Persistence Pays Off for Military College With a $6-Million Gift From Ross Perot
How much: $6.175-million Who gave it: Ross Perot, a Texas entrepreneur who ran unsuccessfully for president in 1992 and 1996. Who got it: U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Foundation, the fund-raising arm of the college, a graduate school for military leaders. Purpose: The pledge will…
By Caroline Bermudez
Contributor
An array of online tools and networks such as blogs, Twitter, and Facebook allow nonprofit groups to connect with supporters, volunteers, and donors in a far more interactive, cost-effective way than ever in history. But few charities have figured out how to raise money using the new social…
Amid growing concern that donors have no way to know whether their giving makes a difference, efforts to improve how individuals pick and choose charities are gaining steam. That could be good news for giving: A majority of wealthy people polled by Bank of America and the Center on Philanthropy at…
As donors grow more inclined to specify how they want their contributions to be used, cash-strapped nonprofit groups will struggle to honor those wishes. Organizations probably will continue to explore ways to use restricted endowments for more-general purposes. “Donor-intent skirmishes are busting…
A Sharpened Eye on Charity Pay
The Internal Revenue Service is scrutinizing many of the nation’s wealthiest organizations, and has undertaken wide-ranging efforts to make sure charity leaders and their boards serve as good stewards of tax-subsidized dollars. In Congress, lawmakers continue to seek ways to ensure that nonprofit…
Many charity employees will enter the new year under conditions ripe for burnout: 2009 was marked by layoffs, salary freezes, and other cutbacks in pay and benefits. Employees who have retained their jobs and taken on expanded workloads with no additional compensation will present management…
Many of the nation’s largest foundations and corporations will probably trim their giving next year.
2010: Daunting Challenges Face the Nonprofit World
The nonprofit world is about to face the toughest year in its history. By every measure, 2010 could be far more painful for charities and the people they serve than any other they have known. Already many charities have been weakened by one of the longest recessions America has witnessed. The…
A Full-Court Press for Modest Gifts
As charities face cutbacks in state aid, as well as in grants from foundations and corporations, they are turning more intently to individuals — and focusing most seriously on small and medium-sized donations. While some signs of an uptick in giving are encouraging fund raisers, overall giving…
Charities that rely heavily on government grants and contracts will find little relief in 2010. The recession continues to take a bite out of tax revenues, and the recent climb in the unemployment rate will make things worse. The National Governors Association’s prognosis is bleak: States are in…
While the economy is improving, the recovery from the recession is expected to be long and difficult. Charities can anticipate a continued surge in requests for food, housing, and many other social services as people struggle with job losses and other problems triggered by the downturn. The…
Capturing Images of Struggle and Charity
(Photograph courtesy of International Medical Corps) International Medical Corps always knew that the photographs taken to capture the organization’s humanitarian work were important. For more than 20 years, the Santa Monica, Calif., organization stored a jumble of prints, negatives, slides, and…
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Study Says Few Foundations Use Data to Evaluate Themselves
Few foundations use data to evaluate themselves, report says
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Foundations Increase Support for Climate-Change Prevention
Foundations increase support for climate-change prevention
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
Ford Foundation Commits $80-Million to Help American Workers
Ford Foundation commits $80-million to help nonprofit workers
By Ian Wilhelm
Contributor
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