A Look at Giving in 2011: Part 3 of 3 in a Series...Social Responsibility and Giving!

This is Part 3 of 3 in a series. Part 1 is available at: Giving 2011 Part 1 and Part 2 is available at: Giving 2011 Part 2.

More and more companies and celebrities are getting into giving. It is an exciting time in history. In September 2009, Time Magazine called it the "Responsibility Revolution" and the "Era of the Ethical Consumer." Consumers are demanding giving. Time Report html

Despite the economy still struggling to get back on track, giving is here to stay and consumers are demanding it. Cone research found that 90% of consumers want companies to tell them the ways they are supporting causes (that's over 278 million consumers who want to know what companies are doing to benefit causes)! Additionally over 80% of consumers said they would be likely to switch from one brand to another if the other brand is associated with a good cause. Cone Report html

Yet as with many good things comes a down side.

First, corporate social responsibility and celebrity giving efforts often get targeted for their self interest in giving. While there is the potential for and some abuse as it relates to this, it still doesn't account for the fact that companies that are giving those dollars are committing money that wouldn't have been there otherwise. We do all have to start somewhere and starting with some giving is better than no giving.

But why does this have to be a bad thing? Is there anything wrong with creating a win-win scenario. If done well, social responsibility creates a win for the corporation, the consumer and the cause! Plus, even if a corporation starts giving with less than the best intentions, it is a continuum. If they get into giving and have good nonprofit giving partners, they can learn more about it, become more thoughtful and sophisticated in it, and they may even derive more value from it. If their experience with it is positive, then likely their giving will grow too. Over time, creating the partnership can lead to more and more sophisticated donors, corporations and causes - everyone wins!

Second, corporate, celebrity and all giving often gets targeted for corruption, misuse of funds, lack of transparency, etc. Once we get organizations, public figures and others giving, we need to educate them and provide them with the tools and resources to give with ease, transparency and strategy to make giving impactful, sustainable and fun! There need to be more resources to strengthen this capacity!

Finally, consumers are demanding giving and more choice in giving. Cone found that not only do more consumers want to choose brands that are tied to causes, but they want to have more say in choosing the causes they care about (over 84% of consumers want to select their own causes). Campaigns like Chase Community Giving and Pepsi Refresh and others have created online campaigns to allow users to choose their causes of choice. More efforts are being tailored and need to be created to give consumers more choice.

So what's the moral of the giving story? Let's face it...Giving is good, giving is happening, giving is sexy and giving is here to stay. Now if we can find more effective ways to give with transparency; coordinate, consolidate and aggregate our giving across the dozens of giving platforms and players; give more strategically and provide more choice in giving...we will have solved the Giving Conundrum! At least for now!

That is one of our dreams and visions for OneGiving! Thank you for your continued passion, patience and support as we create OneGiving! We will get there...a little at a time!

You can find me at www.facebook.com/pilarstella1 and twitter @pilarstella.

A Look at Giving in 2011: Everybody's Giving! Part 1 of 3 in a Series

Despite the reports about drops in donations, 2010 was a good year for giving! The buzz around giving kept growing, signaling good things to come.

With increasing numbers of companies ramping up corporate social responsibility and online giving efforts (Chase, Pepsi, Virgin, Target...), more and more celebrities and athletes jumping into the fray (Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Ovie Mughelli, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ed Norton, Angelina and Brad...), and media covering more social responsibility (including Newsweek, US News and World Report, Huffington Post, Mashable...), the hip new words on the street are GIVING and SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

To meet the increasing demand by consumers for more giving, online and mobile giving sites and solutions started popping up out of the woodworks. Two of the bigger splashes were the release of:

· http://www.crowdrise.com/ started by actor Ed Norton in partnership with others to create a more media friendly-spin to online giving and
· http://www.jumo.com/ started by former Facebook executive Chris Hughes, an Obama social media campaign expert and others to create a more socially interactive giving site.

In addition to these sites, there are other new generation giving sites such as http://www.sumazi.com/ and http://www.giveo.com/ that are joining the first generation of sites including: http://www.firstgiving.com/, http://www.justgiving.com/, http://www.networkforgood.org/, http://www.globalgiving.org/ and a whole host of others.

