Aids charity photo auction marks Sir Elton John's 70th birthday

A special sale is celebrating Sir Elton John’s 70th birthday by auctioning photographs in support of his Aids charity. As the Elton John Aids Foundation also marks its 25th anniversary, Christie’s in New York will sell off pieces donated by artists and collectors worth up to 80,000 US dollars (£64,000) each.

Spotlight

Blacktie-DC

Blacktie is a national company headquartered in Denver, Colorado, that provides our members with proven solutions for raising money, lowering costs and bringing people together. Currently with eleven offices and growing, the company has worked with thousands of nonprofits to help make donor outreach and fundraising efforts easier and more productive. Blacktie is a facilitator of communications by and between nonprofits and their philanthropic supporters and the vital businesses who assist their efforts. Our mission is to empower nonprofit organizations by providing access to online event planning and convenient, easy, one-stop web-based technology for heightening awareness, raising money, managing events, communicating with supporters and managing critical data.

OTHER ARTICLES
Nonprofit Management

Important CARES Act updates for nonprofit organizations

Article | July 20, 2022

Enacted late last month, the CARES Act COVID-19 relief bill includes emergency support for individuals, businesses, public health organizations and nonprofits. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created through the CARES Act included up to $349 billion in potentially forgivable loans to eligible small businesses and nonprofits to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. Just this week, the Small Business Administration announced that PPP funding had been depleted as organizations across the country applied for loans.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

The Money Redirect That’s Coming for Donor Wallets

Article | July 12, 2022

I speak to countless people in the nonprofit sector during the year, including many wealthy major gift donors. Throughout my time working with nonprofits, I often get asked and tell others what I see on the horizon. Recently, I wrote about a nonprofit crash that’s on the way. What's next? I see a big governmental money redirect. It’s no secret that zombie philanthropy took root in the sector. According to the National Philanthropic Trust’s "2020 Donor-Advised Fund Report," these funds, also known as DAFs, have approximately $140 billion under management by money managers at institutions such as Fidelity Charitable Trust, Schwab Charitable and Vanguard Charitable. Because these organizations are set up as 501(c)(3) organizations, donors receive immediate tax deductions.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

The Psychology Behind Donations

Article | July 29, 2022

Are you expecting all donors to be the same? If you answered “no…well actually… kinda,” then you are not alone. It’s simple to send out the same fundraising message to everyone. However, you can transform your fundraising when you understand that there are many reasons why a person chooses to donate to a nonprofit. Once you understand the psychology of donating to charity, you can then best appeal to current and potential donors. Why do Donors Give? Along a spectrum, there are two extremes that prevent nonprofits from using donation psychology in their fundraising messages. On one end, the person making the ask – the Executive Director, Development person or Board member – assumes all donors have the same motivations for giving that they do. This translates into single-focused messaging that appeals to the person making the ask and to some donors, but not to others. On the other end of the spectrum when a nonprofit neglects philanthropy psychology, the person making the ask becomes paralyzed. They fear offending donors by asking at the “wrong” time. They focus on external, societal crises, such as the pandemic, wars, tragedies, and make a decision for the donor that this is the wrong time to be asked for a gift. They assume that the donor would be offended if asked. The Millennial Impact Project studied why donors across generations start giving. Unexpectedly, according to the researcher, Derrick Feldmann, donors first give because they want to belong. They desire to join their friends or be a part of a cause doing the good they wish to see in the world – this is before they understand what the cause or nonprofit is seeking to accomplish. As they gain that sense of belonging and begin believing in the cause, they can be motivated to continue to give when the nonprofit taps into their giving style. The Seven Faces of Philanthropy was groundbreaking research published in 1994 that has been updated and is still relevant today. In summary, the researchers found that donors give for different reasons. Some donors give because they enjoy the act of giving, especially through events. More donors prefer to donate to local charities or make a long-lasting impact through their investments. Other donors desire to repay or pay forward in gratitude through their giving. Others give because of religious or altruistic reasons. Then, there are donors who see giving as a family tradition and, if applicable, to teach their children generosity. Understanding the donor’s motivations for giving guides a nonprofit in developing the right message, using the right fundraising methods and segmenting to the right group of donors. How Can you Encourage Your Donors to Give? Now that you understand the psychology behind making a philanthropic gift, you can implement this knowledge to customize your fundraising appeals. First, you will need to determine why your donors give. This is done through discussions with Board members, personal conversations with donors, and through donor surveys. It begins with a simple question, “Why do you give to…?” The answers will assist you in creating donor identities; that is, the types of identities or groups where donors wish to belong. Sample identities could be “community leader” or “survivor” or “change maker.” Next, based on what you learned from your current donors, pick the top two or three donor motivations and associated identities. Alter your current messaging and fundraising methods to these giving reasons. The messaging and methods that inspire your current donors will likely attract more donors. Begin testing your messaging for these two to three reasons: Which message has the highest engagement in response and donation? This will be your primary message that you will rotate with the secondary messages. As you further explore your donor’s psychology for giving, you can advance to segmenting your communications based on what will motivate groups of donors to give. Once you understand donor psychology, you will wonder how you missed the clues to why your donors give – and be ready to catch future donors by staying one step ahead of their giving habits.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

