Giving and Funding

  The market engine behind our nonprofit service economy is the act of funders and donors “proxy buying” a service or program on behalf of a population. Analogous to “in loco parentis,” where a school plays the role of the parent while children are in their care, in the nonprofit sector, we have “in loco […]

  When disaster strikes, people want to help. Unfortunately, it’s not always clear which nonprofits can respond most effectively, or even if some organizations asking for donations are legitimate. Here are five tips to help you give wisely.   Be pro-active, not re-active.   It’s not necessary or wise to respond to every call or […]

GlobalGiving’s Alison Carlman shares about the crowdfunding platform’s work to incentivize nonprofit effectiveness.

  Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable arm of former New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, is making a major investment in the development of data for cities, according to Jim Tankersley of the Washington Post. Their goal is to invest $42 million to create the What Works Cities Initiative, “aimed at helping 100 mid-size cities […]

  Many nonprofit fundraisers know about and have specific strategies to reach, cultivate, and solicit baby boom donors, Gen X donors, and Gen Y donors. But get ready to reach out to Gen Z donors, sometimes called “PhilanthroTeens” or “PhilanthroKids.”   These potential donors are teens (and pre-teens) with a passion for social change and who […]

  Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the Social Innovation Summit, a twice-annual event that represents a global convening of thought leaders in technology, investment, philanthropy, international development, and business. I’ve been going every year since 2009 to cover the event on my blog. Out of all the amazing speakers and discussions, I was lucky enough […]

Asha Curran, one of #GivingTuesday’s chief architects asks, “How best to gestate a movement like this and take it to scale, creatively, and responsibly?”