This time of year, local and national newspapers often publish special sections about philanthropy and nonprofits. Here are three:
- Washington Post
- New York Times
- Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal
(see Jefferson Awards under “In Depth”)
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 26, 2008
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Posted by MCF Webmaster
McKnight Announces 2008 Binger Award Winners
November 25, 2008 |
| Ibrahim Ayeh, one of The McKnight Foundation’s Binger Award winners for 2008. |
The McKnight Foundation awarded seven Virginia McKnight Binger awards in Human Service. The $10,000 awards honor Minnesota residents who give their time to improve the lives of people in their communities. The awards are named for the daughter of the foundation’s founders who herself served for nearly 50 years as a board member, as president from 1974 through 1987, and then as honorary chair until her death in 2002.
This year’s recipients are a program provider to the Twin Cities immigrant community; a former gang member who mentors at-risk youth; an artist who uses creativity to foster self-esteem in inner-city kids; a pair of sisters who teach nutrition through hands-on learning; an advocate for the homeless; and a community organizer who fosters home ownership among low-income individuals and families.
In the media:
- McKnight Awards: Game To Help
Star Tribune: Two North Side sisters who created a student garden are among several people who received 2008 Virginia McKnight Binger Awards in Human Service.
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Connecting to (and Through) the Media
November 24, 2008As the internet continues to grow and evolve, there are more opportunities for nonprofits to connect to potential donors, volunteers and others who have an interest in the causes they serve, while using the media as a conduit.
A new tool to help organizations spread the word of their work more effectively is from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. They have a new online tool, Knight News Release Workshop, that is a step-by-step guide to creating a media plan and writing a news release. Information includes tips for success, things to avoid, sample news releases and a news release worksheet.
The most interesting information I found was on the Flesch Score, also known as the Flesch Reading Ease scale. The Flesch Score tells you how readable your words are on a scale of 0-100; the higher the score is, the more readable the copy. You can find the tool in Microsoft Word and it can help you to communicate more clearly with all of your audiences, which can help all of us in our daily work. But I will admit it can become a bit of an addiction (this paragraph has a Flesch Reading Ease of 67.3).
good2gether is a social media web service that allows nonprofits to enter information about their organization, events, volunteering opportunities, donation needs, etc. into their platform. That information is then distributed to good2gether’s high-traffic partner websites in two ways:
- Do Good Channels, which have expanded information on nonprofits in a separate section of an existing website to present opportunities to connect with nonprofits.
(Example: dogood.boston.com) - The connect2cause widget brings nonprofit information alongside a relevant story on partner websites. A news story about a hurricane, for example, would have information on that page about nonprofits that were supporting the relief efforts, for readers to be able to donate, volunteer, or get more information immediately.
Another social networking tool is Help a Reporter Out. Peter Shankman, the site’s founder, works in PR, and there are many reporters who call him for sources. After you enter your contact information on his website, up to three times a day you’ll receive an e-mail from him with journalists who are looking for information on a particular subject. He receives the requests directly, and includes contact information in his e-mail if you are able to help.
Join the conversation: What other tools are out there to help nonprofits get their information out or help shape and refine those messages?
- Megan Sullivan, MCF’s communications associate
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Posted by Megan Sullivan
Ease Up on the Restrictions
November 21, 2008The ongoing debate about restricted program support vs. unrestricted operating support is front and center again.
In our post yesterday we asked about other ways that grantmakers can help nonprofits during this economic downturn (and today’s Star Tribune has an article on this topic, too). Some MCF members — and lots of nonprofits — are suggesting that grantmakers should loosen restrictions on grants so that nonprofits have more flexibility to use funds to support their core missions and, if necessary, to reorganize to survive. This message has been voiced at the first two of three economy roundtables that MCF is hosting with members this week and next.
To help nonprofits manage through the economic downturn, foundations could remove restrictions from grants already made, as well as offer more general operating support grants in the coming year. One MCF member offered one example of the perils of restrictions: A financially-strapped nonprofit dissolved a program that had received $300,000 of dedicated program support; in the end, only $20,000 was available to add back to the organization’s bottom line. In situations like these, the nonprofit needs to have a safe conversation with the funder about how grant monies might become unrestricted or redirected to another program.
The call for more funding flexibility is being heard nationally, too. During a webinar hosted by the Taproot Foundation on Wednesday — “When Hand-Wringing Isn’t Enough: Proactive Approaches Funders Can Use When the Economy is Upside-Down” — panel members encouraged more focus on capacity-building support and unrestricted funding. They also talked about safe conversations: grantees need to be transparent with funders about their situation, and funders need to be open and clear, too. Said one panelist: “Anxiety is driven by ambiguity.”
Taproot has a specific focus on pro bono services and corporate volunteerism. During the webinar discussion panelists noted that, to build a successful volunteer program, nonprofits also need funds to create the infrastructure to recruit and manage volunteers … yet another example of why nonprofits need flexible, unrestricted grants to build capacity and further their missions.
Join the conversation: How are you adapting to the economic crisis? Grantmakers, are you ready to announce changes in your grant guidelines and funding restrictions? Nonprofit leaders, what steps are you taking to boost your unrestricted support?
