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Why CSR and other grant-makers need to provide more 'good' overheads to NGOs

To solve society’s most pressing problems, we need strong, mission-driven organisations that can deliver results that matter. Unfortunately, funding practices widely used by governments, foundations, and corporations, including CSR grantmakers, undermine the development of successful nonprofits. Funders typically support programs, but they scrimp on “overhead.” This practice gives rise to a vexing “starvation cycle” that constrains nonprofits’ ability to invest in essential organisational infrastructure and creates tensions, and even dishonesty, between grant makers and grantees.

Spotlight

Inside Philanthropy

Inside Philanthropy is a premier source of day-to-day coverage of how foundations and individual donors give away their money. The site also features 49 in-depth fundraising guides to specific areas and over 600 profiles of top foundation executives and program officers. It's a powerful resource for anyone trying to raise funds, or to better understand who's doing what in the philanthropic world.

OTHER ARTICLES
Nonprofit Management

The Psychology Behind Donations

Article | July 13, 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

4 Challenges that Large Non-profit Organizations Face

Article | July 11, 2022

Large non-profit organisations must frequently overcome extreme challenges in order to stay on track toward achieving their mission and goals. There are currently 1.4 million tax-exempt organisations in the United States alone, so there is no shortage of non-profit organisations competing for resources, financial assistance, and talent. The challenge is exacerbated because a large non-profit (or small non-profit) is expected to make all strategic decisions with its organisational mission in mind. The good news is that a non-profit’s mission can guide them in making the right decisions and overcoming obstacles. Large non-profits face numerous challenges on a daily basis in order to stay on track. These issues include sustainability, donor retention and engagement, finding the right volunteers, and organising internal and external processes. Today, we'll go over these issues in greater depth and offer solutions. How Can Large Non-profits Be Sustainable? Sustainability is critical to a large non-profit’s long-term success. Large non-profit organizations frequently must uphold a recognizable brand and reputation. Developing a strategic plan with sustainability as the foundation starts with an organization's mission and vision. How Can Large Non-profits Keep and Engage Donors? Another issue that large non-profit organizations frequently face is retaining and engaging donors. Did you know that in 2015, 373.25 billion dollars were donated to charitable causes? Large non-profit organizations are tasked with acquiring new donors, engaging their donor base, and retaining valuable relationships. Donor retention rates for offline-only donors are 29%, while online-only donors have a 21% retention rate. Raising these averages by a few percentage points can give a large non-profit organization more reach. How Can a Large Non-profit Find the Right Volunteers? A large non-profit can save a lot of money by identifying and recruiting the right volunteers for the right strategic jobs. According to an Independent Sector study, the average volunteer hour is worth more than $24.00 (2016 data). The value of volunteerism can quickly add up large non-profit organizations that rely heavily on volunteers. Volunteers also provide valuable skill sets to non-profits, which can improve an organization's ability across departments. How Can Large Non-profits Improve Processes? Setting up processes is one of the most important things a large non-profit can do to ensure consistency and control throughout the organization. Every aspect of the organization, including but not limited to fundraising, volunteer coordination, training, strategic engagement, and retention strategies, should have a process in place. Organizations that want to create a road map for success must devote time to strategic planning.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Going Virtual: Tips For Planning An Effective Virtual Nonprofit Fundraiser

Article | July 14, 2022

Agile nonprofits are turning to virtual fundraisers to fill the fundraising gap. Limiting public gatherings to fewer than ten people has forced many nonprofits to postpone or cancel their annual events, which is a major problem for so many organizations that rely on spring fundraising season to generate a significant portion of their annual revenue. A virtual event is any organized meet-up that takes place online rather than in a physical location. They can range from one-on-one meetings to large-scale events with thousands of attendees. Major benefits of hosting a virtual event include guests being able to attend from the comfort of their homes and organizations being able to reach an unlimited audience anywhere in the world.

