With
the growth of gay and AIDS-related charities,
an increasing number of gays and lesbians are
channeling their philanthropic dollars toward
those causes. Gays are also becoming more sophisticated
about the benefits of planned giving, and the
charities that serve them are becoming more
adept at promoting it.
In
some big cities, the quickest way to make friends
in high places is to make sizable contributions
to elite institutions. Mark Dowie looks at the
practice of "power philanthropy," and shows
how it threatens the beneficiaries of more traditional
grantmaking.
Many
groups spend inordinate amounts of time and
money producing special events, only to discover
that the benefits fall far short of the effort.
The first step in planning a successful event
is deciding whether it's right for the organization.
Fundraising experts Betty Stallings and Donna
McMillion outline the criteria to use in selecting
events wisely.
The
IRS recently revised the regulations regarding
goods and services that a charity may offer
in exchange for contributions. Attorney Pamela
McAllister explains what the new rules mean
for 501(c)(3) organizations and their donors.
Nonprofit
fundraisers have discovered a slew of new direct-response
technologies, but tried-and-true techniques
like direct mail still bring in the most money.
Fundraising consultants Fran Jacobowitz and
Kay P. Lautman report on the latest trends in
direct mail. They also explain how careful testing
can improve the bottom line.
In
an interview with National Public Radio's Bob
Edwards, historian Peter Dobkin Hall looks at
Ted Turner's billion-dollar pledge to the UN
and compares it to the philanthropic gifts of
earlier tycoons like Carnegie, Rockefeller,
and Ford.
The
internet is a new frontier for fundraisers,
opening up exciting possibilities. Those who
have already ventured into Cyberspace say that
they can communicate with donors more effectively,
mobilize support more quickly, and make their
appeals to a younger segment of the population.
Is "virtual" fundraising simply an extension
of real-world fundraising? Or does it demand
new skills and new ways of doing business?
To
succeed at fundraising, nonprofit organizations
should start from a position of strength, not
desperation. How strong is your organization?
Grantsmanship Center trainer Brigette Sarabi
offers a simple checklist for staff and board
members to use in determining fundraising readiness.
For
most organizations, the vast majority of contributions
they receive will be small, but the majority
of their income will come from a few big donations.
That's why it's essential to have a clear understanding
of how to get those big donations. Grassroots
fundraising expert Kim Klein lays out the basic
principles of securing major gifts and provides
a step-by-step approach to the fine art of asking.
She also answers some common questions about
the care and feeding of major donors.
How do the organizers of a charity auction go about collecting the things that bidders want? Professional auctioneer Sandy Bradley gives an insider's guide to soliciting items from businesses, friends and family.
The
IRS recently revised regulations dealing with
the deductibility of charitable donations. Independent
Sector spells out a charity's responsibility
for substantiation and disclosure, and interprets
the new "safe harbor" provisions for business
sponsorship payments.
One
of the most effective ways to raise big money
is with a capital campaign. But community-based
groups often lack the resources and the know-how
to undertake such an ambitious enterprise.
Grassroots fundraising expert Kim Klein shows
how even smaller nonprofits can reap the benefits
of a well-planned campaign.
Faced
with shrinking revenues, Los Angeles Mayor Richard
Riordan has taken the lead in tapping private
funding sources for public causes. As other
cash-strapped municipalities confront this same
problem, they too are coming up with novel ways
to pay for services. It's a controversial trend
that may please taxpayers, but has some experts
warning of the dangers of becoming too dependent
on private philanthropy.
New
technologies are combining with tried-and-true
techniques to improve the work of development
staffs. Prospect research expert Helen
Bergan shows how electronic tools and sophisticated
databases can be used to complement traditional
procedures like peer screening--as organizations
look for more efficient, more economical methods
for appraising prospects.
For
churches, schools, and small nonprofits, scrip
sales help to supplement tight budgets and pay
for special projects. And because the organization's
supporters are spending money they would have
spent anyway - for groceries, clothing, entertainment
- it's easy to get them into the scrip-buying
habit.
Fundraising
software performs a multitude of functions.
And there are dozens of software packages to
choose from. How do you pick the right
one for your organization? Technology
consultant Corinne Waldenmayer offers a user's
guide to software selection.
Membership
campaigns aren't just a good way to build your
donor base. They can also increase your political
clout--by educating the community and by showing
elected representatives that your organization
has a strong constituency. Fundraising expert
Joan Flanagan explains the advantages of selling
memberships, and she describes how several groups
are using innovative techniques to set up their
recruitment efforts.
With
new technology, nonprofits are able to connect
with their constituents much more effectively.
But when a development office relies on poorly
configured equipment and inconsistent databases,
more money is spent and less money comes in.
Susan Packard Orr offers a blueprint for getting
your house in order.
Fidelity
Investments' Charitable Gift Fund offers individuals
an innovative way to simultaneously invest and
make tax-deductible contributions to the nonprofits
of their choice. But critics worry about the
absence of professional oversight in determining
which nonprofits qualify for support, and about
the precedents such a fund may be setting in
regard to directing charitable donations.
Few
concepts have captured the imagination of development
officers more completely than "relationship
fundraising." But Ken Burnett, who wrote the
book on the subject, calls it "just a currently
fashionable piece of jargon." In this wide-ranging
forum, drawn from presentations delivered at
the 15th International Fund Raising Conference
in Holland, Burnett looks at the checkered history
of relationship fundraising generally, and cites
three organizations whose donor-based approach
really works. He is joined by Rich Fox, who
argues that relationship fundraising may be
all but dead by the year 2000- not because it's
a bad idea, but because most fundraisers are
doing it wrong. Judith Nichols, an authority
on the relationship between demographics and
fundraising, shows how one agency successfully
moves its donors up the "loyalty ladder" with
careful attention to their special concerns.
Can small groups realistically expect to get big gifts? Grassroots fundraising expert Andy Robinson argues that contributions of $500 to $5,000 are well within reach- if you know how to ask for them. He lays out a three-step plan for getting the job done.
Every
fundraising professional knows how to write
a thank-you note, but even seasoned veterans
botch letters of apology. Susan Sarver
describes what works-and what doesn't-when it
comes to saying you're sorry.
Sudden
accumulations of wealth from recent booms in
technology, entertainment, and the stock market
are changing the face of American philanthropy.
Ted Turner's headline grabbing gift to the United
Nations was the most visible sign of the trend,
but it's not the only one.
Capitalizing
on the recent surge of consumer interest in
e-commerce, a number of new Web sites are bringing
cause-related marketing to the internet. CharityMall,
iGive, Shop2Give, GreaterGood and similar "virtual
malls" attract shoppers by pledging to convey
a percentage of sales to selected charities.
What's in it for consumers, and what's in it
for the charities?
Used
car donations are heavily promoted as a way
for taxpayers to dispose of unwanted vehicles,
assist worthy nonprofits, and receive a generous
deduction. Tax law guru Conrad Teitell reports
on a new ruling from the IRS regarding charities'
use of authorized agents in these often misunderstood
transactions.
Statistics expert
Peter B. Wylie explains how an understanding
of "variables" can help you discover
predictors of giving, using information that's
already stored in your donor database.
