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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sea Turtles

The three main sections tell a story to the reader by introducing the turtle species, explaining what is threatening them, and showing people how they can help.

Spotlight

Equal Access

Equal Access is an international not for profit organization (501c3), headquartered in San Francisco and working throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East. A communications for social change organization that combines the power of media with community mobilization, Equal Access creates customized communications strategies and outreach solutions that address the most critical challenges affecting people in the developing world such as women’s & girls’ empowerment, youth life skills & livelihoods, human rights, health and civic participation & governance.

OTHER ARTICLES
Nonprofit Management

Nonprofit Success in Times of Crisis

Article | July 20, 2022

In recent weeks all business sectors across America have made significant transitions with their work force and have overcome huge hurdles to their success in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Employees everywhere are doing their best to meet the goals expected of them in a time of intense uncertainty and rapid change. The nonprofit sector is one industry that has faced unique challenges due to the pandemic.

Read More
Fundraising

Make Every Fundraising Day Count in December

Article | July 15, 2022

I do not know about you, but I am now in a full-blown fundraising sprint to the end of the year! I am multi-tasking. Yesterday, I arrived in the office at 7 a.m. and the day did not end until I arrived home at 7:30 p.m. There is not a minute to lose. Beyond many job-related tasks, I spent time identifying, cultivating, stewarding, and especially soliciting individuals, corporations, foundations, associations, and organizations. I also volunteered last week to help three organizations in their end of year fundraising activities. When you work in the world of social services, all you think about, especially in December, are the needs of others. Why should nonprofits sprint to the end of the year at this time on the calendar? According to Neon One, there are major year-end giving statistics that show how powerful December is each year. One-third of annual giving occurs in December; 12% of all giving occurs in the last three days of the year; more than 53% of nonprofits plan their year-end appeal in October; November and December collectively represent 77% of the most popular months for making year-end asks; and 28% of nonprofits raise up to 50% of their annual fund from their year-end ask. In addition, two-thirds of people who make donations do not research before giving; 80% of volunteers also donate to their organization; 60% of nonprofits make up to three touches for their year-end campaign; and direct mail is the most popular medium for year-end asks, followed by email, website, and in-person asks. The Allegiance Group noted that there are essential things your nonprofit should do at the end of the year. These include holding an annual meeting, electing officers and directors, preparing financial reports, approving next year’s budget, filing IRS Form 990, filing your Secretary of State Annual Report, maintaining a registered agent, obtaining or renewing charitable solicitation licenses, reviewing solicitations and donor receipts, and updating your files and records. Strive to assess and make plans for the new year. Critique your operational results and strive to improve your operational model. The Tapp Network published five fundraising benchmarks every nonprofit should know to double December donations. These benchmarks include 30% of fundraising occurs in December, 10% of all online fundraising occurs in the last three days of the year, 30% of donation page traffic occurs around Giving Tuesday and early December, and 200% more donations are raised by mobile-responsive as opposed to non-mobile websites. Also, 52% higher donation values are attributed to December than any other time of the year. Be prepared for the December rush by building email lists and social media support now. Upgrade your sites to be mobile responsive and donation collective during December. Send reminder emails during the last week of December and continue to ask for financial support via social media. For a Good Cause noted that for December fundraising efforts, which heighten a spirit of generosity, create a year-end customized donation page on your website. Double check that your website is optimized for mobile, so your page is user friendly. Brand your campaign, tweet about the campaign, and link the donation page to your Instagram bio. Because New Year’s Eve is the biggest day of the year for nonprofits, send out multiple appeals that day using all social media channels. Create a fundraising thermometer on your website and keep it up to date. Do not forget to thank your donors by telling them what they accomplished by giving your organization money. Use December as a time to utilize creative Christmas fundraising ideas. An article by Donor Box provides you with wonderful possibilities in this regard. An estimated 43% of higher income donors (households earning more than $200,000 annually), donate more during the holidays. Key December Ideas shared by Donor Box include the following: Create a matching gift program. Establish a gift-wrapping party to engage volunteers. Create a soup party for volunteers, wrapped around a donor thank-you call event. Hold an ugly sweater party where participants pay to enter. Hold a polar plunge for your nonprofit. Host a holiday gala dinner. Establish a Christmas-themed fundraising day. Invite donors to have a Christmas cookie bake-off. Have a story telling campaign on social media. Have volunteers create homemade Christmas cards. Host a letter to Santa event. Create a donate page on your website. An article by National Giving Month noted that if 10,000 signatures from people who believe in charity are sent to U.S. Senators, Congressman, and the White House, a legislative resolution will be offered proclaiming December as National Giving Month. Last year, Americans gave $410.2B to charity, breaking all previous records. Our generosity demonstrates that even in divisive times, our commitment to charity is secure. So far, 10,194 supporters have signed the proclamation and counting. There are three weeks left in 2021. It is never too late to try something new. See where you are in your fundraising goals. Engage your staff, administration, volunteers, friends and organizational family to help your organization sprint to the fundraising end of year. Everyone needs to own their responsibility for fundraising success, and it starts with your CEO. The sands of the hourglass are continuing to fall. Use whatever motivates your prospects to give, including tax incentives, recognition, personal satisfaction, feelings of joy through giving, and sharing of organizational stories. You will have time for a brief breather next year. December is not the time to pull back your energy and efforts. Most people are in the spirit of giving now and you need to tap their brief feeling for total success to occur. Do not waste one second of your time on activities that do not produce solid ROI (return on investment). Make every fundraising day count in December. It will be gone before you know it.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Top 5 Trends for Non-Profits in 2022

