Don’t Forget The Nickels And Dimes of (Micro)Donations
These can add up to big support
We are all sensitive to the economic plight that faces our country and the world: the banking crash and bailout and the unemployment that has grown close to 10% and could linger for some time. The beating the economy has taken shows its bruises first-and-foremost on those bodies least equipped to handle it: the working poor, the ill, the disadvantaged, and the organizations trying to help them out. Donations, as we have often noted on the blog, have taken a real hit since late 2008 (even though the US remains the most generous nation on earth in this regard). Nonprofits and charities are often temped to seek out the biggest donors to help balance the books and keep the good work going. Though that strategy has many merits, we would encourage these groups to remember the microdonations that became part of the donor landscape about eighteen months ago and continues to make a positive impact for their recipients (and for the folks who can spare even a few dollars to their favorite causes).
Popularity: unranked | Category Grants and Funding, Marketing, Web and Print | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
President Obama’s New AIDS Initiative Posted On WhiteHouse.gov
Yesterday, President Barack Obama shifted emphasis from his predecessor on yet another issue, as he announced the administration’s launch of the “Natinal HIV/AIDS Community Discussions” to be hosted by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP). “HIV remains an serious challenge to the American people and I am committed to developing an effective National HIV/AIDS Strategy,” said President Obama. “The National HIV/AIDS Community Discussions will provide an opportunity for members of the public to give their input on how we can best address this crucial issue. With the insights from communities across the country, we will have a strategy that is focused on the goals of reducing HIV incidence, getting people living with HIV/AIDS into care and improving health outcomes, and reducing HIV-related health disparities.”
The change of emphasis pertains to a stress on helping those who have the disease as well as educating those who participate in activities considered likely to spread the disease. The previous administration stressed abstinence, which certainly helps the spread of STDs, but also tended to sweep aside discussions of treatment or care for those who contracted them. Early reactions seem mostly cautiously optimistic.
Popularity: 1% | Category Grants and Funding, Healthcare, National/International, News and Current Affairs, Nonprofit | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Baltimore Finding Ways To Urban Renewal That Do Not Adversely Dislocate
In so many ways Baltimore spent much of the second half of the twentieth century as a city that snatched defeat from the jaws of victory: A vibrant industrial and trading city with a notable financial sector as well (in the decade after World War II), a city of some 2 million people who enjoyed the second most extensive trolley-car network in the US, a city with a pennant-winning baseball team (Yes, it was that long ago…). But by the late 1960s, the city was riven with racial violence, ‘white flight,’ and the secretly organized dismantling of much of its public transport for the sake of union jobs in a GM plant (now greatly reduced and outside the city). Needless, to say, the Orioles remain comfortably buried in the cellar of the AL East. Fortunately, he most recent efforts to revitalize the city, with the overwhelming input of Johns Hopkins University (disclaimer: the blogger is a graduate of said institution), are drawing support, ever-growing funds, and even praise — all of which deserve our attention.
Popularity: unranked | Category Affordable Housing, Grants and Funding, Local/Maryland, News and Current Affairs, Politics, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Perspectives: Bernell Grier, CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City
Bernell Grier, CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services of NYC
The board of directors of the Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City recently appointed interim chief executive officer Bernell Grier as the CEO of the organization. Ms. Grier has built up an impressive resume as a banker having over her career serving as EVP, Retail Community Banking; SVP Middle Marketing Lending; Community Development Director; and credit program co-manager – all before moving full time to NHS of NYC. As COO, Bernell helped steer the NHS offices in New York City’s five boroughs through the rough waters of the collapsing housing market, and has continued to work to expand NHS’s base of donors and projects. We had the pleasure of talking with her on a bright June morning in midtown Manhattan before her full docket of business got under way.