Read More
Nonprofit Technology

Prioritizing Money Builds Fake Donor Relationships

Article | December 21, 2021

The relationship costs too much money, so I will save money and not pursue it. And the result of that decision is disastrous. Relationships take time. You know that. Your boss knows it. But we ignore time because that is how we have set up things. There is a budget to manage. A forecast to make. So, we go for the fake relationship. One where we pretend to care, but only if we get the money. We do that — not because we believe it’s the right thing to do but — because we can’t see any other way to deliver on expectations. And that is the dilemma in major gifts. The push is for instant gratification. We are dealing with a situation right now where the authority figure does not value relationships. She says she does. She even claims to have a value set that cherishes relationships. But the money is the real value. And the need to grab it is the central drive. So, she is pushing on her major gift officers (MGOs) to get the money and is even threatening to do away with the major gifts program because it is not delivering. But when we uncover what “not delivering” means in her view, it is not that each MGO is not producing revenue from the same donors over and above last year. Nope. It is that each isn’t producing enough revenue quickly enough. The real story in this organization is that some of the other fundraising programs are not performing, and major gifts needs to be the scapegoat. It’s all about the money. This is so sad because these are good people — all of them, including the authority figure. It is sad because the plan to move major gifts into real relationships is facing failure. And that bothers Jeff and me — not because it’s our plan for the organization. No, it bothers us because there are good MGOs and good donors who must revert back to a fake relationship. And that is not good. One of our major objectives is to influence fundraisers and nonprofit leaders to highly value and respect donors. When we succeed at that, and we do, more often than not, it brings donors, MGOs and leaders a tremendous amount of joy and satisfaction. And, it brings the money. You should see the celebration! But when money is valued over relationship, it is a dark and depressing time for us. That is why the situation I described earlier is so disturbing. It’s not that we are going to lose something. No, that is not it. It’s that some very good MGOs and some very good donors will be forced to live in superficiality and shallowness. And that is not good for anyone. And it certainly is not good for the economic well-being of the nonprofit. Make a commitment today to real relationships with your donors. And if your organization does not support that, try to influence it to change. If the organization will not change, move on. You have a choice.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

4 Challenges that Large Non-profit Organizations Face

Article | July 13, 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

Top 5 Trends for Non-Profits in 2022

Article | July 11, 2022

Large non-profit organisations must frequently overcome extreme challenges in order to stay on track toward achieving their mission and goals. There are currently 1.4 million tax-exempt organisations in the United States alone, so there is no shortage of non-profit organisations competing for resources, financial assistance, and talent. The challenge is exacerbated because a large non-profit (or small non-profit) is expected to make all strategic decisions with its organisational mission in mind. The good news is that a non-profit’s mission can guide them in making the right decisions and overcoming obstacles. Large non-profits face numerous challenges on a daily basis in order to stay on track. These issues include sustainability, donor retention and engagement, finding the right volunteers, and organising internal and external processes. Today, we'll go over these issues in greater depth and offer solutions. How Can Large Non-profits Be Sustainable? Sustainability is critical to a large non-profit’s long-term success. Large non-profit organizations frequently must uphold a recognizable brand and reputation. Developing a strategic plan with sustainability as the foundation starts with an organization's mission and vision. How Can Large Non-profits Keep and Engage Donors? Another issue that large non-profit organizations frequently face is retaining and engaging donors. Did you know that in 2015, 373.25 billion dollars were donated to charitable causes? Large non-profit organizations are tasked with acquiring new donors, engaging their donor base, and retaining valuable relationships. Donor retention rates for offline-only donors are 29%, while online-only donors have a 21% retention rate. Raising these averages by a few percentage points can give a large non-profit organization more reach. How Can a Large Non-profit Find the Right Volunteers? A large non-profit can save a lot of money by identifying and recruiting the right volunteers for the right strategic jobs. According to an Independent Sector study, the average volunteer hour is worth more than $24.00 (2016 data). The value of volunteerism can quickly add up large non-profit organizations that rely heavily on volunteers. Volunteers also provide valuable skill sets to non-profits, which can improve an organization's ability across departments. How Can Large Non-profits Improve Processes? Setting up processes is one of the most important things a large non-profit can do to ensure consistency and control throughout the organization. Every aspect of the organization, including but not limited to fundraising, volunteer coordination, training, strategic engagement, and retention strategies, should have a process in place. Organizations that want to create a road map for success must devote time to strategic planning.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Non-Profits Impacting the Economy