We've started to see an increase in brand and cause marketing campaigns tying goods to causes; in mobile giving sites such as http://www.mgive.com/, http://www.mobilecause.com/, and more; store giving and round up campaigns at Whole Foods, Safeway and others; in advocacy campaigns with http://www.avaaz.org/, http://www.call2action.com/; http://www.causecast.com/, http://www.change.org/ and many more; celebrity galas and giving campaigns tying their events to their causes of choice; and continued efforts at accountability with http://www.guidestar.org/, http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and others. This is just the tip of the iceberg!

This is exciting news and an exciting time for philanthropy! There is no shortage of new and different giving sites coming out regularly...and we still have a long way to go! Efforts to give and support giving are still fragmented and confusing for donors. While there are many people addressing different pieces of the giving puzzle, we have yet to fully solve the problem systematically or address transparency.

In January, reports about the (RED) campaign backed by Bono came under fire for corruption and lack of transparency http://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/celebrity/NATLCharity-Backed-By-U2s-Bono-Under-Fire-for-Corruption-114453359.html. This is just one of many reports over the years plaguing efforts to support charities, including http://www.kiva.org/, http://www.globalgiving.org/, http://www.charitynavigator.org/ and others.

While it is necessary to be sure that our dollars are going to where they say they are going, it is also critical to acknowledge and recognize that significant dollars were raised that never would have been there before. Which is great news!

Now we have to start solving the piece of the puzzle that addresses being more strategic, connected, transparent and sustainable about our giving and we may really be on to something...

MORE in the Series in Future Blogs...CHECK BACK... ;) p

You can find me on Twitter @pilarstella and Facebook at www.facebook.com/pilarstella1.

April's Latest e-Giving News

Giving keeps coming up in the news as more and more corporations jump into corporate social responsibility, nonprofits get active in social media, foundations take more risks and individuals give. All of this makes more of a case for OneGiving - stay tuned! Here is the latest e-Giving news!

You get the best out of others, when you give the best of yourself. ~ Harry S. Firestone

Global Giving
United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria Announces the Social Media Envoy Group - http://bit.ly/cpcqhb - UN Special Envoy for Malaria announced the formation of a Social Media Envoy group chartered with inspiring and activating social media audiences throughout the year in support of malaria control. The Social Media Envoys are using social media to keep online and offline media audiences focused on the movement, milestones and resources required to achieve the Secretary-General's goal of providing all endemic African countries with malaria control interventions.

Corporate Giving
We're Going Barefoot on April 8th. Are you? - http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/ - One Day Without Shoes is the day to raise awareness about the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child's life. On April 8th, Tom's Shoes is asking people to go the day, part of the day or even just a few minutes, barefoot, to experience a life without shoes first-hand, and inspire others at the same time.

Individual Giving
34 entrepreneurs who could change the world - http://bit.ly/9wWOYo - These entrepreneurs could change the world. By sponsoring them, you can decide which 25 will attend the Unreasonable Institute, where they will receive training, mentorship, and access to capital they need to take flight.

Nonprofits, Social Media & Giving
Several lists of nonprofit leaders & social media -
Top 25 Most influential Non-profit Tweeters - http://bit.ly/bId3n4;
Top Nonprofit Leaders to Follow on Twitter - http://bit.ly/cW1WJa;
25 of the Best Non-Profit Websites - http://bit.ly/dyVpcW.

After Facebook and Obama, Chris Hughes launches nonprofit Jumo - http://bit.ly/9ccFHe - Chris Hughes, a Facebook co-founder who helped launch the social networking phenom and then the tour-de-force online organizing campaign for Barack Obama's presidential bid, on Thursday unveiled his latest endeavor: A website to connect individuals and organizations striving to help the world.

