Accountability

On Feb. 16 of this year, I will be celebrating my 40th year in the field of philanthropy. I have played many roles and have had many titles in my career. I have spent a great deal of time in the front of the organizational shop, so to speak. What I am most proud of is the fact I also have spent a great deal of time in the back of the shop. In order to succeed in the highest levels of our profession, you need hands-on experience and knowledge of both the front and back of the office...

Nonprofits can breathe a sigh of relief today. The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department withdrew the proposal of a new substantiation rule that would allow charities to self-report donations of more than $250 from the Federal Register today...

A typical nonprofit organization’s calendar is always full. Meetings, campaigns and other important dates. But which should take highest priority? Here are 14 important dates that you should consider circling on your nonprofit’s calendar. They will help you strategically plan throughout the year...

Adult immigrants in Northern California are being adopted by American families with the promise of gaining U.S. citizenship, KCRA Investigates has learned. Hundreds of immigrants from Sacramento to Marin County are shelling out $5,000 to $10,000 each for the chance to be adopted. Behind it all is a Sacramento nonprofit called Americans Helping America Chamber…

We’ve been hearing about “El Niño” for months, and sandbags, K-rail and umbrellas have been in great demand. For fundraisers, there are possible El Niño “seasons” (deviations from the normal or expected patterns) year-round. We can’t predict them all, so always being ready for the unexpected has to be more than a cliché; it must be our typical operating mode...

Corporate philanthropy is immensely important, and employee-giving programs are just one of the many ways that companies express their cultures of corporate social responsibility. There are many different ways for a company to craft its employee-giving program, but there are some amazing programs out there that companies can learn from...

When I started my company 27 years ago, I had the idea that giving someone a gift would make that person do what I asked. If I dangled that carrot, the horse would go for it. Now I know that idea, when applied to humans, is just as insulting and wrong-minded as it sounds...

The new year is upon us, and many of us have made a list of resolutions in an attempt to better ourselves in 2016. Some of these resolutions are personal, some are professional. Unfortunately, most of us are going to fail in our resolution attempts. An impressive 45 percent of Americans typically make a New…

Philanthropy isn’t what it was 50 years ago. In fact, the sector isn’t even what it was last year. From the emergence of Silicon Valley philanthropy, to the growing influence of Millennials as social entrepreneurs, to new adventures in virtual reality—2015 took philanthropy on a ride that captured headlines and our imaginations. But this new…

While I am not much for making resolutions, this is a natural time to think about how I would like to be different one year from today. Whether you view New Year’s resolutions as necessary or overhyped, here are a few things you can pick and choose from as you think about the impact 2016 will have on your career as a fundraiser...