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Prospect Research Resources

If you plan to visit the Foundation Center library/learning center to use our prospect research resources mentioned in an earlier blog post, note that we have just acquired the latest edition of Prospect Research Fundamentals. While not as detailed as Cecilia Hogan’s Prospect Research: A Primer for Growing Nonprofits, visitors who are pressed for time may find that the 48-page booklet contains enough guidance to get started. Several experts contribute tips on:

-hiring prospect researchers
-using call reports
-developing a cultivation plan
-keeping track of prospect data
-researching individuals, foundations, and corporations
-rating prospects
-using technology

You will find several sample forms and documents as well.

Prospect Research Fundamentals, 3rd was edited by Michel Hudson and published by Stevenson, Inc.

Grantmaker Site Visits

Before making grant decisions, some foundations may schedule site visits to develop a better understanding of the organizations that submitted the proposal. To help foundations with few or no staff on planning and conducting site visits, the Association of Small Foundations (ASF) has released a brief guide on the topic, With Your Own Eyes: Using Site Visits to Make Better Grants and Fulfill Your Mission. Written by Elaine Gast and Andy Carroll, the paper will help foundations:

-Understand the different purposes of site visits
-Develop a strategy (Who will make the visit? Which organizations should be visited?)
-Get ready for the site visit (What will be on the agenda?)
-Analyze the information collected.

Turn to the appendices for a sample site visit checklist that can help with recording data.

For more information about other papers from the Primer Series, visit the Association of Small Foundations web site.

Cultivating and Retaining Donors

When browsing the fundraising section of our Foundation Center libraries, you may come across Simone Joyaux and Tom Ahern’s new handbook, Keep Your Donors: The Guide to Better Communications and Stronger Relationships. Look through the volume for the practical advice you have been searching for:

-Learn about the “deadly sins” of solicitation, such as asking prematurely
-Understand how storytelling can support your fundraising efforts
-Determine your “social style” to improve your interpersonal communication
-Become familiar with the three types of case statements
-Recognized the common flaws found in newsletters

For other articles or books on donor relations, click here to search our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.

Establishing and Operating a Nonprofit Organization

If you need help on setting up a charity and managing it effectively, ask our librarians to see the guide, Starting and Building a Nonprofit by Peri H. Pakroo. The handbook from Nolo Press provides practical information on a number of topics, ranging from incorporating and selecting a name, to budgeting, fundraising, and accounting practices.

Another basic reference book you can explore is the Nonprofit Handbook by Gary Grobman. The new fifth edition released this year contains a new chapter on program evaluation. In addition, the book contains chapters that briefly discuss bylaws, risk management, e-commerce, online fundraising, and other key areas.

If you are interested in online information, try these web resources below:

The Foundation Center's Establishing a Nonprofit Organization online tutorial

The Foundation Center's Webinar Series for Nonprofit Startup Organizations

Idealist.org's FAQs for start-up nonprofits

Nonprofit Marketing: A Benchmarking Survey

The American Marketing Association and communications firm Lipman Hearne conducted a survey earlier this year to provide charities with benchmarking data on marketing at nonprofit organizations. Here are selected findings, based on responses from more than 1,012 participants.

Priorities: Nonprofits currently rate building awareness and revenue generation as top priorities. In five years, however, organizations expect revenue generation to be a greater challenge.

Budgets: The data indicates that marketing budgets are generally 2% to 3% of the operating budget (excluding salaries and benefits). Larger organizations spend a smaller percentage on marketing budgets.

Evaluation: Many participants indicate that their organizations are not measuring web activity effectively (28% do not track web statistics).

For full results of the survey, download the report, The State of Nonprofit Marketing: A Report on Priorities, Spending, Measurement and the Challenges Ahead from the Lipman Hearne web site (registration required).

Funding for Overhead Expenses

A common challenge for nonprofit organizations is obtaining funding to cover administrative costs, especially when foundations limit how much overhead they are willing to cover in their grants.

What’s the typical limit for overhead costs as part of a program grant? Results from a recent survey conducted by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University indicated that the median percentage permitted by foundations was 15% of direct program costs. Foundations often allow nonprofits to allocate these funds for salaries, supplies, and other costs.

Some organizations may submit proposals specifically for overhead expenses. In those instances, foundations are more likely to fund strategic planning initiatives and staff training than employee salaries.

For additional survey results, download the Paying for Overhead Study at the Center on Philanthropy's web site.

Understanding the Executive Search Process

One of the most important responsibilities for nonprofit boards is determining who will be the next executive director for the organization. The search process can be complex and generally requires careful planning. Consultant Barbara J. Gilvar shares her expertise in the book, The Art of Hiring Leaders: A Guide for Nonprofit Organizations. Some of the key topics covered in the volume include:

-early actions steps for board members
-forming a search committee
-legal considerations
-communication issues
-recruiting candidates
-choosing finalists

Appendices contain material on hiring interim executives and using consultants.

The book contains a chapter on transition planning. If you require additional information on executive transitions, visit the Annie E. Casey Foundation web site for a special monograph series on this topic.

Foundations: The European Experience

If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of civil society and would like to look beyond the strategies used by American foundations, there is a new book from the Alliance Publishing Trust that may suit your needs. Philanthropy in Europe: A Rich Past, A Promising Future contains 13 in-depth foundation profiles to help you understand the history and programs of each grantmaker. In addition, six essays by leading experts explore issues facing European foundations. The volume concludes with an analysis of why the European Union needs foundation laws that facilitate international activities.

Philanthropy in Europe was edited by Norine MacDonald, president of the Gabriel Foundation, and Luc Tayart de Borms, managing director of the King Baudouin Foundation.

Successful Grant Proposals

The next time you visit our library/learning centers, be sure to ask to see the new Foundation Center publication, The Grantseeker’s Guide to Winning Proposals. Those of you who are familiar with our popular Guide to Winning Proposal series will find 35 new sample proposals that have approved by foundations. Each proposal is accompanied by a critique from the decision-maker who awarded the grant.

The Guide provides several access points to help you can target the type of proposal you need:

-Browse the table of contents to find examples for single or multiyear special projects, general operating support, staffing/salaries, start-up funds, and more.

-Note the special chapters on the letter proposal, letter of inquiry, cover letter, and budget.

-Don’t forget to check the index to help you explore proposals on a number of subjects, such as advocacy, community development, education, health, and social justice. In addition, the proposals are indexed by population groups served, and by special features as well (such as timelines and evaluation plans).

Need more help on proposal writing? Visit the Get Started area of our web site to learn about our training, audiobook, and other guides.