Promoting Giving
Partying to Change the World - http://cot.ag/dmfmlJ
Wedding Favors for Charity - http://bit.ly/bmbp9t
Initiative to spark engagement & innovation in effort to end hunger - http://bit.ly/csfdt4 and http://www.wecanendthis.com/
Facebook Advertising Experiment for Nonprofit Organizations - http://bit.ly/99Afdw
Twestival Lessons for Nonprofits to Engage Volunteers and Donors - http://bit.ly/cGAWiD

Mobile
Zoetica Iphone App and Nonprofit iPhone Apps - http://bit.ly/cxtJY6 - Beth Kanter announces Zoetica iPhone application, is now live on the iTunes store.
Mobile Benchmarks 2010: How Are Non-Profits Using Text Messaging? - http://bit.ly/ddqhdo - The study takes a look at how organizations in the US are using text messaging and how subscribers are responding.
The Demographics of Text-Message Giving - http://bit.ly/c1uEW3 - Donors age 45 and younger were far more likely to make text-message donations for Haiti relief efforts than their older counterparts, according to a new study.

Giving Trends
Using curiosity to engage your community online - http://tr.im/RXxe - How are we-as interaction designers-leveraging curiosity in our designs?

Giving Measurement/Outcomes/Evaluation
Measuring the Bang of Every Donated Buck - http://is.gd/9sro6 - Ask enough people why they don't donate and a common theme emerges - fear their money will be wasted. Measuring the impact nonprofits have on the problems they seek to solve-and, in some cases, deciding whether one cause is more deserving than another-has become a pressing issue for the multitrillion-dollar philanthropy industry.

For Discussion
iPhone App or a Mobile Website? - http://bit.ly/90z40a - Which is a Better Investment for Your Nonprofit Here are five reasons why it might make more sense to initially invest in a mobile website over an iPhone App.

Thanks for your continued contributions and gifts in the world! Keep on giving back! You can follow us on Twitter @onegiving & on Facebook Pages or me @pilarstella and www.facebook.com/pilarstella.

Latest e-Giving News and Resources

This was taken from our OneGiving™ e-Gifts newsletter. To subscribe, go to: www.onegiving.com. Enjoy!

Giving is everywhere! In writing this month's e-Gifts newsletter, I think back to a year ago when we started these newsletters, to a few years ago when the idea of OneGiving™ was just an inkling of an idea and to over a decade ago when I started working with different sectors on strategic giving. Wow, how much has changed! It is finally time that giving is has become the norm not the outlier for companies, individuals, celebrities and others.

A recent article in the Patriot Ledger (http://bit.ly/95IPxg) sums it up: "Campaigns, built around charitable efforts, have become a staple of marketing strategies for many companies... 'Once it was just this niche thing, and now it's generally recognized as part of the marketing mix,'" according to Rich Maiore, VP for public relations for Cone Inc. Below are some of the highlighted articles and news tracking these trends. Enjoy!

Celebrities & Giving
Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga Support MAC AIDS Fund http://www.macaidsfund.org/ - Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper love lipstick, fashion and want to tell girls all over the world how to keep their love life safe, seductive and satisfying with eyes wide open to the facts about women and HIV/AIDS. These sizzling, sensuous self-created divas are channeling their high-voltage energy to launch the new M·A·C Cosmetics VIVA GLAM campaign in honor of women who are living with HIV/AIDS. The M·A·C AIDS Fund will announce $2.5 million in donations to fund model programs that address the vulnerabilities and inequities that place women at increased risk for HIV/AIDS.

Politics & Giving
White House Aid Urges Foundations to Take More Risks http://bit.ly/bUgSZt - Sonal Shah, head of the White House's Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, urged foundations to take greater risks, saying one of the lessons she learned in her first year is that the federal government is not easily able to finance experiments with new efforts to treat social problems.

President's Budget Proposes Increase for National Service - http://bit.ly/d0UWXG - President Obama has proposed increasing the budget for the Corporation for National and Community Service in fiscal year 2011.

Corporate Giving
Pepsi launches Refresh Campaign - http://www.refresheverything.com/ Pepsi is giving away millions through its latest corporate social responsibility campaign that it launched in lieu of traditional advertising on Superbowl Sunday. This is one of many companies jumping on the wave of corporate giving and online giving campaigns to position themselves as a leader of global giving. Consumers can go to the site and vote and follow nonprofits of their choice.