What Does the Health of Your Nonprofit Website Mean and How Can You Improve It?

Article | July 20, 2022

Poor website health may be impacting your non-profit organization's business. Without a question, the basis of your digital presence is a high-performing website. However, it is easy to let other concerns take precedence over website health, especially if it is not your area of expertise. Healthy websites guarantee long-term success, increased reach, and more engagement. This is critical for organizations in terms of community involvement and giving. Healthy sites are also optimized for all users and free of flaws that might degrade the user experience. Poor website health, on the other hand, might result in a loss of visitors and search engine ranks. When it comes to search engine optimization, website health is equally vital (SEO). Sites that load quicker and have fewer difficulties will rank higher in search. How to Improve Website Health? Speed up your site pages: Visitors will not wait for a sluggish site to load in this day of immediate gratification. If your pages do not load immediately, you will make a poor first impression. Fix 404 errors and reduce redirects: Broken links are ones that produce the error message "404 Page Not Found." Error pages might disrupt the crawling of your website, lowering your search ranks. This informs search engines that you are not giving a decent user experience, which will lower your search rankings. Decrease image file sizes: Image files are huge and consume a lot of storage space. Large files might cause your site to slow down and take a long time to load. Reduce file sizes and compress all photos to enhance website health. Optimize for mobile: Google has stated that mobile speed is taken into account by the ranking algorithm. Your website should ideally operate on all devices. Create grammar-free, relevant content: Content is important in all marketing activities, so it's no surprise that it affects website health. Great content is the key to success since search rankings, engagement, and conversions are all dependent on it. Optimize for search: SEO is the process of improving your website's ranking on search engines. This is one of the most crucial aspects of maintaining a good website. A good SEO strategy brings traffic to your website without costing any money.

Read More

Spotlight

Blacktie-DC

Blacktie is a national company headquartered in Denver, Colorado, that provides our members with proven solutions for raising money, lowering costs and bringing people together. Currently with eleven offices and growing, the company has worked with thousands of nonprofits to help make donor outreach and fundraising efforts easier and more productive. Blacktie is a facilitator of communications by and between nonprofits and their philanthropic supporters and the vital businesses who assist their efforts. Our mission is to empower nonprofit organizations by providing access to online event planning and convenient, easy, one-stop web-based technology for heightening awareness, raising money, managing events, communicating with supporters and managing critical data.

Related News

Nonprofit Management

MB2 Dental Launches Charitable Organization

MB2 Dental | July 15, 2022

The dental partnership organization, MB2 Dental, has launched its own charitable Foundation – The MB2 Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to provide financial assistance to its 5,000 plus employees in the event they experience unforeseen, life-altering hardships such as natural disasters, extended illnesses, injuries, and more. Team members may nominate themselves or others for consideration for a monetary donation. The work of the Foundation will also include providing donations to local charities and organizations at the request of MB2 Dental's doctor partners and employees. The Foundation thrives through the generosity of its team members. Funding for the Foundation will come from MB2 Dental's doctor partners and team members through optional paycheck deductions and other fundraising events. "The number one priority of any family is to take care of each other; this is our dental family, With affiliated practices in over 35 states, supporting our doctor partners and their teams in any way possible is a top priority. The individuals who make up our MB2 family have always been ready to jump into action and help one another without hesitation. The Foundation allows us to streamline this." -Dr. Chris Steven Villanueva CEO and Founder, MB2 Dental. MB2 Dental's previous charitable initiatives include annual doctor-led mission trips and donating to local organizations such as the North Texas Food Bank, The Genesis Women's Shelter, and Salvation Army. MB2 Dental also annually conducts The Elves Initiative, a cause led by Dr. Villanueva encouraging MB2 Dental home office employees to nominate coworkers, family, friends, and neighbors for financial assistance around the holidays. The success and growth of the Elves Initiative served as inspiration for the MB2 Family Foundation. About MB2 Dental- Dallas, Texas-based MB2 Dental is a first-of-its-kind Dental Partnership Organization (DPO) founded and led by dentist and entrepreneur CEO Dr. Chris Steven Villanueva, with a mission to empower dentists to preserve their profession. Since its founding in 2007, MB2 has partnered with hundreds of dentists to help them stay in the driver's seat as they maximize their talents, connect as part of a community and build exceptional wealth. MB2 currently partners with dentists and specialists in more than 35 states.