Bernell’s career trajectory is a wonderful example of how preparation and consideration can meet serendipity, as she has moved between the corporate and nonprofit worlds with ease, a smile, and a strong sense of calling to community. Her first job as a teenager living in Harlem, New York, was as a Community Outreach Coordinator with “Neighborhood Board No. One.” She began with a plan to teach mathematics in the very public school system that gave her the good start she enjoyed, so she went to City College of New York for teacher accreditation in education and math. The need for a summer job took her to Chase Bank Manhattan, where her people-skills were already evident enough that she was offered a spot in management training. One is tempted here to say “And the rest is history.” But ‘the rest’ is where it gets interesting.
Popularity: unranked | Category Affordable Housing, Community, Grants and Funding, Nonprofit, Revitalization, interview | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Twitter Tables To Turn Up Fundraising Fun
Charity events, galas, and $X000-a-plate dinners have been traditional ways to raise funds, even in these difficult times. And yet, social media have captured the imaginations of many a fundraising group and we have often reported on ways social media, philanthropy, and community involvement are tweaking the traditional ways to do things. Well, The Chronicle of Philanthropy is reporting on how Thompson Child and Family Focus, a charity in Charlotte, N.C., has found a way to combine all of the above.
Popularity: unranked | Category Grants and Funding, Marketing, Nonprofit, Tweets | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Charitable Giving Suffers Along With Economy In 2009
GivingUSA Tracks Where/How Much Americans Give
We suspect that our audience already has anecdotal evidence of today’s topic, but the annual report from the GivingUSA Foundation demonstrates that charitable donations are down by 3.6% in 2009 from 2008. “The Chronicle of Philanthropy” has an excellent summary by Holly Hall, who points to the fact that the slide in donations in 2009 actually follows a fall of 2.8% in 2008. On the same day The Chronicle has another story that points out how New York State is making cutbacks to programs to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS. So the Great Recession has certainly eaten into individuals’ abilities to give and states’ abilities to offer services and protections to their constituents. And yet, some silver lining can be seen among these recessionary clouds!
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Grants and Funding, Nonprofit | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Roundup Of And Registration For Upcoming East-Coast Nonprofit Workshops
For today’s posting, we wanted to inform our readers about a few workshops, seminars, and opportunities that are coming up over the next few weeks in New York and Washington DC. As our regular readers know, we occasionally pool some of the registration information, links, and tweets for such events both to help spread the word and to encourage our constituents to participate.
The first two are in NYC and are being sponsored by the Foundation Center, from whose materials the MKCREATIVE blog has often culled. A Proposal Writing Seminar will be held there on Wednesday 2 June from 8:30am. Topics include:
• Cover letter, executive summary; your message to the grantmaker
• Statement of need; choosing data to support your case
• Comprehensive project descriptions; your proof of project planning
• Organizational overview, conclusion, appendices
• Researching the funder to position your proposal
• The grantmaker’s proposal review process
Information and registration can be done online here.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Conference/Congress, Grants and Funding, Sustainability | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
E-Seminar “Freelance Writing for Nonprofits” Filling Fast – Sign Up Now!
Today’s topic is just too topical, and critical, to pass by or put in with other materials. Kivi Leroux Miller (whose work and whose guidance MKCREATIVE have often referred to) is hosting a four-week seminar on “Freelance Writing for Nonprofits,” which is limited to but ten quick registrants (actually, SEVEN as of last count!). If you are writing for nonprofits or want to do so, or if you want to sharpen your game for your nonprofit, get to the registration page quickly.
Why?
Popularity: unranked | Category Conference/Congress, Grants and Funding, Marketing, Nonprofit | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
The Weight of Long-Term Unemployment According to Pew Trust
Many of us are fortunate enough to read (or write) these tweets and blog postings from work, yet the topic of this Monday’s post concerns the ongoing effects of longer-term unemployment. We noted in late January an article in The Atlantic magazine on the fundamental and difficult-to-realign economic and social ramifications of long-term unemployment. The dangers go beyond the people looking for work, as families and neighbors can get pulled into downward social and psychological struggles. The Pew Economic Policy Group have just published a white paper entitled “A YEAR OR MORE: The high Cost of Long-Term Unemployment,” which puts some hard numbers on the kinds of trends discussed in the Atlantic article.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Conference/Congress, Grants and Funding, Nonprofit, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Resources And Tips To Start Writing Grant Proposals
As the tax season rushes upon us all, we wanted to offer a few resources for those who will be searching for and/or expanding their outreach to grant-giving organizations. One of the points that almost every one of the consultants we researched made is the fact that those grant-giving organizations WANT to give away their money. What they are looking for is a good, focused, and enthusiastic ‘sell.’
