Volunteers

The economy … well … sucks at the moment! But does that really mean nobody is giving? Nope! Fundraising is alive and well and even thriving. I have 10 tips to help you get your share of the money that's going around.

An online clearinghouse for volunteers — the first of six local arts and culture collaborations in development to help stabilize the sector — is expected to roll out at the end of this month.

The Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan is beta testing a website that lists volunteer opportunities at local arts and cultural organizations and lets residents sign up online.

Between the recessionary slump in charitable giving and cuts from federal and state government, local nonprofits have faced challenging times in recent years. But Orlando has one perk that most cities don't — the 3 million visitors who come here for corporate retreats, annual meetings and conventions each year.

Increasingly, their companies and organizations are seeking hefty community-service projects while they're in town, both to boost morale and promote a public image as one of the good guys.

The Johns Hopkins University Center for Civil Society Studies and the International Labour Organization have announced the release of a new manual to help statistical agencies around the world track the amount, type and value of volunteer work in their countries.

The Manual on the Measurement of Volunteer Work is believed to be the first internationally sanctioned guide to generating reliable, official data on volunteer work using a common definition and approach.

Deeby Kadrie staffed the reception desk of the Wayzata Public Works Department last week, fielding calls, preparing a mailing and signing for parcels. She loves the job -- even though she isn't getting paid.

Kadrie is among about 120 volunteers helping the western suburb cope with the loss of 10 employee positions in the past two years, or about 15 percent of its workforce.

Across the state, volunteers are bailing out government.

DMW Direct offers six keys to keeping baby boomer volunteers engaged.

Fundraising pros Dane Grams and Richard DeVeau offer some general tips for small and midsized nonprofit organizations.

While companies have had corporate giving programs for years, they increasingly are involving employees by giving them a say in which charities to support and providing time off with pay for volunteering. Corporate volunteerism is growing, with 20 percent more companies allowing employees paid time off for volunteer projects than three years ago, according to a report by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy.

Corporate giving also has been a bright spot. Corporate charitable contributions rose 5.5 percent in 2009, according to Giving USA Foundation's report.

Wealthy Americans are making smaller gifts to charity, with more than half of them making their largest gift to fund nonprofit operations, a new study says.

They also are volunteering more, and those who volunteer more are giving more, says the 2010 Bank of America Merrill Lynch Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy.

Overall average gift amounts from wealthy Americans fell 35 percent from 2007, after adjusting for inflation, although several sectors saw average gift amounts grow 4 percent to 21 percent.

Donors are upbeat about end-of-year giving. Here are some helpful links to check out regarding your end-of-year fundraising campaigns.