The Non-profit Times

Browse past and current articles from this publication.

It was always his 'own': Paul Newman was driven by a sense of doing what was right.(OBITUARY)
Paul Newman was a Hollywood icon for his roles in classic films like Cool Hand Luke and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He'll also be remembered for what salad dressing, popcorn, spaghetti sauce . . .

Safe donations: accreditation program offered for Muslim charities.(REGULATION)
Whether it was donors wary of a charity's legitimacy or fearing that a contribution wouldn't get to its intended destination if The Feds froze a nonprofit's assets, increased government scrutiny aft . . .

Uneven performance: Olympics didn't stick the dismount for nonprofit DRTV.(DIRECT RESPONSE)
Operation Smile expected 1.2 million viewers from short, direct response television (DRTV) ads during the recent Summer Olympics. The media buys scored big with 2.7 million viewers. The reason was . . .

Answering donors' questions: software puts information at a fundraiser's fingertips.(PLANNED GIVING)
When a gift planning officer gets a call from a prospective donor, the officer must be prepared to answer questions ranging from the mundane to the arcane. The caller might want to know how much a . . .

50 lose jobs at Las Vegas nonprofit.(BUSINESS BRIEFS)(Nevada Cancer Institute)(Brief article)
Citing poor economic conditions in the region, and nationwide, the Nevada Cancer Institute (NVCI) in August laid off 50 employees. The reduction in force, some of which were unfilled positions, we . . .

Cougar Mountain releases CMS Professional 2009.(BUSINESS BRIEFS)
Cougar Mountain Software released CMS Professional 2009 for its Accounting, FUND and Point-of-Sale lineup. This latest update includes a new features and specialized tools designed to give more in-d . . .

Strategic Fundraising on the Inc. 5000.(BUSINESS BRIEFS)
Strategic Fundraising, based in St. Paul, Minn., was selected by Inc. magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies in the United States. The company reported three-year sales gro . . .

New LA GSUSA boss.(BUSINESS BRIEFS)(Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles appoints Lise L. Luttgens )(Brief article)
Lise L. Luttgens is the new chief executive officer for the new Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, which is comprised of six area Girl Scouts councils that will merge into one council on Dec. 1. . . .

Going back to school doesn't require a classroom anymore.(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
When Alyssa Bellew moved to the nonprofit world four years ago, she put her for-profit management skills to work. But last year BEllew decided she needed to increase her nonprofit know-how if she wa . . .

Webinars bring professional training to the office.(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
Webinars are in vogue for professional development--and just in time for a shaky economy where cash is siphoned from staff training into programs. Nonprofits that are pinching pennies find it hard t . . .

Commentary: should the ungodly bright lead philanthropy?(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
When Warren Buffett announced his multi-billion dollar bequest to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation during the summer of 2006, he explained his generous if unconventional, act of charity by clai . . .

The tough economy: coasting on the downturn highway.(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
Regardless of what presidential candidates, housing experts, or political pundits are saying, most of us know that times are hard right now. And some of us are being directly affected. In the nonpro . . .

Calendar.(Calendar)
OCTOBER 5-7 The Arts Reach National Arts Marketing Conference will be held at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco. Info: www.artsreach.com 12-15 The International Catholic Stewardship Council will . . .

Consultants page: resource directory.
ACCOUNTING SERVICES--STRATEGIC PLANNING ACCOUNTING SERVICES JMT CONSULTING GROUP 888-368-2463 Supporting nonprofit organizations with Fund Accounting and Fundrais . . .

Baltimore has the aquarium, the Orioles ...(Who ... When ... Where ... How ... WHAT?)(Brief article)
If you want a nonprofit job, think about moving to Maryland. The Maryland nonprofit sector created more than 50,000 new jobs between 1998 and 2006. Nonprofit employees account for 9.5 percent of the . . .

New name, leadership for NCNA.(Who ... When ... Where ... How ... WHAT?)(National Council of Nonprofit Associations changed name
With a new executive director in place and new leadership amidst its board members, the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) will change its name to the National Council of Nonprofits ( . . .