Foundation Giving
Grants to Develop, Test Next-Generation Teaching Tools - http://bit.ly/9yldZk - The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced 15 grants totaling more than $19.5 million to support the development and testing of classroom assessments and instructional tools in math and literacy to help educators better prepare students for success beyond high school.

Nonprofits, Social Media & Giving
3 Reasons the Future of Your Nonprofit Depends on Social Media - http://bit.ly/9mdC5E, Nonprofit survival depends upon committing to building and maintaining a strong social media presence. Why? Because online giving is up, corporate giving is changing and your donor are online.

5 Insightful TED Talks on Social Media - http://bit.ly/9FFqEn - As social media has become a game changer for industries across the board, you can bet the experts at this year's Technology Entertainment Design (TED) conference will have their sights set on peeling back the hype and getting at the core of what social technology has in store for this year and beyond. Check out 5 talks from TED's past, with a focus on social media.

Funding Opportunities
Increase Your Green Campaign - http://www.dosomething.org/increase_your_green HP and DoSomething.org have launched a national campaign for schools to apply to green their schools. Projects need to be submitted by April 22nd, so apply now.

Mobile Giving
5 Real Challenges for Non-Profit Texting Campaigns - http://bit.ly/cp0LsH - Close examination of texting-based fundraising reveals a wide variety of barriers for nonprofits. This Mashable article exams barriers and solutions to texting and fundraising to consider.

Giving Trends
Online Giving Trends from 2009 and the Haiti Earthquake - http://bit.ly/bViijL - 2009 proved to be another important year for online giving by nonprofit organizations. The information in this 2009 research comes from approximately 2,300 nonprofit organizations using a combination of our online fundraising, email marketing, and integrated CRM tools. The analysis represents the largest study of online giving trends in the nonprofit sector.

Millennials: Looking for More Than Just a Job - http://bit.ly/cPROSv - An interesting article commenting of the new era of problem solving and social entrepreneurship as the Millenial generation are looking for work that blends sectors and structure and creates meaningful impact.

Giving Resources
10 Free Things Every New Social Entrepreneur Should Have - http://bit.ly/bfYrr7 -A successful social entrepreneur is scrappy and resourceful. They know how to do more with less, and create a social impact while doing so. Check out the 10 resources that are free monetarily, but each is an invaluable tool for launching and sustaining a lean social enterprise.

Giving Measurement/Outcomes/Evaluation
Volunteerism: Glass Half Full or Half Empty? - http://bit.ly/bNuRkj - Joanne's blog about the recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that revealed that volunteerism did increase, but not as dramatically as expected. Given the publicity it has received and with the high visibility of President Obama and Mrs. Obama in encouraging volunteerism, what does this mean for volunteerism? You decide.

Nonprofit Social Media Benchmarks Study - http://bit.ly/9u02FP - A great blog about a social media benchmarking study to create benchmarks for nonprofits on Facebook and Twitter. The blog includes sample research by groups such as Easter Seals, Oxfam, Human Rights Campaign, League of Conservation Voters, and more.

For Discussion
The Age of the Citizen Philanthropist - http://bit.ly/aWRhpS - This article talks about how our new communications technologies have empowered the individual and the implications of this on the non-profit sector. Is it disruptive or helpful? What do you think? Whatever the case may be it is happening, so how do we steer it in the direction of helpful, productive and useful?

A Lost Generation of Entrepreneurs? http://bit.ly/cQCaTK - Social Citizens responds to a BusinessWeek article by seasoned entrepreneur and investor, Jeff Bussgang, and argues that the latest generation of entrepreneurs who may focus a little less on profits and a little more on changing the world. Check out this list of individuals with leadership experience and start-up skills that serve as role models for their peers and the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Can an Injection of National Service Heal the Unemployment Problem? - http://bit.ly/bwONev - With the private sector short on certainty and Washington short on cash, creating jobs isn't easy. That's why targeting young people makes so much sense. Jobless youth are in ample supply, cheap to hire and eager to serve. A national network of nonprofits and service organizations already exists to put them to work.

