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Previsous
2010 News
ZIMNOTES
TWEETS! ZimNotes Has Two New Twitter Feeds On Nonprofit Issues
Zimmerman
Lehman partners have each started a Twitter feed on nonprofit issues.
(You know for a couple of boomers we do our best to keep up with young
folks but have to admit our son, Gabe Lehman does a much better job with
his Facebook account than we do with Facebook or LinkedIn :)! If you want
your ZimNotes wit and wisdom in 140 characters or less, you can follow
Bob Zimmerman at twitter.com/zimm47.
Here are a few recent TWEETS:
- 400,000
small (<$25,000) nonprofits @risk if fail to file w/IRS See ZL 2006
Pension Reform alert
- Susan
G. Komen for the Cure teamed up with KFC for a breast cancer fundraising
campaign. Bad idea: fat-laden foods are part of the problem.
- New stats
show that foundation giving fell last year. All the more reason to focus
your fundraising efforts primarily on individual donors.
- A client
just secured the $$ it needs to purchase its building. Major donors,
foundations and government money. It can be done!
- Move email
readers to your web home page and then to your donations page. This
requires a strategy. A donations page in not enough!
- The nonprofits
that ask more people for donations are the ones that are succeeding.
No whining [ZL
Fundraising Rule]
- SF Museum
of Modern Art raised $250 million in six months for its capital campaign.
There's lots of $$ out there, so get your share!
- Is your
nonprofit increasing or decreasing the size of its development office
in the fiscal crisis? Don't
be penny-wise pound-foolish.
- Is your
nonprofit increasing or decreasing the size of its development office
in the fiscal crisis? Don't be penny-wise pound-foolish.
- Haiti:
to donate via ARC, text "Haiti" on your cell phone to the number 90999.
The new technology rules in this crisis!
- A [ZL]client
got a $549,000 bequest at the end of the year; another got $500,000
in county money. Keep trying--the money is out there.
- December
31 is the most lucrative day of the year for online fundraising. Make
sure you get your share of the gifts!
- If your
nonprofit doesn't satisfy basic human needs like food and shelter, there's
still a place for you. Be proud of what you do
- Nonprofits
shouldn't fear approaching foundations that don't accept applications.
Tell them about your work and they may come after you!
- Why do
you drive on a parkway but park in a driveway?
To follow
Ann Lehman, go to www.twitter.com/alehman
Here are a few recent TWEETS:
2010
NGO Global Forum for Women: Beijing +15
CEDAW Goes Local -- San Francisco Plus Ten Years. Ann Lehman will
be presenting the 10-year history of implementing a human rights treaty
for women in San Francisco at the NGO Forum Beijing +15. This is part
of the United Nations review of progress since the Fourth World Conference
on Women held Beijing, China in 1995. March 6, 2010, New York City,
For
more info. The International Press Service just highlighted
Ann's human rights for women work with the San Francisco Department on
the Status of Women, see GENDER:
For U.S. Lessons in CEDAW From San Francisco.
Previous
2009 News Items
TWO
NEW TREATS (oops we mean) TWEETS
Zimmerman Lehman partners have each started a Twitter feed on nonprofit
issues. Bob Zimmerman has just started a daily 140 characters of his wit
and wisdom. To follow Bob go to follow twitter.com/zimm47.
Here are a few recent TWEETS:
- December
31 is the most lucrative day of the year for online fundraising. Make
sure you get your share of the gifts!
- Why do
you drive on a parkway but park in a driveway?
- 13 donations
to the NY Public Library of $100,000 or more. There's money to be had
out there for nonprofits with the gumption to pursue it!
- Why do
small arts organizations assume that folks are more interested in supporting
human services than arts? It's not a zero-sum game!
- So many
nonprofits are taking the wrong lesson from the current economic malaise.
It's not a quick-fix business! Keep cultivating!
- Science,
not fundraising: Large Hadron Collider replicating conditions milliseconds
after the Big Bang. Check it out!
The other
twitter feed is by Ann Lehman filled with news and studies relevant to
nonprofit world at twitter.com/alehman
Here are a few recent TWEETS:
 Ann
Lehman Meets With White House Council on Women and Girls
Ann Lehman's work with the San Francisco Department on the Status
of Women on gender analysis and work life balance was recently discussed
at a meeting with Obama's Director of Public Liaison and Executive Director
of the White House Council on Women and Girls Tina Tchen. For more information
about this work in San Francisco. For
information about the White House Council. Back row:
Andrea Shorter, President, SF Commission on the Status of Women, Front
row: (L-R) Emily Murase, Ex.Dir. SF Dept. on the Status of Women, Tina
Tchen, Ann Lehman.
