Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Charity Finance | 'Disappointing' government response to sector pleas for help

Charity Finance | 'Disappointing' government response to sector pleas for help: "Last night's meeting between NCVO and acevo and third sector minister Kevin Brennan to discuss what the government plans to do to protect charities affected by the Iceland banking collapse was 'inconclusive', according to acevo chief executive Stephen Bubb.

'We made our case for support and they are considering it,' he told Charity News Alert this morning. 'They said they would come back with an answer quite quickly, but didn't give a date.'"

Sally Ann feeling economic pinch | Money | Toronto Sun

Sally Ann feeling economic pinch | Money | Toronto Sun: "A major Canadian charity is struggling to deliver services as its critical holiday donation period approaches due to a decrease in financial gifts and an increase in the number of people seeking help."

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Policy and Passions Collide in Bolivia - washingtonpost.com

Policy and Passions Collide in Bolivia - washingtonpost.com: "The Peace Corps' evacuation of all its volunteers in Bolivia last month forced Swanson, 24, to consider these goals and make a choice: stay with the Peace Corps and finish his term in another country, or leave the organization and return to Mizque. He would not have the salary, health insurance, support network or protection that come with the Peace Corps, at a time of sporadic political violence in Bolivia and just after the government had thrown out the U.S. ambassador."

Breaking News

Breaking News: "WHEN times get tough, companies cut back back on giving.

Speaking at the Singapore International Foundation gala dinner on Thursday night, its chairman Ms Euleen Goh said that corporate generosity, long a pillar of support for many charities and volunteer organisations, may weaken as the economic slowdown bites into companies' bottomline."

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

eGov monitor - A Policy Dialogue Platform | Promoting Better Governance

eGov monitor - A Policy Dialogue Platform | Promoting Better Governance: "The Government today announced plans to create a new Third Sector skills body which will identify and address skills gaps and shortages for charities, voluntary groups, social enterprises and other third sector organisations. It will pull together the work of the sector skills councils to open up learning opportunities for third sector paid and voluntary staff. It will ensure the sector's needs are properly considered in the design development of National Occupational Standards, the design Apprenticeship Frameworks and Sector Qualification Strategies."

Charity cherries fetch $33,000 | The Australian

Charity cherries fetch $33,000 | The Australian: "MORE than $82,000 has been raised for the Sydney Children's Hospital at Randwick including $33,000 from the sale of the season's first box of cherries in a charity auction this morning"

Charity Finance | European decisions could spell windfalls for charities

Charity Finance | European decisions could spell windfalls for charities: "Two judgments have been made in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) which could see charities gain by several millions of pounds.

The first increases the likelihood that cross-border EU charitable donations may become tax-deductible, and the second allows sports clubs and associations to claim back at least three years’ VAT charges on subscriptions.

Currently, UK law only allows donations made to a UK charity to benefit from tax relief and many other European states take a similar stance."

Portugal praises professor's philanthropy

Portugal praises professor's philanthropy: "Costa, a professor of teacher education at California State University, Stanislaus, was bestowed with the honorary insignia of Commendator of the Order of Public Instruction for his promotion of the Portuguese culture and language and his philanthropic work."

Monday, October 20, 2008

Lord Ashcroft plans to leave £900m to charity - Times Online

Lord Ashcroft plans to leave £900m to charity - Times Online: "Lord Ashcroft, the billionaire who has helped to bankroll the Tory party and is now its deputy chairman, is to leave most of his money – about £900m – to charity.

It could be the biggest charitable bequest made in Britain and will be shared between causes ranging from arresting criminals to assisting wounded servicemen and saving whales."

FT.com / Home UK / UK - How to give it - Ken Costa

FT.com / Home UK / UK - How to give it - Ken Costa: "How to give it - Ken Costa

By Angus Watson

Published: October 18 2008 03:00 | Last updated: October 18 2008 03:00

Ken Costa, 58, is a well- known figure in the City of London. After many years at UBS, in 2007 he became chairman of Lazard International. He chairs Great Ormond Street Hospital's Tick Tock Club (www.gosh. org/ tick-tock-club), and is a trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, and chairman of the Christian group Alpha International."

Purolator, CFL fans reach milestone for food bank donations

Purolator, CFL fans reach milestone for food bank donations: "TORONTO - Purolator, the official courier of the Canadian Football League, and the CFL announced today that the Purolator Tackle Hunger program has reached a historic milestone: more than two million pounds of food collected for food banks across Canada since the program's inception in 2003."

telegraphjournal.com - Top Dragon Boat fundraisers are in

telegraphjournal.com - Top Dragon Boat fundraisers are in: "SAINT JOHN - The 2008 Saint John Dragon Boat Festival was successful in exceeding its fundraising goal with a total of $282,000 to help expand the day surgery unit at St. Joseph's Hospital."