Thanks for your continued contributions and gifts in the world! Keep on giving back! You can follow us on Twitter @onegiving & on Facebook Pages.

January-February Latest e-Giving News

Here is the latest news on giving...may it be useful in helping you to give and receive more! Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more. ~Anthony Robbins

Celebrities & Giving
Bono's Ten for the Next Ten - http://bit.ly/7Go9cm Bono's incredible Top 10 list for the future - be inspired! These are his top 10 ideas to make the next 10 years more interesting, including: Return of the Automobile as a Sexual Object, Matter Doesn't Matter, Power and the Upside-Down Pyramid, The World Cup Kicks Off the African Decade and more. What are on yours?

Corporate Giving
Companies Seek Greater Returns in Tough Times - http://bit.ly/6aIiJc Gifts are increasingly freighted with self interest and more strategic in nature. Pro bono: The New Model for Corporate Giving - http://bit.ly/5oNQpO Will corporate pro bono work become the new model for corporate giving?

Nonprofit Giving & Social Media Resources
HOW TO: Do Good on Twitter - http://bit.ly/TRLb5 But while we know all about what Twitter is good for, is it possible to actually do good on Twitter? How do you do it? As it turns out, there are many ways to help out others just by tweeting.

An Interview with Robert Chatwani on Giving Works Trends 2009 - http://bit.ly/7AdU7w According to the report, the eBay community gave $50 million to nonprofits, a 17% jump over 2008 despite the ongoing recession. The program allows individuals to donate while using eBay. Beth Kanter interviews with Robert Chatwani, eBay's head of Global Citizenship, to learn more behind the numbers.

Individual Giving
Generosity Experiment Revisited - http://bit.ly/4sj7IAHow the act of giving could change you. Sasha Dichter writes about his experience of how giving more impacted his life - a worthwhile read.

How to Help Out Nonprofits and Get a Tax Break- http://bit.ly/dpdCae - Lalia Helmer's blog about donating excess inventory to nonprofits to get a tax deduction.

Funding Opportunities
How to Score Grant Money from Pepsi - http://bit.ly/4tJx3s Got a great idea? Want money? Pepsi is launching their Refresh the World stuff on Jan 13th. It's serious money up to $1 million a month. Also more about Pepsi Ditching the Super Bowl for online giving http://ow.ly/T0Kb. Skoll Foundation, Social Edge: Global Social Benefit Incubator Program - http://bit.ly/gsbi10 The Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBI™), a program developed by Santa Clara University's Center for Science, Technology, and Society, assists social benefit entrepreneurs in developing business plans that enable their organizations to reach increasing numbers of beneficiaries. Application deadline: February 19, 2010.

Giving Measurement/Outcomes/Evaluation
Looking Back to Predict the Future - http://bit.ly/6xc75P Research that show powerful growth in just a couple of years for cause-related and corporate responsibility initiatives and may signal a positive outlook for the year ahead.
Top-Rated Charities by City and Cause - http://ow.ly/TPlT GuideStar's partner GreatNonprofits published the first-ever "top charities" lists based on user ratings and reviews. While their way of rating has raised a lot of controversy, we thought it worthwhile to share none-the-less.
Diffferent nonprofit watchdog & their standards - http://bit.ly/4WPCFW A look at several nonprofit watch dogs and their standards for measuring nonprofits.
Rethinking Ways to Give Wisely - http://bit.ly/8bPG8uAs a new generation of donors seek greater accountability from not-for-profits, advisers are seeking new ways to gauge the good an organization accomplishes.

Giving for Thought...or Discussion
Philanthropic Capital Needs To Take More Risks - http://bit.ly/4DfWc5 Philanthropy is meant to support programs and organizations that contribute to social change. The "return" it seeks is social, not financial, gain. Yet most institutional philanthropy is slow-moving and risk-averse, slowing the pace of innovation in the field as a whole. This change.org article explores where will the risk capital come from.
Six Reasons People Don't Give and What You Can Do - http://bit.ly/66Mv6t Here are things that block donors from giving, and what good fundraising can do about it.

