News/Stats/Studies
February 16, 2012
Leon Cooperman and his wife, Toby, have made what is believed to be the largest single contribution the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest NJ has ever received. The JCF has been named owner of the Coopermans’ $20 million life insurance policy. The gift comes from the Cooperman Family Foundation.
The Coopermans, longtime major donors to the MetroWest federation, are signers of the Giving Pledge — a program begun by financier Warren Buffet inviting the very rich to pledge a majority of their wealth to charity.
February 16, 2012
GuideStar, a source of nonprofit information, announced GuideStar Search Provider, a new keyword search tool that people can use from a majority of Internet browsers for easier access to GuideStar's expansive database of nonprofit information. With a simple installation, GuideStar Search Provider allows people to search the GuideStar database using keywords, such as the name of an organization, without specifically browsing to www.guidestar.org first.
February 15, 2012
The Blackbaud Index reports that overall charitable giving rose 1.8 percent for the three months ending December 2011 as compared to the same period in 2010 and online giving rose 12.9 percent for the three months ending December 2011 as compared to the same period in 2010.
February 15, 2012
The latest annual college fundraising figures from the Voluntary Support of Education survey by Council for Aid to Education show donations to colleges and universities rose 8.2 percent in fiscal 2011, crossing back over the $30 billion mark for just the second time ever.
But the very richest universities accounted for nearly half the growth: Of the $30.3 billion collected by colleges and universities nationwide, $8.2 billion — or 27 percent — was raised by just the top 20 institutions. At those universities, fundraising was 15.3 percent higher than the year before.
February 14, 2012
According to a new Bridgespan study conducted at the request of the White House Council for Community Solutions, multi-stakeholder collaborations that have achieved "needle moving" change share common operating principles and characteristics of success.
The study, Needle-Moving Community Collaboratives: A Promising Approach to Addressing America's Biggest Challenges, found a dozen examples of community collaboration that have effected significant change against a communitywide goal, 80 to 100 that are actively working toward such a goal, and another 500 in the planning stages.
February 14, 2012
Customer relationship marketing firm Merkle announced that it has acquired New York-based Social Amp, a recognized authority in Facebook Open-Graph marketing and OAuth solutions for Fortune 500 brands and global agencies. The acquisition supports Merkle’s ongoing strategy to expand its capabilities in the area of digital marketing and to further strengthen its connected CRM approach.
February 13, 2012
Video gamers often are portrayed as slackers. But at a video marathon last month, participants proved to be adept fundraisers. The video-game enthusiasts from the group Speed Demos Archive, whose members dedicate themselves to completing video games quickly, raised about $150,000 for cancer research in a six-day marathon of speed gaming. That’s a big jump from the $53,000 the group raised last year in its initial event for the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
February 13, 2012
The Catalogue for Philanthropy Greater Washington, an organization that connects local nonprofits with donors, has established a workplace-giving portal which officials say they hope will help drive more corporate funding to charities.
In the aftermath of the recession, charities have been scrambling for new revenue sources to make up for cuts in corporate, foundation and government giving. The new portal is designed to allow company employees to view the needs and volunteering opportunities of charities with operating budgets under $3 million. All the charities are screened by the Catalogue.
February 13, 2012
Cambridge Savings Bank announced the launch of a new banking division designed specifically to meet the needs of local and regional nonprofit organizations. The new program, “Community Partner Solutions,” addresses the unique challenges NPOs face in managing their money, while adhering to their charitable objectives.
February 10, 2012
Robert Gluck, CEO of Harris Connect LLC, announced that Gregg Carlson, president of its fundraising division and former CEO of IDC Ltd, which was acquired by Harris Connect in 2010, will be establishing an independent firm, Carlson Fund Raising LLC, and will be the president. Carlson Fund Raising will provide a range of strategic counsel services for nonprofit organizations. In addition, Carlson Fund Raising and Gregg Carlson will continue representing Harris Connect solutions to clients as a strategic alliance partner.
