Everyday Giving Blog

Everyday Giving Is Hosting The March Giving Carnival

I am excited to be hosting the March Giving Carnival at the Everyday Giving Blog.

Last month's Giving Carnival was on the topic of What Motivates Giving. The topic for March will be: Tips For Successful Fundraising Events

Write a blog post about one or more of your favorite tips to make a fundraising event successful. Send me the link to your blog post to givedaily@gmail.com.

The deadline for submissions is March 21, 2008. I will post the information and links here on the Everyday Giving Blog on March 24, 2008.

To stay up to date with the Giving Carnival, join the Giving Carnival Group at http://groups.google.com/group/givingcarnival.

I look forward to reading your submission. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

The America's Giving Challenge Results Are Now Official

The results of the America's Giving Challenge are now official. The Sharing Foundation did come in first place for global causes! They will be receiving an extra $50,000 to use in support of their mission to help the less fortunate Cambodian children. You can go to Beth's Blog to learn more.

Thank you for being a part of this challenge with me.

Unique Way To Encourage Others To Give

Would you like to be able to encourage others to donate money to an important cause?

There is one method I have put into practice from time to time that most people don't think about. You have probably been exposed to it when listening to a fundraiser on public radio or while watching a telethon on television. What is the method?

Matching Funds

You might believe this method is reserved for wealthy corporations and individuals. It doesn't have to be. The following are a couple of examples.

While on vacation in another state, I visited a small church on a Sunday morning. The pastor of the church informed the members of a giving opportunity. It was an opportunity that occurred annually and would impact people in other countries. I felt a strong need to support the effort. However, I also felt it needed to be done in a way that would benefit the church as well. After the morning service was over, I had a private conversation with the pastor. I asked for his permission to anonymously match the funds raised by the church up to a specific amount (I set the amount to more than double of what they raised the year before). It made a difference. I was told that on the last day, an elderly woman pleaded with the church members to donate to the cause so the entire amount of matching funds could be put to good use. They exceeded all expectations. They felt great about their accomplishment. I felt great about contributing. People in other countries were helped.

If that example still seems to be a stretch for your financial situation, consider this next example.

A young girl started a project to encourage kids to perform acts of kindness. As an incentive, she offered to donate her allowance to the favorite charity of the child who did the most good. What a tremendous gift she was giving! I was inspired by her selfless actions. I offered to match her $25 allowance so that twice as much could be donated to charity. She mentioned my offer to match funds in a blog post. Others followed the example. At the end of the project, charities received $825.00 due to others pledging matching funds.

There are many ways you can encourage others to give to an important cause. Consider using matching funds as one of the methods you use.

Nonprofit Leadership

In a previous post I wrote about what makes a great nonprofit leader. I have been asked to discuss it in a class at the University of Mary Washington, the local university in Fredericksburg, Virginia. I thought I would share the presentation I put together.

Please pass me any comments you have in the comments section of this post.

What Makes A Great Nonprofit Leader?

From: rogercarr, 1 hour ago

| View | Upload your own

This describes some of the critical elements an upcoming leader in the nonprofit sector should possess.

SlideShare Link

Successful and Outstanding Blogger Award

Liz Strauss from the Successful Blog just called me an SOB! In this case it is a good thing. SOB stands for Successful and Outstanding Blogger.

Liz is an expert on using blogging to build and foster relationships. That is why I am so surprised and honored that she presented me with the SOB award.

What does the award represent? The following words accompanied the award:

"They take the conversation to their readers, contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger."

Thank you Liz for the recognition. I will wear the SOB badge with pride.

National Make A Blanket Day

Are you familiar with National Make A Blanket Day being celebrated on Saturday? I wasn't either. I was introduced to the nonprofit organization Project Linus, the sponsor of National Make A Blanket Day, through Laura and Angela Stockman from the Twenty Five Days to Make a Difference blog.

I was intrigued by the mission of Project Linus and the ability for almost anyone to get involved. I had the privilege of interviewing Christine Lewandowski, the coordinator for the Erie & Niagara Co. NY Chapter of Project Linus. The following is what she had to say about the organization, her reason for supporting it, and how you can get involved:

Q: What is Project Linus?

A: Project Linus is a 100% volunteer non-profit organization with a two-fold mission: First to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to any children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteers. It is also to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities for the benefit of children.

Q: What is your role?

A: A few of my responsibilities as coordinator for the Erie & Niagara Co. NY Chapter of Project Linus are all administrative duties including being the primary contact person. Also, to find facilities to receive blankets, informing the public how to become involved, and fundraising.