Read More

Fundraising

Warm Up America!'s 30th anniversary fundraising campaign ends a success

Warm Up America! | June 21, 2022

Warm Up America! (WUA!), a national nonprofit that collects hand knitted and crochet items like hats, scarves, and gloves, has long been known for its charitable contributions around both the United States and the world. Founded in 1991 by Evie Rosen, a knitting instructor and philanthropist endorsed by TIME Magazine and Oprah Winfrey, WUA! has since donated over 1.4 million items to people in need made by over 30,000 volunteers. Warm Up America!'s 30th anniversary was in 2021 and to celebrate, the organization raised money all year long to continue its mission of providing warmth to people in need. Volunteers who donated $30 or more to the organization were given access to 90 knit and crochet patterns for 7" by 9" blanket sections - WUA!'s prime need. Since its anniversary in 2021, Warm Up America! has raised over $80,000. We are truly speechless at the generous monetary and material donations we've received from our volunteers and corporate partners. We couldn't sustain our organization without their support and we look forward to their continued partnership in helping us fulfill our mission." Jenny Bessonette, executive director of Warm Up America! WUA!'s ambitious volunteers, who set a goal of making 199,130 sections (1991 + 30) by the end of May, exceeded their target by over 10,000 sections. The 210,956 sections they donated are the most ever collected in one year. This number of sections amounts to over 4,300 adult blankets. The blankets made from these sections are going directly into the hands of people who need a dose of warmth and love. All money raised for WUA! goes directly toward operating costs. The biggest expense is shipping - WUA! sends hundreds of boxes a year containing items made by volunteers to organizations helping people in need. As WUA! continues to grow, so do its shipping costs. Monetary donations are the best way to support Warm Up America! in its mission of providing warmth to people in need. About Warm Up America! Started in a small Wisconsin town with neighbors knitting and crocheting afghans for people in need, Warm Up America! is a charity that has warmed people's lives since 1991. Founder Evie Rosen came up with the idea of having volunteers knit or crochet small sections and others joining them together into blankets, which quickly caught on. Thanks to the generosity of knitters and crocheters around the country, today Warm Up America! distributes warm blankets, hats and other items to tens of thousands of people in need.

Read More

Nonprofit Management

The CAPTRUST Community Foundation Announces 2022 Charity of Choice

CAPTRUST | June 18, 2022

The CAPTRUST Community Foundation (CCF), an employee-run 501(c)(3), announced its 2022 Charity of Choice, receiving a $100,000 grant: The Green Chair Project. Additionally, five nonprofits were selected to receive CCF national grants of $25,000 each. Founded in 2007, the CCF's mission is to enrich the lives of children in communities we serve. Through the end of 2021, the CCF has awarded over $3.879 million in grants to charitable organizations across the country that help children. Fundraising is primarily via employee payroll deductions that are matched by CAPTRUST. The Green Chair Project will receive a $100,000 grant to support its mission of providing the essentials of home to neighbors in need facing the challenges of homelessness, crisis, or disaster in Wake County, North Carolina. The grant will directly support Green Chair's Sweeter Dreams program, providing beds and cribs to 400 children and babies in Wake County who lack a safe place to sleep. In addition to the funding, Green Chair will receive support from CCF volunteers throughout the year. We are so grateful to be selected as the CAPTRUST Community Foundation's 2022 Charity of Choice. The CCF's trust in our mission ensures that more children in need in Wake County, North Carolina will have a safe and comfortable place to sleep." Jackie Craig, Green Chair's co-founder and chief executive officer In addition to its work with The Green Chair Project, the CCF selected five charities that will receive national grants of $25,000 in 2022. The five recipients are: Communities In Schools of Wake County. CIS Wake surrounds students in Wake County, North Carolina, with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Families Together. Families Together moves families in Wake County, North Carolina, and surrounding counties from homelessness to stable homes through mentoring, housing support, and connection to community resources. Kinetic Kids, Inc. A San Antonio, Texas, organization that supports children with special needs and their families through adapted sports, fine arts, and educational programs. Sunrise Day Camps Association. Sunrise supports children with cancer and their siblings nationwide through the creation and oversight of welcoming, inclusive summer day camps, year-round programs, and in-hospital recreational activities, all offered free of charge. TABLE. TABLE's mission is to create equitable access to healthy food and provide nutrition education to children in Orange County, North Carolina. "We recognize the immense needs of children across our communities as we all recover from the effects of COVID-19," said Philip D'Unger, president of the CCF and manager, wealth planning, at CAPTRUST. "We are incredibly excited and fortunate to work with this year's Charity of Choice, The Green Chair Project, as well as the national grant recipients, who all do amazing work in their respective communities." About the CAPTRUST Community Foundation The CAPTRUST Community Foundation was organized in 2007 to provide CAPTRUST employees with opportunities to participate as a group in community outreach efforts. The foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) charity and is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. About CAPTRUST CAPTRUST is an independent registered investment advisor founded in 1997 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The firm provides investment management, financial planning, estate planning, and tax advisory and compliance for individuals and families. For retirement plan sponsors, endowments, foundations, and religious entities, CAPTRUST offers investment advisory services, fiduciary support, plan design, provider analysis/fee benchmarking, and employee advice programs. With more than 1,100 employees across 70 locations nationwide, CAPTRUST oversees more than $100 billion in assets under management and more than $750 billion in assets under advisement (as of March 31, 2022).

