A lot of time volunteered last year, as this report from Nonprofit About.com notes.
An excerpt.
“The Corporation for National and Community Service this week released figures from its research into volunteering for 2010. The big number is the 8.1 billion hours that Americans gave to volunteer activities last year. Those hours are valued at nearly $173 billion of services throughout US communities.
“Here are some other stats from the research:
• 8.1 billion hours clocked...about the same as in 2009.
• the rate dropped slightly, but hours remained the same due to many volunteers increasing their volunteer hours.
• number of volunteers serving 100 hours or more per year increased to 33.8%
• the median number of hours volunteers served increased to 52 per year
• Generation X (born 1965-1981) volunteers gave more time to volunteer work in 2010 than they ever had, doubling their rate between 1989 to 2010, from 12.3% to 29.2%.
• teen volunteer rates have been consistently higher between 2002 and 2010 than they were in 1989, reflecting the rising interest and the increasing opportunities for these young volunteers
• the volunteer life cycle shows that volunteering peaks during a volunteer's mid 30s to early 40s
• volunteering diminishes as volunteers become older, but that decline has become less severe, reflecting the improving health and appreciation for the age-defying effects of volunteering by older people.”
Showing posts with label Volunteers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Volunteers. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Nonprofit/Forprofit Boards
This is a book review of a new book (having greater value than a book soley about nonprofit boards in the congruence between the two) about boards and transitioning from one to the other, from Harvard Business Weekly.
An excerpt.
“Editor's note: For those of who have attended meetings of both nonprofit and for-profit boards, the differences between the two organizations couldn't be clearer. Nonprofit boards meetings tend to be longer, less tightly organized, and more sporadically attended by the board members themselves. Why this happens is one of the many subjects discussed in the new book Joining a Nonprofit Board: What You Need to Know, by authors Marc J. Epstein of Rice University and F. Warren McFarlan of Harvard Business School. In this excerpt from the introduction, Rice and McFarland highlight the major similarities and differences between the different types of boards and what newcomers to nonprofit governance can expect.
“Comparing Nonprofits and For-Profits
"There are a number of important similarities and differences between the operations and challenges of nonprofits and for-profits of which a new nonprofit board member must be cognizant. Some of the more important items are discussed in this section.
“Similarities
"There are a number of similarities between for-profits and non-profits which make people with for-profit experience particularly helpful as board members. The key similarities include:
1. Both organizations can grow, transform, merge, or die. Success is not guaranteed for either type of organization, but requires sustained work.
2. In both cases, cash is king. This for-profit focus is critical for a nonprofit board.
3. In both settings, good management and leadership really matter. Delivery of service, motivating and inspiring staff, and conceiving of new directions for growth are all vitally important.
4. Planning, budgeting, and measurement systems in are vital in both settings.
5. Both types of organizations face the challenges of integrating subject matter specialists into a generalist framework.
6. Both organizations add value to society. They just do it in different ways.
"In short, there is much overlap between the skills needed and perspectives provided by leaders in the two types of organizations. This is a key reason why social enterprise courses have taken root in business schools and why, appropriately socialized, those with for-profit backgrounds can contribute so much to the nonprofit world.”
An excerpt.
“Editor's note: For those of who have attended meetings of both nonprofit and for-profit boards, the differences between the two organizations couldn't be clearer. Nonprofit boards meetings tend to be longer, less tightly organized, and more sporadically attended by the board members themselves. Why this happens is one of the many subjects discussed in the new book Joining a Nonprofit Board: What You Need to Know, by authors Marc J. Epstein of Rice University and F. Warren McFarlan of Harvard Business School. In this excerpt from the introduction, Rice and McFarland highlight the major similarities and differences between the different types of boards and what newcomers to nonprofit governance can expect.
“Comparing Nonprofits and For-Profits
"There are a number of important similarities and differences between the operations and challenges of nonprofits and for-profits of which a new nonprofit board member must be cognizant. Some of the more important items are discussed in this section.
“Similarities
"There are a number of similarities between for-profits and non-profits which make people with for-profit experience particularly helpful as board members. The key similarities include:
1. Both organizations can grow, transform, merge, or die. Success is not guaranteed for either type of organization, but requires sustained work.
2. In both cases, cash is king. This for-profit focus is critical for a nonprofit board.
3. In both settings, good management and leadership really matter. Delivery of service, motivating and inspiring staff, and conceiving of new directions for growth are all vitally important.
4. Planning, budgeting, and measurement systems in are vital in both settings.
5. Both types of organizations face the challenges of integrating subject matter specialists into a generalist framework.
6. Both organizations add value to society. They just do it in different ways.
"In short, there is much overlap between the skills needed and perspectives provided by leaders in the two types of organizations. This is a key reason why social enterprise courses have taken root in business schools and why, appropriately socialized, those with for-profit backgrounds can contribute so much to the nonprofit world.”
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Board Community Reach
Following up on yesterday’s post about boards, today’s post is about the community reach of individual board members, a very good quality to examine when recruiting, and the impact that can have on the board.
This article from Stanford Social Innovation Review examines that.
