Mo Rocca isn't known for his serious side, but this interview with MSNBC taps into it. As part of its ongoing look at celebrity charitable giving, MSNBC interviews Mo on his association with the Inner-City Scholarship Fund. While the Chronicle of Philanthropy might rightly encourage us to look critically at celebrity advocacy, Mo's concentration on the tangible outcomes of the ICSF is compelling. As he outlines it, the program has clear goals -- and obvious measurement points. And, this tangibility is part of what drew him there in the first place. 

Tags: Mo Rocca, Celebrity Advocacy, Inner-City Scholarship Fund, Philanthropy

We can’t say enough about measurement and outcomes. So it’s always nice to see when other people recognize the importance of these points as well. In a recent entry for Huff Post, Dennis Whittle takes a page from Paul Brest’s most recent Hewlett Foundation President's Letter and highlights the importance of providing the necessary data so that donors can make important and informed decisions when it comes to giving – because as the numbers stand now, things aren’t looking good. Last year Americans gave away almost $300 billion, and yet only about 6 percent of nonprofits in the US attracted four-fifths of those resources. Scary. Whittle credits this to the fact that big organizations are able to get bigger based on their marketing and branding rather than on their results. So let’s start the ETOlution. More data = more donors = better services.

Tags: Measurement, Outcomes, Hewlett Foundation, Data, Nonprofits, ETOlution

It appears that Mayor Bloomberg is still making waves in the philanthropy circles.  Along with his $125 million grant to combat tobacco use worldwide, Bloomberg issued a grant of $9 million to the World Health Organization, creating even more buzz that his foundation will take on a global health focus. Bloomberg, who says he plans to become a full-time philanthropist after leaving city hall, has also been estimated by The Chronicle of Philanthropy to crack into the top 5 philanthropists circle.  But we don’t mind a little rivalry when it comes to helping people – after all, it’s all about the positive outcomes.  

 

Another philanthropist in the news these days is Chuck Feeney, the subject of journalist Conor O'Clery's new book, "The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Secretly Made and Gave Away a Fortune."  Ranking high on the list of wealthiest Americans in 1988, Feeney was estimated to have been worth billions. Turns out, he wasn't. Placing most of his fortune in charitable foundations years before he made the list, Feeney was secretive in his donations so as not to draw attention to himself or the charities he gave to. In our books, this is the kind of corporate secret we like to see.  

The Kansas Health Foundation is commencing a search for a new leader, a process they're undertaking with significant deliberation. The Hogg Foundation is also commencing a search. Attributes will include an ability to assess the effectiveness of grants and the programs they support.

 

Also, check out the Chronicle of Philanthropy's blog round up. Under current discussion -- the ability of large organizations to advocate for radical change.

The Council on Foundations met in Montana. The trade group includes representatives from organizations such as The Clinton Foundation, the Northwest Area Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation. And, they were all in Montana to talk about the unique challenges faced by rural communities. As noted by Liz Marchi, "while foundations like the Northwest Area Foundation have long invested in rural causes, the management and board of those foundations tend to be located in urban areas." According to the Daily Yonder, a focus on rural giving is critical. The site maintains that between $1.00-1.50 of every hundred dollars given makes its way to rural America. Of the 40 billion given by 80,000 foundations, that isn't a large percentage. And, even accounting for population differences, it is easy to see that rural America isn't realizing its potential in terms of funding money. Still, the Council isn't looking to simply redistribute what is already given. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, as it were. Rather, creative options are being explored, and the summary report promises more talks and a second conference in 08.

The issue of human services publicity has been in the news quite a bit. As discussed in the Vail Trail, nonprofits continually look for ways to woo donors - because donor fatigue is always on the horizon and the number of organizations competing for dollars is high. On the other side of the coin, celebrity donors are on a quest to increase focus on their interest in giving. The trade press are skeptical. For instance, while People Magazine might routinely cover celebrity causes, the Chronicle of Philanthropy looks more critically at celebrity giving. “I think there needs to be greater skepticism about celebrity involvement than I see in the media right now,” said Stacy Palmer, the editor of The Chronicle, who helped start the publication in 1988. Rarely does a publication choose to cover a couple of dozen organizations -- all of its own accord. But that is exactly what USA Today has been up to. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, USA Today has been featuring one charity per week for 25 weeks. The selection criteria seems a bit unclear, although it is emphasizes that those selected cross a broad range of interests and audiences. And, nary a celebrity is found. Hole in the Wall Gang Camps is given a nod, and although they are founded by Paul Newman, the camps are noted for their contributions -- not his reputation. The USA today series shines a bright, positive light on those organizations looking to increase funder awareness -- and that is nothing but a good thing.

Whether you have heard the news yet or not, we would be remiss if we did not mention that former President Bill Clinton is out on the road promoting the release of his new book – affectionately titled, “Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World.” So for today’s post we offer you some of the news sprouting up across the country as Bill continues on his two-week nationwide book tour – including this piece from MSNBC which features an excerpt from the book. For more headlines, check out this and this and this and this.

 

In other government-related issues… (1) The crisis in the credit markets may inadvertently have a major effect on nonprofits. According to sources talking to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, since a majority of charity organizations raise a bulk of their funds during the last quarter, too many ups and downs in stock values could prove to be damaging. (2) Teachers and nonprofit workers across the nation are feeling heat from the IRS in the form of a new rule affecting the transfer of assets to the 403(b) provider of your choice without a tax penalty. With the new rule going into effect on September 24th, there is just over a week to get things in order.

The times, they are a-changing.  And the boomers, well they’re aging.  Here’s some good reading on some of the macro effects, which include big-time strains on government agencies and nonprofit aid groups.  

In other news, we’re not exactly breaking news to mention that our nonprofit friends aren’t generally in it for the money.  Still, the compensation divide between nonprofit and corporate worlds can be surprisingly vast — well, surprising unless you already knew that, according to the Christian Science Monitor, “overall, the 20 highest-paid executives of publicly traded corporations make, on average, 38 times more than the country's 20 highest-paid nonprofit leaders.”   Check out the piece for an interesting thought piece on about just who’s bringing what benefits to society.

And on a lighter note, here is everything you ever wanted to know about why fundraising cruises are becoming more and more popular.