Happy International Corporate Philanthropy Day

Funny, I didn’t see a section of cards at Hallmark to celebrate this special day, but nevertheless today is International Corporate Philanthropy Day and an occasion to be in the spotlight. Not only does this day give much needed attention and volunteer time to community charities from local businesses, but it promotes unity and bonding experiences for those who are working together outside of the office. Everyone wins!

Now what exactly is International Corporate Philanthropy Day? Not surprising, it’s just like it sounds! Started in 2004, the purpose is to promote, “a global advocacy day created to mobilize the business community and others with a stake in the positive role that companies play in helping to address pressing societal problems. It’s a day of sharing best practices, communicating progress on established programs, forging new partnerships, and recognizing the importance of collectively addressing the pressing challenges of today—and tomorrow,” as described by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP).

When I worked at a local homeless shelter we would all anticipate this flood of volunteers that would descend upon our property. Armed with buckets of paint, an arsenal of gardening tools and a plethora of cleaning products, these business professionals excitedly got their hands dirty until the job was done. The thing I remember most though was the cheerful banter and the laughter that steadily streamed into my office. They were having a blast!

From a nonprofit’s point-of-view, it was nice having a fresh coat of paint and the weeds pulled, but the most important part was the fact that we were gaining partners in our mission of helping the homeless find a shelter where they were safe, fed, and valued. It was so important to us that others saw the amazing work that we were doing to change lives and giving hope where there previously was none. The volunteers invested one day of their time, but hopefully they also invested a piece of their heart into our purpose.

Supporters can see pictures, hear stories and send a few dollars, but having them see your work on the frontlines is priceless. That’s where solid relational partnership is formed. Then continuing communication such as Facebook posts, e-mails and blogs can create an ongoing commitment. Fundraising and social media networks are the perfect ways to keep your volunteers connected.

So happy International Corporate Philanthropy Day! How are you going to celebrate it?

Women are the Main Decision Makers in Philanthropic Giving

There’s a quote in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding that the women in my family love: “The man is the head [of the family], but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants.” Apparently this is true when it comes to donating to charities.

According to a press release posted by Business Wire on MarketWatch.com, “In nearly 90 percent of high net worth households, women are either the sole decision maker or an equal partner in decisions about charitable giving, according to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2011 Study of High Net Worth Women’s Philanthropy, released today. The power and influence of women in philanthropy may mean that some charitable organizations will need to adapt their messaging and strategies to appeal to women’s distinct charitable giving behaviors and motivations.”

These are some of the key findings from this study:

–Women spend more time than men on due diligence before making decisions about giving to a charitable organization.

– Women expect a deeper level of communication with the organizations they support and place greater
importance than men on the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization and hearing about the impact of their gift.

– Women want to be actively involved with an organization and its mission, with volunteering being among the most important motivations for women to give.

– Women are more likely than men to stop giving to an organization they had previously supported whereas men tend to support the same causes year after year.

Women tend to make more of an emotional investment with their giving and in their budget a portion is marked for a predetermined charity. Women also expect an update of how their giving was used and that it was successful in the project that it was earmarked for.

The study also found that women give to make a difference in the world and to set an example for the next generation. Volunteering tops the reasons why women are motivated to give. Women stop giving if they are pestered too much with solicitations or if the amount that they are asked to give is too high.

It’s a tightrope that non-profits have to walk between appealing to age, sex, financial demographics, communicating without overkill and being heartfelt without being sappy. At least there are a bunch of studies that help to guide charities know who their audience is and what appeals to the masses.

Learn more about Fundly today and how you can use our social fundraising platform to reach women via Facebook and other social networks to garner support and donations for your cause.

Applying Business Strategies to Philanthropy

Silicon Valley is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen. Now in an attempt to aid philanthropy through donor giving and helping those in need, many business people are sharing their knowhow and reaping surprising results.

Jeremiah A. Hall, correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor, explains that, “Frustrated with slow and inefficient non-profits, some of Silicon Valley’s elite are bringing about fresh approaches to solving vexing social issues, such as helping the poor and reimagining how students are educated.

