NPR Commentary on Advice on Making the Most of Your Charitable Dollar

Here's an interesting commentary that played on NPR on December 29, 2009 about making the most of your charitable dollar.  One of the featured speakers is Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy.  His organization is a watchdog group and he certainly puts a slam on Larry Jones' Feed the Children, a charity known to mislead their donors. Read their review here on this  being the "Most Outrageous Charity in America." 

There are some excellent suggestions on what to look for when making charitable donations. There is an excellent list of tips when considering charities.   They rate charities on an A-F scale.  Their suggestions are:

1. Know Your Charity -- Read the annual report and the literature. I would add that it never hurts to peruse a charity's 990.

2.  Find Out Where Your Dollars Go -- Be sure to know what percentage of your gift is used for the organizations programs versus what is used for administrative costs and fundraising expenses.

3.  Do Not Respond to Pressure -- Legitimate charities will give you time to consider a gift as well as send you additional information. Don't fall prey to the high pressure of telemarketers.

4.  Keep Records of  Your Donations -- Don't give cash; don't provide a credit card number over the phone to a charity you are unfamiliar with.  Direct from this site is advice on what to keep for tax records:

"For tax purposes, you will need to keep a record of all your contributions of any amount. For contributions under $250, records may be in the form of a bank record, cancelled check, or written communication from the charity. The written communication may be in the form of receipt or letter that must contain the charity's name and the amount and date of the contribution.

For all tax-deductible contributions of $250 or more, the IRS requires that you obtain a receipt from the charity (a cancelled check will not suffice)."

5.  Remember "Tax Exempt" Does Not Mean "Tax Deductible" -- Request a copy of the charity's tax exempt letter if you question whether they are a legitimate 501(c )(3) organization that allows you to deduct the gift from your taxes.

6. Do Not be Misled by a Charity's Familiar Name -- Some questionable organizations will use a name that closely resembles a more well-known charity.

7.  Do Not be Enticed by Emotional Appeals -- Know the facts by reviewing the literature about the organization.

8.  Ask if the Charity is Registered by Federal/State/Local Authorities --Non-church charities with more than $25,000 in income must file financial information with the IRS.

9.  Beware of Charities Offering Gifts -- Don't feel compelled to give because you receive address labels, calendars, greeting cards or other gifts.  Note that these gifts may increase the organization's fundraising expenses. 

10.  Consider Giving Generously --  If you are satisfied with the charity and determine it to be worthwhile, give generously. 

There are several other good suggestions listed.  I found this to be a solid resource, especially for anyone who continually gets approached by charities that you may have never heard of before.  Mr. Borochoff mentioned in the broadcast that there are a number of organizations claiming to benefit veterans.  Review this information carefully, as many of these are not ranked favorable and practice questionable fundraising procedures.

If I Had a Million Dollars

I love that song by the Bare Naked Ladies "If I Had a Million Dollars."  It always gets me to think about what I would do if I had a million dollars to give away. I can think of dozens of charities worthy of that kind of support.  I know which organizations I would support.  But my purpose here is to pose the question: Who would you support and why?  What charity drives your passion?  What would you want to transform with that kind of donation? 

I posed a similar question on the Tri Sigma Facebook page and within two minutes, there were dozens of responses as to what members would do if they could give $1 million to Tri Sigma.  I am impressed with the answers.  Our membership is far more aware of the pressing needs of the organization than our leadership realizes.  Now, the goal is to find those sisters who really could donate a sizable gift to benefit our Sorority.

As development professionals, we are constantly seeking donations that make a transformation to our organization.  We know what the needs are. We are not always as effective at sharing that message.  But how many of us stop to ask what a donor would do if they could give us a million bucks?  What inspires them? What would make them feel great about giving?  Do we offer them the options to fuel their passions? Do we spend the time listening to donors about what their interests are or how they desire to make a difference and then work hard to find a fit for them?

What if the donation were less than $1 million?  Shouldn't we give donors the opportunity to select what is most fulfilling to them, regardless of the dollar amount? Yes, we all have priorities and it is our responsibility to market those and share the need. We will find donors who believe in helping those.  But for those who are not supporting us, could it be that we aren't asking the right questions?  Shouldn't we ask more questions about what they want to help and why they want to help in a particular area?  I think we would be impressed with the answers and we may find more loyal, devoted donors who give in one area...but then realize how many other ways they step up.

If the experience of giving is personal, powerful, fulfilling, exciting, and allows the donor to feel like they are making a change in an area of great importance to them, won't they in turn remain more loyal contributors and continue to help in other areas?  I believe that answer is yes. It starts with asking the initial questions and then taking a step back to listen to their answers, not your own.

My Fav Charities

It's December 31, 2009.  What better date to relaunch the Electric Philanthropy blog?  If you are still making last minute choices on charities to support, I thought I would suggest some remarkable organizations for your consideration.

Best Friends
The Best Friends Animal Society is quite possibly the most remarkable organization working on behalf of animals today. They accept all kinds of animals: injured, abused, neglected, abandoned, elderly and those needing special care and treat every one of them like a long-lost pet.  Their direct mail program is second to none (and believe me, I've seen just about every kind of direct mail package known to man) with each story more compelling than the next.  I can't say enough about them and they deserve every single penny they receive.