Article | July 14, 2022

Agile nonprofits are turning to virtual fundraisers to fill the fundraising gap. Limiting public gatherings to fewer than ten people has forced many nonprofits to postpone or cancel their annual events, which is a major problem for so many organizations that rely on spring fundraising season to generate a significant portion of their annual revenue. A virtual event is any organized meet-up that takes place online rather than in a physical location. They can range from one-on-one meetings to large-scale events with thousands of attendees. Major benefits of hosting a virtual event include guests being able to attend from the comfort of their homes and organizations being able to reach an unlimited audience anywhere in the world.

Read More
Nonprofit Technology

Prioritizing Money Builds Fake Donor Relationships

Article | December 21, 2021

The relationship costs too much money, so I will save money and not pursue it. And the result of that decision is disastrous. Relationships take time. You know that. Your boss knows it. But we ignore time because that is how we have set up things. There is a budget to manage. A forecast to make. So, we go for the fake relationship. One where we pretend to care, but only if we get the money. We do that — not because we believe it’s the right thing to do but — because we can’t see any other way to deliver on expectations. And that is the dilemma in major gifts. The push is for instant gratification. We are dealing with a situation right now where the authority figure does not value relationships. She says she does. She even claims to have a value set that cherishes relationships. But the money is the real value. And the need to grab it is the central drive. So, she is pushing on her major gift officers (MGOs) to get the money and is even threatening to do away with the major gifts program because it is not delivering. But when we uncover what “not delivering” means in her view, it is not that each MGO is not producing revenue from the same donors over and above last year. Nope. It is that each isn’t producing enough revenue quickly enough. The real story in this organization is that some of the other fundraising programs are not performing, and major gifts needs to be the scapegoat. It’s all about the money. This is so sad because these are good people — all of them, including the authority figure. It is sad because the plan to move major gifts into real relationships is facing failure. And that bothers Jeff and me — not because it’s our plan for the organization. No, it bothers us because there are good MGOs and good donors who must revert back to a fake relationship. And that is not good. One of our major objectives is to influence fundraisers and nonprofit leaders to highly value and respect donors. When we succeed at that, and we do, more often than not, it brings donors, MGOs and leaders a tremendous amount of joy and satisfaction. And, it brings the money. You should see the celebration! But when money is valued over relationship, it is a dark and depressing time for us. That is why the situation I described earlier is so disturbing. It’s not that we are going to lose something. No, that is not it. It’s that some very good MGOs and some very good donors will be forced to live in superficiality and shallowness. And that is not good for anyone. And it certainly is not good for the economic well-being of the nonprofit. Make a commitment today to real relationships with your donors. And if your organization does not support that, try to influence it to change. If the organization will not change, move on. You have a choice.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

Inside Philanthropy

Inside Philanthropy is a premier source of day-to-day coverage of how foundations and individual donors give away their money. The site also features 49 in-depth fundraising guides to specific areas and over 600 profiles of top foundation executives and program officers. It's a powerful resource for anyone trying to raise funds, or to better understand who's doing what in the philanthropic world.

Related News

Nonprofit Technology, Philanthropy

National After-School Nonprofit Awarded $2.45 Million Federal Grant to Build VR-Powered Career Exploration Programs

