In The News
A round-up from the world of philanthropy:
Book Review: Using Technology to Mobilize Young People
The question isn’t whether or not nonprofits should use new media and technologies to engage new members — but how.
Ben Rigby’s new book, “Mobilizing Generation 2.0: A Practical Guide to Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Recruit, Organize and Engage Youth,” provides organizations and campaigns with a how-to on finding and targeting young supporters, volunteers, members and donors.
Charities feel Wall Street pain
The LA Times weighs in: New York charities, long dependent on steady donations from New Yorkers who earn big salaries on Wall Street, are starting to feel the strain of the uncertain economic times.
It’s simple math.
Nonprofits target their fundraising around Wall Street windfalls. The United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York, which last year raised $290 million for charity and relief programs in the U.S. and Israel, has in other years held its biggest fundraiser on the day Bear Stearns told employees the size of their bonuses.
Charities see potential in tapping young Web users to promote their causes online
Online social networks used to be just gathering places for friends and long-lost acquaintances. Now, non-profit organizations are testing ways to raise money through these networks, betting that the Internet’s viral nature will open fresh avenues for fundraising and marketing.
A recent Harris Interactive/Verilion survey showed that a small percentage of charity supporters use social media to engage with organizations.
Foundations Set Record for Giving in ’07
Giving by foundations sets a record, hitting almost $43 billion in 2007
IRS to Offer Second Chance to Charities
The Internal Revenue Service plans to introduce a new program this year for charities in jeopardy of losing their tax-exempt status for failure to file informational tax returns, called Forms 990.