- Wendy Wehr, MCF V.P. of Communications and Information Services
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Posted by Wendy Wehr
In the Media
November 21, 2008Economy:
- Giving’s Hard Times
Star Tribune: Minnesota’s philanthropies, hit by the economic downturn, are pondering how they can best help cash-strapped Minnesotans. - Tough Times Even Tighter for Charities
New York Times: If you’ve been chewing your nails, wondering what the next few months have in store for you, imagine what the mood is like for charities and nonprofit groups, which depend on the kindness of strangers to keep sending money their way. - Americans Still Giving, Despite Economic Meltdown
Associate Press: As more Americans turn to charity amid worsening economic gloom, operators of food banks and other aid groups are relying on the surprisingly resilient generosity of their neighbors and finding that even when times are tough, people still give.
Local:
- New Law Helps You Support Favorite Charity
Letter to the editor of the Hutchinson Leader from Southwest Initiative Foundation development director Marc Vaillancourt. - McKnight Awards: Game To Help
Star Tribune: Two North Side sisters who created a student garden are among several people who received 2008 Virginia McKnight Binger Awards in Human Service. (Other winners.) - Center City Council Wins Community Growth Options Grant
Chisago County Press: The McKnight grant provides supplemental funding to growing communities such as Center City to hire from a select pool of planning firms to provide an array of services in developing a city development plan. CGO also provides additional support services, evaluation, and workshops for city representatives. - Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten
Houston County News: With the help of Houston County Early Childhood Initiative, which was established with support of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, local school districts, and even the county, have been able to offer programs and services that cater towards infants, preschool children, and parents.
National:
- Bill Clinton Agrees To Limit Nonprofit Work
Chronicle of Philanthropy: Former president Bill Clinton has offered to limit his charitable activities and reveal the names of some donors to his nonprofit work in an effort to smooth the way for his wife to become secretary of state in an Obama administration.
> Why Blunt the Power of Philanthropy? San Francisco Chronicle column - As Women’s Incomes Rise, So Do Their Donations
New York Times: Women, propelled by increased earning power and more financial independence, are becoming a recognized force in charitable giving. - Entrepreneur Blogs About Charity’s Money Woes
San Francisco Chronicle: Like many social entrepreneurs caught in the economic crisis, Kjerstin Erickson is lying awake at night wondering if her tiny nonprofit is going to survive. But in an unorthodox move, the 25-year-old decided to blog about her charity’s financial problems – despite warnings from board members that she’ll send her remaining donors fleeing. - Foundations Urged to Provide More Data on Grants to Minority Groups
Chronicle of Philanthropy: In a continuing war of words, the Greenlining Institute shot back at The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page for its November 5 opinion article that criticized the Berkeley, Calif., organization’s efforts to make foundations provide data on the race and ethnicity of their beneficiaries.
1 Comment | awards, economy, in the news, individual giving | Permalink
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Bremer Foundation Responds to Economic Crisis
November 20, 2008
Foundations and nonprofits alike are gathering information about the economic situation and how to respond. MCF, for example, is convening its member grantmakers this week and next to discuss the outlook and what funders can do to to help nonprofits weather the crisis, and has several other activities planned in the coming weeks and months.
One local funder is responding quickly. The Otto Bremer Foundation is joining with Bremer Bank to create an Emergency Fund. Available to communities served by Bremer Bank, grants of up to $100,000 will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that serve individuals and families in need:
This growing crisis is creating daunting financial challenges for families and individuals as many struggle to continue to provide food, warm and stable housing, health care, and reliable transportation in the face of increased unemployment and high prices. Timely financial assistance can sometimes make the difference between instability and security, enabling families to meet emergency needs and retain housing or jobs. (Read more…)
Join the conversation: How else can grantmakers help nonprofits during this economic downturn?
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Twin Cities Arts Groups Receive Funding from Wallace Foundation
November 18, 2008
The New York-based Wallace Foundation awarded $5.3 million to eight Twin Cites arts organizations and another $1.6 million to Minnesota Community Foundation to increase participation in the arts. The foundation chose Minneapolis-St. Paul as one of six communities because of the vibrant local arts scene: “Minneapolis Saint Paul stood out among others because of the robust collaboration among local funders and arts organizations around informing and supporting cultural participation.”
Eight organizations, including MacPhail Center for Music and the Minnesota Opera, will each receive four-year grants of at least $300,000 to increase arts attendance. Minnesota Community Foundation will partner with Arts Midwest over four years to create a network of resources about engaging audiences for all local arts organizations, in addition to providing project grant funds. The organizations will also receive technical assistance to help understand their audiences and evaluate project effectiveness.
“This is an exciting mix of arts organizations that enrich our region and state,” said Carleen Rhodes, Minnesota Community Foundation’s president and CEO. “We are pleased that The Wallace Foundation sought us out to play an organizing role that will enhance their individual and collective capacity.”
Building appreciation and demand for the arts is one of the Wallace Foundation’s three focus areas; find resources about this topic at wallacefoundation.org.
In the media:
NW Minnesota Women’s Hall of Fame
November 17, 2008
The Northwest Minnesota Women’s Fund invites nominees who are exemplary role models who have had a positive and significant impact on the social fabric of northwest Minnesota, which includes the counties of Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake and Roseau.
Deadline: Dec. 1, 2008