A New Guide on Founder’s Syndrome

Effective nonprofits often need to adapt to new conditions and may expand operations to provide additional services. What if the founder of the organization sees things differently from board members or key leaders at the nonprofit? The new BoardSource guide, Moving Beyond Founder’s Syndrome to Nonprofit Success, explores strategies that founders and board members can use to address these types of issues. Eight case studies are included to help you cope with different scenarios. Here are some highlights from the volume:

-Suggests tips for board members and founders during the initial phases of a nonprofit’s life cycle when the founder is indistinguishable from the organization’s work.

-Recommends what can be done when a founder avoids growth opportunities, or seeks to expand at any cost.

-Explores the difficulties that may arise for a new chief executive when the founder remains as a staff member.

-Discusses succession planning and provides advice for dealing with a founder’s sudden resignation.


Moving Beyond Founder’s Syndrome to Nonprofit Success was written by Addie Nelson Backlund, executive director at the American-Italian Cancer Foundation, and Thomas A. McLaughlin, a senior manager of Grant Thorton LLP and a contributing editor for the NonProfit Times.

A Comprehensive Textbook on Nonprofit Organizations

If you are looking for a book to help you explore key management and governance issues facing charities, look for Nonprofit Organizations: Principles and Practices in our new books section. The introductory textbook is especially useful for nonprofit management courses, but is also a valuable resource for professionals. The volume covers a broad range of topics:

-Learn about the growth of the nonprofit sector
-Understand how ethical frameworks are used in nonprofit organizations
-Find out how to start a nonprofit and comply with government regulations
-Learn about leadership issues and organizational culture
-Explore human resource topics, such as personnel policies and diversity issues
-Find out about fundraising best practices
-Learn about “founder’s syndrome” and crisis management
-Understand strategic planning and program evaluation

Published by Columbia University Press, the textbook was written by Thomas P. Holland, founding director of the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations at the University of Georgia and Roger A. Ritvo, University Distinguished Research Professor of Management at Auburn University Montgomery.

New Handbook for Nonprofit Jobseekers

Jobseekers who are visiting the Foundation Center library/learning centers will now have access to the Fieldstone Alliance’s new book, The Nonprofit Career Guide: How to Land a Job That Makes A Difference. If you are new to the world of nonprofits, the guide will provide you with a basic understanding of the sector and highlight specific fields such as human services and international affairs, as well.

The guide contains several profiles of nonprofit managers and professionals, and includes a brief Q & A with each person. Sections and sidebars briefly discuss key areas you may have an interest in, such as graduate school, nonprofit salaries, and consulting in nonprofits. Author Shelly Cryer is the founder of the Initiative for Nonprofit Sector Careers.



Related resources:

Idealist guide to Nonprofit Careers (free download).

Foundation Center FAQ, “Where can I find out about job openings in the nonprofit sector?”

Starting a Corporate Giving Program

Businesses that are interested in corporate philanthropy can ask our librarians for the guide, Corporate Giving: Options and Strategies. Published by the Council on Foundations, the booklet explores several key topics including legal issues, the planning process, administration, grantmaking, and communications.

--You might know about the options for corporate philanthropy, such as company-sponsored foundations and direct-giving programs, but the guide also notes that some businesses may establish donor-advised funds at community foundations. Chapter 1 contains a chart to help you compare the options.

--What would your personal role be in the new corporate giving program? Turn to page 51 for a chart that outlines the different roles chief executives, chief operating officers, senior executives, and other managers may have at the planning, establishment, and implementation phases.

--How do you increase the visibility of your work? Get some quick ideas on page 91 with the sidebar “Tips for Getting Media Interested in Corporate Contributions.”

Note: The guide is an update to Sylvia Clark and Kate Dewey's publication, Organizing Corporate Contributions, and has been revised by Ricky A. Weiss.

The Financial Health of Youth-Serving Organizations

The latest issue of Nonprofit Quarterly explores a number of financial issues including budgeting and investing. In one of the articles, Clara Miller, president and CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), highlights the results of a new study conducted by the organization. A research team examined tax filings of 1,085 youth-serving groups and evaluated three areas:


Diversified Revenue Sources – The results indicate that few of the organizations have more than two funding sources since a third may generate more costs than benefits.


Government Funding – Organizations that are dependent on government funding may be challenged by low cash reserves.


Real Estate Ownership – Nonprofits should think carefully about facility ownership since the increased costs could reduce liquidity and limit resources for programs.

Learn more about the study on youth-serving organizations in “Truth or Consequences: The Implications of Financial Decisions.”

This Nonprofit Quarterly issue is available at the Foundation Center libraries.

The full text of the article is also available on the Nonprofit Finance Fund web site.

Nonprofit Boards and Fundraising

As a trustee of a nonprofit organization, you have been asked to support the group’s fundraising efforts. If you are unsure of your role, ask our librarians for Fearless Fundraising for Nonprofit Boards, 2nd ed. (BoardSource 2008). The guide by Dave Sternberg offers practical advice with a focus on obtaining gifts from individual donors. Turn to the appendix for a checklist that lists the ways you can assist. For example, will you help...

-write the case statement?
-suggest names for major gift prospects?
-thank your organization’s donors?
-organize special events?
-make visits for gift solicitations?

For more citations to readings about fundraising and other responsibilities of nonprofit board members, browse our Topical Resource List.

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are quick highlights from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews. Click on the links below for the full reviews:


Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker. Fred Setterberg and Bill Somerville (Heyday Books, 2008)

"...something between a primer for new, unspoiled foundation staff and a challenge to old-hand practitioners of the status quo. Fred Setterberg has shaped Somerville's passion into an easy, cheerily provocative read..." More

The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It. Paul Collier (Oxford University Press, 2007)

"...[Collier] and his team of international researchers examine the traps — lack of natural resources, corruption and bad governance, proximity to bad neighbors — that ensnare poor countries in destructive cycles of conflict and violence..." More

Mobilizing Generation 2.0: A Practical Guide to Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Recruit, Organize, and Engage Youth (Jossey-Bass, 2008)

"...It doesn't matter whether your understanding of Web 2.0 technologies is beginner-level or advanced; Mobilizing Generation 2.0 is full of great information about how to recruit, organize, and engage not just Millennials but Gen-Xers and baby boomers who are curious about these new technologies or have already incorporated them into their daily work routines..." More

Click here for a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews.

Tracy W. McGregor: Philanthropic Leadership in a Tumultuous Era

A new biography chronicles the life and charitable activities of Tracy W. McGregor (1869-1936), who established the McGregor Fund, one of Michigan's first major foundations. The volume chronicles McGregor's civic leadership in Detroit, describes his efforts to support the homeless, and explores his interest in books and libraries. McGregor's activities spanned periods of industrial growth in Detroit, as well as economic decline, as workers began to experience the effects of the Great Depression.

