PND - News - - Arts Groups Happy to Have a Friend in White House

PND - News -


- Arts Groups Happy to Have a Friend in White House






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New Media in Action: "Google Launches Real-Time Search"

Check out this CNN article on Google's new move: real time searching, including relevant results from Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/07/google.real.time.search/index.html

PND - RFPs - Starbucks Foundation Offers Support for Young Social Entrepreneurs

PND - RFPs


- Starbucks Foundation Offers Support for Young Social Entrepreneurs






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Word of Mouth Marketing article from Guidestar

Good article on the popular Word of Mouth marketing school. I subscribe to this school, even if it's harder to accomplish (aren't the good things always?). Two good books on the subject are Creating Customer Evangelists and Word of Mouth Marketing. Check them out. Every organization/personal brand already has Word of Mouth working for it. Best to learn some solid techniques and begin to use them effectively! Powerful, natural good will! - M


Word of Mouth Marketing

December 2009 (Guidestar eNewsletter)

Let's Give 'Em Something to Talk About

Word of mouth. It is the holy grail of marketing. It's effective and inexpensive. Everyone dreams of achieving it, but few organizations are truly able to make it work. Most likely it's because they are not ready for word of mouth. Before you get started on this journey, look in the mirror and ask yourself a few questions. Answer them honestly; if you don't answer Yes to these questions, you may need to address some internal challenges first.
Question #1. Is there something unique or interesting about your company?

If you do not have anything interesting to say about your products or service, why would you expect others to talk about you? Find what is interesting about you. It could be a revolutionary product or technology, your extraordinary customer service, the culture of your organization, a need in the community you are meeting, your amazing prices. There has to be something, even if it is a just a Joke of the Week at the bottom of your donor newsletter. If not, you need to figure out how you will differentiate yourself, not only for word of mouth but also to survive in this competitive environment.
Question #2. Can you easily articulate your unique value?

I tell everyone that I love my Honda Odyssey. It is the most family-friendly vehicle imaginable. Costco is my favorite place to shop. Not because of their prices, but because their return policy and customer service are second to none. It's easy for me to share why I love these products. I'm not going to tell people about something I can't put my finger on or can't explain.
Question #3. Do you treat your donors, clients, and employees with the highest level of respect?

For word of mouth to work, you have to focus on doing what is best for your donors and clients. Always. That is giving them the best products and the best service to go with them. If your clients don't love you (or at least really, really like you), don't expect them to talk about you. Unless you want the word of mouth we aren't looking for. The same level of respect and focus should be given to your employees. Odds are very good they will be one of the best sources for word of mouth. Value them and make them proud to be a part of your organization.

So you answered Yes to the above? First of all, congratulations—your nonprofit is doing a lot of things right. If not, work on getting to Yes.
Folks Are Talking Behind Your Back—And It's A Good Thing!

By now, you've given people something so interesting and easy to articulate about your organization that people want to talk. It will happen naturally, but there are things you can do to speed up the process.
Find the talkers

Certain individuals love to talk. Many are often well connected. In Malcolm Gladwell's amazing book Tipping Point, he describes them as connectors, mavens, and salesmen. Find these people and give them the white glove treatment. Send them product samples. Invite them to events. Thank them for their support. Surprise and delight them. Trust me. They will talk.

You will most likely know who these people are, but if you need help, here are some tricks. Are you part of a social network, such as Facebook or LinkedIn? Talkers are the folks that have twice as many "friends" or "contacts" as you. Their wallet is stuffed with business cards, and they are always handing out theirs. You have now found the talkers.
Make it easy for people to talk

On your Web site, place a "Refer a Friend" link and a newsletter sign-up prominently on all pages. These are two of the easiest ways to let the talkers do their work. Send out an e-newsletter to your clients and supporters (but only if they have opted in). In the newsletter, invite them to forward it to friends and colleagues who may be interested. Better yet, include a nice story or joke that will make readers want to forward the newsletter.