Q: Why did you get involved?

A: I became involved because my granddaughter, Lily, was born with a health problem but with medical care was able to make a full recovery. I was looking for a way to ''pay back' for the blessing we received. I heard about Project Linus and decided that it was exactly what I was looking for and became a volunteer and eventually coordinator.

Q: What is Make a Blanket Day?

A: Every February Project Linus has a National Make A Blanket Day. It is a workshop for volunteers to spend the day making blankets, sharing ideas and meeting fellow "blanketeers". With the help of my assistant Karen Weishaar and our volunteers we were able to bring comfort to 2644 children in our area last year.

Q: Do I have to be great at sewing and quilting to participate?

A: Project Linus is an organization that includes all ages and talents. You don't have to know how to sew, knit or crochet. There are many ways you can help. If you know of a school, office or organization that would be willing to sponsor a dress down day, penny drive, bake sale, car wash or any other form of fundraising have them contact the coordinator of the chapter. Each chapter is responsible for it's own fundraising. Also gift cards from quilt shops, office supply stores, Cosco, BJ's, Sam's Club and Walmart is another way to help.

Q: How can I get more information about Project Linus?

A: To get more information about Project Linus and a chapter near you go to the National Headquarters site at www.projectlinus.org. For anyone living in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls, NY area contact me at buffalo.ny@projectlinus.org.

Oh Where, Oh Where Have The Volunteers Gone?

A new study, "Volunteering in the United States, 2007" published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows that volunteering is declining. According to this study, "In the year ending September 2007, both the number of volunteers and the volunteer rate declined from the previous year."

I am sure this is not a surprise to J. Erik Potter. I learned about him through my participation in the Non-Profit Blog Exchange Virtual Event. I recently read a blog post Erik wrote on this topic at his blog called a blog on giving. His post, Struggling to Find Volunteers, highlights the problem communities are having in recruiting volunteer firefighters.

It is now even more important to find ways to ensure your current volunteers know that they are appreciated. It also might be a good time to evaluate your current volunteer recruitment methods and consider getting more creative.

Go to http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm to read about the results of the Bureau of Labor Statistics volunteering study.

What Makes A Great Nonprofit Leader

Christopher Scott, from the Nonprofit Leadership, Innovation, and Change blog, is writing an ebook for young nonprofit leaders. He is interested in receiving contributions. The following is what I believe are some of the key qualities or traits that are required from a great nonprofit leader:

Love
Education
Altruistic
Dreams
Effective
Risks

A great nonprofit leader demonstrates LOVE for others

Demonstrating respect for everyone you work with is an important part of building trust. This includes your peers, superiors, subordinates, volunteers and other people you come in contact with outside your organization. Practice the Golden Rule at all times.

A great nonprofit leader values EDUCATION

Learning does not end on your school graduation day. It is an ongoing process. Look for opportunities to learn on the job. Attend additional classes. Read books. Search out mentors. Teaching also enhances the education experience. Become a mentor to someone else. Pass along what you have learned and you will both benefit from the education.

A great nonprofit leader is ALTRUISTIC

A great leader understands it is important to help others. This applies to those at work as well as those outside. Do something at work for someone without any expectation of getting anything in return. Donate your time and money to causes that are important to you. The feeling you receive from your unselfish acts will carry over into other areas of your life.

A great nonprofit leader has big DREAMS

Making a big difference starts with a big vision. This vision should include your life and the future of your organization. Be creative and don't limit yourself to what seems possible today. Changing the world doesn't start by mediocre thoughts. It requires us to think big and to inspire others to help make the vision a reality.

A great nonprofit leader is EFFECTIVE

A leader can motivate others by being effective in moving toward the vision. To be effective, goals need to be established and tasks need to be prioritized. There is always too much to do in the available time. Build a habit of completing the most important, least desirable tasks first. You will be amazed at the progress being made to forward your mission.

A great nonprofit leader takes RISKS

If you want to make a big impact as a leader, you are going to have to be willing to take some risks. I am not referring to gambling. The risks should be comparable to the expected payoff. Leaders are willing to make mistakes in order to take action and make progress. It is uncomfortable, but also very rewarding.

These are some of the traits I believe a great leader needs. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list. What additional traits can you think of?

Valentine's Day Is Also A Day For Hearts

You know that Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th. Are you aware there is another special event occurring on the same day? It is called A Day For Hearts. The purpose of this event is to help spread awareness and raise funds to fight a killer that claims thousands of lives every year. That killer is Congenital Heart Defects (CHD).

Eight of every 1000 children born alive (0.8%) will have some form of congenital heart defect. Millions of newborn infants and children are affected.