Professor of history Philip P. Mason examined the archives at Wayne State University and other institutions for this detailed biography. Click here for a brief profile of McGregor and a listing of the materials that can be found in the archives.

Humanitarian, Philanthropist, and Detroit Civic Leader and other biographical works in our collection can be found by searching the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.

Online Communications: How does your nonprofit organization measure up?

Is your nonprofit’s online communications strategy meeting expectations? Perhaps you might want to compare your results with data from other groups by examining the 2008 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study: An Analysis of Online Messaging, Fundraising and Advocacy Metrics for Nonprofit Organizations. Findings are based on an assessment of 21 national organizations by NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network and M+R Strategic Services. You will learn from the report that the average open rate for e-newsletter messages in 2007 was about 17.6% percent. The percentage of people who then clicked on a link within a newsletter was 3.6%. The average online gift amount was $87.

The full report is available at the eNonprofit Benchmarks Study web site.

The Nonprofit Sector in the U.S.: A Brief History

Some of you may know that the Internal Revenue Service provides aggregate tax data through it Statistics of Income (SOI) program. To celebrate SOI’s 90th anniversary, the program began to publish a series of retrospective articles on a number of tax-related subjects.

In particular, you might be interested in “A History of the Tax-Exempt Sector: An SOI Perspective.” As expected from SOI, you will find statistical data on public charities and foundations from tax years 1985 to 2004. What's surprising is the section of the article that covers the legislative history of tax-exemption in the United States. If you are giving a presentation this topic, Figure A or Appendix B can be used as handouts since they concisely describe major legislation from the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act of 1894 to the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

The full article is available at the SOI web site.

The Fundraising Landscape for International NGOs

If you are interested in learning about the fundraising environment outside the U.S., ask our staff for the May 2008 issue of FundRaising Success magazine. The issue contains a special report, “Fundraising Around the World,” that describes some of the challenges faced by nongovernmental organizations and elaborates on the techniques they have developed. You will find several brief articles, including:


“The Dynamic Growth in Continental Europe” by Daryl Upsall
(Describes fundraising in Italy and Spain)

“Fundraising in Emerging Markets: Challenges and Opportunities” by Simon Collings
(Covers Latin America and Asia)

You can also read these articles by browsing the past issues at the Fundraising Success web site.

Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature to find additional readings on fundraising outside the U.S.

The Size and Scope of the Nonprofit Sector

Researchers who are studying the growth of the nonprofit sector in the United States will want to ask our staff for the Nonprofit Almanac 2008. Published by the Urban Institute Press, the highly anticipated volume provides statistical data and analysis on all types of organizations.

Here are examples of some of the facts you will find in the new edition:

In 2005, nonprofits employees accounted for nearly 10 percent of the nation’s non-farm workforce (p. 21).

While nonprofit revenues have been increasing, savings has been declining since the late 1990s (p. 125).

In 2005, among the 1.4 million nonprofit organizations registered in the United States, 876,164 were 501(c)(3) public charities. There were 323,530 reporting public charities with more than $25,000 in revenues that filed Form 990s (p. 212).

If you are searching for additional information, have a look at our FAQ, “Where can I find statistical data on U.S. charities?”

Corporate Giving Statistics

If you looking for statistics on corporate philanthropy, there are several resources that may provide the information you need:

Ask our librarians for Giving USA, an annual report written by researchers at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Go directly to the chapter “Giving by Corporations” to get a broad overview of data collected from various sources, including the Conference Board and the Foundation Center.

If you find that you need more specific statistics, such as contributions as a percentage of corporate income or sales, you might need to ask for the Conference Board’s Corporate Contributions Report. The findings are based on an annual survey of nearly 200 major companies.

How about statistics on matching gift programs? Try the Giving in Numbers report from the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy. The full report is available online.

For estimates of giving in 2007, as well as forecasts for 2008, download the Foundation Center publication, Key Facts on Corporate Foundations.

Need more information? Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for other statistics related to corporate philanthropy.

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are quick highlights from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews by Foundation Center staff. Click on the links below for the full reviews:

Crucibles of Leadership: How to Learn from Experience to Become a Great Leader. Robert J. Thomas (Harvard Business School Press, 2008)

“…the book reinforces perhaps the most important lesson for any leader, regardless of field or sector: Effective leadership is a process of continuous personal development driven by one's embrace of lifelong learning and a desire to lead...” More...

ROI for Nonprofits: The New Key to Sustainability. Tom Ralser (John Wiley & Sons, 2007)

“…nonprofits that make the effort to follow Ralser's guidelines are likely to find themselves with a development strategy that puts them on the road to sustainability..." More...

Message Matters: Succeeding at the Crossroads of Mission and Market. Rebecca K. Leet (Fieldstone Alliance, 2007)

“...by following Leet's five simple steps, you too can end up with a powerful message that grabs your audiences' attention, drives the conversation about your products and services, and leads to improved fundraising results....” More...

Nonprofit Essentials: The Development Plan. Linda Lysakowski (John Wiley & Sons, 2007)

"...Lysakowski's book de-mystifies the [planning] process, presenting the challenges one must be prepared to address to achieve fundraising success in a practical, no-nonsense manner..." More...

Click here for a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews.

Assessing Planned Giving Officers

Evaluating the performance of planned giving officers can be challenging, especially when gifts may not be received until years later. If you need guidance on developing criteria for measuring success, have a look at the latest issue of the Journal of Gift Planning (1st Qtr) from the National Committee on Planned Giving. In the article, “Evaluating Gift Planner Performance” expert Tom Cullinan suggests that some areas for measurement may include:

Existing and deferred gift commitments
Number of donor meetings
Response rates to marketing efforts
Number of new prospects identified

The article also provides guidance on standards for prospect meetings, cold calls, and activity reports.

For additional readings on planned giving, search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.

Fundraising Ethics

Be careful. Once your nonprofit loses the trust of your donors you will fight an uphill battle trying to restore their confidence in your organization. Protect the reputation of your nonprofit by promoting ethical standards in your fundraising program.

A new book from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Fund Development Series can help you explore best practices in this area. In Ethical Fundraising: A Guide for Nonprofit Boards and Fundraising, experts contribute chapters that discuss several key areas, including:

privacy issues
donor intent
ethical gift solicitation
handling full disclosure
conflict of interest vs. the appearance of wrongdoing
compensation of fundraisers

The volume also contains brief cases studies that examine various ethical challenges.

For additional readings on this subject, have a look at our topical resource list on fundraising ethics.