“And they aren’t just bringing money. Social entrepreneurs are bringing their business skills – everything from marketing to operations, along with their enthusiasm and business drive – to transform many nonprofits into savvy, goal-focused businesses.”

Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, a philanthropist and author of Giving 2.0, a new book on how to improve one’s philanthropy states “We now live in a giving 2.0 world, and the definition of a philanthropist has changed. This is no longer about sympathy. It’s about strategy.”

In a world where a wealth of information is at our fingertips via the web, many donors are doing their homework before handing over their dollars. Accountability, research and numbers are sought after by donors to make sure their funds are going to good use and having positive outcomes.

Hall uses the example of “Thomas Siebel, founder of Siebel Systems, a Silicon Valley software company that was purchased by Oracle in 2005. Mr. Siebel decided to take a new approach to preventing drug abuse. Eschewing counseling and other traditional approaches, the Siebel Foundation took a page out of a business playbook and created a research-based, consumer marketing campaign. The program, called the Meth Project, relies heavily on consumer research like target-market surveys and uses that information to develop graphic advertisements that then saturate a community. The program aims to reach 70 to 90 percent of teens three to five times a week during a campaign.”

“Today’s donors want to navigate the possibilities and fund the proactive rather than the reactive,” says Arrillaga-Andreessen. “But if we’re to solve these problems, the onus is on givers to facilitate that change.”
In this constantly changing world, technology is certainly a catalyst for success in the world of non-profit fundraising. Philanthropy is a highly competitive field and without modern graphics, consistent communication with donors, and an easily maneuverable website, some other organization may snag the funds that were destined for your bank account.

America’s top charities weather the storm

A recent article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that though non-profits expect to bring in more money than they did last year but that they still haven’t made up for ground they lost in the economic downturn.

Charities on The Chronicle’s Philanthropy 400 list raised 8 percent less than they did in 2007. The Chronicle found that the biggest gainers are those charities who tend to receive donated goods such as food and medicine. Charities who tend receive donations in the form of stock are also experiencing gains.
Though cash donations are generally down, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, both in the top 10 of the Philanthropy 400 list, are up. The Chronicle reports that donations to the Salvation Army, with a new “Doing the most good” campaign, grew 5.1 percent and that the American Red Cross, responding to the 2010 Haiti raised a whopping 64 percent more.

A recent study of 800 charities from the Nonprofit Research Collaborative shows that organizations with budgets under $3 million were less likely to report gains. Arts organizations, such as the Art Institute of Chicago, have also seen steep declines. Recently receiving a promise for sponsorship from two companies, the Institute will allow clients of these companies special access to the museum, private tours and cocktail receptions.

Organizations like the Art Institute of Chicago are smart to use the experiences they can offer others as a way to secure donations and sponsorship.

Some organizations, such as the Chicago Children’s Memorial Hospital, are working on attracting younger donors by organizing fundraising events like dance marathons targeted at young people.

Other charities, like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, are increasingly turning to social media for a fundraising boost. Todd Hendricks, the ASPCA’s senior vice president for development, talked to The Chronicle about the challenges in linking fundraising and social media.

Fundly has a solution for you, Todd, check out our social fundraising platform today! Connecting social media and fundraising is more important than ever and, with Fundly, it’s easy!

New Report on Philanthropy Recommends Different Fundraising Tactics

A new report was published by Blackbaud, Inc. on MarketWatch.com which presents some surprising results. This report entitled “Growing Philanthropy in the United States” suggests that charitable funding has stagnated over the past four decades. We all know that donor’s pockets don’t seem to be as deep as they used to be, so we just need to find more pockets, right? However, this report also has some surprising recommendations to help non-profits increase their funding.

Co-authored by Adrian Sargeant and Jen Shang of Indiana University, the report is presented by Indiana University, Blackbaud, Hartsook Companies, and Hartsook Institutes for Fundraising and is based on research from the Growing Philanthropy Summit. “Despite an increasing effort on the part of nonprofits, individuals today give no more than their predecessors did over four decades ago,” said Adrian Sargeant, co-author of the report and Hartsook Professor of Fundraising, Indiana University. “Forty years of increasingly sophisticated fundraising practice, the development of planned giving vehicles, the appearance of the Internet, and the rise of new digital channels have done nothing to move the needle on giving. Yet, while giving has remained static, demands on the sector have not.” According to Giving USA, in the United States, charitable giving is estimated to be around two percent of average household disposable income.

