Putting together a proposal for a grant is a rigorous process that must be done right achieve results. One element of a proposal that is commonly included is the organization’s history, demonstrating how it has made a difference. In his book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Grant Writing,” Waddy Thompson offers several tips about including […]

Local governments are stepping in to provide support through grant programs for local charities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The Austin Economic Development Department reopened the Austin Nonprofit Relief Grant to reach additional nonprofits in the Texas capital region facing hardships due to the economic impact of COVID-19. The $6.35-million program provides grants of up […]

Gender and childlessness have always been among the most leading indicators for charitable gifts in estate planning but new research has identified a top 10 list of lifetime characteristics that are most important in predicting charitable transfers. Russell James, a professor in the Department of Personal Financial Planning at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, […]

Cloud-based donor management tool provider Bloomerang has received an investment from JMI Equity (JMI), a growth equity firm focused on investing in software companies. The amount of the investment was not disclosed although it is an equity stake in Bloomerang. “We started Bloomerang with a vision to improve nonprofit effectiveness through smart, intuitive technology and […]

Maximizing the talent and potential of staff to ensure success of an organization’s mission is of course essential. With this in mind, it is important to remember both that nonprofits differ in their approach to social change and that individuals differ in their strengths and interests. In their book, “From the Ground Up,” Carol Chetkovich […]

The average presentation runs approximately 20 minutes. The average presentation seems to run forever. With just 24 percent featuring interaction between the speaker and audience (beyond traditional Q&A), and a dismal 8 percent of presenters asking the audience members to interact with each other, maybe the term should be changed from “presentation” to the more […]

When developing funding proposals for social justice programs, grant professionals tend to frame success in terms of direct impact on public policy. While changes in laws are often essential, focusing myopically on that result overlooks changes at the community level that drive legislative reform and that reach deep into our lives and result in lasting […]

Faced with the potential of a 50-percent drop-off in Red Kettle campaign revenue — some $60-plus million — The Salvation Army is hoping for a Christmas miracle and starting the annual campaign early this year for the first time in 130 years. The Alexandria, Va.-headquartered charity hopes to make up for potential losses due to […]

It’s nothing new to fundraisers and planned gift officers that women and childless couples are the prime prospects for bequests and other estate gifts. New research suggests that those are still huge factors in the process but timing your nonprofit’s communication based on recency of gifts might be exactly the wrong way to go. Russell […]

As most tech and creative professionals will tell you, you can only pick two when it comes to good, fast, and cheap. This is especially true in the world of podcast production, which will take as much time as you have to give.  At a certain point, there is a diminishing return on investment. And […]

Only 10 members of the Forbes 400 reached a maximum philanthropy score of 5 based on a lifetime of giving, donating one-fifth or more of their net worth to charities, according to the latest annual list of the world’s wealthiest individuals.  The 10 are former hedge fund manager John Arnold, home builder and insurance magnate […]