World Vision

The fundraising proposition should be one of the sharpest tools in the fundraiser's toolbox, but its blade should never be allowed to dull. Look inside your organization to develop new propositions, and keep an eye on the external environment, too. Examine the propositions you use, and ask yourself, "Could they do with sharpening up a little?"

The world's problems are getting more complex, but your direct-mail fundraising efforts shouldn't be. In the direct-response fundraising world, the wise leader recognizes the Nonprofit Complexity Conundrum and finds ways to keep direct-response offers clear, compelling, emotional and simple, as programs continue to get more and more complex.

The Coca-Cola Foundation, the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Co., awarded $26 million in grants to 85 community organizations during the first quarter. The grants support the foundation's global priority areas, including: $9.7 million for water stewardship; $3.6 million for fitness and nutrition; $7.4 million for education (including $5 million for first-generation college scholarships); and $4.9 million for community recycling, and other local priorities, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, youth development, and civic initiatives.

For most nonprofits, branding can't take the place of solid strategies. You have to match best-in-class branding with best-in-class fundraising to convert donors' propensity to give into actual revenue.

The Water4 Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity based out of Oklahoma City, announced the launch of its campaign for World Water Day, the United Nations-designated international day held annually on March 22.

For most nonprofits, branding can't take the place of solid strategies. You have to match best-in-class branding with best-in-class fundraising to convert donors' propensity to give into actual revenue.

According to a new 30 Hour Famine study, conducted online in January by Harris Interactive, more than half of teens (55 percent) say social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have made them more aware of the needs of others. This is a huge increase from 2011 when a little more four in 10 (44 percent) said their use of social media made them more aware. The study also says two in three teens (68 percent) agree that the benefits of social media outweigh the risks.

Chaordix, a crowdsourced market intelligence provider, has been selected to provide program expertise and collaboration technology to support community engagement in the Grand Challenges for Development program offered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Implemented with support from Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), the program is part of an ongoing effort by USAID and partners to catalyse a broad range of actors to make significant and measurable progress against specific development challenges that people face around the world.

Blackbaud announced that the United States office of World Vision, the Christian humanitarian organization, recently selected Blackbaud CRM to equip World Vision fundraising teams with technology to enhance relationships with donors and increase the number of major donors, churches and corporate partners supporting its mission.

With less than two weeks left before the holiday giving seasons ends, many charities have already raised more compared with 2010 — and some are even expecting a windfall, a new Chronicle of Philanthropy poll finds.

Fifty-four percent told The Chronicle that they raised more money in November and the first part of December than they had at this point last year. One out of five of the 152 organizations in the survey said contributions are outpacing last year’s donations by 20 percent or more.