Charities Seek to Entice Frugal Donors to Give a Little Bit More
With the troubled economy causing many Americans to become more thrifty, fund raisers face numerous challenges this holiday season in persuading donors to give generously. Experts say charity officials should stay in close contact with donors, and provide flexibility in giving arrangements, to…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
High-Tech Help Aids Charities That Provide Toys to the Needy
Two programs that distribute new toys to needy children over the holidays are getting a high-tech tuneup, thanks to donated consulting help. Collaborative Consulting, a company in Boston, donated services worth an estimated $100,000 to help the Home for Little Wanderers improve its online “wish…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
Charities Tap Supporters to Craft Online Fund-Raising Pitches
Hiring a fund raiser is never cheap — unless you can find a few dozen donors to take on the task without pay. The Grameen Foundation, a Washington group that makes small loans to needy entrepreneurs, is sponsoring a contest for supporters to come up with the most creative and effective fund-raising…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
After United Way Rejected Them, Seven Charities in Philadelphia Join Forces to Raise Money
Many charities have improved their odds of surviving the downturn by collaborating to reduce “back office” and other operating expenses. Seven charities in Philadelphia are taking the concept a step further: They are collaborating on an advertising campaign to seek increased year-end donations. The…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
93% of Charities Feel Effects of Recession
Study shows tough economy is causing more pain for charities.
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
Words Matter: a New Way to Improve Schools
In Dallas, a dozen private and community foundations are saturating a Hispanic neighborhood with educational programs for parents and very young children. The goal: to increase the vocabulary of kids entering kindergarten. The effort is unusual for its focus on a single neighborhood — Bachman Lake…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
A Former Fund Raiser Urges Charities and Donors to Focus on Small Gifts
Wendy Smith is a cheerleader for the small donor. Charities may focus on the big donations, but in Give a Little: How Your Small Donations Can Transform Our World, Ms. Smith reminds Americans that giving by individuals adds up to a huge sum — $229-billion in 2007.
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
New Exchange Seeks to Help Charities Expand
Many nonprofit groups with demonstrated results still struggle to raise money to spread their programs, despite plenty of talk in the philanthropic world over the past decade about focusing dollars on what works. That mixed record has prompted interest in a capital marketplace — not unlike the…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
Innovative Ways to Cut Hassles and Make Volunteering More Appealing
The call to service does not always come through loud and clear. Despite good intentions, prospective volunteers have plenty of reasons for postponing: lack of time, the hassles of background checks, an inability to figure out how they can help solve the world’s problems, and the frustration of…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor
Can the Nonprofit World Handle a Flood of Helpers?
Every time Erica Wissolik tried to volunteer, she struck out. An AIDS clinic didn’t return her calls. A charity helping families displaced by the Balkan war gave her the cold shoulder. An employee at the Washington chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters told her the group didn’t need any white women.…
By Ben Gose
Senior Editor