March 31, 2009
The Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA) has a new website, containing a wealth of information for those in the field of volunteer administration.
Highlights of the new site include:
- An events calendar featuring online registration.
- The MAVA Blog, a great way to keep current on the latest in volunteerism.
- Access to Networks of Volunteer leaders in your area of the state.
- An extensive MAVA members-only section.
Check it out and feel free to share the site address and information with colleagues and friends.
The site is accessed via: www.MAVANetwork.org.
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nonprofits, volunteers | 
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Posted by sstehling
March 30, 2009
On March 26, the Minnesota Council on Foundations, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and PFund Foundation held a briefing on capacity building and community engagement for social change at the Northwest Area Foundation in St. Paul.
The National Gender & Equity Campaign, a demonstration project of AAPIP and PFund Foundation, shared best practices and key lessons from their community engagement approaches. Grantmakers also heard various community perspectives about the NGEC and PFund Foundation’s community engagement processes. They shared their reflections and insights in to the impacts on the ground and how to enact approaches that stay relevant to community contexts.
This sparked a thoughtful discussion among participants. The discussion revolved around the questions: How can we keep our organization relevant to our audience? How can we reflect the needs of the community back into the community through responsive services? How can we make the evaluation process more realistic? Once you’ve participated in the community engagement process, how do you move forward strategically? One attendee remarked, “The community engagement process helps to debunk myths and satisfy truths. It helps you keep your organization relevant.” In light of today’s economic environment, I think we can all agree that we need to attend to the needs of our audiences now more than ever before.
The National Gender & Equity Campaign, a demonstration project of AAPIP, has produced ”A Guide on Community Engagement: Making Social Justice Work Inclusive”. This facilitation guide shares a framework, tools and methods for community engagement. If you’re interested in engaging the communities you serve, check out the full facilitation guide on NGEC’s website.
- Lisa Johnson, MCF’s manager of professional development and e-learning
Leave a Comment » | diversity, grantseekers, international, nonprofits, programs | Permalink
Posted by Lisa Johnson
March 27, 2009
Curious about recent trends in foundation funding priorities across the country? The Foundation Center has issued their annual report, Foundation Giving Trends: Update on Funding Priorities, highlighting nationwide trends in philanthropy in 2007. Key findings include:
- Giving increased by 13.2% between 2006 and 2007.
- A record 188 foundations gave grants of $10 million or more in 2007.
- Of the 10 largest grants, eight were made by the Gates Foundation, mainly for health-related activities and international development.
- Environment/animals experienced the fastest growth in grant dollars in 2007, at 28.5%.
- Funding for international activities reached a record 23.4% of all grant dollars in 2007.
This annual report looks at trends in giving by more than 1,000 foundations across the country, including the 15 largest funders in nearly every state. Over half of all grant dollars (totaling $21.6 billion) given by U.S. foundations are represented by the report’s sample.
Detailed information on giving trends by foundation type, size, and region, as well as by subject focus, type of support, population group served, and geographic focus is also available in the full report.
3 Comments | research | Permalink
Posted by julianatillema
March 26, 2009
Some leading Minnesota foundations jumped into the state budget fray on Wednesday evening when they and the Citizens League held a public meeting to reveal their report “Minnesota’s Bottom Line: Better Results for Dollars Spent.”
Developed with the able assistance of consultants from Public Strategies Group, the report is a launching pad for new ideas that can enable us to emerge from our state fiscal challenges better prepared to succeed in the future. The foundations’ clearly stated goal is “to find practical ways to improve public services and that cost less.”
This initiative is led by The Minneapolis Foundation, the Minnesota Community Foundation and The Saint Paul Foundation, the Bush Foundation, and the Northwest Area Foundation. All are MCF members.