An excerpt.
“I am convinced that skill at fundraising and governance alone do not an excellent board member make. Nor do such skills alone ensure that a nonprofit organization maintains a durable, deep connection to the wider community it serves.
“A third skill—I call it civic reach—distinguishes a great board member from a merely adequate one, a world-class nonprofit from one that is simply functioning. Take a couple of examples: Back in 2005, Rochester Area Community Foundation’s (RACF) smart, highly engaged board had few well-known civic leaders. With the guidance of Jennifer Leonard, the foundation’s president and executive director, RACF aimed to become greater Rochester, N.Y.’s “catalyst for community change” and realized that movers and shakers could extend the institution’s influence. RACF added to its board the CEO of the city’s chamber of commerce, the CEO of a leading advertising company, the area’s school board president, a noted venture capitalist, a former United Way campaign chair, and the head of Rochester’s downtown development group. In just one of the positive outcomes, the chamber incorporated RACF’s recommendations into its annual state advocacy platform, resulting in $7.8 million in restored child care subsidies, plus crucial support for after-school funding.
“In another example, the board of directors of Make-A-Wish Foundation International, a nonprofit devoted to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, shifted its composition to achieve a worldwide leadership profile. Previously, the organization was governed by chapter affiliate representatives from various countries, a decidedly internal focus. The new board boasts a powerful cadre of business leaders with the prestige, power, and contacts to open doors worldwide. Two board members illustrate this new heft. Jim Fielding, president of Disney Stores Worldwide, connects Make-A-Wish to Europe, Asia, and North America, prime markets for both Disney merchandising and Make-A-Wish civic engagement. Tim Kilpin, general manager and senior vice president for Mattel Brands, provides Make-A-Wish with cash contributions from the company’s toy sales and facilitates business relationships through its worldwide network. Savvy, connected players like Fielding and Kilpin—people with profound civic reach—serve as global thinkers for charities while they tend to their own business interests. As a result of its new board, Nonprofits must have influential board members who connect them to the communities they serve Make-A-Wish more expertly navigates its corporate and individual relationships, ties its work to corporate social responsibility efforts, attracts a wider range of corporate sponsorship dollars, and manages its wish granting on a worldwide scale.
“POWER TO THE WEAKEST SECTOR
“Board members with civic reach compensate for the inherent limitations of the social sector, arguably democracy’s most critical, yet weakest, arena in terms of money and power. Social ventures generally lack the commercial sector’s profit-driven muscle and the public sector’s power to mandate by law and levy taxes to raise resources. Nonprofits need deep civic roots to thrive. To scale up operations, they need strong relationships with leaders in business, government agencies, and elective office. The sum of every board member’s civic reach is the soil in which those roots grow. Boards anemic in civic reach oversee organizations that are weak in civic relevance and resilience. Such organizations might have a range of funding sources and may run well operationally. But they rarely find themselves plugged into the civic power grid, where decisions about community and individual needs are largely made. Even with success, organizations deficient in civic reach often stand as capable orphans, unaccountably disconnected and alone, wondering why the recognition they think they deserve lies beyond their grasp.”
This article from Stanford Social Innovation Review examines that.
An excerpt.
“I am convinced that skill at fundraising and governance alone do not an excellent board member make. Nor do such skills alone ensure that a nonprofit organization maintains a durable, deep connection to the wider community it serves.
“A third skill—I call it civic reach—distinguishes a great board member from a merely adequate one, a world-class nonprofit from one that is simply functioning. Take a couple of examples: Back in 2005, Rochester Area Community Foundation’s (RACF) smart, highly engaged board had few well-known civic leaders. With the guidance of Jennifer Leonard, the foundation’s president and executive director, RACF aimed to become greater Rochester, N.Y.’s “catalyst for community change” and realized that movers and shakers could extend the institution’s influence. RACF added to its board the CEO of the city’s chamber of commerce, the CEO of a leading advertising company, the area’s school board president, a noted venture capitalist, a former United Way campaign chair, and the head of Rochester’s downtown development group. In just one of the positive outcomes, the chamber incorporated RACF’s recommendations into its annual state advocacy platform, resulting in $7.8 million in restored child care subsidies, plus crucial support for after-school funding.
“In another example, the board of directors of Make-A-Wish Foundation International, a nonprofit devoted to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, shifted its composition to achieve a worldwide leadership profile. Previously, the organization was governed by chapter affiliate representatives from various countries, a decidedly internal focus. The new board boasts a powerful cadre of business leaders with the prestige, power, and contacts to open doors worldwide. Two board members illustrate this new heft. Jim Fielding, president of Disney Stores Worldwide, connects Make-A-Wish to Europe, Asia, and North America, prime markets for both Disney merchandising and Make-A-Wish civic engagement. Tim Kilpin, general manager and senior vice president for Mattel Brands, provides Make-A-Wish with cash contributions from the company’s toy sales and facilitates business relationships through its worldwide network. Savvy, connected players like Fielding and Kilpin—people with profound civic reach—serve as global thinkers for charities while they tend to their own business interests. As a result of its new board, Nonprofits must have influential board members who connect them to the communities they serve Make-A-Wish more expertly navigates its corporate and individual relationships, ties its work to corporate social responsibility efforts, attracts a wider range of corporate sponsorship dollars, and manages its wish granting on a worldwide scale.