Article | July 14, 2022

Non-profits can lead with a data-driven strategy that seamlessly connects staff and volunteers and engages donors if they have the right tools. In the coming year, non-profits will continue to correct course in a still chaotic environment, providing opportunities to rethink strategy with data gathered since transitioning to a digital-first environment. With Dreamforce in the rear-view mirror and the new year fast approaching, our non-profit experts are here to share the top five trends for non-profits in 2022. Non-profits continue to adapt and shift strategies: 89% of non-profit marketers have updated their digital engagement strategy and the ability to pivot to digital-first options. For example, remote fundraising; these are the times when organizations adapt to change and priorities to win the hearts of constituents. Connection and collaboration from anywhere: Getting together, meeting new people, and gathering has changed drastically and will continue to evolve. Hence making remote connections is a key trend for non-profits in 2022. Data-informed decisions: Establishing transparency around your non-profit gives you insights into how your funds are spent. The best way to showcase it is through data-informed decisions. Invest in people: Non-profits use digital platforms and can depend on that data to create meaningful conversations with donors and volunteers to build relationships and also with the staff to ensure what are their needs that requires attention. After two years of going digital, every non-profit’s new year's resolution should be to put data to use. Using data through foundational technology is the best way to connect with constituents while also remaining agile in order to adapt and ensure that teams are working effectively to power your mission. Non-profits must continue to adapt to new ways of fundraising in a hybrid work environment in order to survive and thrive. Furthermore, there is a greater emphasis on finding new ways to connect with donors in an entirely digital environment.

Read More

How to Start a Nonprofit Podcast in 6 Steps

Article | June 4, 2020

One increasingly effective way for organizations to grow their audience and generate awareness is to start a nonprofit podcast. The Breastcancer.org nonprofit podcast, for instance, offers unique insights into prevention, treatment, research, and other breast cancer topics from medical experts and invited guests. The podcast has grown in popularity and now has over 48,000 fans on Facebook and 19,000 followers on Twitter. According to a 2017 study by Infinite Dials, 67 million Americans listen to at least one podcast per month. This listening rate has been growing by up to 10 to 20% per year. With the rise of smart home technologies like Google Home and Amazon Alexa, this trend will likely continue to gain traction.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

What Your Non-profit Should Know About Accepting Cryptocurrency Donations?