Read More

Nonprofit Management

MB2 Dental Launches Charitable Organization

MB2 Dental | July 15, 2022

The dental partnership organization, MB2 Dental, has launched its own charitable Foundation – The MB2 Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to provide financial assistance to its 5,000 plus employees in the event they experience unforeseen, life-altering hardships such as natural disasters, extended illnesses, injuries, and more. Team members may nominate themselves or others for consideration for a monetary donation. The work of the Foundation will also include providing donations to local charities and organizations at the request of MB2 Dental's doctor partners and employees. The Foundation thrives through the generosity of its team members. Funding for the Foundation will come from MB2 Dental's doctor partners and team members through optional paycheck deductions and other fundraising events. "The number one priority of any family is to take care of each other; this is our dental family, With affiliated practices in over 35 states, supporting our doctor partners and their teams in any way possible is a top priority. The individuals who make up our MB2 family have always been ready to jump into action and help one another without hesitation. The Foundation allows us to streamline this." -Dr. Chris Steven Villanueva CEO and Founder, MB2 Dental. MB2 Dental's previous charitable initiatives include annual doctor-led mission trips and donating to local organizations such as the North Texas Food Bank, The Genesis Women's Shelter, and Salvation Army. MB2 Dental also annually conducts The Elves Initiative, a cause led by Dr. Villanueva encouraging MB2 Dental home office employees to nominate coworkers, family, friends, and neighbors for financial assistance around the holidays. The success and growth of the Elves Initiative served as inspiration for the MB2 Family Foundation. About MB2 Dental- Dallas, Texas-based MB2 Dental is a first-of-its-kind Dental Partnership Organization (DPO) founded and led by dentist and entrepreneur CEO Dr. Chris Steven Villanueva, with a mission to empower dentists to preserve their profession. Since its founding in 2007, MB2 has partnered with hundreds of dentists to help them stay in the driver's seat as they maximize their talents, connect as part of a community and build exceptional wealth. MB2 currently partners with dentists and specialists in more than 35 states.