What's in a name?(Who ... When ... Where ... How ... WHAT?)(www.woundedwarriors.org)(Wounded Warrior Project filed a lawsuit aga
Two nonprofits dedicated to helping veterans are still battling over their names. Omaha-based Wounded Warriors, Inc. was given a preliminary injunction by the Federal District Court of Nebraska to c . . .

Kumbaya: inclusion is a great thing, unless it's a sales pitch.(GENERAL RAMBLINGS)
There's a "We Are The World" feeling going around the charitable sector. Maybe the election season brings out the feeling that it's time to lend a hand. Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie taught us t . . .

Calendar.(GENERAL RAMBLINGS)(Calendar)
OCTOBER 5-7 TheArts Reach NationalArts Marketing Conference will be held at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco. Info: www.artsreach.com 12-15 The International Catholic Stewardship Council will h . . .

Finding new names economically.(DIRECT MAIL)
There are alternatives to cutting acquisition mailings if your nonprofit is looking to reduce costs in a declining economy. Emily McManus describes the efforts at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as . . .

Consultants page: resource directory.
ACCOUNTING SERVICES--STRATEGIC PLANNING ACCOUNTING SERVICES JMT CONSULTING GROUP 888-368-2463 Supporting nonprofit organizations with Fund Accounting and Fundra . . .

Shock and awe makes an impression: sometimes you can't go too far with public awareness.
A poster featuring a busty, D-cup model will turn heads. Couple it with a precocious, pig-tailed face of a little girl and it will stir an Internet frenzy. That's what happened to The United Way o . . .

That familiar feeling: fundraising goes national by going regional.
When the American Lung Association (ALA) in New York City tried to streamline its fundraising efforts by eliminating local references in their mailings in favor of a generic nationwide message, it s . . .

Lessons from 'Lenny' grab attention of millennials.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) had harrowing statistics--everyday in the state four people die in alcohol-related crashes. But the problem remained how do you translate the serious d . . .

Protected from whom? Mail dates, list usage rules becoming unsettled.(LISTS)
Susan G. Komen For the Cure (SGK) began evolving its direct mail program in February 2007. This past May it starting dropping the blackout dates for swapping its donor files. It is also evolving its . . .

Information sharing: transparency will show donors made correct choice.(FAITH-BASED FUNDRAISING)
Let's take a little true or false quiz: 1. Fundraising regulators are getting scary ... 2. Compliance for general nonprofits is expensive (Form 990 preparation, Sarbanes-Oxley issues for their b . . .

Donors want more: most are not extremely happy with nonprofit interactions.(DONORS)
Slightly more than 1 in 10 donors (13 percent) say their experience as a donor exceeded expectations, according to a new survey. While 83 percent of donors said their experience met expectations, it . . .

Hein leaves White House Faith-Based Office.(Jay Hein)(Brief article)
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jay Hein, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, has resigned. Hein told The NonProfit Times that while he had planned to stay until th . . .

New form 990 instructions available.(BRIEFS)
The Internal Revenue Service ORS) released the revised instructions that tax-exempt organizations will need to fill out for the redesigned Form 990, which must be filed starting with tax year 2008 ( . . .

Patty Franchi Flaherty dies at 53.(Ovations for the Cure of Ovarian Cancer)(Obituary)(Brief article)
Patty Franchi Flaherty, 53, founder of Ovations for the Cure of Ovarian Cancer in Natick, Mass., died Aug. 18 after a nine-year battle with the disease. Inspired by the death of her mother from ov . . .

National Kidney Foundation Picks Fitzgerald+CO.(Brief article)
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) in NewYork City selected Fitzgerald+Co as its agency of record. The NKF has charged the agency with a new brand campaign aimed at growing awareness of the organi . . .

Diversity recruitment: age is also a diversity issue to consider.(HUMAN RESOURCES)
The U.S. Census Bureau has projected that the American minority population will be the majority by 2042--eight years earlier than previously predicted. While that is still 34 years away, nonprofits . . .

Calendar.(Calendar)
SEPTEMBER 22-23 The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants will hold the second of two National Governmental Accounting And Auditing conferences, this time in Denver. Info: www.aicpa.o . . .

Community Foundations leveraging information to raise cash.
Match this: More than $800,000 raised in 45 minutes and it didn't involve a weapon of any kind. Communicating, collaborating and cooperating are predominant themes in the nonprofit sector these da . . .