Article | July 20, 2022

In recent weeks all business sectors across America have made significant transitions with their work force and have overcome huge hurdles to their success in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Employees everywhere are doing their best to meet the goals expected of them in a time of intense uncertainty and rapid change. The nonprofit sector is one industry that has faced unique challenges due to the pandemic.

Read More
Fundraising

The Power of Film for Philanthropy

Article | July 15, 2022

I do not know about you, but I am now in a full-blown fundraising sprint to the end of the year! I am multi-tasking. Yesterday, I arrived in the office at 7 a.m. and the day did not end until I arrived home at 7:30 p.m. There is not a minute to lose. Beyond many job-related tasks, I spent time identifying, cultivating, stewarding, and especially soliciting individuals, corporations, foundations, associations, and organizations. I also volunteered last week to help three organizations in their end of year fundraising activities. When you work in the world of social services, all you think about, especially in December, are the needs of others. Why should nonprofits sprint to the end of the year at this time on the calendar? According to Neon One, there are major year-end giving statistics that show how powerful December is each year. One-third of annual giving occurs in December; 12% of all giving occurs in the last three days of the year; more than 53% of nonprofits plan their year-end appeal in October; November and December collectively represent 77% of the most popular months for making year-end asks; and 28% of nonprofits raise up to 50% of their annual fund from their year-end ask. In addition, two-thirds of people who make donations do not research before giving; 80% of volunteers also donate to their organization; 60% of nonprofits make up to three touches for their year-end campaign; and direct mail is the most popular medium for year-end asks, followed by email, website, and in-person asks. The Allegiance Group noted that there are essential things your nonprofit should do at the end of the year. These include holding an annual meeting, electing officers and directors, preparing financial reports, approving next year’s budget, filing IRS Form 990, filing your Secretary of State Annual Report, maintaining a registered agent, obtaining or renewing charitable solicitation licenses, reviewing solicitations and donor receipts, and updating your files and records. Strive to assess and make plans for the new year. Critique your operational results and strive to improve your operational model. The Tapp Network published five fundraising benchmarks every nonprofit should know to double December donations. These benchmarks include 30% of fundraising occurs in December, 10% of all online fundraising occurs in the last three days of the year, 30% of donation page traffic occurs around Giving Tuesday and early December, and 200% more donations are raised by mobile-responsive as opposed to non-mobile websites. Also, 52% higher donation values are attributed to December than any other time of the year. Be prepared for the December rush by building email lists and social media support now. Upgrade your sites to be mobile responsive and donation collective during December. Send reminder emails during the last week of December and continue to ask for financial support via social media. For a Good Cause noted that for December fundraising efforts, which heighten a spirit of generosity, create a year-end customized donation page on your website. Double check that your website is optimized for mobile, so your page is user friendly. Brand your campaign, tweet about the campaign, and link the donation page to your Instagram bio. Because New Year’s Eve is the biggest day of the year for nonprofits, send out multiple appeals that day using all social media channels. Create a fundraising thermometer on your website and keep it up to date. Do not forget to thank your donors by telling them what they accomplished by giving your organization money. Use December as a time to utilize creative Christmas fundraising ideas. An article by Donor Box provides you with wonderful possibilities in this regard. An estimated 43% of higher income donors (households earning more than $200,000 annually), donate more during the holidays. Key December Ideas shared by Donor Box include the following: Create a matching gift program. Establish a gift-wrapping party to engage volunteers. Create a soup party for volunteers, wrapped around a donor thank-you call event. Hold an ugly sweater party where participants pay to enter. Hold a polar plunge for your nonprofit. Host a holiday gala dinner. Establish a Christmas-themed fundraising day. Invite donors to have a Christmas cookie bake-off. Have a story telling campaign on social media. Have volunteers create homemade Christmas cards. Host a letter to Santa event. Create a donate page on your website. An article by National Giving Month noted that if 10,000 signatures from people who believe in charity are sent to U.S. Senators, Congressman, and the White House, a legislative resolution will be offered proclaiming December as National Giving Month. Last year, Americans gave $410.2B to charity, breaking all previous records. Our generosity demonstrates that even in divisive times, our commitment to charity is secure. So far, 10,194 supporters have signed the proclamation and counting. There are three weeks left in 2021. It is never too late to try something new. See where you are in your fundraising goals. Engage your staff, administration, volunteers, friends and organizational family to help your organization sprint to the fundraising end of year. Everyone needs to own their responsibility for fundraising success, and it starts with your CEO. The sands of the hourglass are continuing to fall. Use whatever motivates your prospects to give, including tax incentives, recognition, personal satisfaction, feelings of joy through giving, and sharing of organizational stories. You will have time for a brief breather next year. December is not the time to pull back your energy and efforts. Most people are in the spirit of giving now and you need to tap their brief feeling for total success to occur. Do not waste one second of your time on activities that do not produce solid ROI (return on investment). Make every fundraising day count in December. It will be gone before you know it.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Non-Profits Impacting the Economy

