World Vision

Take a look at Forbes' 13th annual list of the 200 Largest U.S. Charities. They aren’t even 2/100th of 1 precent of the country’s 1.2 million tax-exempt organizations. Yet in their most recent fiscal year the Forbes Charity 200 collectively received $41 billion in gifts — one-seventh of all charitable contributions.

The rankings are based on the amount of private gifts (as opposed to government grants, fee for service or investment revenue) received in the latest fiscal period.

Blue North, a marketing firm specializing in personalized communications for charitable organizations, announces that digital agency Crate has joined the company as its new Digital & Advertising division.

Blue North Crate will operate as a digital creative agency specializing in social media and mobile marketing communications and advertising exclusively for charitable organizations. The company has built a suite of products and services aimed to help organizations reach donors, build donor communities, optimize fundraising and broadcast cause marketing messages through the social and mobile Web.

FundRaising Success magazine, the country's leading publication focused on all things fundraising, is pleased to announce the winners of its 2011 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence. Top prize this year went to the World Vision Back to School Bounceback "Flight" package, which won Package of the Year and the Gold Award in the Direct Mail category.

This sustainer/upgrade effort from Russ Reid on behalf of World Vision U.S. is engaging, colorful and just plain fun … and the 2011 Package of the Year.

World Vision, one the largest relief and development organizations in the world, has selected Ryan Partnership Chicago from a pool of best-in-class Shopper and Promotional Marketing agencies to develop its U.S promotional strategy.

Blackbaud has launched its Global Account Program, an initiative that streamlines service and support of  international non-governmental organizations (iNGOs). The Global Account Program began in 2010 as a pilot program. Based on the success achieved with a small group of customers, Blackbaud is rolling out the program to more customers and prospects, dedicating global resources to ensure the success for its largest international customers.

In honor of World Water Day, the Conrad Hilton Foundation announced a $50 million commitment to clean water initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico and India. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), inadequate access to safe water kills 3,900 children every day who fall prey to waterborne illness.

The Hilton Foundation's $50 million pledge will be divided up into grants awarded to nonprofit organizations to fund projects, such water and sanitation infrastructure, as well as spreading information to at-risk communities.

Ten days after the devastating earthquake and tsunamis in Japan, American donors have contributed more than $136-million for relief efforts, according to a Chronicle tally. Nearly two-thirds of the total has been raised by one organization, the American Red Cross.

The rate of donations is slower than after last year’s earthquake in Haiti and after 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. Nine days after the disaster in Haiti, donors had contributed more than $355-million, and nine days after Katrina they had given more than $740-million.

JPMorgan Chase is extending a helping hand to Japan in the aftermath of the country’s worst earthquake on record.

The financial services company is committing $5 million to near-term relief and recovery efforts in Japan.

The company’s contribution to the relief efforts will be divided into employee and company donations. JPMorgan Chase Japan already has pledged $1.1 million to relief efforts and the company will match $1 million in employee contributions to The American Red Cross and World Vision. The remaining funds will be donated to charitable and relief organizations.

Early donation totals are starting to come in from charities raising money to aid victims of the earthquake and tsunamis in Japan. Among them:

• The American Red Cross had raised $7.75-million as of Sunday afternoon.
• International Medical Corps so far has raised $11,830 via text message.
• Mercy Corps had received more than $500,000 as of Monday morning.
• The Salvation Army has received $62,000 in cellphone donations.
• Save the Children had raised $2.5-million in the U.S. as of Monday morning.
• World Vision U.S. had received $848,000 as of Monday morning.