When you mail anything to your customers, include multiple business cards or brochures. I've even gone so far as to include two offers in a single direct marketing piece. The additional offer typically ends up in the hands of a friend or family member. Finally, include your Web address in the signature of your e-mail. Do you know how often your e-mails get forwarded and to whom? Well, now they know about your organization and how to find you!
Join in the conversation

Don't sit on the sideline and be passive in letting word of mouth to happen. Engage in it. People are probably already talking about you online. It's easy to find out. Just set up a Google Alert or check Technorati for the latest blog posts. If people are saying nice things, thank them. Thanking them reinforces for everyone the great things they heard. If someone is less than flattering, fix the problem publicly and show the world you are proactive in addressing customer issues. Don't be afraid to blog or use social networks as well. Keep conversations open and involved. But remember, you are an organization that treats clients and supporters with respect. So when engaging in online conversation, always be open about who you are and whom you represent. The Web community is very savvy. If you are spoofing people, they will find out, and the results won't be pretty.

You now have a great foundation to engage in word of mouth marketing. It's time to put together a plan, make it easy for the conversations to take place, and get them started!
Additional Resources

* www.heinzmarketing.com
* www.guykawasaki.com
* www.gaspedal.com
* Word of Mouth Marketing, by Andy Sernowitz (aka the Bible of word of mouth)

* How useful did you find this article? Give us your feedback >

Scott Neilson, FundBunch
© 2009, FundBunch

Scott Neilson is the CEO/founder of FundBunch, which provides tools and services to allow individuals and organizations to be more effective in their online fundraising efforts.

PND - News - - Time Warner Cable Commits $100 Million to Science, Math Education

PND - News -


- Time Warner Cable Commits $100 Million to Science, Math Education






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New Media Communications and a Change of Direction

For awhile I've been hinting at a change of direction with this blog. With the below article (from Guidestar's monthly e-newsletter) as an official ribbon-cutting, the change begins: while I will continue to focus on fundraising, grant writing, and issues devoted to the nonprofit sector, I now add New/Social Media Communications to my topics of interest. As I now spend so much time working on website building, social media start-up, and how to integrate Web 2.0 technology into existing communications strategies, I think it's only natural to share what I discover. Friends have clued me into some other good blogs/resources related to this issue, including some I may feature here. I believe New/Social Media have changed the way we communicate, work, and even look at ourselves, and I believe these changes are so intuitive to our human nature that they will not go away anytime soon. They - and their positive applications for organizations and missions - fascinate me. If you like, stick with me as I explore this new world. - M


Social Media Is Going Mobile, and So Should Your Nonprofit

November 2009

As the Web goes mobile, so does social media and so should your nonprofit. If there is one thing I have learned over the last 10 years of using the Internet for fundraising and mass communications, it is that the nonprofits that can embrace change quickly, empower their visionaries, and adopt new Web trends reap the benefits of being early adopters.

The Web and how people use it are transforming quickly. There are more than 65 million active users currently accessing Facebook through their mobile devices, and that number grows daily. MySpace estimates that 50 percent of its Web site traffic will be mobile within 24 months. In 2008, more than 2 trillion text messages were sent worldwide. One trillion of those were sent by U.S. mobile subscribers, triple the number of text messages sent in 2007. Millions of those texts are being sent via Tweets on Twitter.

Social media is definitely going mobile. Here are three mobile strategies that your nonprofit can start experimenting with and considering for 2010:

1. Text messaging for advocacy and fundraising: Services such as Mobile Commons and mGive offer mass text messaging and text-to-give services for nonprofits. The tool set is amazing and they get good reviews, but most small to medium-sized nonprofits can't afford their services. MobileCause offers a similar tool set and is a little less expensive, but for those who cannot afford hundreds of dollars a month, some relatively inexpensive alternatives are TextMarks, EzTexting, and Frontline SMS. One thing to keep in mind is that most new services are expensive when first launched but go down in price significantly over time as new vendors flood the market.

My guess is that 2010 will be the year when many nonprofits will be able to starting utilizing these new, powerful mobile tools at a much lower cost. Just keep in mind that it takes time to build your build your mobile list, so even if you don't launch a campaign until 2010, you might want consider adding a "Mobile" field to your year-end promotional materials.