While giving levels may not have increased, I think that a huge factor in the giving process is the accessibility for donors to make their contributions. For example, if a person has allocated two percent of their income for charity, will they donate to an organization where they have to search for information, address an envelope and write a check or will they be more willing to give to someone they are connected to on Facebook with a link to give online? Of course a major factor in this equation is history and emotional connection, but with Fundly, many of our donors have seen an increase in their giving numbers.

According to the report, leaders in this study recommend that charities need to change by “shifting the focus in fundraising practice away from technique toward the encouragement of individual philanthropy; Redesigning the structure of fundraising education, particularly for more senior practitioners; The creation of a research institute that would focus solely on fundraising research and adding value for donors; The development of a public educational initiative that would dispel common myths about the way the sector operates and thus enhance the public trust.”

Personally I find it rather discouraging that the majority of people give only two percent of their income to philanthropy, but I also think that charities need to work smarter, not harder at gaining donor support. Accessibility and consistent connections will keep your donors tied in.

President’s Day: A History of Philanthropy

With today being President’s Day and it being an election year, it seems only appropriate to look back at the history of presidential philanthropy throughout our nation’s rich history. This has not been the first time our country has faced an economic downturn, nor are the topics of inequality and health care new to our textbooks. Here is a look back at some causes that have been near and dear to our Commanders in Chief and by looking back, we’ll be able to assess the future.

Abraham Lincoln was forced with the issue of keeping a nation united amidst the chaos and tragedy of the Civil War. With racial conflicts as a central issue causing such dissention, he had the monumental task of changing the status quo to redeem the lives of thousands of slaves. Skip ahead one hundred years to the presidential term of John F. Kennedy and the racial riots of the 1960’s. The birth of the NAACP, March on Washington and leadership styles of Martin Luther King, Jr. clearly set the stage for modern nonprofits and their ability to garner a strong foundation of committed supporters.

Franklin D. Roosevelt had a mess to clean up as he entered office with the Great Depression influencing much of America and impacting the world. With the stock market debilitating the U.S. economy, international trade decreasing by 50%, unemployment reaching an unfathomable 25% and farms and factories shutting down in mass numbers, many people relied on the charitable acts of neighbors and government programs. I find it interesting that many of the issues from this time are still present today: How much government intervention is too much? Is there a common thread between the crash on Wall Street and the collapse of the current housing market?

Now here’s a crazy thought: Can you imagine how social media would have been used on these past causes? Imagine a cyber Underground Railroad and the texts that could have saved hundreds of lives. What about the Tweets that would have been posted during the King’s “I Have a Dream” speech? What kind of online fundraising campaigns would have been started during the Great Depression? How many people could have found jobs using Craigslist and Monster.com?

Fortunately we are not in the time of “what ifs,” but we can use these incredible online resources now. We can accomplish what no other generation could before us. If we could combine the passion and determination of the past with the potential of today, what kind of tomorrow will we see?

5 Biggest Challenges for Non-Profits This Year

The New Year always seems to be a great time for reorganizing, reanalyzing and reprioritizing. It also seems like the best time for reflection to determine what worked, what needs tweaking and what completely flopped last year. With the ebb and flow of the trends in the philanthropic world, it’s also of great importance to determine what trends are impacting fundraising and to thoughtfully predict what challenges may lay ahead.

In an article written in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Suzanne Perry, Caroline Preston, and Nicole Wallace have written an article predicting what challenges non-profits will face in 2012. When you know what battles are in front of you, you can be better equipped.

1)     Economic inequality raises tricky issues for donors – Many have complained that charitable tax deductions primarily benefit high-income donors. With an increasing gap between the rich and poor, the high end donors are being encouraged to give towards causes that help the impoverished rather than erecting buildings at their alma maters. “This year, the question of how to broaden opportunities for all Americans is likely to occupy much of the philanthropic agenda,” suggests Perry, Preston and Wallace.