Prnewswire | April 10, 2023

After-School All-Stars, one of the largest providers of free, comprehensive after-school programs in the United States, today announced that it has received $2.45 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Pathways for Youth program that will bring virtual and augmented reality career simulations to youth at after-school programs in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Newark, and Miami. In collaboration with immersive learning pioneer Transfr, the "Stars at Work'' program will connect young people with hands-on career exploration simulations that offer real-world experience in a variety of fast-growing jobs and industries. "We need to find creative ways to make career exploration more engaging and interactive in order to help young people prepare for a fast-changing economy," said Ben Paul, CEO of After-School All-Stars. "This collaboration has provided thousands of students firsthand experience with what it's like to work in the fields of robotics, hospitality, and emergency services. It's about helping students build the skills to transform a job into a long-term, rewarding career." The announcement comes at a time of rising uncertainty around the future of the labor market for students and working adults alike—as well as a growing share of students and young adults who are disconnected from school and employment. Nationally, there are approximately 4.6 million "opportunity youth" ages 16-24, who are neither in school or employed. Against that backdrop, K-12 schools and after-school programs have increased their focus on helping middle and high school students foster connections between their classroom experiences and their future ambitions. "Stars at Work" will offer an interactive and engaging new way for students to explore careers using a virtual reality curriculum covering 23 dynamic industries introducing disadvantaged youth to careers they might not have otherwise considered. Through the simulations, students receive a hands-on, real-world view of a variety of workplace settings in industries ranging from automotive trades, manufacturing and construction careers, hospitality services, and healthcare training. Founded in 1992 by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, After-School All-Stars is one of five national organizations selected to participate in the $12 million second round of Workforce Pathways for Youth program, first launched by the U.S. Department of Labor's Education and Training Administration in 2020 to support recovery efforts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant program is designed to help bridge the gap between existing out-of-school time programs—including after-schools, youth enrichment, and summer camps—and the need for career exploration and enrichment opportunities that can prepare students to enter the workforce. At After-School All-Stars programs in the four major metro areas covered by this grant, students will be able to access immersive VR training experiences that enable students to experience skilled trades without requiring specialized equipment and extensive travel. After completing the career exploration program, students will have the option to participate in early career placement opportunities that will help them build new skills and set them on a path to long-term success in their chosen industry. After-School All-Stars and Transfr have assembled a team of regional employer partners that includes Manufacturing Works, Diamond Metals Distribution - Cleveland, MY Workforce Solutions - Los Angeles, InterContinental Hotels, and Chick-fil-A - National. "Enabling young people to acquire the skills needed to access and succeed in growing industries must be an essential part of our long-term strategy for building a more inclusive and equitable economy." said Bharani Rajakumar, CEO and founder of Transfr. "This is about giving students the tools to envision themselves in careers that they might never have considered while building a highly skilled workforce that meets the needs of today's employers." About After-School All-Stars Founded in 1992 by Arnold Schwarzenegger, After-School All-Stars is a leading national provider of school-based, free, comprehensive after-school programs. The organization's mission is to keep children safe and help them succeed in school and in life. Every school day, students in under-resourced communities have access to free programs that allow them to increase academic readiness, explore career opportunities, develop regular health and wellness habits, practice visual and performing arts, and build STEM skills. 90,000+ children from 19 U.S. locations benefit: Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, North Texas, Orlando, Philadelphia & Camden, San Antonio, South Florida, Tampa Bay, Toledo, Washington D.C., Bay Area and Puget Sound. About Transfr Transfr's mission is to train the future of every industry by opening up new opportunities for people across the globe. Transfr helps create unique pathways to well-paying jobs available now in high-demand fields, enabling learners to find job security and economic prosperity, facilitated by immersive, hands-on training.

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Nonprofit Technology

The Dallas Foundation Selects Foundant Technologies Solutions to Seamlessly Manage Operations, Maximize Impact