2. Mobile Web sites: When I said social media is going mobile, I meant literally. All the major social media sites have mobile versions of their Web sites: m.twitter.com, m.facebook.com, m.youtube.com, m.myspace.com, m.flickr.com, m.linkedin.com, etc. How about your nonprofit? Do you have a mobile Web site? Have you considered how your current Web site looks on a mobile phone?

Two organizations that have been early adopters and pioneers in their use of social media are the National Wildlife Federation and the World Wildlife Fund. Now they are leading the way in mobile technology. See www.nwf.mobi and www.wwf.mobi. Services such as Instant Mobilizer and mobiSiteGallore allow to you build a decent mobile Web site in a matter of minutes, but with a little technical and HTML know-how, you can custom build a mobile Web site for your organization pretty easily. If you are going to design your own mobile Web site, make sure you check out the article Mobile Web Design Trends for 2009.

3. Nonprofits as Real-time Reporters via Social Media and Mobile Devices: This is a dramatic shift in Web communications. Rather than reporting highlights from your annual gala dinner in your print newsletter two months after it is over, or in an e-mail newsletter just a few days after the event, smartphones and social media apps now allow nonprofits to report live from the event in real time.

Whether you're updating your Twitter account with Tweetie, recording a video with your iPhone and uploading it to your YouTube channel within minutes, or posting a Status Update to your organization's Facebook page, the news cycle has changed forever. So nonprofits need to be thinking about reporting live from fundraisers, conferences, protests, etc. To do this, you need to make sure that your key communications staff are empowered with a smartphone, such as an iPhone, BlackBerry, or PalmPre. There is a good reason Time magazine named the iPhone the Invention of the Year in 2007 and that 87 percent of smartphone consumers in the United States chose the iPhone. Perhaps an iPhone or two is something to consider writing into next year's budget?

* How useful did you find this article? Give us your feedback >

Heather Mansfield
© 2009, DIOSA | Communications

Owner of DIOSA | Communications, Heather Mansfield has over 10 years of nonprofit fundraising and online-community-building experience. In addition to serving as the Nonprofit Community Manager for Change.org, Heather created and maintains the "Nonprofit Organizations" profiles on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace. She also blogs at Nonprofit Tech 2.0. Fueled by a strong passion for the Internet, Heather spends her days helping nonprofit organizations utilize the Internet as a tool for social change. In March 2009, she was named a Fundraising Star of the Year by Fundraising Success Magazine and in October 2009 placed on Twitter's Suggested User List. On November 18, she will present a free GuideStar webinar on social media for nonprofits. Learn more >

College More Expensive than Inflation

This issue splits me down the middle. On one end, as a university employee, I know rising tuition is necessary to more resources and continued competitiveness. Colleges must earn their students these days, sometimes more than students must earn their way into choice universities. On the other end, I know university policy can become greedy very quickly: bodies in seats and dollars in the door overwhelm the threshold of quality very easily, especially with the pressure put on presidents, provosts, and deans to produce upticks immediately. We've seen a lot of bubbles in recent decades (tech, housing). The growth rate of the university degree and its perceived value seem to be trending in a similar direction. No predictions of doom here. Just something to watch for those of us who believe in providing excellent education to all, especially at the highest level offered.

- M

Cost of Attending College Rose Faster Than Inflation, Reports Find
With institutions of higher education struggling to manage the effects of state budget cuts and declines in the value of their endowments, tuition and fees at colleges and universities around the country continued to rise in 2009-10, two new reports from the College Board find.

The first report, Trends in College Pricing 2009 (20 pages, PDF), found that the average published price of tuition and fees for in-state students at four-year public colleges in 2009-10 was $7,020 — 6.5 percent higher than in 2008-09 — while tuition and fees at four-year private colleges averaged $26,273 — 4.4 percent higher than the year before.

The report also found that tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities rose at an annual average rate of 4.9 percent above and beyond the rate of inflation from 1999-2000 to 2009-10 — faster than the 3 percent and 4 percent rates of the previous two decades. At the same time, the rate of growth at private four-year institutions (2.6 precent) and public two-year colleges (1.8 percent) was lower over that ten-year period than in either of the two previous decades.