Thanks for your continued contributions and gifts in the world! Keep on giving back! You can follow us on Twitter @onegiving & on Facebook Pages.

Happy New Year, New Decade & New YOU!

Can you believe it is already 2010? I myself am pretty amazed as I wonder to myself where did 2009 go? I have heard that many are glad 2009 is over for what it was not. But I hope that as we enter 2010, we may look back and be grateful for what 2009 brought and for what 2010 will bring.

For me 2009 was a clearing out year - clearing out the old, getting clear on ME - who I am and what I want, getting clear on my priorities for my personal and professional life, my goals for OneGiving™. For many, 2009 was a hard year financially, emotionally or whatever the case may be. But I also wonder on a greater level if it was really a year for us all to get clear, to be forced to get back to the basics to get clear about what we really want in our lives. That it was a year of transition, of rebuilding, of creating a foundation for us to move forward with. If we can see it for that and not for what it didn't bring, then maybe we can be grateful and also begin to get excited at what 2010 will hold since we have done our work and built that foundation.

I recently received a few links, videos and articles that provide some different perspectives of where we are headed in 2010. I wanted to share them with you now as I believe we are entering a new era - that some have called the "biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution"(@equalman on Twitter). While the pessimists and cynics may disagree, I consider it the next biggest movement following the women's rights and civil rights era, with a shift towards humanitarian solutions and global oneness. I believe in this upcoming decade we will begin to see a world we don't even recognize as different sectors transform before our eyes. Business will shift from a solely profit centered model to a triple bottom line (people, profit and the planet), media and merchandise will move from selling to listening, people will go from disconnecting to connecting and the world will move towards oneness.

Socialnomics™ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8
This is one of the most compelling videos I have seen about the rise of social media and its impacts on people, business and beyond. Some of the most incredible statistics include: - That while it took radio 38 years, Tv 13 years, the internet 4 years and the iPod 3 years to reach 50 million users, it has taken Facebook 9 months to reach 100 million users.- If Facebook were a country it would be the 4th largest behind China, India and the U.S.- By 2010 Gen Y will outnumber Baby Boomers and 96% are on social networks. You get the picture - we are entering the Social Media Revolution - do you still think it is a FAD? Are you going to catch on or get left behind?

Starbucks LOVE Project http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh7D2g5v-Sg
While the Socialnomics video hit you more in the head with staggering statistics and data, this video will hit you straight into the heart. In December Starbucks launched the LOVE Project and this video shows all the people around the world who submitted videos singing Love is All You Need! Really it serves as a good reminder of what this year and decade should be all about, what is truly important in our lives and the foundation from which everything else should come. How are you going to give and receive LOVE this year and decade?

Start Ups - Looking Up http://bit.ly/4EDEgH
A recent Bloomberg article highlighted that acquisition prices for U.S. startups had climbed to a level not seen since 2007 - before the financial crisis hit. Given that I have our OneGiving™ start up going, I got excited to see that things are shifting and opportunities are opening up. So how are you going to take advantage of more opportunities? Now is the time to go for it, take a leap of faith and reach for bigger and better in 2010!

Has Drucker's Time Really Come? http://bit.ly/5Unvv5
A recent LA Times article wrote about Peter Drucker's revolutionary teachings on business management. The article talks about his belief that a corporation's role in society is to serve the customer by providing a good or service useful in terms of personal and social terms, not just profit. While he was born in Vienna in 1909, Drucker was a visionary who talked about corporate social responsibility long before it became a formal management principle. His views put him in conflict the classical economists including Milton Friedman who believed that maximization of profit was the end-all, be-all of corporations. Given the economic crisis and failings of the financial and business industries in the last few years and the rise of the ethical consumer and the responsibility revolution, I wonder if perhaps we have entered an era in which Drucker's revolutionary ideas time has truly come?