BBC NEWS | UK | Princes join charity bike rally

BBC NEWS | UK | Princes join charity bike rally: "Princes William and Harry have set off on a 1,000-mile charity motorbike trek across South Africa.

The Royal pair are among 80 riders taking part in the eight-day rally from Port Edward to Port Elizabeth.

They aim to raise £250,000 for Prince Harry's charity Sentebale, Unicef and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund."

Flip-flop man donates part of profits to charity

Flip-flop man donates part of profits to charity: "hey crafted a business plan with a clear-cut goal: import the shoes, sell them and donate 3 percent of revenues to three nonprofit programs that, in roundabout ways, will help Thailand.

The programs are: One Percent for the Planet, an environmental fund; Kiva.org, a group that offers micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, with the Feelgoodz percentage targeted to Thailand; and finally, Transfair, a program that will work to develop a fair-trade natural rubber program in the country.

In this respect, Berner and Neland are part of a growing league of social entrepreneurs. Such business owners apply traditional business principles to ventures motivated more by philanthropy than profits."

A museum in China honors Pearl S. Buck | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/20/2008

A museum in China honors Pearl S. Buck | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/20/2008: "ZHENJIANG, China - The climb was steep, up a narrow concrete street on the western edge of this Yangtze River city, but what waited atop Dengyun Hill was worth the walk: a sparkling new museum devoted to the life and work of American author Pearl Buck."

Friday, October 17, 2008

Economic chaos is a threat to charities as well - Scotsman.com News

Economic chaos is a threat to charities as well - Scotsman.com News: "THE collapse of the Icelandic banking system last week highlighted how even charities are caught in the maelstrom of the current banking and economic crisis.
It was reported that one British charity had £11.2 million of deposits in Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander and was just one of many charitable organisations who now find money out of reach."

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Princess pays a visit to charity shop staff - WalesOnline

Princess pays a visit to charity shop staff - WalesOnline: "THE WORK of charity volunteers is often a thankless task – but one group of shop workers has received a royal seal of approval.

Staff at Cardiff’s Save the Children charity shop in Albany Road, Roath, were treated to a visit yesterday from the Princess Royal to thank them for their efforts.

Princess Anne has been the charity’s president for over 30 years and took time out of her schedule while in Cardiff to visit the shop."

philanthropyOz Blog » New PPFs & Philanthropy website launched at Conference today

philanthropyOz Blog » New PPFs & Philanthropy website launched at Conference today: "New PPFs & Philanthropy website launched at Conference today
On October 16, 2008 at 2:33 pm by Emily Turner - Permanent Link
Categories: conference2008, recommended reading, news, research & information
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This is a live blog post made from the Philanthropy Australia Conference, Passion & Purpose, currently underway in Sydney.

In his Opening Plenary speech this morning at the Philanthropy Australia Conference, President of Philanthropy Australia, Bruce Bonyhady, officially announced Philanthropy Australia’s new Prescribed Private Funds website: PPFs & Philanthropy."

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Charity Village®NewsWeek: Cover Story

Charity Village®NewsWeek: Cover Story: "In the ultra-competitive world of charitable enterprise, the communications quest for donor dollars often takes a path that circumvents focus on the pocketbook and instead appeals to the area just behind the breast pocket: the heart.
Getting your attention
Sandy MacKenzie, a partner and philanthropic architect with Inspire/DVA Navion in Toronto with 25 years of fundraising experience in the sector, suggests that charities and nonprofits need to be very focused on the human touch when looking at marketing to, and raising funds from, donors."

ECJ Ruling Permits Cross Border Charitable Tax Deductions

ECJ Ruling Permits Cross Border Charitable Tax Deductions: "An Advocate General to the European Court of Justice has ruled that the German tax authorities were wrong to disallow a tax deduction for a charitable donation by a German citizen because the beneficiary organisation was located in another member state.

In his opinion, published on Tuesday, Advocate General Mengozzi argued that less favourable tax treatment for cross-border donations may discourage people from making such donations and found that the German legislation constitutes a restriction on the movement of capital within the single market."

Bloomberg.com: Europe

Bloomberg.com: Europe: "European Philanthropists Keep Giving in Credit Crisis (Update1)

By Warren Giles

Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Wealthy European investors are pushing financial advisers to help identify worthy causes and measure the effect of donations as credit market turmoil fails to dent philanthropy."