“POWER TO THE WEAKEST SECTOR
“Board members with civic reach compensate for the inherent limitations of the social sector, arguably democracy’s most critical, yet weakest, arena in terms of money and power. Social ventures generally lack the commercial sector’s profit-driven muscle and the public sector’s power to mandate by law and levy taxes to raise resources. Nonprofits need deep civic roots to thrive. To scale up operations, they need strong relationships with leaders in business, government agencies, and elective office. The sum of every board member’s civic reach is the soil in which those roots grow. Boards anemic in civic reach oversee organizations that are weak in civic relevance and resilience. Such organizations might have a range of funding sources and may run well operationally. But they rarely find themselves plugged into the civic power grid, where decisions about community and individual needs are largely made. Even with success, organizations deficient in civic reach often stand as capable orphans, unaccountably disconnected and alone, wondering why the recognition they think they deserve lies beyond their grasp.”
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Designers & Nonprofits
This is a terrific partnership—one that has also happened in Sacramento on a regular basis—and its application is noted in this article from the Nonprofit Quarterly Newswire.
An excerpt.
“DesigNYC just advertised its second call for applications so we thought we would introduce you to what we think is a pretty great idea. The program matches nonprofits with master designers on a pro-bono basis. The project may be landscape design or architectural design or campaign materials design but it seems to us this idea is well worth replicating.”
An excerpt.
“DesigNYC just advertised its second call for applications so we thought we would introduce you to what we think is a pretty great idea. The program matches nonprofits with master designers on a pro-bono basis. The project may be landscape design or architectural design or campaign materials design but it seems to us this idea is well worth replicating.”
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sacramento Parks Seeks Support
As Sacramento’s public funding continues to shrink, a new initiative from the city of Sacramento's Department of Parks and Recreation, is calling for the community to become more involved in the local parks.
An excerpt.
“Sacramento’s 200+ parks, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, and wide ranging programs help make Sacramento a more livable city for all. Now you can help support these important community programs and assets through sponsorships.
“The Department of Parks and Recreation has developed a new program called the Community Sponsorship Initiative (CSI). The goal of the program is to recruit individuals, groups, and local businesses to support the City’s parks and recreation system by sponsoring essential programs, services, and facilities, all of which serve the needs of children, youth, and older adults.
“Sponsors can be recognized in a wide variety of ways, including recognition through acknowledgement letters and certificates, on special event literature and materials, on CSI’s website, and also given the opportunity to place commercial advertising in the Department’s Recreation Magazine or at specific specialized facilities.”
An excerpt.
“Sacramento’s 200+ parks, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, and wide ranging programs help make Sacramento a more livable city for all. Now you can help support these important community programs and assets through sponsorships.
“The Department of Parks and Recreation has developed a new program called the Community Sponsorship Initiative (CSI). The goal of the program is to recruit individuals, groups, and local businesses to support the City’s parks and recreation system by sponsoring essential programs, services, and facilities, all of which serve the needs of children, youth, and older adults.
“Sponsors can be recognized in a wide variety of ways, including recognition through acknowledgement letters and certificates, on special event literature and materials, on CSI’s website, and also given the opportunity to place commercial advertising in the Department’s Recreation Magazine or at specific specialized facilities.”
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Sacramento’s Volunteers
1) The Sacramento Business Journal reports that volunteering in Sacramento has increased, and that is very good news, though other areas of the country are still doing better.
An excerpt.
“More Sacramento-area residents volunteered and donated more hours to nonprofits last year since 2005, according to a closely watched report released Tuesday.
“Almost 415,000 residents in the region donated time to nonprofits last year, with the average person volunteering 40.1 hours per year — both are the highest rates since the 423,000 volunteers and 56.7 hours in 2005, the height of the boom market. However, a lower percentage of Sacramento-area residents volunteered last year, 25.8 percent compared to 28 percent in 2008 and 29.3 percent in 2005, the highest-ever percentage of participation.
“The average annual hours donated and the percentage of participation in the Sacramento region are higher than the statewide average, but pale compared to many other cities and states.”
2) The national volunteering picture is noted in the news release from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
An excerpt.
“Washington, DC – Despite difficult economic times, the number of Americans volunteering in their communities jumped by 1.6 million last year, the largest increase in six years, according to a report released today by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
“The Corporation's annual Volunteering in America report found that 63.4 million Americans volunteered through a formal organization last year, giving more than 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth an estimated $169 billion.
“Americans have responded to tough economic times by volunteering in big numbers,” said Patrick Corvington, the Corporation's CEO. “What we're seeing is the depth of the American spirit and generosity at its best. People are turning toward problems, working with their neighbors to find solutions to real problems, from homelessness to the dropout crisis.”
