19
2012A New Paradigm?
A post by James V. Toscano Traditionally, help in supporting poor and vulnerable populations was largely the responsibility of government, foundations and nonprofits. There didn’t seem to be opportunity for the third sector, the market, to intervene in significant ways. Certainly, businesses give charitable dollars to help alleviate such conditions, but it has never been its focus for profits. Now, the ground is shifting. Privatization of some governmental functions has attracted the for-profit sector, now in a number of areas. Politicians of one stripe or another are talking about new ways to meet societal need through market-based competition, especially in…
28
2012More Money for Good, More or Less
A post by James V. Toscano In a recent posting on “Apples or Oranges,” I suggested a number of problems with Charity Navigator’s methods in trying to combine measures of financial health and of transparency and accountability into some kind of measure of effectiveness. There are number of other organizations besides Charity Navigator attempting to guide donors on the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations, including Hope Consulting, Guidestar, Foundation Center, Better Business Bureau and our own Charities Review Council, to name but a few in a crowded field. Ultimately, at least for now, the holy grail is the attempt to measure and report…
18
2012
Guest Post from the UK – Is Offline Fundraising Needed in The Current Online Era?
Post by Alison Richmond Where do you go to raise money? Traditional wisdom says TV commercials, mail-in forms and even door-to-door. But things are changing in the age of the internet – virtual giving is growing. Once considered a luxury, online fundraising is now a standard procedure for most charities and other non-profit organizations. Online fundraising has netted over €15 billion since 2010, a number that only continues to rise with the increasing prevalence of paperless banking.* So what’s the appeal? For one, online fundraising is easy and convenient. It requires no “sales pitch” and no haggard afternoons standing on street…
10
2012Moving the Needle
A post by James V. Toscano In an article in Nonprofit Quarterly, “Strategic Philanthropy: Who Wins and Loses?” Prentice Zinn, using a variety of reasons, outlines the argument against funding sources alone deciding where to focus their grants as part of their version of a strategic initiative, often involving outcomes measurement and scaling up service. In a trenchant major point, he states: “Today, the field of philanthropy is seeing a relative explosion of conversations, debate, and reflection about how it can be more effective. Add to this rich exchange of information a dose of organizational narcissism, careerism, and peer pressure…
28
2012
Apples or Oranges?
A post by James V. Toscano The news story states that Charity Navigator’s 2012 Metro Market Study “reveals the regional differences in the performance of the nation’s biggest charities.” The study compares the median process scores on Financial Health (FH) and on Accountability and Transparency (AT) of the largest nonprofits in each of the thirty largest metropolitan areas. The study covers 56% of the 5500 charities evaluated by Charity Navigator, accounting for 67% of both revenue and expenditure of the group. Using this process methodology, Houston, Kansas City, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Portland are highest rated, while Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg,…
17
2012Two Themes – Part Two
A post by James V. Toscano Research shows that there is additional private funding for nonprofits available from donors interested in high-level impact investing. We also know another significant potential is the switching of existing donations to these very same high impact investments. Estimates of both reach approximately $50 billion, about one-sixth of current private donations. Now, the redoing of government funding and appropriations for social impact guarantees and/or for impact bonding funds is happening. Some of these new revenue arrangements need intermediaries, some get payback only if success is achieved, but all have one element in common: the achieving…
06
2012
Two Themes – Part One
A post by James V. Toscano Recently, Greater Twin Cities United Way, with MAP for Nonprofits and Wilder Foundation, sponsored a “New Structures for New Times” conference. Over 500 nonprofit and foundation representatives attended, hearing that our nonprofit sector needs to strengthen through collaborations, mergers, acquisitions, dissolutions, and “similar proactive steps. The familiar litany of reasons for these actions were all mentioned: government cuts, “new normal,” need for more businesslike management, increasing societal need. The overall theme in this work is that we are faced with a dilemma, given the number of nonprofits and the shrinking resources available to them.
23
2012Donor Stewardship Mnemonics
A post by James V. Toscano mne·mon·ics: the process or technique of improving or developing the memory. The Four R’s: Retention = Reporting, Rewarding, Renewing Donor retention is one of the most important tasks in the development responsibilities of a nonprofit organization. After substantial effort in terms of time and resources, translating suspects into prospects and prospects into donors is one of the great accomplishments in fund-raising. Cultivation and solicitation of new donors are among the great skills of the fund-raising community. To retain and upgrade the donor becomes the significant ongoing task, and many organizations fail in this essential activity….
12
2012Advanced Fundraising Mnemonics
A post by James V. Toscano mne·mon·ics: the process or technique of improving or developing the memory. In this outing, we go from alliterative letters, e.g. WWW, PPPP, to catch phrases to capture more complex fundraising concepts. We often use catch phrases to provide the key to lists or formulations, e.g. “”My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas,” gives us the clues we need to list the planets in order from the sun, at least the old order of planets before Pluto got thrown out! The Roles of the Board Prince Paul Favors Fresh Oranges There is frequent…
22
2012
Thoughts on Twive & Receive
A post by Dania Toscano Miwa I had a great time representing the Animal Humane Society for Minneapolis and getting Minnesota even more recognition on the national philanthropy map. However, it truly had very little to do with me. The Animal Humane Society’s donors are the real hero’s of the day and I want to yet again publically extend my sincere thanks to them. THANK YOU!