
News/Stats/Studies

Virtually all of the nation’s nonprofit organizations consider information technology important or critical to their operations, a new study shows, but sizable numbers still rely on outdated equipment and need more computers. The survey, conducted by the Johns Hopkins Nonprofit Listening Post Project, found that nearly all of the 443 organizations that responded said that information technology was “moderately important” or “critical” to carrying out their business activities, including accounting, finance, fund raising, and delivering services.
AFP CEO Paulette Maehara shares her thoughts on Convio's positive 2010 Holiday Giving Survey findings.
For many charities this holiday season, sharp increases in fund raising are an unexpected holiday gift, a new Chronicle poll finds.
Fifty-three percent of the 181 organizations that reported on the state of their November and December appeals told The Chronicle that they were raising more than they had during the same time a year ago. One in five said their donations had jumped by 20 percent or more.
Gift cards long have been heralded as the savior of last-minute shoppers during the holiday season. Now, they also are coming to the rescue of the procrastinating philanthropist.
The newest version of the gift card allows recipients to donate the money on the card to a nonprofit of their choice. These so-called charitable gift cards are issued by nonprofit organizations such as GlobalGiving and TisBest that vet the charities to ensure they are legitimate. The groups estimate that they have raised millions of dollars for causes.
The combination of holiday spirit and the last chance to snag a tax write-off means donors of all levels open their wallets. This year, experts say, people plan to open them a little wider.
Rick Dunham, a Dallas-based authority on charitable giving, names the performance of the stock market as the most important indicator of how much individuals and companies give each year. Slight economic recovery in 2010 should translate to dollar signs for nonprofits.
A research study into the charitable giving habits and attitudes of Canadians — the first of its kind for the Canadian market — reveals how donors of different generations learn about nonprofit organizations, their preferred channels for engagement, the most appropriate channels for fundraising, and who and what influences their giving decisions.
Despite the down economy, the amount American foundations distributed for international purposes dipped by far less than giving to other causes last year, according to a new report from the Foundation Center and the Council on Foundations.
Foundations in the United States gave $6.7-billion last year for international purposes, a drop of 4 percent from 2008 totals. Over all last year, foundation giving declined by an estimated 8.4 percent after grant makers nationwide lost a total of 17 percent of their assets due to the recession.
As charities gear up for the third holiday fund-raising season in a down economy, nonprofits are searching for ways to unlock the Grinch-like spirit gripping many donors. But finding new approaches that produce strong results remains elusive for many groups.
An organizations seeking a new way to solicit is the Nature Conservancy — starting its online year-end campaign 15 days earlier this year. But the organization is avoiding asking for money right away, instead spotlighting what scientists say about environmental issues and other topics.
Based on the findings from The Online Giving Study, Network for Good offers four tips to maximize online fundraising.
Charities raise far more money from their own Web sites—or those that prominently bear their name—than they do from social networks like Facebook or from other sites that channel donations to many causes, according to a new study of donor behavior over the past seven years. The study was conducted by Network for Good, a Bethesda, Md., organization that will send donations to any charity in the United States. Its site—and other online portals—received 66.7 percent less in donations than sites charities created to seek donations on their own.