Article | July 14, 2022

Non-profits can lead with a data-driven strategy that seamlessly connects staff and volunteers and engages donors if they have the right tools. In the coming year, non-profits will continue to correct course in a still chaotic environment, providing opportunities to rethink strategy with data gathered since transitioning to a digital-first environment. With Dreamforce in the rear-view mirror and the new year fast approaching, our non-profit experts are here to share the top five trends for non-profits in 2022. Non-profits continue to adapt and shift strategies: 89% of non-profit marketers have updated their digital engagement strategy and the ability to pivot to digital-first options. For example, remote fundraising; these are the times when organizations adapt to change and priorities to win the hearts of constituents. Connection and collaboration from anywhere: Getting together, meeting new people, and gathering has changed drastically and will continue to evolve. Hence making remote connections is a key trend for non-profits in 2022. Data-informed decisions: Establishing transparency around your non-profit gives you insights into how your funds are spent. The best way to showcase it is through data-informed decisions. Invest in people: Non-profits use digital platforms and can depend on that data to create meaningful conversations with donors and volunteers to build relationships and also with the staff to ensure what are their needs that requires attention. After two years of going digital, every non-profit’s new year's resolution should be to put data to use. Using data through foundational technology is the best way to connect with constituents while also remaining agile in order to adapt and ensure that teams are working effectively to power your mission. Non-profits must continue to adapt to new ways of fundraising in a hybrid work environment in order to survive and thrive. Furthermore, there is a greater emphasis on finding new ways to connect with donors in an entirely digital environment.

Read More

How to Start a Nonprofit Podcast in 6 Steps

Article | June 4, 2020

One increasingly effective way for organizations to grow their audience and generate awareness is to start a nonprofit podcast. The Breastcancer.org nonprofit podcast, for instance, offers unique insights into prevention, treatment, research, and other breast cancer topics from medical experts and invited guests. The podcast has grown in popularity and now has over 48,000 fans on Facebook and 19,000 followers on Twitter. According to a 2017 study by Infinite Dials, 67 million Americans listen to at least one podcast per month. This listening rate has been growing by up to 10 to 20% per year. With the rise of smart home technologies like Google Home and Amazon Alexa, this trend will likely continue to gain traction.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

Equal Access

Equal Access is an international not for profit organization (501c3), headquartered in San Francisco and working throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East. A communications for social change organization that combines the power of media with community mobilization, Equal Access creates customized communications strategies and outreach solutions that address the most critical challenges affecting people in the developing world such as women’s & girls’ empowerment, youth life skills & livelihoods, human rights, health and civic participation & governance.