Prnewswire | March 29, 2023

The Dallas Foundation, the first community foundation in Texas, has implemented CommunitySuite, Grant Lifecycle Manager and Scholarship Lifecycle Manager from Foundant Technologies (Foundant), a leader in making philanthropy easier and more impactful through innovative software solutions and exceptional client experiences. The Dallas Foundation replaced its previous "big name" CRM, financial management and grant management systems with Foundant's integrated solutions, which has significantly increased the Foundation's impact on and contributions to its community. "We can punch above our weight because our technology infrastructure is comprehensive, reliable and easy to use," said Matthew Randazzo, president and CEO of The Dallas Foundation. "CommunitySuite has freed up our staff substantially so they can focus more on high-value, strategic activities and engage more deeply in servicing the community. This is only possible because we are spending less time managing and questioning our data and more time leveraging that data within one integrated ecosystem." Prior to implementing Foundant's solutions, The Dallas Foundation was manually managing disparate software solutions that didn't play well with each other. This approach meant the staff was spending significant time on low-value, transactional tasks that were not contributing to the Foundation's mission or positively impacting the community. CommunitySuite allows the Foundation to leverage one comprehensive solution to manage every aspect of its operations in a cohesive and unified way. "Not only can we do more in less time, but our time is more impactful now. Our team is more engaged and energized because they are doing high-leverage, satisfying work, which is what drew them to work with the foundation in the first place. It feeds their purpose and allows them to do their best work in a way that rote admin tasks cannot," added Randazzo. The Dallas Foundation manages over 700 funds and has awarded more than $1 billion over the course of its long history. Since the Foundation's inception, the mission has consistently improved lives and made progress throughout North Texas. Grant investments currently focus on programs that benefit children ages birth to three as well as those that advance equity and inclusion, ensure community and economic resilience, and enhance the community's nonprofit ecosystem. "Foundant has revolutionized how our finance team spends their time," added Randazzo. "It used to take multiple members of the team one-third of the working month to produce monthly fund statements. Now, with CommunitySuite, one team member completes all that work in less than one day." In addition to streamlining the Foundation's operations, Foundant's CommunitySuite solution enables a more robust, easy-to-use donor portal, allowing donors to: Recommend grants Access fund balances, statements, shared documents and tax receipts See a real-time view of account activities "CommunitySuite is the only market-based solution that understands the complexity of community foundations, and they truly are a trusted partner," added Randazzo. "From selection to go-live, Foundant has walked alongside us, and they remain committed to our success." About Foundant Technologies Foundant Technologies has specialized in making philanthropy easier and more impactful through innovative software solutions and exceptional client experiences since 2007. Passionate about philanthropy, Foundants' team is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of grantmakers, scholarship providers, community foundations and nonprofits to enable change-makers to make the world a better place for all. More than 3,000 funders and nonprofits use Foundant's software to transform their organizations and maximize their impact in the communities they serve.

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Nonprofit Technology, Philanthropy

Unity Care Receives $100,000 California State Coastal Conservancy Grant

GlobeNewswire | March 24, 2023

Unity Care, a nonprofit organization that provides housing and support services to youth in and exiting from foster care throughout California, was recently awarded a $100,000 grant by the California State Coastal Conservancy. The grant will work to fund a program known as The Seasons of Learning: Coastal Edition, which will connect youth in foster care to coastal activities that allow them to explore our state’s coasts while introducing key concepts of career exploration and nature conservation. Funding from the Conservancy will allow Unity Care to connect 80 of the youth served by the agency across three of the regions in which Unity Care operates (San Francisco/East Bay Area, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and Northern California) with monthly excursions that allow youth to learn about and explore California coasts. On March 2, 2023, Unity Care held its first youth engagement trip of The Seasons of Learning: Coastal Edition program and brought 20 program participants to The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Participants learned about California's coastal environments, nature conservation, and possible career paths within conservation and preservation. After the visit to the Academy, one youth participant said, “if I could give this a million stars, I would!” About Unity Care Unity Care, established in 1993, is a youth and family agency that offers safe and stable housing for youth and young adults aging out of the foster care system. The nationally accredited organization provides supportive services, through housing and other programs, to transitional foster-care youth aged 16-25 in El Dorado, Placer, San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, Nevada, and Monterey counties.

