Ask Bee Question

Question: We are over half way to our annual campaign goal but have lost a lot of momentum the last few weeks after starting off the year great.  We have sent letters, met with donors, etc.  Do you have any other ideas for our raising the last part?

Answer: See if you can secure a challenge gift to raise the amount you need to reach your goal.  For example, do you have a potential donor (or donors) who could give you x amount if all other donors gave the same amount needed to meet your goal?  This type of challenge could really give momentum to your campaign and create a sense of urgency.  You should  ....To read more or to ask your own question, click here.

Top Gifts of the Week

$11 million from Richard O. Jacobson to the University of Northern Iowa to create the Richard O. Jacobson Center for Comprehensive Literacy. (KCRG-TV9, August 18, 2010)

$25 million from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to Mount Sinai Medical Center, to create a Cardiovascular Translational Research Center. (Wall Street Journal, August 19, 2010)

$3 million from an anonymous donor to Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee to help reduce debt. (JSOnline, August 23, 2010)

 

 

 

 

PayPal announced that the latest version of its iPhone client, version 2.5, will allow iPhone users to make donations to more than 23,000 charities with one click by mobile phone.  Charities involved in the initial release of the application include the American Cancer Society, Autism Speaks, Save the Children, UNICEF, and the American Red Cross. (ZDNet, August 18, 2010)

Many nonprofit executive directors may leave their positions in the next several years, leaving organizations scrambling for temporary leadership.  While some groups choose to have a board member step in or let other staff members pick up the slack, others are finding success with hiring interim executive directors.  Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, a nonprofit that provides business and program support to charities, runs an interim executive director program that provides temporary leadership until a permanent replacement can be found.  A 2007 report by Greenlights found that 67% of Austin-area nonprofits thought their executive directors would leave by 2012. (Austin American-Statesman, August 21, 2010)

Philanthropist Lewis B. Cullman, who has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to New York cultural institutions and other nonprofits, has spoken out against private grant-making foundations.  Mr. Cullman argues that, since private foundations are only required to spend 5% of their endowment per year and 20% of funds may go to operating expenses, foundations can fund salaries and other operating costs indefinitely while possibly never needing to spend their principal assets.  Mr. Cullman believes that private foundations exist mainly for their own self-perpetuation, and points to the declines in foundation giving during the current economic downturn as evidence.  In his book “Can’t Take It With You,” Mr. Cullman proposes that the mandated annual payout rate should be increased from 5%, or foundations should be required to spend down their assets in a set time frame. (Wall Street Journal, August 20, 2010)

 

 

 

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Wonderful, practical guide that every professional will find valuable

""A ‘must read’ for fundraisers, regardless of their experience. Easy to read, well written, and to the point, this book will become the manual for professionals and volunteers in development." --Daniel T. Gura, vice president for development and university relations, The University of Tampa. Order online by going here.