Related News

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management

American Camp Association Receives $45.5 Million Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Strengthen Character Development Programs for Young People

PR Newswire | February 02, 2024

The American Camp Association® (ACA) is honored to announce that Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded ACA a $45,535,623 grant to support the creation of a new, multiyear initiative to grow, improve, and celebrate character development at camps across the United States. Character at Camp is an innovative initiative anchored in the belief that summer and year-round camp programs provide an unparalleled opportunity to promote the character development of young people. While camps vary greatly in their mission, size, activities, programming, and location, many are run with an intrinsic focus on youth development and character-building skills and traits. ACA's recent National Camp Impact Study demonstrated that camp experiences support social connectedness among youth and the development of skills and traits such as perseverance, responsibility, and the willingness to try new things. This study also found that these skills and traits last over time. Individuals who attended camp as children demonstrate these skills and traits throughout academic environments and well into their early careers. For more than a century, character development has been foundational to the camp experience, as each camp distinctively offers a variety of opportunities to develop important character skills and traits. Camps provide young people with experiences in less-distracting settings, often surrounded by nature, that can help support character development through social interactions with peers and counselors, time for reflection and other activities. For example, campers learn responsibility as they help set tables in the dining hall, engage in leadership when guiding groups during hikes, and practice empathy when they support fellow campers who are missing home. In today's world, the benefits of building character skills and traits such as gratitude, kindness, creativity, curiosity, perseverance, resiliency, empathy, courage, and teamwork could not be more important. The Character at Camp initiative will be conducted during the next six years. ACA will make available in-person and virtual training opportunities, educational tools, and other resources to camps to strengthen, expand, or establish character development programs at the more than 15,000 year-round and summer camps across the US. As a direct result of this new initiative, ACA will invite camp leaders to participate in educational and peer-learning opportunities, networking, training, other experiences to learn how to help develop character skills and traits at camp. ACA will work with camp professionals, youth-development experts, and others to create new educational resources, training, and assessment tools to provide camps with opportunities to engage in this important initiative. Starting in 2025, all eligible nonprofit camps will have the opportunity to apply for competitive one-, two-, or three-year grants to support their character development programs. Eligible organizations will be able to apply for funding in amounts ranging from $50,000 to up to $300,000 based on the length of the grant period. Funds may be used for staffing, training, curricula, assessment, communications, and/or outreach and partnership efforts to support camps' specific goals related to character development. The initiative will support a broad range of camps serving young people from varied backgrounds and experiences, including under-resourced and underrepresented youth, as well as provide funding for developing character-based programming that is culturally relevant and values the diverse perspectives of youth and families. "We are deeply grateful for Lilly Endowment's support of ACA and our shared commitment to support camps across the country with the funding, tools, resources, and education to expand and prioritize character development programs," said Tom Rosenberg, ACA president/CEO. "This Character at Camp initiative recognizes the diverse needs of children and youth. We know camp experiences build a world of belonging and growth, and we're excited to engage camps as they work to strengthen their character development programs." "Lilly Endowment's founders firmly believed that developing the character of young people was vital to the future of communities and our country, and they supported many efforts to understand how character is formed," said N. Clay Robbins, Lilly Endowment's chairman and CEO. "For decades, well run camps have had a positive impact on the character development of thousands of campers. We believe, with the commitment, leadership, and expertise of ACA, its Character at Camp initiative can meaningfully enhance and expand character development from a variety of perspectives and in a diverse array of young people throughout the nation."

Read More

Financial Management, Philanthropy

TIFIN Give expands its reach as a leading technology powered philanthropy platform for wealth enterprises