2007 Year in Review

Do you sometimes feel that it is difficult to keep pace with the changing face of philanthropy? The Foundation Center has released a publication that will help you focus on the key issues and trends for the previous year. The premier issue of Philanthropy Annual highlights the major news stories, leadership changes, and awards of 2007. In addition to interviews and commentary, the publication also presents statistical data on foundation giving in the U.S.

The Philanthropy Annual also serves has a handy reference tool since appendices list nonprofit academic centers, regional associations of grantmakers, grantmaker affinity groups and philanthropy periodical editors.

Be sure to turn to the last page; there is a crossword puzzle!

Click here to learn more and download the Philanthropy Annual.

National Volunteer Week

It is National Volunteer Week (April 27 – May 3, 2008) and a great time to highlight a couple of resources for volunteers and volunteer managers available on our web site.

Start off with our Frequently Asked Question, “How can I use the Web to find volunteer opportunities?"

Then, if you are interested in books and articles on voluntarism in our collection, have a look at our topical resource list. Here is a sampling of the materials:


Corporation for National and Community Service. Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life. Washington, DC: Corporation for National & Community Service, 2007.

Analyzes information on volunteering in America in general and in individual states. Part one gives a general overview of American voluntarism. Part two compares rates of voluntarism across the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Part three analyzes voluntarism within each state by focusing on the number of volunteer hours and demographics. The last section is a technical note on statistical methods and data sources.

Family Volunteering: A Guide for the Workplace. Washington, DC: Points of Light Foundation, 2007.

Provides advice for managers who are planning employee volunteer programs for families.

Lysakowski, Linda. Nonprofit Essentials: Recruiting and Training Fundraising Volunteers. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2005.

Explains how to find and attract volunteers, and provides sample job descriptions. The book also covers the training of volunteers and management of their work alongside staff members.

Venture Philanthropy: A Quick Look at the PRI and the L3C

While most foundations support organizations by providing grants, some grantmakers also provide program-related investments (PRIs) in the form of loans or loan guarantees to finance charitable projects. While the number of foundations that make PRIs is relatively low, more foundations are using PRIs to support various initiatives, including community development projects.

In the April 2008 issue of Trusts & Estates, David T. Leibell and Daniel L. Daniels explain that there may be a new way for foundations to make these social investments and to practice venture philanthropy. It involves a new legal entity, the low-profit limited liability company (L3C), which can seek PRIs and raise funds from private investors as well. The article, “Say Hello to the L3C" indicates that a few states are considering legislation that would authorize the entities, including North Carolina and Vermont.

If you would like to learn more about PRIs or L3Cs, try exploring the links below:

The Foundation Center’s FAQ “What Is a Program-Related Investment?"

PRI Makers Network (for grantmakers)

Americans for Community Development (a coalition that promotes the L3C)

You can also search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature by using the subjects Program-Related Investments or Venture Philanthropy.

Readings on Diversity in the Philanthropic Sector

How can you learn more about diversity in the nonprofit sector? The Foundation Center has released a new bibliography that explores this topic, with sections that cover philanthropy for specific communities, including the economically disadvantaged, ethnic and racial minorities; women; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community; people with disabilities; and rural communities. The bibliography also notes resources that focus on board and staff diversity, as well as guides and toolkits for promoting diversity.

Click here to download Diversity in Philanthropy: A Comprehensive Bibliography of Resources Related to Diversity Within the Philanthropic and Nonprofit Sectors.

Researching Individual Donors

You have asked been asked to strengthen your prospect research skills so that you can better identify and qualify potential donors. Where would you begin? You can start by exploring the resources listed in the Foundation Center's FAQ, “Where can I find information on cultivating donors?” If you are located near our library/learning centers, attend our Prospect Research Basics class to learn about the search process and tools.

When you are at the library, discover more tips from our collection of books, including the new, updated edition of Prospect Research: A Primer for Growing Nonprofits (Jones and Barlett 2008) by Cecilia Hogan at the University of Puget Sound. The guide provides advice on a variety of topics including research planning, prospect screening, prospect tracking, and research tools. In a new chapter, Hogan explains how to use special formulas and calculations to estimate an individual’s giving capacity. You will also find useful documents in the appendix, including sample prospect research request forms to help streamline your procedures within your organization.

For additional information for prospect researchers, visit the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement’s web site.

Civil Society: A Collection of Country Reports

What does civil society, the social arena beyond the government and the market, look like in different countries? To answer this question, you can start with the CIVICUS Global Survey of the State of Civil Society (Kumarian Press 2007).

Volume 1 contains brief profiles for 44 countries, including Argentina, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Uganda and others. Each profile contains a historical overview of civil society in the country, and examines four specific dimensions related to civil society: size and composition; the social, political and economic environment; principles and values; and the measured impact. The findings and recommendations in the volume are based on the work of researchers and civil society experts around the world who collaborated on the Civil Society Index project.

To examine more detailed reports of each country, visit the Civil Society Index web site.

Grant Proposal Advice in Spanish

Many of you are familiar with the Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing by Jane Geever. The 5th edition was released early last year and included a new chapter on the evaluation component of the proposal. For individuals who would benefit from a Spanish-language version of the Guide, we have just published a translation of this 5th edition: Guía para escribir propuestas.

A colleague at the Foundation Center noted, “La Guía es un excelente recurso para las organizaciones que empiezan a solicitar fondos de fundaciones. Si necesita explicaciones detalladas en español, aquí tiene el recurso perfecto."

Click here for the table of contents

Tip: For additional resources, browse our Spanish-language resource list.

Association Membership Dues

Membership dues continue to be a significant source of revenue for associations. If you happen to be assigned to review the dues structure at your association, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership has released a book that may help with your task:

Membership Essentials: Recruitment, Retention, Roles, Responsibilities, and Resources (edited by Sheri Jacobs and Carylann Assante)

Go straight to Chapter 6 and learn about the benefits and drawbacks of calendar year and anniversary billing. Ready for a dues increase? Read about the different types of increases and find out the best way to communicate the increases to your members. The chapter includes a case study of how the Independent Sector successfully revised its dues structure.

In addition to dues, you should also be measuring your membership acquisitions and renewal costs. How much does it cost to serve a member? How much value does the member offer to the association? Find out about these calculations in Chapter 14.

Are you interested in other readings? Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for more readings on associations.

Fundraising Campaigns: From the Quiet Phase to the Public Phase

Capital campaigns often will have a private phase where an organization would secure leadership gifts before making a public announcement about the campaign. By the time the public phase begins, supporters are more likely to offer donations when they see that the campaign is off to a successful start. So when should you launch the public phase?