This video from ‘The Nonprofit Toolbox’ is an interview with Jane B Ford, a teacher and writer who has worked the the non-profit sector for three decades. Her interview begins with a discussion of her company, The Joy Path, which focuses on small to mid-size community based non-profit organizations. From there she discusses some great tactics to help anyone set up a successful grant application. For example, she stresses the fact that ‘the clarity of the mission… then the focus, and the people (who are getting the organization to succeed in its mission).’ And she also points out the trend of even national philanthropic groups is to seek out well-situated local missions with local ambitions.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Grants and Funding, Nonprofit, interview | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
“Cultivating Grantmaker Relationships” Conference in Washington DC on 5 May
A recent blog post and extended commentary section on The Chronicle of Philanthropy discusses what might be the ‘Fund Raiser of the Future.’ The Chronicle is working on a full story on the topic and is now soliciting input and ideas. Certainly, as the MKCREATIVE blog has noted more than once in recent months, economic bad times can be good times to expand and enrich networks. Down time at the nonprofit’s office should be time spent keeping up with educational and promotional opportunities. We encourage you to participate in the Comments section and get your thoughts out there as they work on the story. We also want you to get out of the offices as well, so consider a conference.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Conference/Congress, Grants and Funding, Nonprofit | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Education Resources And Analyses In The Context of The Great Recession
Education is a stunningly inefficient human endeavor. A teacher might invest hours of time on a student only to discover that the student’s family situation is too unstable to allow any of the teacher’s influence to stick after the school bell rings. Or the teacher might get dispirited about students’ indifferent reactions to a story, only to discover that a couple of those students recall the story years later and are inspired to write great novels or, better still, become teachers themselves. Or (an irony I have myself experienced) a ‘bad’ teacher might spur a child to believe she could do better if the roles were reversed, so she strives to reverse the roles. Unlike so many other aspects of our economic and social environment, the links of cause-and-effect are tenuous indeed when discussing the ‘value’ or ‘success’ of education.
Nevertheless, we must not give up on the ideal that everyone should have opportunity for a good education to help them strive for what they might choose to strive for. And we must continue to study how better to reform, adjust, and align the educational systems we have. As with environmental and housing issues so important to MKCREATIVE, we are pleased to pass on the word when private and public concerns combine to improve the educational environment of our communities. Today’s example is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation‘s report “PRIMARY SOURCES: America’s Teachers on America’s Schools,” a project done with Scholastic and recently published online.
Popularity: unranked | Category Education: General, Education: Technology, Grants and Funding | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
NeighborWorks Offers $119 Million For Community Development
After yesterday’s report about the trickle of federal recovery aid being used to assist mortgage holders on the brink of foreclosure, we can return to the topic of the housing crisis with some much better news. NeighborWorks America has announced that it will be distributing $119 million in grants for this year. The amount is made up of funds allocated by Congress and by philanthropic donations to the organization. Most of the money will go to regional and local NeighborWorks offices, so homeowners will best be served by working with one of their 237 (and growing) local offices.
Popularity: unranked | Category Affordable Housing, Community, Grants and Funding, Nonprofit, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Nonprofits Looking for Ways to Bridge Gaps in Funding
More grim news about the economic situation we find ourselves in: The stock market rose by some 28 points on the news that ONLY 20,000 jobs were shed in February (as opposed to 60,000 in January). Our readers are well aware of the situation, of course. And all economics, like politics, are local as we each work through our situations from where we find ourselves right now. Which goes for the nonprofit sector as well, although that sector tends to be a ‘lagging indicator,’ as private benefactions and government support are planned and divvied in advance. Thus most nonprofits probably do not feel the greatest strain until the allocated funds run out, which could be months into the economic trough.