The second report, Trends in Student Aid 2009 (20 pages, PDF), found that although the amount of grant aid distributed to students increased significantly in 2008-09 (the latest year for which data is available), student borrowing also increased, as did the gap between available resources and the overall cost of attending college.

As was the case for tuition and fees, spending on food, housing, books, supplies, and other student costs increased more rapidly than the rate of inflation in 2009-10. Only at public two-year colleges did grant aid for the average student stretch beyond tuition and fees.

"It is vital that we assure access to a high-quality college education for all students," said College Board president Gaston Caperton. "While a college education is critical to long-term financial security, it feels out of reach to many students and families in today's economy. States and institutions must increase their efforts to reduce costs and to prevent tuition from rising as rapidly as it has in the past. We must provide generous financial aid for those who most need the funds and help students and families to understand the wide array of options available to them in our diverse educational system."

“Public Four-Year Tuition Continues to Rise at Faster Rate than Private Four-Year Tuition.” College Board Press Release 10/20/09.

More Literacy Grants: Big Read Program 2010-11

I love libraries, literature, and reading. I hope programs like this will help future generations feel the same way. - M

Big Read Program Offers Grants to Support Community Reading Projects
The Big Read, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest, is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations to conduct month-long community-wide reads between September 2010 and June 2011.

The Big Read is a national program designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture. Organizations selected to participate in the program will receive a grant ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 each, access to online training resources, educational and promotional materials, inclusion of the organization and activities on the Big Read Web site, and the prestige of participating in a highly visible national program. Approximately seventy-five organizations from across the United States will be selected to participate.

Grants must be matched at least one-to-one with non-federal funds. Grant funds may be used for expenses such as book purchases, speaker fees and travel, salaries, advertising, and venue rental.

Applicant organizations must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; a division of state, local, or tribal government; or a tax-exempt public library. Eligible applicants include such organizations as literary centers, libraries, museums, colleges and universities, art centers, historical societies, arts councils, tribal governments, humanities councils, literary festivals, and arts organizations. Applicant organizations must partner with a library (if the applicant organization itself is not a library). K-12 schools and school districts, whether public or private, may not be lead applicants but are strongly encouraged to partner with libraries, literary centers, museums, and other eligible applicants.

Applicants can select one of the thirty-one available reading choices.

Visit the Big Read Web site for complete program information.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

FYI: Tough NEO Stats from Nonprofit Finance Fund

Thought the below article and stats might be helpful for some in the region.
- M


Survey: Northeast Ohio Nonprofits Brace for Tough 2010; Turn to Collaboration and Financial Planning
BVU and Nonprofit Finance Fund Find Only 29% of Area Nonprofits Expect to Cover 2009 and 2010 Expenses

Cleveland, Ohio – October 8, 2009 – Nonprofits in Northeast Ohio are facing decreased revenue and an increase in demand as they look toward 2010, according to a survey released today by Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU) and Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF). More than 100 respondents painted a grim financial picture of the sector, but also detailed extensive and promising collaboration efforts that outpace national counterparts.

Summary Survey Findings | Full Survey Results
Read about the survey in Philanthropy News Digest, and cleveland.com.


Key findings include:

Only 17% of respondents expect to be above break-even for the current fiscal year, down from 35% the prior fiscal year.
Of the nonprofits that receive each type of funding, 67% expect a decrease in foundation revenues, 54% expect a decrease in government revenues, and 40% expect a decrease in gifts from individual and corporate donors.
80% of nonprofits predict an increase in demand for services for the remainder of 2009 and in 2010.
Fewer than half of nonprofits that expect an increase in demand are planning to reduce programs.
Nonprofits are responding aggressively to economic challenges in order to meet the needs of their constituents. They are taking action in myriad ways:
- 59% have collaborated with other organizations on programs and/or administration
in the past 12 months.
- 51% have developed a "worst-case scenario" contingency budget.
- 56% have engaged more closely with their board.
"Northeast Ohio nonprofits are working together and getting creative in the face of significant financial challenges," said Ann Kent, Vice President, Services to Nonprofits of Business Volunteers Unlimited. "If there is a silver lining to the economic uncertainty, it is that organizations are going beyond survival mode to pursue fundamental improvements in strategy, finance, and service delivery."