A recent article in the journal Nonprofit Management and Leadership (Volume 18, Issue 3) indicates that fundraisers should delay the public phase as long as possible, and should avoid making a public announcement until at least 40% of the goal has been reached.

In the article, “Three-Phase Capital Campaigns,” Wesley E. Lindahl also notes that the survey data shows a "goal line" phase (when 95% of the goal has been achieved) when donors have a high propensity to give.

When do you start your public phase? Does your organization take advantage of the goal line stage?

The World of Foundations

Some of you are already familiar with our publication Foundation Fundamentals, which provides an overview of foundations and explains the funding research process. The publication just got even better with the release of the 8th edition. Learn how to be a “savvy searcher” and find out about the latest online tools. When you have a look at this fully revised edition, take note of the new chapter that explores strategies for individual grantseekers.

Interested in other resources to help you learn more about foundations? Visit the Get Started area of our Web site.

Library New Acquisitions Lists - Posted April 1st

Would you like a quick peek at the recent acquisitions at our libraries? We have just posted our bimonthly update of new books and articles that have been indexed and abstracted for the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature during the January-February period. On the right side of the New Acquisitions page, you will see links for main headings such as Corporate Philanthropy, Fundraising, International Philanthropy, Tax and Legal Implications for Nonprofits, and more.

Reminder: Get instant updates to the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature by subscribing to its RSS feed with a feed aggregator.

Fundraising: E-mail Appeals

You have been asked to prepare an e-mail so that supporters will visit your Web site and donate to your organization. You’ve written fundraising letters before, so this should be pretty simple right? Let’s take some time to learn what fundraising expert Mal Warwick has to say in the second edition of How to Write Fundraising Letters (Jossey-Bass 2008).

In a new chapter on online appeals, Warwick notes that there are similarities between writing a direct mail letter and composing e-mail solicitations. For example, in both cases, you want to connect with the reader personally by using “I” and “you.”

Warwick also helps you think about specific parts of the e-mail:

Subject Line: If you include the recipient's name in the subject line, would the person think it is junk mail?

Graphics: How will spam filters deal with the graphics in your e-mail?

Leading sentences: If recipients are using a “preview pane” in their e-mail client, is your lead engaging enough so that others will want to read the rest?

For more tips, stop by our library and browse How to Write Fundraising Letters. Be sure to look take a peek at Part 5 to learn about from Warwick’s toolbox, including ideas for “outer-envelope teasers” and suggestions on how to end a letter.

Sports Philanthropy

Sports fans out there, this post is for you. Have you seen the latest issue of Philanthropy, published by the Philanthropy Roundtable? The main article in the January-February issue, "Gridiron Giving," describes the charitable efforts of several active and retired NFL players including George Martin (Giants), Herb Lusk (Eagles), Warrick Dunn (Falcons), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), and Jason Taylor (Dolphins).

“How about philanthropy in other sports?”
Take a look at the Sports Philanthropy Project’s Sports Foundation Directory where you can find out about the foundations of your favorite teams or athletes.

“How did this directory come about?”
The Sports Philanthropy Project was created by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to assist sports team foundations in supporting ongoing community projects. Learn about how it all began in The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Anthology: To Improve Health and Health Care, Volume XI (chapter 10).

That’s it for today. Have fun exploring these links!

A Hands-on Approach to Grantmaking

With 40 years of experience as a foundation executive, Bill Somerville knows what it takes to improve foundation effectiveness. The president and founder of the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation is author of the new book Grassroots Philanthropy: Field Notes of a Maverick Grantmaker (Heyday Books). What are some areas for change? Here are just a few of Somerville’s suggestions for grantmakers:

-Learn more about the community and nonprofits you serve. Spend at least 30 percent of your time in the field.

-Transition to a “paperless giving” model that takes makes more use of e-mail and phone calls.

-Reduce inefficiency by allowing the executive to approve certain types of grants without consulting the board.

-Consider making grants to individuals that will allow your foundation to make the most of innovative ideas.

Interested in learning more? You will find copies of Grassroots Philanthropy in our libraries soon, and stay tuned for a full book review later this year.

How Chief Executives Help Their Boards Excel

A chief executive who is searching for ways to improve board performance may find useful tips in Getting the Best From Your Board: An Executive’s Guide to a Successful Parnership (BoardSource, 2007).

In this booklet, Sherill K. Williams and Kathleen A. McGinnis suggests that chief executives should concentrate on several key areas, including:

Mission – Yes, you are passionate about your organization; help your board members feel that energy.

Knowledge – The board needs information, now. Make sure you have answers about your nonprofit, and understand how your organization relates to the sector.

Standards – Concerned that your board isn’t focused on what is important? Clarify roles and responsibilities and try to make it fun (see p. 39).

Board Structure – Streamline your meetings and support your board committees. If staff members are providing assistance, make sure you provide some coaching.

The authors also give the guide a personal touch: essays written by board chairs and stories from chief executives. Stop by the library and have a look!

Readings on Philanthropy

If you are searching for an anthology of texts to help you reflect on your philanthropy, The Perfect Gift: The Philanthropic Imagination in Poetry and Prose would be a good place to start. The works from individuals ranging from Andrew Carnegie to Edith Wharton will help you explore fundamental questions such as why and how you should give.

When you are ready to tackle issues related to philanthropic leadership, responsibility, and effectiveness, including the role of foundations, our library has another book for you. Amy A. Kass the editor of The Perfect Gift, and a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago, has just released Giving Well, Doing Good: Readings for Thoughtful Philanthropists (Indiana University Press). In her new anthology, Kass has included discussion questions to help you contemplate the works of Rick Cohen, Aristotle, Muhammad Yunus, Pablo Eisenberg, Sara Engelhardt, Robert Frost, Ralph Ellison, Benjamin Franklin, Lao Tzu, and many more.

The book was a result of the Dialogue on Civic Philanthropy series that Kass had facilitated. Enjoy!

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are quick highlights from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews by Foundation Center staff. Click on the links below for the full reviews:

Tools for Radical Democracy: How to Organize for Power in Your Community. Joan Minieri and Paul Getsos (Jossey-Bass, 2007)

“…a practical how-to guide to building community power without a lot of excursions into the ins and outs of fundraising...” More...

Forces for Good: Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits. Leslie Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant (Jossey-Bass, 2008)

“…a thoughtful, highly readable call to arms for any nonprofit leader looking to affect real social change..." More...

The Art of Film Fundraising: Alternative Financing Concepts. Carol Lee Dean (Michael Wiese Productions, 2007)

“...a toolkit that any independent filmmaker or nonprofit looking to produce a documentary film will want to keep close at hand...” More...