Read More

Nonprofit Technology, Philanthropy

National After-School Nonprofit Awarded $2.45 Million Federal Grant to Build VR-Powered Career Exploration Programs

Prnewswire | April 10, 2023

After-School All-Stars, one of the largest providers of free, comprehensive after-school programs in the United States, today announced that it has received $2.45 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Pathways for Youth program that will bring virtual and augmented reality career simulations to youth at after-school programs in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Newark, and Miami. In collaboration with immersive learning pioneer Transfr, the "Stars at Work'' program will connect young people with hands-on career exploration simulations that offer real-world experience in a variety of fast-growing jobs and industries. "We need to find creative ways to make career exploration more engaging and interactive in order to help young people prepare for a fast-changing economy," said Ben Paul, CEO of After-School All-Stars. "This collaboration has provided thousands of students firsthand experience with what it's like to work in the fields of robotics, hospitality, and emergency services. It's about helping students build the skills to transform a job into a long-term, rewarding career." The announcement comes at a time of rising uncertainty around the future of the labor market for students and working adults alike—as well as a growing share of students and young adults who are disconnected from school and employment. Nationally, there are approximately 4.6 million "opportunity youth" ages 16-24, who are neither in school or employed. Against that backdrop, K-12 schools and after-school programs have increased their focus on helping middle and high school students foster connections between their classroom experiences and their future ambitions. "Stars at Work" will offer an interactive and engaging new way for students to explore careers using a virtual reality curriculum covering 23 dynamic industries introducing disadvantaged youth to careers they might not have otherwise considered. Through the simulations, students receive a hands-on, real-world view of a variety of workplace settings in industries ranging from automotive trades, manufacturing and construction careers, hospitality services, and healthcare training. Founded in 1992 by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, After-School All-Stars is one of five national organizations selected to participate in the $12 million second round of Workforce Pathways for Youth program, first launched by the U.S. Department of Labor's Education and Training Administration in 2020 to support recovery efforts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant program is designed to help bridge the gap between existing out-of-school time programs—including after-schools, youth enrichment, and summer camps—and the need for career exploration and enrichment opportunities that can prepare students to enter the workforce. At After-School All-Stars programs in the four major metro areas covered by this grant, students will be able to access immersive VR training experiences that enable students to experience skilled trades without requiring specialized equipment and extensive travel. After completing the career exploration program, students will have the option to participate in early career placement opportunities that will help them build new skills and set them on a path to long-term success in their chosen industry. After-School All-Stars and Transfr have assembled a team of regional employer partners that includes Manufacturing Works, Diamond Metals Distribution - Cleveland, MY Workforce Solutions - Los Angeles, InterContinental Hotels, and Chick-fil-A - National. "Enabling young people to acquire the skills needed to access and succeed in growing industries must be an essential part of our long-term strategy for building a more inclusive and equitable economy." said Bharani Rajakumar, CEO and founder of Transfr. "This is about giving students the tools to envision themselves in careers that they might never have considered while building a highly skilled workforce that meets the needs of today's employers." About After-School All-Stars Founded in 1992 by Arnold Schwarzenegger, After-School All-Stars is a leading national provider of school-based, free, comprehensive after-school programs. The organization's mission is to keep children safe and help them succeed in school and in life. Every school day, students in under-resourced communities have access to free programs that allow them to increase academic readiness, explore career opportunities, develop regular health and wellness habits, practice visual and performing arts, and build STEM skills. 90,000+ children from 19 U.S. locations benefit: Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, North Texas, Orlando, Philadelphia & Camden, San Antonio, South Florida, Tampa Bay, Toledo, Washington D.C., Bay Area and Puget Sound. About Transfr Transfr's mission is to train the future of every industry by opening up new opportunities for people across the globe. Transfr helps create unique pathways to well-paying jobs available now in high-demand fields, enabling learners to find job security and economic prosperity, facilitated by immersive, hands-on training.