2)     Shrinking government aid – With decreasing government funding, many charities are going to have to look elsewhere to keep their doors open. Perry, Preston and Wallace share this surprising statistic: “A new study found that households in the hardest-hit states would have to increase their giving by 60 percent in the 2012 fiscal year just to help nonprofits make up for projected cuts in state spending on social services,

Medicaid, and education—an unprecedented (and unlikely) jump.”

3)     The generation gap – With an ailing economy, there are fewer jobs for graduates and Baby Boomers are less likely to retire due to dwindling savings, stocks, and mortgages. Not only are these donors able to give less, but Perry, Preston and Wallace suggest that these two groups are having friction in the workplace.

4)     Measuring results – The cost of administrative overhead versus the amount of dollars a charity brings in has long been the standard for success and donations wisely spent. Without a tool to truly evaluate a word as vague as “success,” non-profits will still have to show proof of their effectiveness as best they can.

5)     Social purpose versus profits – One of the biggest trends right now in the philanthropic world is applying a business model to charity organizations. “Several states, including California, created new corporate structures that allow companies to incorporate social purpose into their businesses and put social goals ahead of profits… Will hybrids give nonprofit groups a bold, new way to pursue their missions—or will the new entities siphon off financial support that had previously gone to traditional charities?” questions Perry, Preston and Wallace.

While there are always mountains and valleys for non-profits, the good thing is that more organizations are joining together to share their methods for success. It’s important to use the resources available to you to jump over these hurdles and not to get distracted from your mission statement. Social media is one way to bridge the generation gap, enlarge your donor base and keep in contact with your volunteers.

Let Fundly be one resource to aid in your fundraising success for the New Year.

The Purpose of the Philanthropic Leader

I came across this quote from George Bernard Shaw from his book, Man and Superman; a Comedy and a Philosophy, over the past weekend and it has haunted me ever since. It seems quite apropos for non-profit leaders and the start of a New Year.

“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.”

Every time I read it, I can’t help but chuckle over the poignancy and boldness of such a brash statement. It also makes me feel extremely proud to be working with exceptional people in the non-profit and political worlds which are working towards a “mighty” purpose and who are such amazing “force[s] of Nature.”

As the New Year begins and resolutions are being made, I am also humbled by the caliber of people who I am able to partner with to aid in their selfless work to help those in need. While many are creating self-focused goals based on pipe dreams of exercise and diet, those in the philanthropic world are focusing outside of themselves to create goals of improving the quality of life for the less fortunate, creating laws and policies for a stronger America and building bright futures for our children.

The world of philanthropy is based on unique individuals whose goal is not fame and fortune but a life well spent making the world a better place. With this sense of pride and optimism, I gladly enter into the year 2012. On behalf of myself and the staff at Fundly, we would love to come alongside your organization to help make your philanthropy and fundraising goals for the New Year a reality. The best is yet to come!

Women are the Main Decision Makers in Philanthropic Giving

There’s a quote in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding that the women in my family love: “The man is the head [of the family], but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants.” Apparently this is true when it comes to donating to charities.

According to a press release posted by Business Wire on MarketWatch.com, “In nearly 90 percent of high net worth households, women are either the sole decision maker or an equal partner in decisions about charitable giving, according to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2011 Study of High Net Worth Women’s Philanthropy, released today. The power and influence of women in philanthropy may mean that some charitable organizations will need to adapt their messaging and strategies to appeal to women’s distinct charitable giving behaviors and motivations.”

These are some of the key findings from this study:

–Women spend more time than men on due diligence before making decisions about giving to a charitable organization.

– Women expect a deeper level of communication with the organizations they support and place greater importance than men on the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization and hearing about the impact of their gift.

– Women want to be actively involved with an organization and its mission, with volunteering being among the most important motivations for women to give.

– Women are more likely than men to stop giving to an organization they had previously supported whereas men tend to support the same causes year after year.

Women tend to make more of an emotional investment with their giving and in their budget a portion is marked for a predetermined charity. Women also expect an update of how their giving was used and that it was successful in the project that it was earmarked for.