Tight economy squeezes inventories at resale stores.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a struggling economy many resale stores are finding sales increase as the public seeks bargains. This boom gives The Salvation Army a nervous headache. "Sales are up ar . . .

An all-online gala forgets about everything except the donor.(Neighborhood Housing Services)
The Neighborhood House Association's (NHA) annual gala raised about $170,000 last year but there were no tuxedos, evening gowns or fancy hors d'oeuvres. There also was no band, much less a banquet h . . .

Anyone got the munchies?(Who ... When ... Where ... How ... WHAT?)
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Well, if people ever get tired of Thin Mints or Peanut Butter Patties, a "Mary Jane" could always invigorate the brand, the growing kind, not the candy favorite, that is. Au . . .

It's just a couple of girls next door.(Who ... When ... Where ... How ... WHAT?)
An event to raise money for children definitely wasn't kid-friendly at the Playboy Mansion. The "Cops and Robbers" event on Aug. 23 featured Playboy playmates, MySpace "star" Bobbi Billard, DJ Lady . . .

Can't beat this. Well, maybe you can.(Who ... When ... Where ... How ... WHAT?)
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This could give "take one for the team" a new definition. Funds raised during the World Xtreme Boxing Challenge (WXBC) will benefit local charities in Des Moines, Iowa. The . . .

Try chanting these ...(Who ... When ... Where ... How ... WHAT?)
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If presidential campaign slogans are making you sick, Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network (NVEN) has the remedy. NVEN is rolling out a line of nonpartisan products, some th . . .

Travel refunds continue from Points of Light Institute.
Some 1,200 customers are expected to receive refunds or have their travel plans fulfilled by the time the Points of Light Institute completes the process, which is expected this week. The Points o . . .

Raise your hand: thankfully, volunteers don't wait to be called on.(GENERAL RAMBLINGS)(ServiceNation Summit )
Approximately 500 folks in really expensive business garb, or more leisurely but nearly as expensive attire, will gather on September 11 in New York City for the first ServiceNation Summit. Several . . .

Nonprofit marketers take national prize.(AWARDS)(Jay Aldous and Kyle Zimmer are awarded as nonprofit marketers of the year)(Amer
Jay Aldous, from the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and Kyle Zimmer, from First Book, were the co-recipients of the inaugural American Marketing Association/American Marketing Association Foundation Nonprofi . . .

Acquiring new donors takes guts.(Letter to the editor)
Dear Editor: Several of my staff passed around the On Dangerous Ground piece you did in the General Ramblings column (Aug. 1, 2008). Your comments just hit it right on the head in reference to the . . .

Tish, that's French! Cy pres for no mission drift at your nonprofit.(STREETSMART NONPROFIT MANAGER)
Foundations are not inherently glamorous. When it holds up a house, the kind of foundation made of poured concrete or cement blocks is easily the most boring thing about the building. No homeowner e . . .

Nonprofit publishing: how to treat advertising activities by a tax-exempt organization.(TAXING ISSUES)
A tax-exempt organization prefers that all of its revenue generated be eligible for tax-exempt status. However, due to strict laws enacted by Congress, your organization is faced with restrictions t . . .

Hot nonprofit Web sites: chapters can stand out beyond national branding.(ONLINE)
Preaching the power of branding to nonprofits continues to be a hot topic for consultants, vendors, and conference sessions. With the combination of audio, video, and interactive elements, the Inter . . .

Donor management software confidential: NPO seeks easy-to-use software for FR and possible LTR.(SPECIAL REPORT)
Too many nonprofits give software selection less attention than the average person does looking through the personal ads. The hope is that they can make a purchase decision after hearing about a few . . .

Scripting the call: what to say when reaching out to donors by phone.(FAITH-BASED GIVING)
Giving to nonprofits in the United States has steadily increased for more than 50 years, with no sector being stronger than that of gifts to religious organizations. Giving to such organizations is . . .

The sacred cow: do board members really have to fundraise?(FUNDRAISING)
Many nonprofits today view fundraising as a major responsibility for board members. Every board member is expected not only to make their own monetary donation, but also to successfully solicit sign . . .