“Previous research would suggest that volunteering should drop during an economic downturn, because volunteer rates are higher among job-holders and homeowners. Instead, volunteering increased at the fastest rate in six years, and the volunteer rate went up among all race and ethnic groups.”
An excerpt.
“More Sacramento-area residents volunteered and donated more hours to nonprofits last year since 2005, according to a closely watched report released Tuesday.
“Almost 415,000 residents in the region donated time to nonprofits last year, with the average person volunteering 40.1 hours per year — both are the highest rates since the 423,000 volunteers and 56.7 hours in 2005, the height of the boom market. However, a lower percentage of Sacramento-area residents volunteered last year, 25.8 percent compared to 28 percent in 2008 and 29.3 percent in 2005, the highest-ever percentage of participation.
“The average annual hours donated and the percentage of participation in the Sacramento region are higher than the statewide average, but pale compared to many other cities and states.”
2) The national volunteering picture is noted in the news release from the Corporation for National and Community Service.
An excerpt.
“Washington, DC – Despite difficult economic times, the number of Americans volunteering in their communities jumped by 1.6 million last year, the largest increase in six years, according to a report released today by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
“The Corporation's annual Volunteering in America report found that 63.4 million Americans volunteered through a formal organization last year, giving more than 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth an estimated $169 billion.
“Americans have responded to tough economic times by volunteering in big numbers,” said Patrick Corvington, the Corporation's CEO. “What we're seeing is the depth of the American spirit and generosity at its best. People are turning toward problems, working with their neighbors to find solutions to real problems, from homelessness to the dropout crisis.”
“Previous research would suggest that volunteering should drop during an economic downturn, because volunteer rates are higher among job-holders and homeowners. Instead, volunteering increased at the fastest rate in six years, and the volunteer rate went up among all race and ethnic groups.”
Friday, May 28, 2010
Volunteers
It is always a good strategy to get local business people involved as volunteers in local nonprofits and the Taproot Foundation has developed an innovative way to do that, profiled by the Leader to Leader Institute as their Innovation of the Week.
An excerpt.
“Peter Drucker strived to make business leaders see the community as the responsibility of the corporation. He called on leaders to embody "the Spirit of Performance" by exhibiting high levels of integrity in their moral and ethical conduct; focusing on results; building on strengths; and leading beyond borders; ultimately serving the common good.
“Leading beyond borders, the Taproot Foundation serves the common good by connecting talented professionals to their community through skills-based volunteerism.
“Taproot President and Founder Aaron Hurst recognized that nonprofits were doing inspiring and fulfilling work, yet in many cases, they lacked additional skills and resources needed to accomplish their missions.
“Hurst also realized that there was a huge wealth of untapped talent in business professionals who had skills that nonprofits needed. The question was, 'How do we leverage these skills?'
“In 2001, 40 years after his grandfather, Joseph E. Slater, wrote the original blueprint for the Peace Corps, Hurst created the Taproot Foundation, which works to lead, mobilize and engage professionals in pro bono service that drives social change.
"When I started Taproot, I was incredibly inspired by all of the work nonprofits were doing to support our communities," says Aaron Hurst. "I wanted these nonprofits to have access to the services they needed for success."
“According to a 2009 national study by Deloitte (Volunteer IMPACT Survey), 95% of nonprofits say their social impact would grow with pro bono capacity building support.”
An excerpt.
“Peter Drucker strived to make business leaders see the community as the responsibility of the corporation. He called on leaders to embody "the Spirit of Performance" by exhibiting high levels of integrity in their moral and ethical conduct; focusing on results; building on strengths; and leading beyond borders; ultimately serving the common good.
“Leading beyond borders, the Taproot Foundation serves the common good by connecting talented professionals to their community through skills-based volunteerism.
“Taproot President and Founder Aaron Hurst recognized that nonprofits were doing inspiring and fulfilling work, yet in many cases, they lacked additional skills and resources needed to accomplish their missions.
“Hurst also realized that there was a huge wealth of untapped talent in business professionals who had skills that nonprofits needed. The question was, 'How do we leverage these skills?'
“In 2001, 40 years after his grandfather, Joseph E. Slater, wrote the original blueprint for the Peace Corps, Hurst created the Taproot Foundation, which works to lead, mobilize and engage professionals in pro bono service that drives social change.
"When I started Taproot, I was incredibly inspired by all of the work nonprofits were doing to support our communities," says Aaron Hurst. "I wanted these nonprofits to have access to the services they needed for success."
“According to a 2009 national study by Deloitte (Volunteer IMPACT Survey), 95% of nonprofits say their social impact would grow with pro bono capacity building support.”
Monday, May 24, 2010
Social Entrepreneurship
The seminal book about it is, How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas, and there is an excellent article about it in the Sacramento Bee.
One person can change the world and inspired individuals have been doing so since the beginning of time.
An excerpt from the book.
“Where does this motivation come from?...I heard the same story again and again. Someone had experienced an intense kind of pain that branded them in some way. They said, ‘I had to do this. There was nothing else I could do.’