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

TIFIN, a leading AI and innovation platform, today announced its philanthropy platform TIFIN Give has acquired Giving Place, the tech solution for family office giving programs and private foundations. The newly combined company now has increased scale and resources to service families through advisors, the workplace, and family offices. The firm now helps oversee $670 million in philanthropy assets and helped facilitate $40 million in charitable donations in 2023. The donor-advised fund (DAF) space has seen rapid growth in recent years. DAF assets nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022 and stand today at ~$230 billion; total DAF assets are estimated to grow to $1 trillion by 2030. Private foundation assets reached $1.25 trillion last year. The ability of TIFIN Give to serve these charitable structures, among others, continues to unlock substantial opportunities and value for wealth enterprises and their clients. TIFIN Give's next-generation DAF platform provides a multi-custodial platform, SOC-2 security compliance, and expanded investment options including custom model portfolios. It is now deployed at leading wealth enterprises and employers through their recent partnership to power an employee DAF solution with Morgan Stanley at Work. Through the Giving Place acquisition, TIFIN Give can now address the philanthropic needs of all asset classes in the wealth enterprise space," said Cor Hoekstra, Head of Wealth Enterprise Partnerships at TIFIN. "We are excited to now reach all types of donors. The new company will be led by Giving Place's co-founder and CEO, Paul Lussow. Co-founder Alex Paul, will remain involved and serve on the TIFIN Give board. "Our focus on supporting and growing the philanthropic capabilities of wealth enterprises will accelerate through this combined company," said Lussow. "The key to solving many pain points for donors and their advisors will be powered by the integration of TIFIN Give's digital-first DAF platform with Giving Place's philanthropy software solution for family offices and private foundations," said Giving Place co-founder and TIFIN Give board member Alex Paul.

Read More

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy

The National Geographic Society Breaks Fundraising Record with $122.8 Million in New Commitments

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Today, the National Geographic Society announced its largest fundraising year in its 136-year history with $122.8 million in new commitments for 2023 the Society's third record-breaking year in a row. Contributions came from individuals, corporations and foundations to support the nonprofit's mission work, including the transformation of its Base Camp in Washington, D.C., global community of National Geographic Explorers and portfolio of impactful programs. The Society invests 100 percent of donor contributions into the organization's programmatic priorities to strengthen its mission of illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world. Donors and partners fuel the Society's ability to leverage scientific research, exploration, education and unparalleled storytelling to spark curiosity in hundreds of millions of people to learn about and care for our planet. These philanthropic investments accelerate the Society's sustainable business model and build a culture of philanthropy, key to the organization's five-year strategic plan, NG Next. This achievement underscores our community's belief in our mission and vision for the future," said CEO Jill Tiefenthaler. "The dedication of our donors is instrumental to funding the extraordinary National Geographic Explorers who are driving positive change for our planet and its people. Thank you to all those helping us support our Explorers, transform our Base Camp, and achieve our mission and global impact. Last year, the Society launched its newly formed Principal Donors Society, the highest designation for lifetime giving, which recognizes individuals, corporations and foundations who have championed the nonprofit through cumulative philanthropic support of $1 million or more for pivotal priorities and impact areas. The second annual Principal Donors Society induction ceremony and celebration will take place on February 7, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. "We are most grateful for the unprecedented generosity of our donors that this year's giving reflects, as it clearly demonstrates the growing global support of the National Geographic Society's mission to illuminate and protect the wonderful of our world," said the Society's Board Chair Jean Case. 2023 fiscal year fundraising highlights include: Secured the largest commitment in the Society's history from long-time partner, Rolex $122.8 million in overall new commitments, a 4% increase from the previous record-breaking fiscal year ($117.9M) 81 new commitments of $100,000 or above, a 16% increase over 2022 16 new commitments at $1 million or above $13.2 million raised through Annual Giving & Membership, a 13% increase over 2022 100% participation by the Board of Trustees 100% participation by the Society's Senior Leadership team Increased membership in the Hubbard Council (annual donors of $50,000 or more) by 30% Launched the Principal Donors Society in January 2023, recognizing donors of lifetime giving of $1M or more to the Society, with 65 donors; adding an additional 11 donors during 2023 "We accomplished this tremendous fundraising year thanks to our loyal, global network of industry and thought leaders who are personally dedicated to the Society's success," said Chief Advancement Officer Kara Ramirez Mullins. "It's encouraging to see real investment in, and momentum for, the Society's key priorities like the Base Camp renovation project. We have a bold vision for the future and the time to invest in the Society is now!"