2010 Predictions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3zJm98UXzQ
This video makes some predictions about how rapidly our world will transform before us in 2010 - with transparency becoming the word of the year and in which trouble and strife will shift into growth, sharing, striving, believing and achieving. That it will be a year of great revelation of universal truths about energy and the interconnectedness of life. Are you ready for all that is to come? Prepare yourself and choose light, choose to enter the world from a heart centered space and from your true you and you will be more set up to succeed and thrive in 2010.

May you make this year the year of YOU and all that you want it to be! Because the reality is that it starts and ends with YOU! Only YOU can make the choice to shift your energy and set your dreams into motion. So set your intentions, hold true to your truths and watch the magic and mystery unfold before you! Happy New Year!

If you don't like how something is, you're the only one who as the ability to change YOU. ~ Unknown

December's Latest e-Giving News

I am amazed that another year has gone by and here is the latest and last e-Giving news of 2009! May you find it useful, helpful and resource laden! Enjoy and see you in 2010.

You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself. ~Harvey Firestone

Celebrities & Giving
Alicia Keys: Singing for Success and Giving Back. Grammy-winning musician, trend-setting pop star, and unfailing philanthropist Alicia Keys shares that, "[giving back] is a necessity for success. It's part of it. To be successful-not just at a job or a career, but as a human being-a portion of me has to be paying attention to the rest of the world. If I'm only wrapped up in my own life, my own issues or problems, then I'm not being fair. And I'm definitely not being successful." Music may be her passion, but here she reveals her true purpose as co-founder and spokesperson for the Keep a Child Alive nonprofit. http://bit.ly/4Iihw3

Corporate Giving
Philanthropy is a Sound Business Strategy. According to Giving USA, American corporations gave $14.5 billion to charity in 2008. Corporate gifts are critical to not-for-profits in supporting their work in education, the environment, disaster relief, community services, and the arts. http://bit.ly/8BucE4

Individual Giving
Reasons to Be Giving in Tough Economic Times. Need another reason to be giving? Here's a compelling list of reasons why you should do good, especially in challenging economic times, including: because it's good for business and your self esteem, people with less give more, it's a wise investment and more... http://bit.ly/8BjeU3

Politics & Giving
Wealthy Ask to Extend Estate Tax for Philanthropy. United for a Fair Economy, a nonprofit group in Boston that works to lessen income inequality, is pushing Congress to renew and increase the tax that applies to large estates when people die - which is set to expire at the end of the year. The tax is a small price to pay to support government services like education and research that allow people to become prosperous in the United States. It also encourages philanthropy, they said, because people with large fortunes can make gifts to nonprofits without paying taxes on them. http://bit.ly/6tJ17x

Nonprofit Resources
Five Fundraising Tips to Add to your Checklist. Is your nonprofit about to launch a year-end online fundraising campaign? If you answered yes, then check out this fundraising checklist before you hit the "send" button to your entire list. This blogger is an amazing resource for nonprofits, definitely check it out! http://bit.ly/7jsSc6

Other Giving
One Day's Wages. According to UNICEF, approximately 3 billion people live on less than US $2/day and 1.4 billion people live on less than US $1.25/day - the definition of those living in extreme poverty. In the midst of these staggering statistics, what can one person do? What can a person's "one day's wages" do in the face of such staggering statistics? http://onedayswages.org/

Giving Trends
Nonprofits Fare Poorly in End-of-Year Giving Season. A Chronicle poll of 395 nonprofits conducted over the past week finds that one-third of nonprofits expect donations to decline by 10 percent or more by year's end. Another 21 percent also expect donations to decline, although by smaller amounts. Nonprofits of all sizes seem to be affected. http://bit.ly/5eyNnq

Giving for Thought...or Discussion
Busting the Overhead Myth. An interesting discussion of overhead costs and the myth that the percentage that organizations spend on overhead is a good proxy for effective nonprofit organizations. The article presents excellent arguments that the popular, yet artificial, use of overhead rates as a proxy for effectiveness is actually ineffective! http://bit.ly/8CbHMy

Keep giving back and watch all the gifts that unfold for you in 2010.

You can follow us on Twitter @onegiving & on Facebook Pages.

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.