In addition to steps that Northeast Ohio nonprofits have already taken, 55% of nonprofits expect to collaborate on programs in the next 12 months, 26% will collaborate to reduce administrative expenses, 55% are planning closer board engagement, and 50% plan to hold conversations with funders to discuss financial realities. Local interest in collaboration is high when compared to findings from Nonprofit Finance Fund's March 2009 survey of nonprofits nationwide, where 42% of respondents either had or were planning to collaborate on programs, and 13% had or were planning to partner to reduce administrative costs.

"For many nonprofits, 2010 will be even more difficult than 2009 as economic uncertainty continues to buffet the sector and exacerbate long-standing problems," said Dione Alexander, Vice President, Midwest Region, Nonprofit Finance Fund. "The actions that Northeast Ohio nonprofits are taking to address systemic issues give hope that they will emerge from these tough times stronger and able to continue to meet the growing needs of the communities they serve."

It All Depends on Where You Get Your News

A smart person suggested I read several news sources each day. Preferably, this person said, the sources should come from different places on the spectrum of initial opinion. I think the below article is a case in point - especially when compared to the article from my last post. "It all depends on where you stand." And there are lots of places to start standing from. - M

8) Nearly 30 Percent of Nonprofit Leaders Took Pay Cut in Past
Year (9/29/09) - Philanthropy News Digest (PND)

Nearly three in ten of the leaders of the nation's biggest chari-
ties and foundations have taken pay cuts in the past year, the
Chronicle of Philanthropy reports.

Based on the Chronicle's annual survey of compensation at 325
large nonprofit organizations, fifty-seven charities and foun-
dations -- 29 percent of the 195 groups that responded to the
question -- said their top executive took a pay cut, declined
a raise or bonus, or had his or her pay frozen in the past year.
The median pay cut among those executives was 10 percent. At the
same time, the overall median salary for nonprofit leaders rose
7 percent, almost double the rate of inflation. In contrast, total
compensation for executives at the 200 largest for-profit compan-
ies dropped by 9 percent in 2008, according to a survey conducted
for the New York Times.

Most of the increases that showed up in the Chronicle's survey
were approved in 2007, when the economy was stronger and the
stock market was near its peak. And one of the factors responsi-
ble for the long-term climb in nonprofit executive compensation
-- the increasing reliance by boards on salary surveys produced
by compensation experts -- may serve to curb raises in 2009 and
beyond.

Ken Berger, president of New Jersey-based Charity Navigator, said
there are several possible explanations for the relative paucity
of pay cuts in nonprofit executive suites, including fear on the
part of boards that a cut in pay will cause an executive to leave
for a better-paying job. Charities may also be slow in coming to
grips with changed economic circumstances. "A lot of people still
haven't faced the fact that we're going over a cliff," said
Berger. "This economic situation we're in is not over yet. People
are hoping that things are going to turn around, and it won't be
necessary to be draconian in that way."

"Nearly 30% of Nonprofit Leaders Took a Pay Cut This Year; Pay
in 2008 Grew Quickly." Chronicle of Philanthropy 9/28/09.
http://philanthropy.com/free/articles/v21/i22/22000107.htm

http://pndapps.fdncenter.org/link/20012976/story

From CNN: The Debate over Nonprofit CEOs Continues

These nonprofit CEOs are getting raises

Median salary for thse executives climbed 7% in 2008 -- and one had his compensation nearly double.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/29/news/companies/nonprofit_salary/index.htm

Anyone who works in the nonprofit field will find the above article interesting. The debate goes on about what is "fair pay" and who gets what. I know where I come down on this issue. I'm sure others have strong opinions as well. On top of that, just another example of the nonprofit world becoming more and more "professionalized" all the time, which is probably a good thing in many ways...as long as mission drift doesn't occur. Something to think on for a September Tuesday. - M

Help at Home - Cleveland

Just FYI. I was not aware of this economic emergency hotline until today, either. - M