Today Star Tribune editorial writer Lori Sturdevant praised the foundations for their leadership:
The foundations — Bush, Minneapolis, Northwest Area, Minnesota Community and St. Paul — deserve applause for leaving their comfort zones and wading into the state’s politically charged budget debate. But they aren’t endorsing any particular bill or strategy for balancing the state budget this year — not yet, anyway. Rather, they are hoping to give exposure to money-saving, mission-sustaining ideas that they consider promising. Their hope is that others will take the ideas and run with them, not so much in this legislative session as the next several.
Read the report for yourself on the Citizens League website. Are you wondering how others will react to the ideas? Check in next week. We’ll be following the story as it unfolds and share more then.
- Wendy Wehr, MCF V.P. of Communications and Information Services
1 Comment | economy, government, public policy | Permalink
Posted by Wendy Wehr
March 25, 2009
Craig Binger
The Center for Nonprofit Management at the University of St. Thomas will host three free seminars focused on nonprofit needs and innovation.
In the first seminar, on April 8, expert Craig Binger will help you clarify whether your organizational structure is aligned with your current needs and demands. He will identify typical business drivers, discuss options for organizational change and redirection, and review general implementation steps for each.
Craig Binger is currently the principal at Binger Consulting Group, University of St. Thomas adjunct faculty and former Wilder Foundation executive. Craig has twenty five years of experience leading major organizational change initiatives.
Find more information and register.
Leave a Comment » | economy, education, leadership, nonprofits, programs | Permalink
Posted by sstehling
March 24, 2009
Roundup of what other bloggers are saying about philanthropy. Join the conversations!
- 25 Random Things that Make the Nonprofit Sector Great
Fieldstone Alliance has a terrific list to remind us all about why we do the work we do.
- Kiva lets any old weirdo shape their message
Donor Power Blog: Kiva is giving people a window on their data, which will let them create fun, quirky, individualistic ways to raise funds for Kiva. People might express the Kiva fundraising offer in ways that make the people at Kiva very uncomfortable. But Kiva went ahead and did it anyway, which means they get it.
- Foundations Can Be Better Advocates
Philanthropy Journal: Foundations can raise their voice on policy issues, do more to spur a more inclusive conversation to address issues, invest more in policy and advocacy work by nonprofits, and use their role as shareholders to help shape the business practices of companies in which they invest.
- The crumbling of nonprofit arts organizations: what models will rise from the ashes?
Beth’s Blog: With unemployment and cutback, for many a trip to the art museum can appear to be a luxury. In response, arts organizations are cutting staff, trimming budgets, canceling shows, shortening seasons or closing their doors. Maybe arts organizations need to be doing “Social Capital Impact” studies along with other forms of advocacy?
- Funder/Grantee Relationships: Or, What To Do After You Get That Check
Denver Foundation: Long before you send in a grant report, you can interact with the funder and share both good news and challenges. You have a chance to further engage a funder in your mission.
Leave a Comment » | arts, communication, individual giving, leadership, nonprofits, philanthropy blogs, public policy, technology | Permalink
Posted by Crystal Colby
March 23, 2009
The New York Times wrote an article about Minneapolis Institute of Arts trustee Bruce Dayton. He’s known as “the Cal Ripken of museum trustees,” having served on the board since 1967:
During his time on the board, Mr. Dayton has given the museum $72 million in capital, endowment and acquisitions funds, as well as more than 2,000 works of art, helping to transform the encyclopedic institution into what a New York Times critic once called “a miniature Metropolitan.”
In addition to his arts work, Dayton was recognized by the Times as “a dean of American corporate arts philanthropy” through his family’s business, the Target Corporation (formerly Dayton Hudson Corporation):
The Dayton brothers have another dynastic business: philanthropy. In 1946, they decided to tithe 5 percent of their pretax profits, the maximum allowable by law, to charity; this practice was written into the company’s bylaws. [...] Along the way, the Daytons have become known for the art of good governance, in both business and the nonprofit sector.
In Dayton’s words: “The job of a trustee is to push for an impossible perfection.” Read more about his achievements and philosophy at nytimes.com.
Leave a Comment » | boards, corporate, in the news | Permalink
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