A
List of Stimulus/Recovery Act Resources
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), or "the stimulus
package," passed Congress in February 2009 and provides for $787 billion
in spending and tax cuts designed to create or save more than three million
jobs and stimulate the economy. Zimmerman Lehman has compiled
key websites that contain analysis, transparency and funding information
related to the Stimulus Act. They include national websites and links
to state websites, and information about new and expanded tax credits
for low income families.
Human
Rights Work for Women and Girls
Ann Lehman's work with the San Francisco Department on the Status
of Women implementing CEDAW, a human rights treaty for women and girls,
was featured in the Winter Issue of Ms.
Magazine. She is quoted about her work on creating gender responsive
budgets. "When policymakers have a better understanding of how the
budget impacts men and women differently, they are better prepared to
make good decisions about how to allocate their money." For more
information about gender equality initiatives, see the Department's
website.
Text
Message A Donation?
ZimNotes can hardly keep up with all the tech
innovations nonprofits are utilizing these days but this one caught our
eye --especially as a way to engage younger donors. Now with a cell phone,
investing in your favorite nonprofit can be as simple as texting: MEALS,
WATER or ALIVE. Read
more about it.
Foundation
Priorities DO NOT Change in Times of Economic Distress
If you are already receiving foundation money you will be happy to learn
that The Foundation Center reports
that overall grantmaking priorities do not shift suddenly in the face
of reduced resources and over the longer term are remarkably consistent.
New Nonprofit
Rater That Helps Market Great (but small) Nonprofits
A group of Stanford University students created a website http://www.greatnonprofits.org
- where volunteers, nonprofit workers, donors and clients rate the nonprofits
they encounter. Most of the nonprofits reviewed on the site are small,
with an average of two people on the payroll, 30 volunteers and an annual
budget of $180,000. They don't have the money for marketing, and their
work goes largely unnoticed, this helps "to harness their most authentic
and most effective advertising - the stories of the people they've served."
Wealthy
Donors Give to Feel Good
Another study, conducted by The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University
called The 2008 Bank of America Study of High Net-Worth Philanthropy,
found that: desire to "give back to the community" is the leading motivation
for giving, while "public recognition" essentially a non-factor. Also,
donors believe their investment have a greater impact on their personal
fulfillment than on the organizations they support. See press
release for more information. This confirms a long standing ZimNotes
Fundraising Rule 12: PEOPLE LOVE TO GIVE AWAY MONEY! See also previous
ZimNotes article "Giving
Makes You Happy & Healthy!"
Some Corporate Giving to Social Services to Increase in 2009
The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports,
that a new online survey of 76 corporations and corporate foundations,
by LBG Research Institute, found that "Of the companies that support basic
needs charities that provide food, clothing, and shelter, 23 percent planned
to increase their giving. And 12 percent of those that give to social
services other than basic needs also planned to increase support in 2009."
Overall they predicted an aggregate decrease in corporate giving in 2009
of 3 to 5% — a much smaller drop than past recessions. For full report
(there is a fee).
Previous
2008 News Items
ZimNotes
on Los Angeles Times Article about Commercial Fundraisers
On July 6th,
the Los Angeles Times did an investigative study about commercial fundraisers
keeping 54 cents of every dollar raised, the implication to the public
being this is true of all fundraisers. Zimmerman Lehman in a Letter
to Editor wrote, "Most fundraisers are not commercial fundraisers
and do not work on a percentage basis." See article
and response.
Political
and Nonprofit Fundraising Can Coexist
A
recent study
says direct-mail fundraising by presidential campaigns does not siphon
off dollars that otherwise would go to nonprofits calming the fears of
many this fall. ZimNotes has long believed there is not a finite amount
of money or donors and that nonprofits should not postpone planned campaigns
this fall.
Nonprofit
Stats
Do You Know
That Nonprofits have:
- $260 Billion
in Annual Donations
- 80 Million
Volunteers Annually
- $3 Trillion
in Assets
- 14 Million
Employees
See V3Campaign
Got Video?
Go YouTube.
