Microsoft Corp.

The Republican National Convention Tampa Bay Host Committee brought in nearly $55.3 million in contributions: $44.9 million in cash and $10.4 million in donations of goods or services. The host committee had 18 donors who gave $1 million or more. Those included hedge funds and their founders, high-tech companies, industrialists, CEOs and several charitable trusts. Altogether, those 18 donors accounted for 60 percent of the money raised for the RNC.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) presented its 2012 International ECHO Awards during the DMA2012 Conference & Exhibition. Nonprofit winners include GRAACC, Action Against Hunger (Spain), Arts Centre Melbourne, GivBlod, Operation Smile, Art Gallery Society NSW, Children's Medical Research Institute and Save the Children Australia.

Transitioning to paperless board and committee meetings can have a big impact by showing your organization is forward-focused as you embrace technology and seek to operate in a sustainable manner.

Microsoft announced Thursday that it’s undertaking a new global initiative to combat the “opportunity gap” for young people. Philanthropically, the initiative is “the biggest step we’ve taken in the 37 years of the company,” said Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith.

Called YouthSpark, the program marks a new emphasis in Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts, one that focuses on global youth programs. The company said it is investing $500 million in the initiative.

As Forbes unveiled its Forbes 400 list of the richest people in America, it also released highlights from its Forbes 400 Summit on Philanthropy.

On June 26, 161 billionaires and near-billionaires gathered at the New York Public Library for The Forbes 400 Summit on Philanthropy, the greatest-ever meeting of its kind. Oprah Winfrey kicked off the day, and Warren Buffett and Bill Gates also gave keynote talks. Melinda Gates, Diane Von Furstenberg and Jacqueline Novogratz headlined a panel about giving to women and girls.

The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) announced the winners of the 2012 DMEF Collegiate ECHO Direct/Interactive Marketing Challenge, whose content was provided by SkyMall. DMEF awarded a total of $8,500 in scholarships to the University of Georgia, which swept this year’s competition, with $3,500 in cash prizes going to the winning student teams.

Conducted since 1986, DMEF’s Collegiate ECHO Challenge provides college students with real-world experience by challenging them to create a marketing campaign for an actual product or service. 

A wave of nonprofits are using methods favored by for-profits, such as keeping detailed databases and measuring outcomes. The business-like approach has been in use at some nonprofits for some time, but it became more important during the recession, when donations dropped and assets eroded. Since then, more charitable foundations and government agencies have been demanding hard evidence that the programs they support better people’s lives.

allAware, the free Web and mobile app solution for nonprofits, is now available on the iPhone. A mobile private social network for nonprofit organizations, allAware improves communication and member involvement while also providing support for mobile donations.

Employee matching-gift and volunteer-grant programs are two underutilized sources of fundraising for many nonprofit organizations.

America’s wealthy are in a less generous mood so far this year. The number of donations of $1 million or more has dropped 8 percent since the beginning of 2012 compared with the same period last year, according to a Chronicle of Philanthropy tally.

Since the start of 2012, The Chronicle has confirmed, 318 gifts of $1 million or more have been made, totaling $2.5 billion. In the first half of 2011 there were fewer such gifts, 292, but the overall total was larger, $2.7 billion.