Click here for a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews.

Foundation Giving Trends

The Foundation Center has just released Foundation Giving Trends: Update on Funding Priorities (2008 edition). The annual publication analyzes the grantmaking patterns of larger U.S. foundations through 2006.

The report notes that for the first time ever, health programs commanded a higher share of grant dollars than education programs. What caused the growth in health funding? As you may know, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a strong supporter of international development and health programs. The report adds, "The Seattle-based foundation’s historic $31 billion dollar gift from Warren Buffett in July 2006—which will be spread over several years—has enabled the foundation to implement a new Global Development program and expand its already considerable funding for global health."

Click here to download the Highlights of Foundation Giving Trends.

Foundation Investments

During the past few years, endowments of the country's largest foundations and universities have experienced healthy returns at rates most investors would be envious of. This wasn’t always the case, as noted in the new book Foundation & Endowment Investing: Strategies of Top Investors and Institutions by Lawrence E. Kochard and Cathleen M. Rittereiser (John Wiley).

A few decades ago, endowments would often underperform as a result of conservative investments. What was the turning point? About 40 years ago, McGeorge Bundy (the president of the Ford Foundation at the time) was troubled by the fact that endowments were not keeping up with the rising costs of higher education. He noted in the 1967 Ford Foundation annual report: “We have the impression that over the long run caution has cost our colleges and universities much more than imprudence or excessive risk taking.”

Kochard and Rittereiser explain how Bundy’s leadership and the Ford Foundation’s support led to legal and tax changes that have provided the flexibility for managing endowment portfolios that we see today.

The core of this book, however, contains profiles that describe the experience and lessons from respected chief investment officers (CIOs) at institutions such as the Hewlett Foundation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and others.

The CIOs discuss their investment approaches, management techniques, and key challenges they have encountered.

Are you interested in other readings? Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for more readings on endowments or foundation investments.

Corporate Social Responsibility: An Encyclopedia

Companies are becoming more aware of the environmental and social impact of their operations and continue to develop practices that will help them become more accountable. Nonprofit organizations may be interested in partnering with corporations to think of sustainable solutions.

Using common terminology can facilitate the interactions among companies, government agencies, and the nonprofit sector. Our libraries have have acquired a new encyclopedia to help organizations find definitions and understand key issues on this topic, The A to Z of Corporate Social Responsibility (John Wiley). The volume covers contains about 350 entries (terms, standards, legislation, and organizations) including:

Corporate Responsibility Index
Environmental Entrepreneurship
Ethical Consumption
Global Sullivan Principles of Social Responsibility
Intergenerational Equity
SIGMA Project
Social and environmental accounting

This book also contains a list of abbreviations related to corporate social responsibility.

Need some additional resources? Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for more readings on corporate social responsibility or corporate philanthropy.

An Executive Director Shares Leadership and Management Tips

Do you need some guidance on running your nonprofit organization and would like to learn from someone who has “seen it all”? John Bateson, the Executive Director of the Contra Costa Crisis Center in Walnut Creek, California has written a book that provides stories and lessons learned from his 27 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.

Chapters cover several topics including board development, program development, fundraising, volunteers, marketing, strategic planning, major gifts, financial management, and advocacy. Here are some highlights from Building Hope: Leadership in the Nonprofit World (Praeger Publishers):

“Before writing a proposal, I always contact the foundation. I want verbal feedback on our project prior to submitting anything in writing.” (p. 98)

“One of the ironies of nonprofit work is that agencies with government funding depend on it and agencies without it don’t want it.” (p. 102)

“The accepted rule of thumb is that an agency should have, at a minimum, reserves totaling three to six months of its operating budget, and preferably a year’s worth." (p. 168)

Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for more readings on nonprofit management.

Exit Strategies for Foundations

A foundation typically will not fund an organization in perpetuity as it eventually moves on to supporting other charities and priorities. Some grantmakers will do a better job exiting than others. For funders who need some ideas or suggestions in this area, download a copy of The Effective Exit: Managing the End of a Funding Relationship, the new pamphlet from GrantCraft. The publication discusses several topics including:

Clear communication with grantees
Building the organizational capacity of grantees
Assisting grantees with fundraising

You will read about strategies used at four foundations, examine a case study, and explore unusual exit situations. Learn more at the GrantCraft Web site.

Best Practices for Board Members

You have seen capable boards of trustees, often fulfilling their duties and responsibilities to their organizations. Do you also hear about the boards that go beyond their basic obligations and take governance to the next level? If not, pick up a copy of Exceptional Board Practices: The Source in Action published by BoardSource. The booklet is a compilation of Board Member articles and BoardSource white papers that help explain how boards can apply twelve key principles that will maximize their effectiveness. The principles cover several areas such as:

Building partnerships
Focusing on your mission
Strategic planning
Promoting transparency
Developing resources
Measuring outcomes

You will learn in the publication that, “The difference between responsible and exceptional lies in thoughtfulness and intentionality, action and engagement, knowledge and communication. This difference is what we call the source of power. Using it has a multiplier effect on board performance.”

Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for more readings on board members.

Fundraising and Web 2.0

How can your nonprofit use the latest Internet technologies to fundraise and to strengthen support for your cause? The new book People to People Fundraising, published by John Wiley & Sons, discusses tools for social networking, targeting specific populations such as seniors, and integrating online activities with offline campaigns.

Marketing tools mentioned in the volume include photo-sharing sites, personal web pages, fundraising badges, and widgets. Here is a tip from the book:

"Fundraisers should aim to have the first two to three donations to their page be substantial ($50 to $100 versus $10 to $25) because the signaling effect to other donors who visit the page will cause them to donate at a higher level." (p. 123)

Chapters in People to People Fundraising: Social Networking and Web 2.0 for Charities were written by experts in the field, including Ted Hart, James M. Greenfield, and Sheeraz D. Haji.

Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for more readings on how nonprofits make use of the Internet.

Volunteers: Everything You Wanted to Know About Them

Scholars who are looking for a reference book on research related to volunteering should check out Volunteers: A Social Profile published by Indiana University Press. Professors Marc A. Musick and John Wilson take an in-depth review of various studies on volunteering to provide a comprehensive analysis of the motivations of volunteers and the consequences of their work. Topics covered in the volume include the influence of demographic factors and social relationships. Here are a few observations and theories from the book:

“Given how similar givers and volunteers are, there is little evidence that people substitute charitable donations for volunteer work.” (p. 134)

“For a number of reasons, married couples tend to behave alike: either they both volunteer or neither volunteers.” (p. 240)

“Because volunteer work increases the number, variety, and quality of our social ties, it promises to protect us against illness and even prolong life. Social ties have a positive effect on our physical health not because they prevent illness but because they help us deal with them better and recover more quickly.” (p. 509)

The volume contains a thorough notes section and a detailed index.

Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for more readings on voluntarism.

U.S. Foundations and International Giving

Many of you are aware of the Foundation Center's research studies on the international giving trends of U.S. foundations. These include:

International Grantmaking III (October 2004)
International Grantmaking Update (October 2006)

For those of you who are seeking more background information on the topic, Transaction Publishers has released a new book by Joseph C. Kiger, Philanthropists & Foundation Globalization. The volume presents a biographical-historical account of international giving by twenty-four well-known philanthropists including Andrew Carnegie, George Soros, and Bill Gates.

A chapter of the book discusses foundation investigations and studies since 1912, citing examples where foundations were criticized for funding programs abroad. Kiger concludes, however,

“Overall they are so diverse in all respects that they present an infeasible target for their critics…[and their diversity] is probably one of the most important factors in their emergence today as a most respected institution, both in this country and globally.”

Search the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for more readings and resources on international philanthropy.

Research on Foundation Expenses

Reader’s interested in Tuesday’s blog entry on foundation operations, will be pleased to learn that final results from the first large-scale, long-term study of foundation expenses and compensation were released yesterday. The report What Drives Foundation Expenses and Compensation? Results of a Three-Year Study examined data from the 10,000 largest grantmaking foundations. Key findings include:

-Foundations differ greatly in their structures, resources, and operating characteristics and these differences significantly affect their expense levels.

-Employment of staff is the single most important factor affecting expense levels, followed by staff size and level of program activities.

-Foundation scale influences cost ratios.

Issued jointly by the Urban Institute, the Foundation Center, and GuideStar, this study expands on the findings from an initial report published in 2006, Foundation Expenses and Compensation: How Operating Characteristics Influence Spending.

Benchmarking Foundation Operations

Are you a donor, trustee, or staff member of a small foundation and interested in the management practices at similar organizations? Have a look at the latest edition of the Foundation Operations & Management Survey, published annually by the Association of Small Foundations (ASF). Here are a few statistics from the 2007-2008 edition:

-Median assets of survey respondents: $8,880,566

-Median grant amount: $12,502

-Net investment return for 2006: 10.54%

-Percentage of respondents who indicated that their foundations were established to exist in perpetuity: 76%

Learn more about the ASF member survey at smallfoundations.org

Other foundation survey data is available from the Council on Foundations:

Foundation Management Series. 12th ed. Washington, DC: Council on Foundations, 2006. 160 p.
This publication presents the results of the 2004 Foundation Management Survey, in which 648 foundations participated. The data covers governance and statistics regarding administrative expenses, and relates to independent, community, family, and public grantmaking foundations.

2007 Grantmakers Information Technology Survey Report. Washington, DC: Council on Foundations, 2007. 39 p.
Data is based on a survey conducted in June 2007 by the Technology Affinity Group and the Council on Foundations. More than 300 foundations representatives responded to questions related to planning, staff, policies, disaster recovery, compliance software, online grant applications, security, knowledge management, and other topics.

Finally, don't forget to explore the Research Studies area of the Foundation Center web site to review our reports and other grantmaker statistics.

A Charitable Giving Standard

Some studies have indicated that lower income groups often donate a higher percentage of their earnings when compared to their wealthier counterparts. Experts have noted that individuals with lower incomes often have strong religious affiliations, and therefore tend to give more.

A recent analysis on giving in the Netherlands, however, indicates that this "negative effect of income" on giving cannot be explained by the stronger religious involvement found in lower income groups.

Pamela Wiepking, who studied the data, suggests that there exists a “giving standard” that guides charitable donations. The giving standard may lead different donors to give similar amounts that are not proportional to their incomes. Wiepking notes that 80% of households in the Netherlands generally give between €5 and €25 for direct mail appeals, and a majority donated €25 to support victims of the Tsunami in 2004.

Wiepking explains, “If people with a higher income understand how miserly their gifts compare to the donations of people with lower incomes, it is possible that they are prepared to donate more substantial amounts.”

Learn more about Wiepking’s study in “The Philanthropic Poor: In Search of Explanations for the Relative Generosity of Lower Income Households.” Voluntas, vol. 18 (December 2007): p. 339-58.

Search our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for other articles from Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations.

Foundation Case Studies

Grantmakers can often learn from the experience of other funders by examining case studies available at our library/learning centers. Here are two titles we have recently acquired:

Philanthropic Foundations and the Globalization of Scientific Medicine and Public Health. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2007. xviii, 195 p.

Various authors contribute to a history of the Rockefeller Foundation's international health initiatives and, secondly, provide an analysis of the current world-wide work of foundations in the delivery of health care services.

Taking on the World's Repressive Regimes: The Ford Foundation's International Human Rights Policies and Practices. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. x, 314 p.

A detailed account of the Ford Foundation's human rights work in Eastern Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and other areas. A chapter describes the Ford Foundation's role in promoting women's rights.

Search our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for additional foundation case studies.


Other Web Resources:
GrantCraft 's case studies
PubHub: Foundation-Sponsored Reports

Fundraising During a Recession

With growing concerns of a global recession this week, some nonprofits may we wondering how they can prepare for the expected declines in giving. No need to panic, our sector has endured difficult economic times before. Michael Seltzer noted earlier this week on PhilanTopic that nonprofits are survivors, “We're accustomed to wearing our belts snugly -- and tightening them when the economy takes a turn for the worse.”

How do you increase your chances of survival? A recent issue of Advancing Philanthropy contains some basic tips that may help:

-Avoid dramatic cuts in staff; you may do more harm than good in the long run.

-Since donors will be more cautious with their giving, greater transparency in your organization can convince donors that their gifts will be used effectively.

-Don’t focus all your energy on just the major donors. You might want to concentrate on your donor base that consistently supports your annual campaign.

Learn more tips by reading Mary Ellen Collins’s article in the January/February 2008 issue of Advancing Philanthropy, “Enjoy the Ride: How to Effectively Raise Funds in a Roller-Coaster Economy.” (p. 27-30).

Recent "Off the Shelf" Book Reviews

Here are quick highlights from Philanthropy News Digest's Off the Shelf book reviews by Foundation Center staff:

Charity on Trial: What You Need to Know before You Give. Doug White. (Barricade Books, 2006)

“...Certainly, the majority of America's charities (all 1.5 million of them) are on the up and up. But some are not — and they're the subject of Doug White's Charity on Trial, an engrossing and at times stupefying account of some of the more reprehensible recent acts of nonprofit malfeasance and incompetence.” More...

