GuideStar

National Philanthropic Trust studied 652 charitable organizations that administer donor-advised funds. Estimated charitable contributions in the United States in 2011 totaled $298 billion. Of those contributions, donor-advised fund accounts received $9.64 billion, or 3.2 percent of the total charitable giving for the year. In turn, grants to charitable organizations from donor-advised fund accounts totaled $7.7 billion. This marks the fifth consecutive year in which grants from donor-advised fund accounts have been more than $6 billion, and the first year ever that the total exceeds $7 billion.

GuideStar and the the Foundation Center announced the launch of a year-long commitment to support each other's activities and to share information to enhance effectiveness and efficiency across the sector. The partnership kicks off with offers of discounts on specific products to supporters, members and stakeholders.

Just in time for the holiday giving season, GuideStar, a source of nonprofit information, and Hope Consulting, a strategy consulting firm, announced the release of their new guidebook, "More Money for More Good," dedicated to helping nonprofits improve fundraising, increase effectiveness, and better engage with current and potential donors and funders. Based on research of over 6,500 donors and foundation grantmakers, the guidebooks gives nonprofits three steps to provide donors clearer, crisper information in terms of impact and performance, in the methods and on the channels that donors prefer.

A movement to create a national day of giving on Nov. 27, 2012, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, called #GivingTuesday, will be the first of its kind. Coinciding with the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are synonymous with holiday shopping

GuideStar announced an expanded partnership with Kimbia, giving donors the ability to research nonprofits as well as donate to their favorite charities all in one place. In addition, nonprofit managers can easily access reports detailing who has contributed to their organizations and how much they have donated. The expansion of its 2010 partnership with Kimbia — provider of fundraising, event management and advocacy tool s— further enhances GuideStar's resources aimed at helping nonprofits fundraise.

GuideStar, a source of nonprofit information, announced that Jacob Harold has been selected as its new president and CEO. Harold, a widely respected grantmaker, social change strategist and author, has led grantmaking for the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation's Philanthropy Program since 2006. He has served on the board of GuideStar since January 2010 and will continue as a board member in his new position.

GuideStar announced new enhancements to GuideStar Premium, the tool that enables professionals and nonprofits to analyze nonprofit information. In addition to the financial, compensation and board information that GuideStar Premium has always delivered, users can now download data on revenue and expenses; balance sheets; officers, directors, and key employees; and highest paid employees for up to the five most recent fiscal years, as well as board of directors data for the most recent year.

GuideStar, a source of nonprofit information, announced a new feature on more than 2,300 of its nonprofit reports that specifically focuses on the impact of these organizations. Nonprofits granted a "Top Nonprofit" medal from Philanthropedia will now have information about the evidence of their impact, organizational strengths, areas of improvement, and expert quotes displayed in a new section of GuideStar's standard nonprofit reports.

This new area of GuideStar's nonprofit reports, known as the "Impact Tab," signifies a complete merging of databases between GuideStar and Philanthropedia, acquired by GuideStar in early 2011.

Nonprofit organizations are much more likely to report fundraising costs in states that carefully monitor how charities raise money. But in states that perform little oversight, charitable groups are more likely to make the claim — called ridiculous by charity watchdogs — that they raised billions of dollars at no cost, according to a groundbreaking Scripps Howard News Service study.

The chief executive of GuideStar, a nonprofit that puts online a wealth of data about charities, will step down from his post later this year, the organization announced.

Bob Ottenhoff, who has led GuideStar for a decade, will leave once his successor is in place. The organization is now conducting a search for a new leader.