“At some moments in their lives, social entrepreneurs get it into their heads that it is up to them to solve a particular problem. Usually something has been brewing inside for a long time, and at a particular moment in time—often triggered by an event—personal preparedness, social need, and historical opportunity converge and the person takes decisive action. The word “decision” comes from the Latin decidere, meaning “to cut off.” From that point on, the social entrepreneurs seem to cut off other options for themselves.
“Over time, their ideas become more important to them than anything else. Every decision—whom to marry, where to live, what books to read—passes through the prism of their ideas. Although it is probably impossible to fully explain why people become social entrepreneurs, it is certainly possible to identify them. And society stands to benefit by finding these people, encouraging them, and helping them to do what they need to do.” Bornstein, D. (2004). How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas. New York; Oxford University Press. (pp. 240-241)
An excerpt from the Bee article.
“Despite the recession, a growing number of area residents have enlisted in the war against some of the world's worst demons, including starvation and bad water, AIDS and other diseases, child labor, human trafficking and sexual slavery.
“At least 121 nonprofits in the Sacramento area are dedicated to international relief – up from 36 in 2000 and 61 in 2005, according to Guidestar, which provides information on 1.8 million U.S. nonprofits. Sacramentans are finding other ways to help, too, battling poverty and misery on the ground.
“Local doctors are flying to Myanmar, India, Vietnam and China to perform lifesaving surgeries, restore eyesight and treat disease and infections. A UC Davis student started a nonprofit to educate and feed Namibian children struggling with AIDS. Throughout the region, schoolchildren raise money for Haiti at bake sales and basketball games.
“The fever to give – or give more – often starts with a spark that keeps on burning.
“In 2005, Grass Valley builder Greg Zaller went to Pakistan to rebuild homes for quake victims and ended up building a school system for illiterate women and children. "It's just triggered something inside me," he said. "From day one, you couldn't stop me."
“Rocklin pastor Don Brewster and his wife, Bridget, went further. They sold their home, left their adult children and grandchildren behind and moved to Cambodia to rescue 200 girls – one as young as 3 – from sexual slavery. "Here are these women selling their little girls to get money to eat," Bridget said. "Having been a single mom and struggling to raise three kids, all I could think of is, 'What if it were me in this situation? I'd be pleading for somebody to help me,' " Bridget Brewster said.
“With the world more connected than ever, "there's definitely a sense of global consciousness, that we're all in the same boat and what happens in one place affects another," said Amir Dar, executive director of idealist.org, which links thousands to nonprofit jobs.
“The Internet "is bringing to our attention a lot of problems that were hidden from us: rural poverty, kiddie porn," added Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy. "Because of the Internet, you see a lot more people trying to favorably influence the world situation."
One person can change the world and inspired individuals have been doing so since the beginning of time.
An excerpt from the book.
“Where does this motivation come from?...I heard the same story again and again. Someone had experienced an intense kind of pain that branded them in some way. They said, ‘I had to do this. There was nothing else I could do.’
“At some moments in their lives, social entrepreneurs get it into their heads that it is up to them to solve a particular problem. Usually something has been brewing inside for a long time, and at a particular moment in time—often triggered by an event—personal preparedness, social need, and historical opportunity converge and the person takes decisive action. The word “decision” comes from the Latin decidere, meaning “to cut off.” From that point on, the social entrepreneurs seem to cut off other options for themselves.
“Over time, their ideas become more important to them than anything else. Every decision—whom to marry, where to live, what books to read—passes through the prism of their ideas. Although it is probably impossible to fully explain why people become social entrepreneurs, it is certainly possible to identify them. And society stands to benefit by finding these people, encouraging them, and helping them to do what they need to do.” Bornstein, D. (2004). How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas. New York; Oxford University Press. (pp. 240-241)
An excerpt from the Bee article.
“Despite the recession, a growing number of area residents have enlisted in the war against some of the world's worst demons, including starvation and bad water, AIDS and other diseases, child labor, human trafficking and sexual slavery.
“At least 121 nonprofits in the Sacramento area are dedicated to international relief – up from 36 in 2000 and 61 in 2005, according to Guidestar, which provides information on 1.8 million U.S. nonprofits. Sacramentans are finding other ways to help, too, battling poverty and misery on the ground.
“Local doctors are flying to Myanmar, India, Vietnam and China to perform lifesaving surgeries, restore eyesight and treat disease and infections. A UC Davis student started a nonprofit to educate and feed Namibian children struggling with AIDS. Throughout the region, schoolchildren raise money for Haiti at bake sales and basketball games.
“The fever to give – or give more – often starts with a spark that keeps on burning.
“In 2005, Grass Valley builder Greg Zaller went to Pakistan to rebuild homes for quake victims and ended up building a school system for illiterate women and children. "It's just triggered something inside me," he said. "From day one, you couldn't stop me."
“Rocklin pastor Don Brewster and his wife, Bridget, went further. They sold their home, left their adult children and grandchildren behind and moved to Cambodia to rescue 200 girls – one as young as 3 – from sexual slavery. "Here are these women selling their little girls to get money to eat," Bridget said. "Having been a single mom and struggling to raise three kids, all I could think of is, 'What if it were me in this situation? I'd be pleading for somebody to help me,' " Bridget Brewster said.