Number of Calls to Northeast Ohio Emergency Hotline Up

Rising unemployment and foreclosure rates have led to a surge in calls to Northeast Ohio's 2-1-1 First Call for Help line, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Last month some 18,000 callers sought information about food, shelter, utility bill payments, and other services from the free social services hotline, which serves Cuyahoga, Medina, and Geauga counties and is funded by the United Way of Greater Cleveland. That made August the busiest month of the year for the hotline and the second busiest in its five-year history. Since 2004, the average number of monthly calls has increased from about 7,800 to nearly 16,500. What's more, calls from suburban communities have risen sharply, with the number of suburbanites requesting emergency food up some 190 percent since 2006.

According to 2-1-1 director Steve Wertheim, while the jump in calls is due in part to increased public awareness of the service, it is also a symptom of a stressed economic region. Indeed, at the Salvation Army of Greater Cleveland, which receives the largest share of 2-1-1 referrals, 42,000 first-time clients have sought food, shelter, and other services this year. At the same time, donations to the agency have fallen, resulting in the cancellation of its infant daycare program.

Although stimulus money for emergency food and shelter has provided a temporary boost for some agencies, the support may not be enough. "It's one-time bucks," said Wertheim, "and everybody's wondering what's going to happen after that."

Important Information for Education Fundraisers

Foundation Center Launches National Education Stimulus Initiative

New Initiative, Web Portal Help Foundations
Leverage Funds for Education Reform

New York, NY — September 16, 2009. The Foundation Center today announced the launch of "Foundations for Education Excellence," a national initiative it is supporting to engage philanthropic institutions and education leaders across the country in a unified, strategic drive to improve public education. The cornerstone of this initiative is a new online resource center that will help education funders align their grantmaking — and maximize their overall impact — with funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The web portal, foundationcenter.org/educationexcellence, developed with a grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, was launched in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). It connects education funders to information and tools that will help them assess areas of need, share best practices, and forge strategic alliances to support ARRA's education reform goals.

With over $100 billion in ARRA funds designated to improve educational opportunity nationwide, the DOE is collaborating with the foundation community to support innovative approaches to education reform at the local, state, and national levels.

"We are grateful for philanthropy's contributions in support of the hard work that teachers and leaders, schools and higher education institutions, districts and states are undertaking to dramatically improve outcomes for students," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "This effort will enable foundations to collaborate in new ways in support of ARRA implementation. Private investment in support of excellent implementation of public funds is a formula for success."

"There is a unique window of opportunity in the coming weeks and months for private philanthropy to leverage its investment in education," said Bradford K. Smith, the Center's president. "Funders need fast-track tools to target areas of need and collaborate in new ways to improve educational opportunities across the country. The Foundation Center is ideally positioned to provide foundations with the knowledge platform needed to advance this process."

The Foundations for Education Excellence portal includes:

• Interactive U.S. maps, updated weekly, with details for each state, including foundations that have made grants for elementary/secondary school reform; total ARRA education dollars announced, available, and paid out; and key ARRA education funding resources
• Summaries of best and "promising" practices drawn from foundation-sponsored reports, focusing on each of the education reform goals
• Weekly spotlights of current foundation initiatives on education reform
• Lists of top foundation funders and nonprofit recipients in each of the education reform areas, by state
• Links to daily education news from the Center's Philanthropy News Digest
• Upcoming and archived events related to ARRA funding for education

The portal also features "What You Need to Know," a compilation of timely information from the DOE, such as daily news feeds, guidelines, major announcements, and grant deadlines.

Visitors will be able to post comments about the best or "promising" practices cited on the portal or share approaches they are taking to address issues in education reform. Funders can also post upcoming programs and events that bring education funders together around common goals. A live, interactive discussion forum will soon be added to foster real-time conversations about strategies, program evaluation methods, and recent grants awarded.

New content and communication tools will be added to the portal on an ongoing basis, including funding snapshots and research advisories on the reform goals, as well as webinars and podcasts with experts from the public and private sectors. The first in a series of online surveys, conducted in September, will reveal how current collaborations and giving practices are aligning with the DOE's vision for improving educational opportunities for student success.