The study also found that women give to make a difference in the world and to set an example for the next generation. Volunteering tops the reasons why women are motivated to give. Women stop giving if they are pestered too much with solicitations or if the amount that they are asked to give is too high.

It’s a tightrope that non-profits have to walk between appealing to age, sex, financial demographics, communicating without overkill and being heartfelt without being sappy. At least there are a bunch of studies that help to guide charities know who their audience is and what appeals to the masses.

Learn more about Fundly today and how you can use our social fundraising platform to reach women via Facebook and other social networks to garner support and donations for your cause.

America’s top charities weather the storm

A recent article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that though non-profits expect to bring in more money than they did last year but that they still haven’t made up for ground they lost in the economic downturn.

Charities on The Chronicle’s Philanthropy 400 list raised 8 percent less than they did in 2007. The Chronicle found that the biggest gainers are those charities who tend to receive donated goods such as food and medicine. Charities who tend receive donations in the form of stock are also experiencing gains.

Though cash donations are generally down, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, both in the top 10 of the Philanthropy 400 list, are up. The Chronicle reports that donations to the Salvation Army, with a new “Doing the most good” campaign, grew 5.1 percent and that the American Red Cross, responding to the 2010 Haiti raised a whopping 64 percent more.

A recent study of 800 charities from the Nonprofit Research Collaborative shows that organizations with budgets under $3 million were less likely to report gains. Arts organizations, such as the Art Institute of Chicago, have also seen steep declines. Recently receiving a promise for sponsorship from two companies, the Institute will allow clients of these companies special access to the museum, private tours and cocktail receptions.

Organizations like the Art Institute of Chicago are smart to use the experiences they can offer others as a way to secure donations and sponsorship.

Some organizations, such as the Chicago Children’s Memorial Hospital, are working on attracting younger donors by organizing fundraising events like dance marathons targeted at young people.

Other charities, like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, are increasingly turning to social media for a fundraising boost. Todd Hendricks, the ASPCA’s senior vice president for development, talked to The Chronicle about the challenges in linking fundraising and social media.
Fundly has a solution for you, Todd, check out our social fundraising platform today! Connecting social media and fundraising is more important than ever and, with Fundly, it’s easy!

Applying Business Strategies to Philanthropy

Silicon Valley is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen. Now in an attempt to aid philanthropy through donor giving and helping those in need, many business people are sharing their knowhow and reaping surprising results.

Jeremiah A. Hall, correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor, explains that, “Frustrated with slow and inefficient non-profits, some of Silicon Valley’s elite are bringing about fresh approaches to solving vexing social issues, such as helping the poor and reimagining how students are educated.

“And they aren’t just bringing money. Social entrepreneurs are bringing their business skills – everything from marketing to operations, along with their enthusiasm and business drive – to transform many nonprofits into savvy, goal-focused businesses.”

Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, a philanthropist and author of Giving 2.0, a new book on how to improve one’s philanthropy states “We now live in a giving 2.0 world, and the definition of a philanthropist has changed. This is no longer about sympathy. It’s about strategy.”

In a world where a wealth of information is at our fingertips via the web, many donors are doing their homework before handing over their dollars. Accountability, research and numbers are sought after by donors to make sure their funds are going to good use and having positive outcomes.

Hall uses the example of “Thomas Siebel, founder of Siebel Systems, a Silicon Valley software company that was purchased by Oracle in 2005. Mr. Siebel decided to take a new approach to preventing drug abuse. Eschewing counseling and other traditional approaches, the Siebel Foundation took a page out of a business playbook and created a research-based, consumer marketing campaign. The program, called the Meth Project, relies heavily on consumer research like target-market surveys and uses that information to develop graphic advertisements that then saturate a community. The program aims to reach 70 to 90 percent of teens three to five times a week during a campaign.”

“Today’s donors want to navigate the possibilities and fund the proactive rather than the reactive,” says Arrillaga-Andreessen. “But if we’re to solve these problems, the onus is on givers to facilitate that change.”

In this constantly changing world, technology is certainly a catalyst for success in the world of non-profit fundraising. Philanthropy is a highly competitive field and without modern graphics, consistent communication with donors, and an easily maneuverable website, some other organization may snag the funds that were destined for your bank account.