“With the world more connected than ever, "there's definitely a sense of global consciousness, that we're all in the same boat and what happens in one place affects another," said Amir Dar, executive director of idealist.org, which links thousands to nonprofit jobs.
“The Internet "is bringing to our attention a lot of problems that were hidden from us: rural poverty, kiddie porn," added Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy. "Because of the Internet, you see a lot more people trying to favorably influence the world situation."
Friday, May 21, 2010
Board Governance
The arcane language and technicalities involved in governance of a nonprofit organization by its board of directors can often stymie the new organization in carrying out its mission effectively and productively.
An excellent source for basic information is BoardSource, and this post about a book, Better Bylaws: Creating Effective Rules for Your Nonprofit Board, Second Edition, includes a link to the introduction.
An excerpt from the post.
“Are you giving your bylaws the attention they demand?
“Most nonprofits begin their existence by filing articles of incorporation with the state. Another critical step is to draft an initial set of bylaws to establish key governance rules - how to call meetings; what constitutes a quorum; how to elect, add, and remove board members; how to form committees; and more.
“Founding board members often get bogged down in drafting the initial bylaws, struggling to get the first set perfect and to cover every conceivable issue that might arise in the future. Or they blindly borrow a bylaws example, even though it may not fit their needs.
“A helpful approach is to start with very basic bylaws that cover major issues surrounding meetings and elections and then gradually amend those bylaws over time as the nonprofit matures and as new governance issues arise that were not clearly covered by the initial bylaws.”
An excellent source for basic information is BoardSource, and this post about a book, Better Bylaws: Creating Effective Rules for Your Nonprofit Board, Second Edition, includes a link to the introduction.
An excerpt from the post.
“Are you giving your bylaws the attention they demand?
“Most nonprofits begin their existence by filing articles of incorporation with the state. Another critical step is to draft an initial set of bylaws to establish key governance rules - how to call meetings; what constitutes a quorum; how to elect, add, and remove board members; how to form committees; and more.
“Founding board members often get bogged down in drafting the initial bylaws, struggling to get the first set perfect and to cover every conceivable issue that might arise in the future. Or they blindly borrow a bylaws example, even though it may not fit their needs.
“A helpful approach is to start with very basic bylaws that cover major issues surrounding meetings and elections and then gradually amend those bylaws over time as the nonprofit matures and as new governance issues arise that were not clearly covered by the initial bylaws.”
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Volunteering Around
An interesting review—from the Toronto Star—about an interesting concept book.
An excerpt.
“Some people spend a year indulging themselves, travelling the world in grand style. Not Lawrence Scanlan. The much-published author and community service activist spent a year living generously in a highly innovative way to demonstrate that individual kindnesses are as important as big-bucks philanthropy. He chose to be a volunteer, rather than mere observer, at 12 Canadian-based or Canadian-supported philanthropic groups. It took him about a year, spending a month at each. The result is A Year of Living Dangerously: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Philanthropy (Douglas & McIntyre, 343 pages, $32.95).
“Scanlan never uses the word “charity,” which he regards as demeaning, to describe philanthropy. He concentrates on small, local agencies that “help the less fortunate” (his preferred term) around Kingston, where he lives, to emphasize what individuals can do in their neighbourhood. He covers a wide range of concerns: food, shelter, terminal illness, prisoner counselling, environmental damage, physical/mental disability, disasters and aboriginal educational disparities. (The Atkinson Charitable Foundation, which has longstanding ties to the Star, donated money to two groups in the book.)
“A big cast of admirable administrators, engaged volunteers and colourful recipients enlivens the story. Sometimes there is too much about Scanlan, such as lengthy detail about his non life-threatening cancer and his dog’s personality.
“Explaining that the original meaning of the Greek word “philanthropy” is “love for humankind,” Scanlan provides many memorable vignettes of individual Canadian philanthropy as well as the occasional misanthrope. There is the soup kitchen that insists on the more uplifting name “hospitality centre” and refers to those it helps as the “clientele,” or “guests.”
“An anonymous donor of $2,000 for warm clothes receives a discount from a merchant upon learning the reason for the purchase. A woman donates one of her kidneys to a stranger because it “felt like the right thing to do.” There are the mean-spirited who “donate” dirty laundry, broken mirrors, unwashed dishes, torn furniture, even dirty diapers.
“Seaton House, the city-operated shelter in Toronto, is so disliked by many homeless that they call it “Satan House” and prefer to sleep outdoors. Scanlan decries that Toronto officials are reluctant to open new homeless shelters because they are fearful more homeless people from across Canada will be attracted to what already is the nation’s homeless capital.
“Prisoners at Kingston’s Collins Bay Institution delightedly supervise an onsite Olympiad for mentally challenged adults. Queen’s University student volunteers at a hospice for the terminally ill say they learn about the value of “memories and simple things.” Scanlan says the card game euchre is liked by terminally ill patients because they can simultaneously chat and concentrate. Therapeutic horseback riding for the mentally and physically challenged comes from the ancient custom of placing wounded soldiers on horses because of the soothing motion.