Read More

Nonprofit Technology

The Dallas Foundation Selects Foundant Technologies Solutions to Seamlessly Manage Operations, Maximize Impact

Prnewswire | March 29, 2023

The Dallas Foundation, the first community foundation in Texas, has implemented CommunitySuite, Grant Lifecycle Manager and Scholarship Lifecycle Manager from Foundant Technologies (Foundant), a leader in making philanthropy easier and more impactful through innovative software solutions and exceptional client experiences. The Dallas Foundation replaced its previous "big name" CRM, financial management and grant management systems with Foundant's integrated solutions, which has significantly increased the Foundation's impact on and contributions to its community. "We can punch above our weight because our technology infrastructure is comprehensive, reliable and easy to use," said Matthew Randazzo, president and CEO of The Dallas Foundation. "CommunitySuite has freed up our staff substantially so they can focus more on high-value, strategic activities and engage more deeply in servicing the community. This is only possible because we are spending less time managing and questioning our data and more time leveraging that data within one integrated ecosystem." Prior to implementing Foundant's solutions, The Dallas Foundation was manually managing disparate software solutions that didn't play well with each other. This approach meant the staff was spending significant time on low-value, transactional tasks that were not contributing to the Foundation's mission or positively impacting the community. CommunitySuite allows the Foundation to leverage one comprehensive solution to manage every aspect of its operations in a cohesive and unified way. "Not only can we do more in less time, but our time is more impactful now. Our team is more engaged and energized because they are doing high-leverage, satisfying work, which is what drew them to work with the foundation in the first place. It feeds their purpose and allows them to do their best work in a way that rote admin tasks cannot," added Randazzo. The Dallas Foundation manages over 700 funds and has awarded more than $1 billion over the course of its long history. Since the Foundation's inception, the mission has consistently improved lives and made progress throughout North Texas. Grant investments currently focus on programs that benefit children ages birth to three as well as those that advance equity and inclusion, ensure community and economic resilience, and enhance the community's nonprofit ecosystem. "Foundant has revolutionized how our finance team spends their time," added Randazzo. "It used to take multiple members of the team one-third of the working month to produce monthly fund statements. Now, with CommunitySuite, one team member completes all that work in less than one day." In addition to streamlining the Foundation's operations, Foundant's CommunitySuite solution enables a more robust, easy-to-use donor portal, allowing donors to: Recommend grants Access fund balances, statements, shared documents and tax receipts See a real-time view of account activities "CommunitySuite is the only market-based solution that understands the complexity of community foundations, and they truly are a trusted partner," added Randazzo. "From selection to go-live, Foundant has walked alongside us, and they remain committed to our success." About Foundant Technologies Foundant Technologies has specialized in making philanthropy easier and more impactful through innovative software solutions and exceptional client experiences since 2007. Passionate about philanthropy, Foundants' team is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of grantmakers, scholarship providers, community foundations and nonprofits to enable change-makers to make the world a better place for all. More than 3,000 funders and nonprofits use Foundant's software to transform their organizations and maximize their impact in the communities they serve.

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Nonprofit Technology, Philanthropy

Unity Care Receives $100,000 California State Coastal Conservancy Grant

GlobeNewswire | March 24, 2023

Unity Care, a nonprofit organization that provides housing and support services to youth in and exiting from foster care throughout California, was recently awarded a $100,000 grant by the California State Coastal Conservancy. The grant will work to fund a program known as The Seasons of Learning: Coastal Edition, which will connect youth in foster care to coastal activities that allow them to explore our state’s coasts while introducing key concepts of career exploration and nature conservation. Funding from the Conservancy will allow Unity Care to connect 80 of the youth served by the agency across three of the regions in which Unity Care operates (San Francisco/East Bay Area, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and Northern California) with monthly excursions that allow youth to learn about and explore California coasts. On March 2, 2023, Unity Care held its first youth engagement trip of The Seasons of Learning: Coastal Edition program and brought 20 program participants to The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Participants learned about California's coastal environments, nature conservation, and possible career paths within conservation and preservation. After the visit to the Academy, one youth participant said, “if I could give this a million stars, I would!” About Unity Care Unity Care, established in 1993, is a youth and family agency that offers safe and stable housing for youth and young adults aging out of the foster care system. The nationally accredited organization provides supportive services, through housing and other programs, to transitional foster-care youth aged 16-25 in El Dorado, Placer, San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, Nevada, and Monterey counties.

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