"At perhaps no time in this nation's history has access for all families to high quality educational opportunities been more important," said William S. White, Mott Foundation president. "This initiative takes a critical step towards that goal by offering funders and educators a new way to connect on issues of education reform; to share related ideas, resources and strategies; and rethink the future of education in the U.S."

The initiative is guided by advisory board members from Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Chicago Community Trust, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, The John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, The Rodel Foundation of Delaware, and WestEd.

Literacy Grants for Youth Leaders ages 5-25

Considering my background, there was no way I couldn't post this. Literacy is only becoming more important in our electronic, text (not just the kind you find on a phone) heavy world. Sometimes you'll only know a person by messages you read, and they'll only know you by the words you write in return. Do it well. - M

Posted on September 16, 2009	print e-mail ShareThis
Deadline: October 30, 2009

Youth Leaders for Literacy Grants Available to Young Volunteers Who Encourage Reading

Youth Service America is partnering with the National Education Association to once again offer Youth Leaders for Literacy grants to children and youth, ages 5 through 25, who offer innovative ways to increase literacy skills and appreciation for reading among their peers.

Youth Leaders for Literacy will award thirty young people from across the United States with grants of $500 each and $500 in books from thePearson Foundation. Successful projects will be youth-led and address an established literacy need in the applicant's school or community. The projects will follow the framework of YSA's Semester of Service initiative, which will launch on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in January and culminating on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25. An activity should also occur during the NEA's Read Across America Day on March 2, 2010.

Visit the YSA Web site for complete program information.

Contact:

Link to Complete RFP

A Good Segue To My Current Thoughts...

Case Foundation Launches Initiative to Help Nonprofits Leverage Social Media

The Washington, D.C.-based Case Foundation has announced the launch of a month-long initiative, Gear Up for Giving, designed to help nonprofits leverage social media to raise money and awareness.

Although research has shown that nonprofits are adopting social media tools at a faster rate than most Fortune 500 companies, many nonprofits still struggle to harness those tools in a way that increases awareness, donations, and engagement. To address the problem, Gear Up for Giving will offer training, expert advice, and resources designed to help nonprofits and individuals navigate the world of social media.

The initiative precedes the launch of the next America's Giving Challenge, which the foundation debuted in 2007 as a way to galvanize nonprofit engagement with social media tools.

"From our very first experiences with social media prior to the challenge launch, we recognized the powerful potential to bring communities together around issues for which they shared a passion," said Case Foundation founder and CEO Jean Case. "As we look forward to launching the next America's Giving Challenge this fall, we believe that the prospects for robust participation by nonprofits are better today than they were in the first challenge, and we are heartened to see that nonprofits have embraced the rapid growth in social media with enthusiasm."

The NFL a NonProfit?

While listening to Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN2 today, I heard a guest refer to the NFL not as a corporation, but as a giant nonprofit. A quick Guidestar search brought up a thousand returns for "NFL," many of which were players' associations, youth programs, and such. Didn't have time yet to see if the the big money accounts fall under 501(c)3. If they do, I'm amazed. Really, can you imagine the power wielded by that organization if they have that status? For a multi-billion dollar conglomerate? The loopholes? The requirements? The complexities?

More on this later. I find it intriguing. What about the other major sports? International?

I could be wrong, or could have misunderstood the guest, but still...

I'm on LinkedIn

A selfish note: today, I officially joined LinkedIn. You can find me by searching my name, Michael Crifasi, or my gmail account, michaelcrifasi@gmail.com.

In lieu of connecting a website to my profile, I'll probably be linking this blog. Hopefully this will bring in some new partners who'd otherwise miss what's going on here.

- M

From GUIDESTAR: Info on new 990s

Found this interesting, especially since 990s get used so heavily in making the case for future funding... - M

From the President's Office

Dear Friend:

We're just starting to see the new and expanded IRS Forms 990 for 2008 trickling in to GuideStar. As of the end of August, we have about 30,000 now available on our free Web site.

We expect new 990s will come in at a slower pace than usual this year. We are hearing frequent reports from auditing firms and nonprofit organizations that this first-year effort at completing the new Form 990 has been difficult, very expensive, and time-consuming for most. It also appears likely that more nonprofits than usual will be requesting extensions this year in order to have more time to work through the details.