Read More

Fundraising

Warm Up America!'s 30th anniversary fundraising campaign ends a success

Warm Up America! | June 21, 2022

Warm Up America! (WUA!), a national nonprofit that collects hand knitted and crochet items like hats, scarves, and gloves, has long been known for its charitable contributions around both the United States and the world. Founded in 1991 by Evie Rosen, a knitting instructor and philanthropist endorsed by TIME Magazine and Oprah Winfrey, WUA! has since donated over 1.4 million items to people in need made by over 30,000 volunteers. Warm Up America!'s 30th anniversary was in 2021 and to celebrate, the organization raised money all year long to continue its mission of providing warmth to people in need. Volunteers who donated $30 or more to the organization were given access to 90 knit and crochet patterns for 7" by 9" blanket sections - WUA!'s prime need. Since its anniversary in 2021, Warm Up America! has raised over $80,000. We are truly speechless at the generous monetary and material donations we've received from our volunteers and corporate partners. We couldn't sustain our organization without their support and we look forward to their continued partnership in helping us fulfill our mission." Jenny Bessonette, executive director of Warm Up America! WUA!'s ambitious volunteers, who set a goal of making 199,130 sections (1991 + 30) by the end of May, exceeded their target by over 10,000 sections. The 210,956 sections they donated are the most ever collected in one year. This number of sections amounts to over 4,300 adult blankets. The blankets made from these sections are going directly into the hands of people who need a dose of warmth and love. All money raised for WUA! goes directly toward operating costs. The biggest expense is shipping - WUA! sends hundreds of boxes a year containing items made by volunteers to organizations helping people in need. As WUA! continues to grow, so do its shipping costs. Monetary donations are the best way to support Warm Up America! in its mission of providing warmth to people in need. About Warm Up America! Started in a small Wisconsin town with neighbors knitting and crocheting afghans for people in need, Warm Up America! is a charity that has warmed people's lives since 1991. Founder Evie Rosen came up with the idea of having volunteers knit or crochet small sections and others joining them together into blankets, which quickly caught on. Thanks to the generosity of knitters and crocheters around the country, today Warm Up America! distributes warm blankets, hats and other items to tens of thousands of people in need.

Read More

Nonprofit Management

The CAPTRUST Community Foundation Announces 2022 Charity of Choice

CAPTRUST | June 18, 2022

The CAPTRUST Community Foundation (CCF), an employee-run 501(c)(3), announced its 2022 Charity of Choice, receiving a $100,000 grant: The Green Chair Project. Additionally, five nonprofits were selected to receive CCF national grants of $25,000 each. Founded in 2007, the CCF's mission is to enrich the lives of children in communities we serve. Through the end of 2021, the CCF has awarded over $3.879 million in grants to charitable organizations across the country that help children. Fundraising is primarily via employee payroll deductions that are matched by CAPTRUST. The Green Chair Project will receive a $100,000 grant to support its mission of providing the essentials of home to neighbors in need facing the challenges of homelessness, crisis, or disaster in Wake County, North Carolina. The grant will directly support Green Chair's Sweeter Dreams program, providing beds and cribs to 400 children and babies in Wake County who lack a safe place to sleep. In addition to the funding, Green Chair will receive support from CCF volunteers throughout the year. We are so grateful to be selected as the CAPTRUST Community Foundation's 2022 Charity of Choice. The CCF's trust in our mission ensures that more children in need in Wake County, North Carolina will have a safe and comfortable place to sleep." Jackie Craig, Green Chair's co-founder and chief executive officer In addition to its work with The Green Chair Project, the CCF selected five charities that will receive national grants of $25,000 in 2022. The five recipients are: Communities In Schools of Wake County. CIS Wake surrounds students in Wake County, North Carolina, with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Families Together. Families Together moves families in Wake County, North Carolina, and surrounding counties from homelessness to stable homes through mentoring, housing support, and connection to community resources. Kinetic Kids, Inc. A San Antonio, Texas, organization that supports children with special needs and their families through adapted sports, fine arts, and educational programs. Sunrise Day Camps Association. Sunrise supports children with cancer and their siblings nationwide through the creation and oversight of welcoming, inclusive summer day camps, year-round programs, and in-hospital recreational activities, all offered free of charge. TABLE. TABLE's mission is to create equitable access to healthy food and provide nutrition education to children in Orange County, North Carolina. "We recognize the immense needs of children across our communities as we all recover from the effects of COVID-19," said Philip D'Unger, president of the CCF and manager, wealth planning, at CAPTRUST. "We are incredibly excited and fortunate to work with this year's Charity of Choice, The Green Chair Project, as well as the national grant recipients, who all do amazing work in their respective communities." About the CAPTRUST Community Foundation The CAPTRUST Community Foundation was organized in 2007 to provide CAPTRUST employees with opportunities to participate as a group in community outreach efforts. The foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) charity and is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. About CAPTRUST CAPTRUST is an independent registered investment advisor founded in 1997 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The firm provides investment management, financial planning, estate planning, and tax advisory and compliance for individuals and families. For retirement plan sponsors, endowments, foundations, and religious entities, CAPTRUST offers investment advisory services, fiduciary support, plan design, provider analysis/fee benchmarking, and employee advice programs. With more than 1,100 employees across 70 locations nationwide, CAPTRUST oversees more than $100 billion in assets under management and more than $750 billion in assets under advisement (as of March 31, 2022).

Read More

Events