“He notes that legal action can be more effective against environmental wrongs than angry protest. The mantra of the environmental group Lake Ontario Waterkeepers asks, “Can you sleep at night if you don’t act?”
An excerpt.
“Some people spend a year indulging themselves, travelling the world in grand style. Not Lawrence Scanlan. The much-published author and community service activist spent a year living generously in a highly innovative way to demonstrate that individual kindnesses are as important as big-bucks philanthropy. He chose to be a volunteer, rather than mere observer, at 12 Canadian-based or Canadian-supported philanthropic groups. It took him about a year, spending a month at each. The result is A Year of Living Dangerously: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Philanthropy (Douglas & McIntyre, 343 pages, $32.95).
“Scanlan never uses the word “charity,” which he regards as demeaning, to describe philanthropy. He concentrates on small, local agencies that “help the less fortunate” (his preferred term) around Kingston, where he lives, to emphasize what individuals can do in their neighbourhood. He covers a wide range of concerns: food, shelter, terminal illness, prisoner counselling, environmental damage, physical/mental disability, disasters and aboriginal educational disparities. (The Atkinson Charitable Foundation, which has longstanding ties to the Star, donated money to two groups in the book.)
“A big cast of admirable administrators, engaged volunteers and colourful recipients enlivens the story. Sometimes there is too much about Scanlan, such as lengthy detail about his non life-threatening cancer and his dog’s personality.
“Explaining that the original meaning of the Greek word “philanthropy” is “love for humankind,” Scanlan provides many memorable vignettes of individual Canadian philanthropy as well as the occasional misanthrope. There is the soup kitchen that insists on the more uplifting name “hospitality centre” and refers to those it helps as the “clientele,” or “guests.”
“An anonymous donor of $2,000 for warm clothes receives a discount from a merchant upon learning the reason for the purchase. A woman donates one of her kidneys to a stranger because it “felt like the right thing to do.” There are the mean-spirited who “donate” dirty laundry, broken mirrors, unwashed dishes, torn furniture, even dirty diapers.
“Seaton House, the city-operated shelter in Toronto, is so disliked by many homeless that they call it “Satan House” and prefer to sleep outdoors. Scanlan decries that Toronto officials are reluctant to open new homeless shelters because they are fearful more homeless people from across Canada will be attracted to what already is the nation’s homeless capital.
“Prisoners at Kingston’s Collins Bay Institution delightedly supervise an onsite Olympiad for mentally challenged adults. Queen’s University student volunteers at a hospice for the terminally ill say they learn about the value of “memories and simple things.” Scanlan says the card game euchre is liked by terminally ill patients because they can simultaneously chat and concentrate. Therapeutic horseback riding for the mentally and physically challenged comes from the ancient custom of placing wounded soldiers on horses because of the soothing motion.
“He notes that legal action can be more effective against environmental wrongs than angry protest. The mantra of the environmental group Lake Ontario Waterkeepers asks, “Can you sleep at night if you don’t act?”
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Fundraising & Volunteers
An excellent post by Penelope Burk—author of the great book, Donor Centered Fundraising: How to hold on to your donors and raise more money—on her blog.
An excerpt.
“Do Volunteers Know What Their Role Is In Fundraising?
“I am convinced they do not.
“I am also convinced that this is not deliberate avoidance of responsibility but genuine confusion over who is best positioned to do what.
“This is the second of a two-part blog on the discrete fundraising responsibilities of professional staff and leadership volunteers. Previously I reported findings that showed fundraisers believed they, not their leadership volunteers, were responsible for almost every fundraising task. However, they also strongly suggested that leadership volunteers would actually be more effective in some functions.
“What Volunteers Feel Are Their Responsibilities in Fundraising
“The following tables show the views of 854 American and 217 Canadian leadership volunteers. Qualified respondents were serving on Boards of Directors of not-for-profit organizations that employ professional fundraising staff and which do not have a separate Foundation Board for fundraising purposes.”
An excerpt.
“Do Volunteers Know What Their Role Is In Fundraising?
“I am convinced they do not.
“I am also convinced that this is not deliberate avoidance of responsibility but genuine confusion over who is best positioned to do what.
“This is the second of a two-part blog on the discrete fundraising responsibilities of professional staff and leadership volunteers. Previously I reported findings that showed fundraisers believed they, not their leadership volunteers, were responsible for almost every fundraising task. However, they also strongly suggested that leadership volunteers would actually be more effective in some functions.
“What Volunteers Feel Are Their Responsibilities in Fundraising
“The following tables show the views of 854 American and 217 Canadian leadership volunteers. Qualified respondents were serving on Boards of Directors of not-for-profit organizations that employ professional fundraising staff and which do not have a separate Foundation Board for fundraising purposes.”
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sacramento Wins Service Award
A very nice acknowledgement is this award reported by the Sacramento Business Journal.
An excerpt.
"The city of Sacramento is one of 10 cities nationwide that will receive a new $200,000 grant with which to hire a chief service officer to develop and carry out a citywide plan to increase volunteerism.
