling a charity's story—and the shorter the better.

Video: The Art of the 'Elevator Speech'

]]> Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EDT <![CDATA[A Charity Adds Design Expertise to Its Small Staff]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130987/ http://philanthropy.com/article/A-Charity-Adds-Design/130987/ A Child's Right, which provides clean drinking water in developing countries, hired a designer who could help people visualize the group's mission.

]]> Sun, 04 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Local 'Deal of the Day’ Sites and Their Donation Fees: a Sampling]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130986/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Local-Deal-of-the-Day-/130986/ How charities can participate in local fundraising efforts.

]]> Sun, 04 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Interactive Graphics Help Nonprofits Get Supporters Involved]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130991/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Interactive-Graphics-Help/130991/ As the cost and difficulty of producing such infographics has gone down, more nonprofits are finding ways to let people find their own stories in data.

]]> Sun, 04 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Visualizing Data Helps Charities Get Attention]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130990/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Visualizing-Data-Helps/130990/ Data-rich graphics are transforming how nonprofits reach the public and helping them improve the way they serve others.

]]> Sun, 04 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Surviving the Culture Wars: Advice for Nonprofits]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130809/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Surviving-the-Culture-Wars-/130809/ Nonprofits should prepare board members for turbulence, strive for consistency, and take stock of their weaknesses.

]]> Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Joining Forces to Fight Community Problems: What Makes a Difference]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130640/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Joining-Forces-to-Fight/130640/ Community groups find that the coalition approach can be more successful than a single program in tackling social problems that have defied solutions, such as low reading scores or teenage pregnancy.

]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST <![CDATA[A Calif. Animal Charity Supports Its Workers’ Career Goals]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130305/ http://philanthropy.com/article/A-Calif-Animal-Charity/130305/ The Marin Humane Society encourages employees to observe work in departments outside their own, take courses, and speak at conferences, in part to open their eyes to other job options.

]]> Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[At FailFaire, Speakers Are Blunt About Their Mistakes]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130306/ http://philanthropy.com/article/At-FailFaire-Speakers-Are/130306/ Employees of charities say being frank about unsuccessful technology projects provides others with important lessons to help avert similar failures.

]]> Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Open Communication Helps Zoo’s Workers Feel Valued]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130311/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Open-Communication-Helps/130311/ The St. Louis Zoo holds quarterly meetings for all employees and takes other steps to make sure managers are regularly responding to employee concerns.

]]> Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[Social-Service Group Adopts the 'Entrance Interview’]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130313/ http://philanthropy.com/article/Social-Service-Group-Adopts/130313/ A human-service group in Virginia started checking in with all employees after three months on the job, after it realized that exit interviews were yielding information that would have been useful to know much earlier.

]]> Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[A Focus on Fun Keeps Charity Booming]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130315/ http://philanthropy.com/article/A-Focus-on-Fun-Keeps-Charity/130315/ KaBoom, a charity that builds playgrounds, makes sure that its culture reflects its mission with lots of fun events and a yearly staff retreat.

]]> Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST <![CDATA[How a Graphic Spotlights an Organization's Work]]> http://philanthropy.com/article/article-content/130214/ http://philanthropy.com/article/How-a-Graphic-Spotlights-an/130214/ A informational graphic gives an international charity an opportunity to spotlight its work.

]]> Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:22:00 EST