By Stephen C. Nill, J.D., GPC
CEO, CharityChannel
4/24/2008
Latest Discussion Forum Threads
Following the recent relaunch of the CharityChannel site, colleagues are still getting used to the new professional discussion forum system. Though I can't list all of the new threads, here are some that stand out:
ACCOUNTABILITY. In the thread Nonprofit awarding cash to individuals, a colleage writes "A question arose in our organization about the wisdom of a 501(c)(3) making a recognition award of cash to an individual. Some believe a nonprofit is precluded from making such awards, and instead, should recognize individuals by with a plaque of some sort, and awarding the actual cash to a charity of the individual’s choice or in the individual’s name. Others say that cash awards to individuals are legal and ethical. Can anyone provide direction on this issue?"
ANNUAL-FUND. A colleague wrote, in the new thread new ideas, "We are trying to really upgrade our annual giving program and incorporate some new ideas and programs. Any ideas of things you have tried and were successful would be great!"
CAPTALK. In the thread Debt reduction fund raising, a colleague writes: "My questions, 'What advice can you share with me regarding raising money for debt reduction?' 'Would I basically follow the campaign model?' 'What has been your success with this type of fund raising?'"
In another CAPTALK thread, Campaign in Today's Economic Turmoil, a colleague writes: "Hello Fellow Fund Raisers! How are you all coping with raising funds in an environment where gas is $3.50 plus a gallon and every time we turn on CNN we hear about the questionable value of the dollar? I've just finished up the quiet phase of a capital campaign to build the full-care portion of our continuing care retirement community. I'm starting to plan the the public phase - and to be honest - I'm concerned about our community's capacity to give. Whether it's annual or capital - I think many might be hesitant to give when there's so many economic concerns. Is anyone else in the midst of a campaign - and do you have any strategies to combat these difficult economic times? Glad to hear any thoughts on this topic...."
CHARITYLAW. A colleage, in the thread Conflict of Interest re: software, writes: A client of mine (I'm a grantwriter) is establishing a non-profit. He wishes to charge his NPO a licensing fee to use the software that his current business has developed and is attempting to lease elsewhere. He will provide it at a substantial discount, but wonders if it will be a conflict of interest. He won't be able to run the NPO without the software, and doesn't think giving it away without charge is appropriate or affordable. I'd appreciate any thoughts on this."
STEWARDSHIP. In the thread Lifetime/Cumulative Giving Recognition, a colleague writes: "We are looking for meaningful ways to recognize lifetime giving of up to $1 million as our $75 million campaign comes to a close next year. Many in our $1 million group cannot attend a special access event due to age and distance, and all receive personal attention from our Head of School on a regular basis."
VOLUNTEER-RESOURCES-MGT. In a thread How Much Should We Spend on Volunteers?, a colleague asks: "Does your institution have a policy or formula that you use to determine how much you spend on volunteers - particularly volunteers at a high level?"
Latest Articles
Don Griesmann's Grant Opportunities. There are over 250 open and active grants linked at Don Griesmann’s Grant Opportunities (DGGO) with over 150 open and active listed the past 30 days. There are 54 new and updated grant announcements this week for prescription drug misuse, homeless veterans, humanities, community colleges, mental health, supercomputers, peace, oral health, school supplies, student newspapers, global housing policy, tobacco, suicide prevention, global health, Bolivia, Argentina, Guatemala, Peru, El Salvador, and Colombia, national security, foreign language skills in Arabic, Turkish, Indic, Farsi, Russian, Korean, and Chinese, arts, girls, women in nontraditional employment, immigration, student gardening, Native Americans, science, computing research, fellowships, conflict management, media, boat safety, environment, sex education, financial education, substance abuse, HIV,/AIDS, elderly and disasters, horses, schools, human rights, Parkinson’s Disease, syringe access, international NGOs, to mention some of them. There are grant listings that are state-or region-specific.
Grants and Foundations Review. In his article Basic Grant Tracking for the Small Organization, Michael Wells, GPC, CFRE, offers a decidedly low-tech solution to tracking proposals. He writes, "While there are several decent fundraising software programs, their focus is generally on individual donors. I’m not aware of any that do a good job tracking foundation or government grants.... When I was a development director I developed a simple, paper-based system that was cheap and easy to set up and easy to maintain. It has four components...."
Law of Tax-Exempt Organizations (U.S.). The new CharityChannel article category "Law of Tax-Exempt Organizations - U.S." is moving from the concept stage to fruition. Attorney Mark Weinberg has accepted the position of editor, and is now recruiting attorneys to contribute original, down-to-earth articles that cover various aspects of the law relating to tax-exempt organizations and institutions in the U.S.
Mr. Weinberg is a graduate of The Law School at The University of Chicago, and has served as the Assistant Branch Chief responsible for Estate and Gift Taxation in the Interpretative Division of the Office of Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service. He is a founder of Weinberg & Jacobs, LLP, a law firm advising numerous large and small charities about sophisticated planned giving and compliance with Federal tax laws. He has for many years advised numerous public broadcasters, scientific and other charitable organizations on these and other corporate and tax matters.
Mr. Weinberg is a long time member of the American Bar Association Tax Section and Exempt Organizations Committee and the Charitable Giving and Exempt Organizations Group of the ABA Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section. He has chaired Task Forces dealing with Charitable Remainder Trusts and other nagging tax exempt organizations problems. Selected by the Treasury to advise them regarding International Grant Making after 9/11, he joined his colleagues in establishing an independent advisory group that has recommended withdrawal of the Treasury Guidelines and substitution of the Principles of Charity that group has developed.
If you would like to write for Law of Tax-Exempt Organizations (U.S.), please contact Mr. Weinberg as follows: Weinberg & Jacobs, LLP, 301-468-5500, paladin@WJLAW.COM.
Nonprofit Boards and Governance Review. In Navigating the Recession: Options and Opportunities, veteran CharityChannel contributors Barbara Krasne and Judith Plows write: There has been a lot of press lately about the coming economic downturn. Amidst all the talk, remember that trustees have an important role to play. Nonprofits have options – and even opportunities – they can pursue to address the economic challenges and serve their clients well. Planning by boards now, starting with what we can learn from recent recessions, is a good idea...."
Upcoming CharityUniversity Live Teleclass - 90 minutes - June 17
CharityUniversity(tm) is the distance learning project of CharityChannel. Here is the latest live teleclass, just added: Social Networking and Fundraising for Nonprofits: P2P Fundraising. Instructor: Ted Hart. Class Description: What does the "new breed" of online giver want? How can Social Networking benefit your organization? What trends in online giving are important for you to know? We'll hear from one of the world's preeminent online charity experts about what's going on now and how you can ensure online success in the future. Every part of the nonprofit sector, whether it's a health charity, a hospital, or a social change/advocacy organization, will benefit from this high-energy session. And the best thing...the tools and techniques he share with you can be put to work right away, right in your office the next day! CEU. Participation in this class is applicable for 1.5 points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.