In the midst of all the news about the financial meltdown on Wall Street and Capitol Hill and how it will impact the nonprofit sector we were struck by an interesting piece in the International Herald Tribune that talked about the issue of donor anxiety as related to high net-worth individuals.  While the sector is bracing for big changes as a result of the crisis and what this might mean for fundraising and corporate giving, this article discusses the pressure facing those who have big money and are likely to give in spite of the gloomy economic climate.  And how do these individual philanthropists and donors in general, give responsibly?  By looking at the impact of their dollar.  Sounds simple ... but it is a crucial step that is often overlooked. 

Responsible giving is more than looking at one of the many online charity rankings.  It is more than selecting a group based on its name or mission.  Responsible giving is making sure that when your dollar leaves your hand it arrives in the hands of those who will do something with it.  Something that makes a difference.  Something that counts. 

The uncertain future of Wall Street has almost every industry questioning its financial future — the nonprofit sector included. Speculation of today’s economy and the impact on the nonprofit world has been addressed over and over (see here, here, and here). This latest financial crisis seems to have convinced many that the impact will be great. Mike Spector of the Wall Street Journal addresses the crisis and how charities and other organizations who heavily rely on corporate giving are already feeling the aftermath of the fall of giants like Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and the uncertainly of other major institutions.  According to Spector, many NYC organizations rely on gifts from the financial industry and those that do are already feeling the heat.

It is times like these that organizations need to tell—and show—potentials  donors and funders exactly what they are doing with their money.  This will make for more effective giving, in the hope for a more effective sector.

How might the latest financial crisis affect the industry as a whole — corporate giving, individual donations, fundraising, etc.?  Sound off in our comments section.

We’re so excited this day has come ... The Superstar Foundation announced today that it is now accepting nominations for the best social services professionals across the country!  For full details, read today’s announcement and be sure to check out the requirements and download the application here.

We’re reminded of how moving it was when founder Steve Butz first announced the Foundation ...


Great pay for great social service workers doing great work — it doesn’t get much better than that.

Check out our most recent podcast featuring Anisha Chablani, deputy director of Roca and a boardmember of the Superstar Foundation.

For this customer spotlight, we’re featuring Congreso, whose use of ETO over the last five years has helped them transform their organization and more effectively serve their community.

Congreso is an organization striving to strengthen Latino communities through social, economic, education, and health services; leadership development; and advocacy. The organization serves the largely Latino neighborhoods of North Philadelphia. A culturally vibrant community, this particular population faces issues including poverty, limited access to health care, low educational attainment, and unemployment. Congreso has served these neighborhoods for more than 30 years as a multifaceted, comprehensive provider of human services.

Congreso implemented ETO in 2003 in an effort to maximize its impact on the communities it serves, measure its performance, and strengthen its programs.  Social Solutions worked collaboratively with Congreso to develop an integral tool for tracking and analyzing program, client, and agency-wide data. The new tool, Congreso’s Universal Intake and Descriptive Administration Database (UNIDAD), represented a crucial step in Congreso’s efforts to achieve its social objectives.

Powered by Social Solutions ETO Software®, UNIDAD allows users to define custom data fields at the agency or program level so that they can collect data important to their specific program as well as meet the general data collection requirements across the agency. UNIDAD users can also create assessments, outcomes and reports based on their unique needs. From a program perspective, UNIDAD allows client participation to be classified as confidential or non-confidential, which ensures data security for programs such as domestic violence or HIV case management, while also giving staff members access to useful client information across programs. The software is internet-based, giving staff secure access to the system from any computer with Internet access.

With UNIDAD, staff are now able to review individual or group reports and use this information to identify strengths and weaknesses of the program and make decisions regarding client service. In the long term, program staff have easy access to historical data and reports that allow them to better know and understand their clients and community and thereby address populations that may be underserved. 

Congreso has seen much change over their years of use of the application. Now, a day-to-day tool. Congreso is able to use the data in a more centralized way, increasing their effectiveness among the community. 

Here, Fernando Londono comments on the tranformation of Congreso during its five year use of ETO.

Our own Steve Butz was featured on WYPR on Tuesday discussing the important topic of nonprofit management as well as efforts by Social Solutions and future efforts by the Superstar Foundation to change the way nonprofit organizations and the sector are managed and supported.                                               

Here’s a summary of the segment.

After working with juveniles for a nonprofit, Baltimorean Steve Butz thought he saw inefficiencies- and opportunities- in the way nonprofits are commonly managed.  His software company Social Solutions has made a name for itself helping nonprofits streamline their operations.  Now, he’s started the Superstar Foundation to give grants to outstanding direct service providers.  We’ll ask how a little bit of cash might actually motivate the ‘not-in-it-for-the-money’ set.

To listen, click here.

This is the 6th episode of our podcast series featuring Ingvild Bjornvold, a strategic consultant with Social Solutions.   Hear Ingvild's insights on the implementation of ETO Software process and success stories of organizations who have done well.  

Have a suggestion for a future podcast?  Or want to remark upon today's conversation?  Send us your feedback in our comments section!

Hats off to ... well, us. 

Social Solutions was recently named to Inc Magazine's list of the 5,000 fastest growing companies in the country.  CEO Matt Schubert said it best,

“Our success can be attributed not only to our dedication to strategic growth but also by our whole-hearted belief in what we do, striving to increase the effectiveness of the nonprofit industry one organization at a time.”

We couldn't say it better ourselves.  Read more about the award here.

Marc Pitman, a fundraising consultant and author of The Extrememe Fundraising Blog, posed an interesting question on his LinkedIn page — as a donor, what do nonprofits do that annoy you?  Answers range from not sending address labels in direct marketing campaigns to don’t try to guilt someone to giving over the phone.  Read the responses here.  While some responders simply listed off a handful of what some might consider minute details (don’t call at dinnertime, for example), there are some underlying issues addressed.

One person talked about the lack of engagement from the organization — the communication is in form letters, there is no genuine thank-you.  And because of this disconnect, the person felt that they were not a true part of the movement.

We all know the donor-charity relationship is crucial to providing services to help those in need.  Why not make the donor feel empowered? Just as we should with our volunteers, our employees, and the communities we serve.  Give them the chance to see how their $10, $100, or $1000 donation is being used.  Whether they appreciate the market ploy or not, they might just be impressed by your org and no longer bothered by the ringing phone at dinnertime.  

This is the fifth episode of our podcast series featuring Felix Rouse, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark. Hear Felix's thoughts on the importance of measuring efforts and how ETO Software is helping the organization to improve service delivery and increase funding.