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Conference/Congress, Grants and Funding, Marketing, National/International, Politics | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
‘Top 10 Ways to Use Recovery Funds for Green Buildings’ – Nos.8 & 7
In our ongoing periodic series concerning the best ways to use ARRA funds from the Obama Administration’s recovery package to green existing buildings and to build the next generation of green infrastructure, we turn to numbers 8 and 7 on the list (please see our Archives for previous entries).
Popularity: unranked | Category Community, Grants and Funding, Greening, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Recovery Funds for Green Buildings: Nos.10 & 9 in Our Top Ten List
A week or so ago we posted the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) report on the “Top 10 Ways to Use Recovery Funds for Green Building.” The report outlined ways local and state governments, as well as community organizations and socially-conscious businesses could draw upon the Obama Administration’s recovery package. With the federal government ‘closed’ and snuggling under a thick blanket of snow, we thought this the perfect time to study the 10 Ways in greater detail for our clients and readers. [Paul Schafer, cue the music!] (more…)
Popularity: 1% | Category Climate Change, Community, Grants and Funding, Greening, Local/Maryland, Sustainability | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
2010 Non-Profit Technology Conference
Following up on yesterday’s theme of making 2010 a great year for outreach and communications: the 2010 Non-Profit Technology Conference (NTC) is going to be held in Atlanta, Georgia, April 8-10. The conference is at the Omni Hotel in the CNN Center, and registration is now open. (more…)
Popularity: 1% | Category Community, Conference/Congress, Grants and Funding, Marketing, Nonprofit, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
How to get your e-newsletters read, not deleted
Looking to refresh contacts and client-relations for 2010? Wanting guidance to expland those client lists? Next Tuesday, 9 February, NetworkForGood.org will be hosting a seminar on how to get email blasts and e-newsletters out of the Junk Box and into the conscousness of your group’s clientele. Kivi Leroux Miller, president of EcoScribe Communications will be our hostess. (more…)
Popularity: 1% | Category Client Roster, Community, Grants and Funding, Marketing, Nonprofit | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
In-depth: ‘Series on 10 Ways to Use Recovery Funds for Green Buildings’
Last Friday (22 January) we blogged about some of the ways money from the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)” was being put into the greening of standing buildings and the creation of green public and government buildings.
There was a very positive response to the posting, so this week we are starting an occasional “Top 10″ series where we drill-down on a particular subject. The first series focuses on a list compiled by the U.S. Green Building Council. (more…)
Popularity: 1% | Category Community, Grants and Funding, Greening, Local/Maryland, National/International, Politics | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Living in & loving Baltimore!
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
The Baltimore Media website has just released its latest e-dition, with stories about how jealous Pittsburgh is of Charm City and how many great restaurants one can enjoy after a day’s community gardening. (more…)
Popularity: 1% | Category Banking & Finance, Client Roster, Community, Grants and Funding, Greening, Local/Maryland, Politics | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: How to launch greening projects
Federal economic stimulus has come in many guises, but we at MKCREATIVE want to call attention to those that pertain to housing and to the environment. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (‘ARRA‘) includes numerous opportunities for such work. (more…)
Popularity: 1% | Category Community, Grants and Funding, Greening, Local/Maryland, National/International, Politics, Revitalization, Sustainability | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
Texting to raise money for Haitian victims of the earthquake
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti who are struggling for survival after the terrible earthquake of last week. The outpour of support from countries around the world has been one bright spot in the tragedy, and as MKCREATIVE’s mission is to work with non-profits and community-housing groups, we feel especially drawn to the survivors, charity groups, and NGO’s working there to rebuild the country. (more…)
Popularity: 1% | Category Community, Grants and Funding, Revitalization | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D
How new media is encouraging social change
The Hatcher Group have just released a great report on how non-profits have been using social media to build support and to call to action their supporters. The report is based on surveys and interviews held with thirty non-profits to see how they are using such new media as blogs, Twitter, and Facebook. (more…)
Popularity: 1% | Category Book Review, Grants and Funding, Marketing, Nonprofit | | View Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner, Ph. D