As you know, GuideStar's position on the Form 990 has evolved over the years. We like the 990 because all organizations of a certain size are required to file it—under penalty of law–and it is a public document. That helps promote transparency and accountability and gives the general public a chance to learn about nonprofit practice. But we also find some 990 data inaccurate or hard to understand, not timely, and not always as comprehensive as we would like. ... Read more >

Not trying to send people to Indiana, but...

Applications Invited for 2010 Cohort of Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellows

The Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellowship program seeks to attract talented, committed individuals with backgrounds in the STEM fields — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — into teaching in high-need Indiana secondary schools.

Funded through a $10 million grant from the Lilly Endowment and administered by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, the fellowship program provides rigorous disciplinary and pedagogical preparation, extensive clinical experience, and ongoing mentoring. Eligible applicants include current undergraduates, recent college graduates, midcareer professionals, and retirees who have majored in, or had careers in, STEM fields.

The fellowship includes a $30,000 stipend, admission to a master's degree program at one of four participating Indiana universities, preparation in a high-need urban or rural secondary school, support and mentoring throughout the three-year teaching commitment, guidance toward teaching certification, and lifelong membership in a national network of Woodrow Wilson Fellows. Fellows teach for at least three years in an urban or rural school district.

Visit the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Web site for complete program information.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Grants for K-12 STEM Teachers

Toyota TAPESTRY Program Accepting Entries for the 20th Annual Science Grant Competition

The Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program, one of the largest science teacher grant programs in the United States, is now accepting entries for the 2009-2010 competition. Sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and administered by the National Science Teachers Association, the program offers grants of up to $10,000 each to K-12 teachers for innovative science projects that enhance science education in their school and/or district over a one-year period.

Fifty large grants and a minimum of 20 mini-grants totaling $550,000 will be awarded this year. Individual science teachers or a team of up to five teachers can submit proposals in one of three categories: physical science application; environmental science education; and integrating literacy and science. A judging panel convened by the NSTA will select the award-winning projects based on several criteria, including their innovative approach in teaching science and ability to create a stimulating and hands-on learning environment.

Applicants must either be an elementary teacher who teaches science in the classroom or a middle or high school science teacher. Applicants must be residents of one of the 50 states or a resident of Washington, D.C.; Puerto Rico; or the U.S. territories including American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information about the Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program or to learn how to apply, visit the NSTA Web site.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Considering I work in STEM outreach, thought I'd post this for all the good projects and good teachers out there in Cleveland and NEO. - M

A Little Off Our Beaten Path, But Great PR Op...

Hey,

Came across this in a Philanthropy News Digest update of RFP postings:

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Invites Nominations for 2010 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year Award

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Budweiser are seeking nominations for the 2010 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year Award. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant volunteer contributions to the outdoors and conservation.

A committee will select four conservationists as finalists from among the nominees, and Budweiser consumers (age 21 and older) will be invited to vote for the Budweiser Conservationist of the Year in an open-ballot process on Budweiser.com.

The Budweiser Conservationist of the Year will select a conservation organization to receive a $50,000 grant. Three runners-up will each have the opportunity to direct a $5,000 grant to the conservation organization of their choice.

Visit the NFWF Web site for the online nomination form.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Primary Subject: Environment
Geographic Funding Area: National

I see this is a great chance to connect two hot communities in a very public and very pop culture fashion. Don't know enough to nominate anyone myself (have one idea, but out of touch in what's been done in the last year), but thought others in our line of life might be able to. Be nice if someone came out of the Cleveland region. Great press. Pretty fun too.

- M

Hi!

Working as a young fundraiser and grant writer can be hard work. Cleveland is a philanthropic town, but that doesn't mean getting money for good causes is easy. I've spent some time now working for large organizations in the area and have started to come across some good information. I thought I'd start a blog to share the info that comes across my desk. Not every good opportunity is one that fits me! But it might fit you and your org! No big promises here, just looking to pass around what good I can. Info headed my way is of course welcome too!