Read More

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management

American Camp Association Receives $45.5 Million Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Strengthen Character Development Programs for Young People

PR Newswire | February 02, 2024

The American Camp Association® (ACA) is honored to announce that Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded ACA a $45,535,623 grant to support the creation of a new, multiyear initiative to grow, improve, and celebrate character development at camps across the United States. Character at Camp is an innovative initiative anchored in the belief that summer and year-round camp programs provide an unparalleled opportunity to promote the character development of young people. While camps vary greatly in their mission, size, activities, programming, and location, many are run with an intrinsic focus on youth development and character-building skills and traits. ACA's recent National Camp Impact Study demonstrated that camp experiences support social connectedness among youth and the development of skills and traits such as perseverance, responsibility, and the willingness to try new things. This study also found that these skills and traits last over time. Individuals who attended camp as children demonstrate these skills and traits throughout academic environments and well into their early careers. For more than a century, character development has been foundational to the camp experience, as each camp distinctively offers a variety of opportunities to develop important character skills and traits. Camps provide young people with experiences in less-distracting settings, often surrounded by nature, that can help support character development through social interactions with peers and counselors, time for reflection and other activities. For example, campers learn responsibility as they help set tables in the dining hall, engage in leadership when guiding groups during hikes, and practice empathy when they support fellow campers who are missing home. In today's world, the benefits of building character skills and traits such as gratitude, kindness, creativity, curiosity, perseverance, resiliency, empathy, courage, and teamwork could not be more important. The Character at Camp initiative will be conducted during the next six years. ACA will make available in-person and virtual training opportunities, educational tools, and other resources to camps to strengthen, expand, or establish character development programs at the more than 15,000 year-round and summer camps across the US. As a direct result of this new initiative, ACA will invite camp leaders to participate in educational and peer-learning opportunities, networking, training, other experiences to learn how to help develop character skills and traits at camp. ACA will work with camp professionals, youth-development experts, and others to create new educational resources, training, and assessment tools to provide camps with opportunities to engage in this important initiative. Starting in 2025, all eligible nonprofit camps will have the opportunity to apply for competitive one-, two-, or three-year grants to support their character development programs. Eligible organizations will be able to apply for funding in amounts ranging from $50,000 to up to $300,000 based on the length of the grant period. Funds may be used for staffing, training, curricula, assessment, communications, and/or outreach and partnership efforts to support camps' specific goals related to character development. The initiative will support a broad range of camps serving young people from varied backgrounds and experiences, including under-resourced and underrepresented youth, as well as provide funding for developing character-based programming that is culturally relevant and values the diverse perspectives of youth and families. "We are deeply grateful for Lilly Endowment's support of ACA and our shared commitment to support camps across the country with the funding, tools, resources, and education to expand and prioritize character development programs," said Tom Rosenberg, ACA president/CEO. "This Character at Camp initiative recognizes the diverse needs of children and youth. We know camp experiences build a world of belonging and growth, and we're excited to engage camps as they work to strengthen their character development programs." "Lilly Endowment's founders firmly believed that developing the character of young people was vital to the future of communities and our country, and they supported many efforts to understand how character is formed," said N. Clay Robbins, Lilly Endowment's chairman and CEO. "For decades, well run camps have had a positive impact on the character development of thousands of campers. We believe, with the commitment, leadership, and expertise of ACA, its Character at Camp initiative can meaningfully enhance and expand character development from a variety of perspectives and in a diverse array of young people throughout the nation."

Read More

Financial Management, Philanthropy

TIFIN Give expands its reach as a leading technology powered philanthropy platform for wealth enterprises

