Thursday, November 26, 2009

November's Latest Top e-Giving News

As Thanksgiving is upon us, no matter what your views about this day, may it bring a moment of pause for all that we are grateful for and the ways we are giving back. This month may you be inspired by our latest e-gifts news and be grateful for all that you have.

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it,
is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
~ William Arthur Ward

A recent article (http://bit.ly/XDg01) talked about a new release by noted philanthropist Charles Bronfman and philanthropy expert Jeffrey Solomon, entitled "The Art of Giving: Where the Soul Meets a Business Plan". The book posits that philanthropy must be strategic, intentional and - perhaps most importantly - fun! As I read the article and their thoughts about giving, I realized that those are all the components we are putting together as we develop OneGiving™. How right on they are that while there is a lot of giving going on in the world, which is a good thing, what if we could make that giving more strategic and intentional so that all of our individual giving efforts could not only build upon each other, but could also be put into the context of the need of giving, and ultimately can be more fun! As we create OneGiving™. that is at the forefront of our minds, while at the same time sharing with everyone the news and resources out there surrounding giving, so we may all move in the direction of making an even bigger impact on the planet! Enjoy our November latest e-Giving news:

Funding Opportunity
Chase is giving away $25,000+ to 100 nonprofits: Chase Community Giving is a program run by Chase that will allow Facebook users to vote for local non-profits, and help direct Chase corporate philanthropy dollars to eligible organizations in the following focus areas: education, healthcare, housing, the environment, combating hunger, arts and culture, human services, and animal welfare. The grassroots campaign aims to inspire a new way of corporate philanthropy. http://bit.ly/1zafvw

Celebrities & Giving
Product (RED) Controversy: This article investigates Product (RED)'s $135 million donation to the Global Fund for AIDS programs and explores the controversy around the campaign and where all of the money from product sales is going, its impact and whether this is the best approach and use of resources. http://bit.ly/4mq94o

Corporate Giving
Brands & Causes = Consumer Worthy:
The 2009 PR Week / Barkley Cause Survey uncovers that while consumers have decreased spending on charitable giving, 91% expect companies to fill that gap and showcase their commitment to the greater good (up from 86% in 2008). The study also reveals that cause can make strong business sense for brands by increasing trial, loyalty, sales, and even higher prices at the cash register. http://bit.ly/2xpDB9

Individual Giving
Volunteering or Work?:
You know the job market is bad when you can't even work for free. But while the right volunteer gig can help your job search, there are no guarantees. And in some cases, volunteer duties can actually get in the way. This article provides six tips for getting the most out of pro bono work, and making sure it doesn't take you out of the hunt. http://bit.ly/1Xb0Tm

Social Media & Giving
Social Networks & Nonprofits:

Got a tweet to spare? It could help the nonprofit of your choice. Many recent examples of how social networks have quickly become a powerful yet inexpensive tool to raise money and awareness for charities, even at a time when the economy has reduced overall donations to nonprofit groups. http://bit.ly/QFvF9
10 Golden Rules of Social Media: An interesting set of rules to embrace, debate, pass around and refine regarding the growing trend of social media. http://bit.ly/lCWMm

Nonprofit Resources
Helpful resources of the month that range from taglines, YouTube, online newsletter ideas, Twitter and website content:
· 13 Outstanding Nonprofit Taglines: A nonprofit's tagline is hands down the briefest, easiest and most effective way to communicate its identity and impact. http://bit.ly/1u3qH4
· Nonprofits & YouTube: A Must: A webinar about how nonprofits can use YouTube effectively. http://bit.ly/3YTMn3
· 27 Story Ideas for Nonprofits: Ideas to provide newsletter article themes you can take and run with - real newsletters examples are included. http://bit.ly/2LYTic
· Top 100 Tweeps to Follow: Follow folks in specifically social entrepreneurship circle. Start with the first 20 below and see how it goes. http://bit.ly/abVKe
· 20 Twitter Hashtags for Social Entrepreneurs, Nonprofits and Activists: One of the best (and worst) features on Twitter is the hashtag. Check out this list of 20 hashtags change-makers will be sure to enjoy. http://bit.ly/tlJud
· Top 10 Things Donors Want from Nonprofit's Website: Most donors check out nonprofit websites before making a gift. Here are ten things to ask to see if your website is hurting or helping your fundraising campaign. http://bit.ly/FgegO
Giving Trends
2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study: According to the 2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study, new research released today explores American new media users' interactions with brands, their engagement with corporate responsibility practices and their support of social and environmental issues. http://bit.ly/qQZl5
Donor Motivations, Income and Education: Nearly one in five donors says that the most important reason to give to nonprofits is to help meet people's basic needs. However, a key finding of the research is that, while there are differences in the percentage of people who select different motivations within each region of the country, those variations can be explained by regional differences in income and education, not underlying values specific to the region. http://bit.ly/310JtW

Giving for Thought...or Discussion
Some thought-provoking articles ranging from Twitter followers, tips, non-profit naming, likeability quotient and proposing new fundraising ideas:
· 4,000 Followers Who Don't Care: An interesting article examining the impact and usage of Twitter and other types of social media. http://bit.ly/2RxOgp
· 9 Advanced Twitter Tips: Twitter tips that will help you manage your everyday "tweeting." http://bit.ly/2ABnd6
· 6 Reasons to Use the Term "Community Benefit Organization": A debate of using the term "community benefit organization" vs. "nonprofit." http://bit.ly/SyjGa
· Definitive Guide to Become Likable Online: What do you think is the most important factor to becoming likeable online? http://bit.ly/27xOax
· Want to Try Something New?: If you ran a nonprofit and your fundraising team came in tomorrow proposing to invest a chunk of your fundraising capital in a social media effort (or any other new fundraising approach), how would you respond? http://bit.ly/IMrS2

What are the things that you are grateful for? Are you expressing your gratitude? How are you giving back in the world? Are you open to receiving the gifts that others are sharing with you? Try it on for size this month and enjoy all that unfolds before you!

You can find me on Twitter @pilarstella and Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella.

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