Raising Money for Innovation

Robert Wood Johnson has a new competition for innovative domestic violence prevention programs ($5,000 awards to top three winners). The competition drives home just how important private fundraising is. Funders want to be sure their money is used wisely. Grants these days support 'evidence-based,' 'research-based,' or 'model' programs.

So, who pays for the innovative programs? If an organization doesn't have private donors, it's pretty hard to find money to innovate.

RWJF - Newsroom - Features - No Private Matter! Online Competition to Showcase Innovative Domestic Violence Prevention Programs: "No Private Matter! Online Competition to Showcase Innovative Domestic Violence Prevention Programs

The competition, co-sponsored by RWJF and Changemakers, is designed to encourage innovators to share promising new ideas and make connections"

Checking Out the Competition: Non-Profits on the Web

Here's one way to jump-start your thinking about how your non-profit can make use of web 2.0 strategies. Take a look at these organizations.

THE 59 SMARTEST ORGS ONLINE on Squidoo:

"These charities were chosen for their excellence in online storytelling and collaboration with their donors. We didn't play favorites to one cause over another, nor did we look at their fundraising goals or number of members. Instead, these organizations are winners because of their web 2.0 smarts and a willingness to engage their constituents far beyond asking them to dig into their pockets.

These are organizations that give their volunteers and members a voice and get out of the way. They're pros at mobilizing awareness online. They're experimenters. Innovators. On a mission. They're fearless."

Collage by MMMonica

Faith-Based Initiatives Walk a Narrow Line

Yesterday, one of my clients commented on how sensitive the Feds were about do's and don'ts for the faith-based programs. She just returned from a meeting in DC for new grantees in the Fatherhood Initiative. Then, this morning I saw this new report from The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy.

If you're a faith-based organization, this report is MUST reading.

The State of the Law 2006: Prison Programs, Chaplaincies and Capacity Grants Top Year’s Faith-Based Controversies

The State of the Law 2006: Legal Developments Affecting Government Partnerships with Faith-Based Organizations

The Bush Administration´s Faith-Based and Community Initiative continued this year to face legal challenges that test its potential reach. Among the most significant cases in 2006 were those concerning prison programs, government chaplaincies, and grants to help faith-based organizations increase their ability to win government contracts, according to the Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy´s annual "State of the Law" report. [More]

Marketing Tobacco to Teens Still an Issue

Seems like we've been fighting this battle for a long, long time. The proof of the damage marketing tobacco causes keeps rolling in.

RWJF News Release: Exposure to Tobacco Marketing More Than Doubles the Odds of Children Smoking

Exposure to Tobacco Marketing More Than Doubles the Odds of Children Smoking Dec 4, 2006 - Washington, D.C. Children's psychological involvement in marketing enhances its impact Exposure to tobacco advertising and pro-tobacco depictions in films, television, and videos more than doubles the odds that children under 18 will become tobacco users, according to a new study to be published in the December 2006 issue of the peer-reviewed Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

For Non-profits Taking Tentative Steps into Web2.0

For my non-profit clients struggling to get into web2.0, this great one page pdf offers six things a non profit can do to "figure it out." Thanks to Seth Godin.

Free one-pager for non profits (org2.0)

Dec 06, 2006 18:08:02 GMT

Courtesy of Npower New York and Squidoo. Download pdf
Feel free to share.

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Non-profit gossip

And here's another you may find interesting.

Don't Tell the Donor

Don't Tell the Donor

News and opinions from the world of nonprofit fundraising... ripped from the headlines and passed as gossip through development offices... these are the stories you might not want to tell the donor.

For my non-profit friends

Here's a blog that will help you make connections and stay up-to-date. They started a pretty impressive blog roll that is growing rapidly.

Nonprofit Blog Exchange

NationMaster.com - Where Stats Come Alive!

Here's a wonderful site to bookmark. NationMaster provides a quick way to explore those 'I wonder ...' questions when you're reading the newspaper or researching a topic.

NationMaster combines a massive statistical data base with some great tools to compare nations. Interested in murder rates? The per cent of people who will die before turning 60? Tax rates across the world? You'll find it all here.

NationMaster.com - Where Stats Come Alive!

They've just, in April, introduced a companion site with state statistics. The range here is still sparse, but these folks have proven they have what it takes to build a useful, interesting site.

By the way, if you'd like something interesting to do, they are looking for volunteer editors for both sites.

AOL Offers Goodmail Service Free to Nonprofits

DMNews.com test News Article

"There will be no requirement, ever, for not-for-profits who deliver e-mail
to AOL members to pay for e-mail certification and delivery," AOL postmaster
Charles Stiles said.

Good news for my non-profit clients. We've all been nervous about what the cost of AOL's e-mail delivery system would do to budgets and fundraising plans. The new arrangement is slated to go into effect within 90 days. I'll keep you posted.

"On Friday, AOL said qualifying not-for-profit organizations and
not-for-profit advocacy groups would "receive the full functionality of AOL's
e-mail system, including having images and Web links enabled in mail, and
delivery to the e-mail inboxes of AOL members, at no charge to either the sender
or the recipient."

Pew Research Center: Are We Happy Yet?

Pew Research Center: Are We Happy Yet?: "Several of them [correlations] stand out: Married people are happier than unmarrieds. People who worship frequently are happier than those who don't. Republicans are happier than Democrats. Rich people are happier than poor people. Whites and Hispanics are happier than blacks. Sunbelt residents are happier than those who live in the rest of the country."

Whew! I didn't know I was so unhappy -- an unmarried, non-church-going, middle class, northeastern Democrat. Well, if this is misery so be it. I'm pretty content.

It's an interesting study, even if it isn't personally relevant.