"Cities of Service and the Rockefeller Foundation announced the recipients of the first-ever Cities of Service Leadership grants on Monday.
"Cities of Service is a coalition of U.S. mayors that encourages volunteerism. The Rockefeller Foundation is funding the grants.
"The cities chosen to receive the grants have “displayed a strong commitment to service and outlined thoughtful, thorough, and creative approaches to expanding local opportunities for volunteers to make an impact in their city,” a news release said.
"Five of the 10 cities are founding members of the Cities of Service coalition, including Sacramento.
"In addition to Sacramento, the recipients are Los Angeles; Seattle; Chicago; Detroit; Omaha, Neb.; Nashville, Tenn.; Savannah, Ga.; Philadelphia; and Newark, N.J."
An excerpt.
"The city of Sacramento is one of 10 cities nationwide that will receive a new $200,000 grant with which to hire a chief service officer to develop and carry out a citywide plan to increase volunteerism.
"Cities of Service and the Rockefeller Foundation announced the recipients of the first-ever Cities of Service Leadership grants on Monday.
"Cities of Service is a coalition of U.S. mayors that encourages volunteerism. The Rockefeller Foundation is funding the grants.
"The cities chosen to receive the grants have “displayed a strong commitment to service and outlined thoughtful, thorough, and creative approaches to expanding local opportunities for volunteers to make an impact in their city,” a news release said.
"Five of the 10 cities are founding members of the Cities of Service coalition, including Sacramento.
"In addition to Sacramento, the recipients are Los Angeles; Seattle; Chicago; Detroit; Omaha, Neb.; Nashville, Tenn.; Savannah, Ga.; Philadelphia; and Newark, N.J."
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Volunteers
The Sacramento Bee carried a good article about local nonprofits and the youth volunteers who work with them, creating a mutually beneficial situation where the youth gain from the experience—and in some cases gain school credit—and the organizations get vitally needed volunteer help.
Developing and sustaining the organizational environment to attract and benefit from volunteers—of any age—is an art unto itself, but one necessary to many nonprofits who have labor needs their available funding cannot afford, and it is good to see that many local nonprofits have created that environment.
An excerpt.
“When the region's school leaders began requiring students to perform community service about 10 years ago, they were largely motivated by what the experience could give to teenagers: character, civic engagement, a sense of purpose.
“A major side effect, it turns out, is what the requirement has given to local nonprofits.
"It's a whole volunteer force, or work force, that wasn't there before," said Christine Wallace, community resource coordinator at the Volunteer Center of Sacramento.
“She used to take the calls one by one from students (or their frantic parents) wanting to fulfill a school's community service requirement. Wallace tried to match each student with an organization that needed volunteers – but found that many were not set up to work with youth.
“All that's changed in the decade or so since it became common for schools to ask students to help their community, or engage in what educators call "service learning." Most charitable organizations in the Sacramento area now rely heavily on student volunteers.
"That's a huge trend," Wallace said. "In fact so much so that we … created an entire directory specifically for junior high and high school students."
“Dozens of community service opportunities for children and teens are now listed on the Web sites of the Volunteer Center of Sacramento and Hands On Sacramento: The Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center is looking for kids age 16 and up to help homeless children with homework. Children age 10 and up can volunteer for Harvest Sacramento, gleaning fruit from area backyards and donating it to the hungry. And the Sacramento Tree Foundation takes volunteers as young as 5 years old, Wallace says, (as long as they bring mom or dad along).”
Developing and sustaining the organizational environment to attract and benefit from volunteers—of any age—is an art unto itself, but one necessary to many nonprofits who have labor needs their available funding cannot afford, and it is good to see that many local nonprofits have created that environment.
An excerpt.
“When the region's school leaders began requiring students to perform community service about 10 years ago, they were largely motivated by what the experience could give to teenagers: character, civic engagement, a sense of purpose.
“A major side effect, it turns out, is what the requirement has given to local nonprofits.
"It's a whole volunteer force, or work force, that wasn't there before," said Christine Wallace, community resource coordinator at the Volunteer Center of Sacramento.
“She used to take the calls one by one from students (or their frantic parents) wanting to fulfill a school's community service requirement. Wallace tried to match each student with an organization that needed volunteers – but found that many were not set up to work with youth.
“All that's changed in the decade or so since it became common for schools to ask students to help their community, or engage in what educators call "service learning." Most charitable organizations in the Sacramento area now rely heavily on student volunteers.
"That's a huge trend," Wallace said. "In fact so much so that we … created an entire directory specifically for junior high and high school students."
“Dozens of community service opportunities for children and teens are now listed on the Web sites of the Volunteer Center of Sacramento and Hands On Sacramento: The Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center is looking for kids age 16 and up to help homeless children with homework. Children age 10 and up can volunteer for Harvest Sacramento, gleaning fruit from area backyards and donating it to the hungry. And the Sacramento Tree Foundation takes volunteers as young as 5 years old, Wallace says, (as long as they bring mom or dad along).”
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