YouTube has a new program featuring nonprofit videos. Program states,"Video
is a powerful way to show your organization's impact and needs, and with
a designated Nonprofit channel on YouTube, you can deliver your message
to the world's largest online video community." Learn
more.
Feeling
the Squeeze
Bob Zimmerman is quoted in Chronicle of Philanthropy about Capital Campaigns:
"Feeling the Squeeze: some capital campaigns falter as the economy sours."
Bob remains optimistic "that campaigns can be successful now. The economic
downturn is hurting nonprofits but not in the way most of them think.
They take the downturn as an excuse not to do fund raising. I hear a lot
of whining and moaning about the economy, but the best way not to raise
money is not to ask for it." For full article
you may need a subscription to access.
Internet
is Changing Philanthropy, Advocacy, and Politics
Convio sponsored and recorded a panel discussion on Converging Campaigns:
How the Internet is Changing Philanthropy, Advocacy, and Politics with
Facebook, Rock the Vote, Nationwide Grassroots, American Cancer Society
and others to listen to the Webcast.
Want to
Connect with the Millennials?
OK maybe you are a boomer who didn't know what to call the younger generation.
Now you do--people who reached adulthood at the turn of the millennium
are the "Millennials." Read the transcript
of a recent discussion that took place on how to have your nonprofit connect
with them.
ONLINE
GIVING APPEALS TO THE WEALTHY
A new study, The
Wired Wealthy, on online giving found wealthy people are increasingly
likely to use the Internet for donations.
SEND EMAIL
ON SAME DAY AS SIGN-UP New study by the online game company Lumosity
tested a program in which it timed its e-mail sales pitches to customers
to be sent on the same day of the week that those customers originally
signed up for its e-mail list and saw sizable improvement in response
rate. Given the decreasing open rates this may be worth pursuing for fundraising
appeals. To see the Chronicle
of Philanthropy blog.
NEW NONPROFIT
VOTING RESOURCE A new resource for 501(c)(3) nonprofits was launched
last week, NonprofitVoter.org.The
site has useful resources such as toolkits, training resources, guides,
and links. Check out their "strong reasons for nonprofits to increase
voting in their communities and promote democracy, including benefits
that extend beyond this or any one election."
GOOGLE
NEW SITE FOR NONPROFIT GROUPS Google has opened a new website
for nonprofit groups that explains how to adopt various Google applications
for nonprofit work including an e-mail program, mapping software, blog
software, tools to analyze Internet traffic, and a grants search engine,
among other items.
BOARD
MEMBERS RULE NOMINATED FOR AWARD & WEEKLY PICKS The Alliance for Nonprofit
Management announced that Zimmerman Lehman's Board Members Rule: How to
Be a Strategic Advocate for Your Nonprofit has been nominated for the
2008 Terry McAdam Book Award. Each year the McAdam Book Award Committee
solicits nominations for the most inspirational and useful book published
that has made a substantial contribution to nonprofit management, management
consultancy, or the advancement of the nonprofit sector. It was also featured
as a "Weekly Pick" for March 23 - 29, 2008 by "Create the Future." Available
at www.zimmerman-lehman.com,
or your favorite bookstore online (Amazon or Barnes & Noble or most independent
bookstores--just search by title.) For table of contents.
WHAT ARE
NONPROFITS DOING ABOUT THIS ELECTION YEAR? A great example of nonprofits
getting involved in this year's election - all perfectly legal--is the
Primary
Project, in which nonprofit leaders have been asking presidential
nominees questions about how they would strengthen the economic and social
capacity of the sector. Another excellent example is how Common Sense
Media questioned the candidates about their issue. See also the discussion
on nonprofits and politics in the 2008
campaign season.
SHOULD
YOUR NONPROFIT USE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES? What nonprofits are likely
to get the most value out of social networking sites? See a recent article
by Idealware that gives guidelines for knowing if social networking
is or isn't right for you, and some of the ways that social networking
might benefit your organization. See also the discussion on social networking
from the Chronicle of Philanthropy. To discuss web communications or Internet
strategies, call team member Andy Krackov, ZL's Web Communications Specialist
at 415-986-8330.
SOME GOOD
NEWS A new study shows that nonprofit leaders significantly outscore
their for-profit counterparts in leadership practices including persuasiveness,
risk-taking, demonstration of effectiveness and vision. More
information.
Copyright
2009 Zimmerman Lehman.
This
information is the property of Zimmerman
Lehman. If you would like to reprint this information,
please see our reprint
and copyright policy.
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