Heart surgeon, Dr.Mani, is on a mission to stop this killer. He has established the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation where awareness is increased and funds are raised to make critical heart surgeries available for financially poor infants and children in India.

You can have a part in raising public awareness of CHD and in saving lives. Go to http://www.chdinfo.com/chdaware/ to learn about CHD and to discover several ways you can contribute.

One of the ways to contribute is to build blogs that promote A Day For Hearts. I recently built the How To Find Volunteer Opportunities blog as a part of Dr.Mani's 10-Day CHD Blog Challenge. This is one of the websites that will promote A Day For Hearts all year long.

On Valentine's Day, give your heart to helping save the life of a child born with CHD.

Pearl Paradise Donating $1 Million of Fine Pearl Jewelry

Jeremy Shepherd built a multi-million dollar pearl empire known as PearlParadise.com by the age of 33. PearlParadise.com is now celebrating their 10-year anniversary of successfully selling pearls online. Jeremy Shepherd, Founder and President, is grateful for the exponential growth and longevity of the company. He wanted to celebrate this important milestone in a way that truly expressed his gratitude.

In celebration of this 10-year anniversary, PearlParadise.com is giving back in a big way. They are donating $1 million worth of fine pearl jewelry to charities and nonprofit organizations throughout the United States for exclusive use in silent and live auction fundraisers.

A total of 2,007 pieces of fine pearl jewelry will be donated. Each piece will have an average retail value of $500. To be eligible, you must be a qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organization with an auction fundraising event scheduled to occur within 3 months.

Go to http://www.pearlparadise.com/giving/ to learn more about the Pearl Paradise Giving-Back Program and to download your donation request form.

The donations will be given out on a first come first serve basis, so you need to submit your donation request form now.

What does Jeremy Shepherd and PearlParadise.com hope to accomplish through their Giving-Back Program? "We hope our contribution will make a positive difference to those who need it most." It will.

Note: The preceding was a sponsored post.

Making a Big Difference in a Little Time

We all admire those great leaders who’ve made a positive difference in the world.  People such as Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Princess Dianna and Winston Churchill.  They will forever be remembered for their great achievements and contributions to mankind.  As human beings we are naturally inspired by them, not because of what they have done, but because we see our own potential to make a positive difference in the world.  Deep down we know we have the potential to create great change in the world like these great leaders.

With all the burdens of everyday life such as a full-time job, kids, bills, soccer games, and a mortgage payment how can we ever make a positive difference in the world?  It was Mother Teresa who said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”  Our last name doesn’t have to be Lincoln, Mandela, or Churchill to make a positive difference in the world.  We just have to do the best with who we are, with the time we have, and the skills we can use.  Anyone has time to volunteer one hour a week to serve food at your local homeless shelter, pledge $2 a week to United Way, referee one game a week for the youth basketball league at the YMCA, or purchase a toy for a child for Christmas.

I believe we all can make a big difference in little time, I just hope you can find a little time to make a big difference.
- - - - - - - - - - -
This was a guest post by Christopher Scott who authors the Nonprofit Leadership blog.

Another Reason to Celebrate

Another one of my favorite charities won a $50,000 prize by placing 2nd in America's Giving Challenge (unofficial result). Students Helping Honduras raised $29,647 to date and had 1698 unique donors at the conclusion of the challenge.

The prize money will go towards the SHH Walkathon's goal of creating a women's academy for emotional and financial support for the women of Copprome. The Walkathon is an annual fundraising event.

I participated in the Walkathon last year and was impressed by the enthusiasm of the students and other supporters. Click here to read about my experience at the event.

This year's fundraising goal is $500,000. They are off to a great start!

Let's Celebrate!

It was almost unbelievable to see how the top nonprofits in the final hours of the America's Giving Challenge competed to get one of the $50,000 prizes. It was heart stopping action. I don't think Beth Kanter did much sleeping during the last couple of days.

What was the result of the contest?

The Sharing Foundation took first place! This ranking is unofficial, but I didn't want you to have to wait while they verify the donation information (up to 30 days).

Donations made to date for the Sharing Foundation total $42,229 and 1710 donors who beat the contest deadline! Add the $50,000 prize and the Sharing Foundation will have over $90,000 to make a difference in many, many lives in Cambodia.

You helped make this happen if you made a donation. I want to thank you again for your generosity. I also want to thank Dr.Mani and Laura for joining me in this challenge. It was fun.

This was a great example of how powerful the Internet and social networks are and how they can be used to promote good in the world.

Thanks Beth for asking me to get involved.