Giving USA Foundation

Duke's Nonprofit Management program is ramping up its offerings to those working in and with the nonprofit sector — whether they are paid staff, directors, administrators, board members or philanthropists — to help them navigate successfully in an uncertain economy. Beginning this fall, the Nonprofit Management program is pairing a new curriculum with more demanding requirements to earn a certificate.

As of Sept. 1, successful completion of the Certificate in Nonprofit Management will require that a student attend 72 hours of instruction, divided among five core areas and electives.

Amid the gloom of the job market, there is a bright spot where openings are up 34 percent over this time last year.

The Colorado Nonprofit Association had 2008 job postings of 3,474. Openings fell by 25 percent, to 2,598, in 2009, but last year rebounded to the 2008 level.

And this year, association president Renny Fagan said, the state's nonprofits are on track to offer 4,000 jobs.

Three out of four fundraisers predict that donations to their organizations will drop if the White House’s FY2012 budget proposal to limit the charitable deduction is enacted into law, according to an online poll by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). More than half said that the proposal would have a significant impact on giving.

Campbell & Company is excited to announce five different events to discuss the implications of the Giving USA 2011 report for nonprofits in all fields. A national webinar, titled “First Look: Giving USA 2011,” will be held on June 21, 2011 at noon CDT, followed by events in Chicago (June 22), Cleveland (June 24), Boston (June 29), and Washington D.C. (June 21). Each event features an interactive panel of distinguished nonprofit leaders. 

A new survey from the NonProfit Times and Infogroup/Nonprofit found that donors, when asked which type of organization actually needs money, see education as a top priority.

However, the most recent data available from the Giving USA Foundation found that more than one-third of total donations made by individuals between 1992 and 2009 went to religious groups, including $100.9 billion in 2009, compared to $40 billion for education organizations.

As the U.S. economy slowly recovers from the worst economic downturn in decades, corporate philanthropy is no longer just about writing a check for charity as executives look to use their core business to do social good, experts say.

The growing trend was dubbed "creating shared value" by Michael Porter of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, who said companies need to reconnect business success with social progress.

While companies have had corporate giving programs for years, they increasingly are involving employees by giving them a say in which charities to support and providing time off with pay for volunteering. Corporate volunteerism is growing, with 20 percent more companies allowing employees paid time off for volunteer projects than three years ago, according to a report by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy.

Corporate giving also has been a bright spot. Corporate charitable contributions rose 5.5 percent in 2009, according to Giving USA Foundation's report.

A new ranking of the nation's 400 biggest charities shows donations dropped by 11 percent overall last year as the Great Recession ended - the worst decline in 20 years since the Chronicle of Philanthropy began keeping a tally.

The Philanthropy 400 report shows such familiar names as the United Way and the Salvation Army, both based near Washington, continue to dominate the ranking, despite the 2009 declines. The survey accounts for $68.6 billion in charitable contributions.

The Robin Hood Foundation annual gala in May showed that aggressive fundraising could trump the recession, as the poverty-fighting nonprofit raised more than $88 million at a dinner attended by 3,400 people at the Javits Center. This year’s galas have seen the return of filet of beef and lobster on menus after those pricey items were virtually banned by many nonprofits in 2009. Deep-pocket bidders also are returning to silent and live auctions after a dearth of bids of over $50,000 for celebrity experiences and luxury items.

The economy struck another blow to charitable donations last year, causing contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals to decline by 3.2 percent, according to Giving USA, the annual tally of American philanthropy released this morning.

The dip comes after the first year of the recession depressed giving by 2.4-percent in 2008. Giving USA said last year’s drop was partly due to foundations, which decreased their giving by 8.6 percent. Corporate giving rose by 5.9 percent, although the report speculated that companies shifted their giving to goods and products and away from cash.