PR Newswire | February 01, 2024

TIFIN, a leading AI and innovation platform, today announced its philanthropy platform TIFIN Give has acquired Giving Place, the tech solution for family office giving programs and private foundations. The newly combined company now has increased scale and resources to service families through advisors, the workplace, and family offices. The firm now helps oversee $670 million in philanthropy assets and helped facilitate $40 million in charitable donations in 2023. The donor-advised fund (DAF) space has seen rapid growth in recent years. DAF assets nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022 and stand today at ~$230 billion; total DAF assets are estimated to grow to $1 trillion by 2030. Private foundation assets reached $1.25 trillion last year. The ability of TIFIN Give to serve these charitable structures, among others, continues to unlock substantial opportunities and value for wealth enterprises and their clients. TIFIN Give's next-generation DAF platform provides a multi-custodial platform, SOC-2 security compliance, and expanded investment options including custom model portfolios. It is now deployed at leading wealth enterprises and employers through their recent partnership to power an employee DAF solution with Morgan Stanley at Work. Through the Giving Place acquisition, TIFIN Give can now address the philanthropic needs of all asset classes in the wealth enterprise space," said Cor Hoekstra, Head of Wealth Enterprise Partnerships at TIFIN. "We are excited to now reach all types of donors. The new company will be led by Giving Place's co-founder and CEO, Paul Lussow. Co-founder Alex Paul, will remain involved and serve on the TIFIN Give board. "Our focus on supporting and growing the philanthropic capabilities of wealth enterprises will accelerate through this combined company," said Lussow. "The key to solving many pain points for donors and their advisors will be powered by the integration of TIFIN Give's digital-first DAF platform with Giving Place's philanthropy software solution for family offices and private foundations," said Giving Place co-founder and TIFIN Give board member Alex Paul.

Read More

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy

The National Geographic Society Breaks Fundraising Record with $122.8 Million in New Commitments

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Today, the National Geographic Society announced its largest fundraising year in its 136-year history with $122.8 million in new commitments for 2023 the Society's third record-breaking year in a row. Contributions came from individuals, corporations and foundations to support the nonprofit's mission work, including the transformation of its Base Camp in Washington, D.C., global community of National Geographic Explorers and portfolio of impactful programs. The Society invests 100 percent of donor contributions into the organization's programmatic priorities to strengthen its mission of illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world. Donors and partners fuel the Society's ability to leverage scientific research, exploration, education and unparalleled storytelling to spark curiosity in hundreds of millions of people to learn about and care for our planet. These philanthropic investments accelerate the Society's sustainable business model and build a culture of philanthropy, key to the organization's five-year strategic plan, NG Next. This achievement underscores our community's belief in our mission and vision for the future," said CEO Jill Tiefenthaler. "The dedication of our donors is instrumental to funding the extraordinary National Geographic Explorers who are driving positive change for our planet and its people. Thank you to all those helping us support our Explorers, transform our Base Camp, and achieve our mission and global impact. Last year, the Society launched its newly formed Principal Donors Society, the highest designation for lifetime giving, which recognizes individuals, corporations and foundations who have championed the nonprofit through cumulative philanthropic support of $1 million or more for pivotal priorities and impact areas. The second annual Principal Donors Society induction ceremony and celebration will take place on February 7, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. "We are most grateful for the unprecedented generosity of our donors that this year's giving reflects, as it clearly demonstrates the growing global support of the National Geographic Society's mission to illuminate and protect the wonderful of our world," said the Society's Board Chair Jean Case. 2023 fiscal year fundraising highlights include: Secured the largest commitment in the Society's history from long-time partner, Rolex $122.8 million in overall new commitments, a 4% increase from the previous record-breaking fiscal year ($117.9M) 81 new commitments of $100,000 or above, a 16% increase over 2022 16 new commitments at $1 million or above $13.2 million raised through Annual Giving & Membership, a 13% increase over 2022 100% participation by the Board of Trustees 100% participation by the Society's Senior Leadership team Increased membership in the Hubbard Council (annual donors of $50,000 or more) by 30% Launched the Principal Donors Society in January 2023, recognizing donors of lifetime giving of $1M or more to the Society, with 65 donors; adding an additional 11 donors during 2023 "We accomplished this tremendous fundraising year thanks to our loyal, global network of industry and thought leaders who are personally dedicated to the Society's success," said Chief Advancement Officer Kara Ramirez Mullins. "It's encouraging to see real investment in, and momentum for, the Society's key priorities like the Base Camp renovation project. We have a bold vision for the future and the time to invest in the Society is now!"

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