The Children's Miracle Network
Ok, so I may be slightly biased about CMN because I work at a children's hospital, but even if I didn't work at Dayton Children's, I'd still think this is a remarkable charity.  CMN supports 170 non-profit pediatric hospitals.  The best thing they do is ensure that money raised locally benefits the local pediatric hospital.  This organization is committed to bringing the best healthcare possible to children in the US, Canada and now parts of Europe.  No one wants to think of sick or injured children and with the state of pediatric healthcare reimbursements, these hospitals desperately need every bit of support they can get.

The Hole in the Wall Camps
Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Camps to give children battling chronic and life threatening illnesses a normal summer camp experience.  To say these camps are magical is an understatement.  I have volunteered several times at Camp Boggy Creek in Florida and have visited the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut and the Victory Junction Gang Camp in North Carolina.  I will do anything I can to help support all of the others, including the Flying Horse Farms Camp that will open in Mount Gilead, Ohio in the near future.  These camps allow kids to soar in every way, all the while ensuring they receive state-of-the-art medical care at the same time.  Remarkable.

Donors Choose
Brilliant concept here and I still believe one of the most unique charitable organizations in existence today. Teachers list their needs, donors pick where they want to help. It's the best possible kind of donor-directed support. 

There are thousands of worthy charities out there.  What matters most is you finding what matters most to you.  I have my personal reasons for always supporting the Sigma Sigma Sigma Foundation  Tri Sigma has helped sculpt the person I am today.  But that's a more personal individual choice, like supporting a church, University or civic organization. The suggestions for this blog are more broad-based.   I'll keep listing organizations I believe are doing remarkable things. I'd like to hear from you...who do you recommend and why?

Columbus Foundation Launches PowerPhilanthropy

From time to time, you'll see organizations doing amazing things to provide great services to the community. The Columbus Foundation recently launched a new program that provides an excellent, user-friendly opportunity for community donors: Power Philanthropy

The following information comes from the Columbus Foundation website: www.columbusfoundation.org.

What is PowerPhilanthropy?
As someone who cares about charitable giving, you want to know that your efforts will make a difference. You understand that supporting a nonprofit organization is more than check-writing—it’s an investment in your community.

At The Columbus Foundation, we want to help build your understanding of nonprofits and topics that interest you, so you can give wisely. PowerPhilanthropy, a new online tool, was developed with you in mind.

As a simple, searchable database, PowerPhilanthropy:
Connects you with nonprofit organizations and programs that strengthen the community;
Enriches your knowledge of the nonprofit sector by delivering in-depth portraits of hundreds of local organizations. These comprehensive portraits tell stories and offer vital information about programs, finances, management, and services.

You’ll be able to easily manage your giving, safely and securely online, from anywhere at anytime. Start connecting to the nonprofit of your choice. Find out how you can experience the power of philanthropy.

This website highlights types of giving; how to make a gift; has information for professional advisors; has an outstanding knowledge center where you can download PDFs on anything from strategic planning to nonprofit governance; includes an event calendar; and has resources on grant making. And that's just in section 1 on "Find Information."

In the next section, "Connect with Idea and People", you can create a user profile and gain access to the following:

• PowerPhilanthropy Projects that have been reviewed and vetted for inclusion into our nonprofit database;
• Call to Action Projects that feature high performing programs that have received support from the Foundation; and
• Current Initiatives that have been cultivated by the Foundation to address broad community issues.

The final section, "Give Wisely" is the prize and not only educates donors on how to make a gift, but links them up to support various community charities.

This is a terrific "one stop shop" and an excellent example of using a website as a very useful tool to support the community. Kudos to the Columbus (OH - of course) Foundation for their thoughtful establishment of a digital tool that makes giving a simple task and for giving the community easy access to key information on charitable giving.

YouTube Welcomes Non-Profits

It's been far too long since my last post. No excuses except that a job change had me wrapped up in my own professional world getting adjusted to a new position. I've returned to the world of fundraising and am the new Director of Annual Giving for the Children's Medical Center of Dayton. But have no fear, my interest in utilizing emerging technology for fundraising has not diminished and I am returning back to the Electric Philanthropy blog.

And all in good time to learn that YouTube has set up a special program for non-profits. Check out the website: www.youtube.com/nonprofits.

This is a perfect scenario for those who want to launch an electric outreach campaign but may not have the resources to hire a company to create their materials. This gives your non-profit the chance to tell a compelling story without having to spend big bucks to do it.

YouTube allows non-profits to create their own "channel." It is your job to promote that to donors and constituents but it certainly provides a simple way to broadcast you messages and post videos with a strong message. Here's how they explain what is offered:

Your Nonprofit channel includes:
*Premium branding capabilities and increased uploading capacity
*Rotation of your videos in the "Promoted Videos" areas throughout the site
* The option to drive fundraising through a Google Checkout "Donate" button

As an incentive, the first 300 non-profits to sign up will receive a video camera from Casio. You'll need to rush to it to quality. Join groups like the American Cancer Society, Autism Speaks, Friends of the Earth and several others that have jumped in and been an early adapter of this program.

Be adventurous and put your message out there in a new way. You may be surprised by who is watching your channel and can reach a whole new target audience.