The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex (South End Press, 2007)

"...The essays in the book are full of lessons learned, unresolved issues, and perspectives on the future of social justice movements and the nonprofit sector. We discover, for example, that there is difference between social service and social change, and that making this distinction can be helpful in assessing the viability and appropriate use of the 501(c)(3) model." More...

For a full list of archived Off the Shelf reviews, click here.

Nonprofit Budgeting Resources

If you are searching for guides to help you develop a budget for your organization, here are a few suggestions:

Our library/learning center’s have just acquired the updated edition of The Budget-Building Book for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Managers and Boards (Jossey-Bass, 2007), which includes new chapters that focus on budgeting on capital projects, as well as a section on cash flow management. The Catalog of Nonprofit Literature also contains other books and articles on budgeting and financial management.

Online resources on budgeting can be found in the Free Management Library’s Basic Guide to Non-Profit Financial Management.

For grantseekers who are preparing budgets for their grant applications, visit the Learn About Proposal Writing area at the Foundation Center’s web site to learn about our publications, as well as our classroom and training opportunities related to this topic.

A Look at Foundation Strategy

Organizations often develop strategies to help them achieve their goals and to facilitate decision making. To explore the use of strategy in foundations, the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) interviewed 42 executives and program officers from some of the largest foundations in the nation. The study compared the respondents’ views with CEP’s definition of strategy:

“A framework for decision making that is 1) focused on the external context in which the foundation works and 2) includes the hypothesized causal connection between use of foundation resources and goal achievement.”

The study found that while respondents spoke positively about using strategy in their work, their frameworks often did not meet the CEP’s definition of strategy.

For example, some respondents, categorized as “charitable bankers”, use frameworks developed from internal, historical practices, rather than ones created from an assessment of external factors and issues. Charitable bankers tend to have broad goals, which allow more flexibility to react to a variety of needs.

At the other end of the spectrum are the “total strategists” who rely more on assessments and evaluations than any other category. In many instances, the total strategists in the study explained how they rejected grant applications that were not aligned with their frameworks.

The report for this study, Beyond the Rhetoric: Foundation Strategy will help grantmakers reflect on their own decision-making frameworks and assist them in identifying more effective approaches. More information about the report is available at strategy.effectivephilanthropy.org

For other articles or books on strategic planning, click here to search our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.

Boosting Online Fundraising Performance

Are you about to develop a web site where supporters can provide donations to your nonprofit? Here are some suggestions from the experts:

-As you design your site, make sure that there is a link for online donations on every web page.

-Include a statement on your site that explains how you use and share the personal information you collect.

-Accountability and transparency is important to donors, so describe how funding has been used in the past and how donations will be spent in the future.

-You increase the chances of receiving donations when you include useful information that drives potential donors to the site.

Researchers Adrian Sargeant, Douglas C. West, and Elaine Jay based these recommendations on empirical data from the United Kingdom. The analysis is described in “The Relational Determinants of Nonprofit Web Site Fundraising Effectiveness: An Exploratory Study”, published in the latest issue of Nonprofit Management & Leadership (vol. 18, no. 2).

For other articles or books on online fundraising, click here to search our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.

Learning From Association Super-Trends

In 2005, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership published Mapping the Future of Your Association, which identified eight major trends that executives should be aware of. Two years later, Benjamin Martin, the member relations director of the Virginia Society of CPAs, reexamines these developments in a series of articles published in the Journal of Association Leadership. Martin’s analysis and recommendations may help you to think of ways to improve your organization.

1) With the growing popularity of virtualization technologies, organizations should cultivate online communities, but also have realistic expectations for member participation.

2) Develop strategies to counteract the information overload members may experience by filtering and prioritizing data for them.

3) Unbundling products and selling them individually continues to be a trend, but you might consider limiting the number of options so members do not get overwhelmed.

4) Unbundling may also cause your members to perceive a reduction in the value of their membership. Your organization needs to continue to develop new products, drop low-value services, and communicate value to members.

5) As members demand more services related to their specialty (demassification) you might try tapping into volunteers who can share their knowledge and skills.

6) Regarding the scrutiny super-trend, Martin indicates that a higher level of disclosure can be a good risk management strategy.

7) As organizations continue to use the Internet for advocacy efforts, some groups are using text-messaging services on cell phones to communicate with members.

8) International organizations need to recognize that they will continue to face the challenge of counter-Americanism. Martin notes, “To operate globally, associations must develop localized models of association culture, governance, politics, and operations.”

Citations:

Martin Benjamin. “A Closer Look at Three Association Super-Trends.” Journal of Association Leadership, vol. 4 (Spring 2007): p.26-35.

Martin Benjamin. “Further Discussion of Five Super Trends.” Journal of Association Leadership, vol. 4 (Fall 2007): p.16-27.

Articles from Journal of Association Leadership are archived on the ASAE & The Center for Association web site.

Please feel free to share your ideas on nonprofit super-trends.

Periodicals Spotlight: Nonprofit Law

If you are grantmaker, scholar, or activist interested in reading about key legal issues facing nonprofit organizations around the world, you might start with the International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law. The periodical starts off its tenth year with a special section that focuses on the changing landscape for nonprofits in the United States. Articles in the December 2007 issue include:

"Counterterrorism Developments Impacting Charities"
(Kay Guinane)

"NGOs Respond to USAID's Proposed Anti-Terror Screening"
(Sarah R. Eremus)

"Solving the Necessity Conundrum: What the Drug War Can Teach Us About Due Process for U.S. Charities in the Fight Against International Terrorist Financing"
(Josh D. Friedman)

"Good Governance Practices for 501(c)(3) Organizations: Should the IRS Become Further Involved?"
(Thomas Silk)

Visit the journal’s web site to access the full text of these articles or to review the archives.

For other articles or books on nonprofit law, click here to search our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.

The Famous Anonymous Philanthropist

A new biography chronicles the life of Chuck Feeney, the secretive businessman who turned out to be one of world’s most generous philanthropists. The book describes how he co-founded the global retail chain, Duty Free Shoppers, and donated nearly all of his wealth to endow Atlantic Philanthropies. The fund has given $4 billion dollars in grants over the past 25 years, and currently holds another $4 billion in assets.

Readers will find out why Feeney valued anonymous giving, how he revealed his philanthropy to the public, and why he decided that the foundation should spend down the rest of its assets within the next decade:

O’Clery, Conor. The Billionaire Who Wasn’t: How Chuck Feeney Secretly Made and Gave Away a Fortune. New York, NY: PublicAffairs, 2007.

For other biographical works in our collection, click here to search our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.