Friday, October 10, 2008

Cats Protection charity faces losing £11.2 million in Icelandic banks - Times Online

Cats Protection charity faces losing £11.2 million in Icelandic banks - Times Online: "Cats Protection has emerged as the latest and biggest charity victim of the Icelandic banking crisis with £11.2 million of deposits in Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander now at risk."

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Somerset | Botham starts 12th charity walk

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Somerset | Botham starts 12th charity walk: "Former cricketer Sir Ian Botham has set off on his 12th fundraising expedition for charity.

For the first time, people will be able to join him as he walks to help Leukaemia Research."

Thursday, October 09, 2008

"Charity race seen as biggest yet

"Charity race seen as biggest yet

By RASHA AL QAHTANI

THE annual Bahrain Marathon Relay is on its way to becoming the biggest in the race's 28-year history, it emerged yesterday.

The maximum number of teams has been increased from 150 to 175 this year and the Bahrain Round Table (BRT), which organises the race, says the response has been overwhelming."

Minister backs East Lancashire schools' charity project (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Minister backs East Lancashire schools' charity project (From Lancashire Telegraph): "A GOVERNMENT minister lent his support to an East Lancashire charity when he attended the official launch in London.

Ed Balls, secretary of state for children, schools, and families, was at the special event organised by Furniture for Education Worldwide, in the Attlee Room, Portcullis House, Westminster, yesterday."

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Professional Fundraising | Brennan succeeds Hope as new third sector minister

Professional Fundraising | Brennan succeeds Hope as new third sector minister: "Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West, has been appointed as the new minister for the third sector, replacing Phil Hope who moves to the Department of Health.

Brennan, 38 (pictured), was formerly a junior minister at the Department of Children, Schools, and Families (DCSF), where he had specific responsibility for the third sector."

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Charity Commission reveals public benefit test guinea pigs - Third Sector

Charity Commission reveals public benefit test guinea pigs - Third Sector: "The commission has announced a list of 12 voluntary sector organisations that will be the first to be subjected to tests to determine whether they operate for the public benefit.

The tests will focus on religious charities, fee-charging residential care homes and fee-charging schools.

Among the charities that will be tested are Christian charity the Church Mission Society and the Manchester Grammar School Foundation."

Slim and Yunus to offer credit to Mexico's poor - BusinessWeek

Slim and Yunus to offer credit to Mexico's poor - BusinessWeek: "Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim and Bangladeshi Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus are joining forces to offer credit to poor people in Mexico.

Slim and Yunus are creating Grameen-Carso, a lending institution that in its first phase will provide at least 80,000 loans."

Charities watch for dip in donations

Charities watch for dip in donations: "'We're watching it very cautiously,' said Ruth Ramsden-Wood, president of the Calgary United Way. 'We did not set a very aggressive campaign goal this year.'"

Thought Leader » Bhekinkosi Moyo » Can the new African foundations level the playing field?

Thought Leader » Bhekinkosi Moyo » Can the new African foundations level the playing field?: "Can the new African foundations level the playing field?
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This article first appeared last month in Alliance Magazine (Volume 13, No.3, 2008). Since its publication, I have received many requests to reprint it. The article has since appeared in other media houses. In order to get more feedback, I am reproducing it here in its original form."

Monday, October 06, 2008

Xpress: News | Nakheel donates Dh7 million to charity

Xpress: News | Nakheel donates Dh7 million to charity: "Hollywood star Michael Douglas was in town for the first time on Monday to support a Dh7-million donation for poor children by local property giant Nakheel."

Friday, October 03, 2008

allAfrica.com: Africa: Can New Foundations Break the Dependency Cycle? (Page 1 of 2)

allAfrica.com: Africa: Can New Foundations Break the Dependency Cycle? (Page 1 of 2): "his article attempts to answer three related questions. The first is whether new African philanthropic foundations such as TrustAfrica and the African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) have the clout needed to raise money from the North and use it on their own terms to set their own development agenda. Put differently, can these institutions engage on equal terms with their northern partners? The second relates to dependency, which has characterised relations between the non-profit sector and its donors, particularly from the North. Can the new institutions break the dependency cycle? The third question is whether these institutions and the new generation of African philanthropists will break with or recreate power imbalances that have existed over the years between northern donors and southern recipients."

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Time for a change? Try a career in the not-for-profit sector - Getting a Job, Career Planning - The Independent

Time for a change? Try a career in the not-for-profit sector - Getting a Job, Career Planning - The Independent: "ontrary to popular opinion, the charity sector is not full of 'soft and fluffy do-gooders', according to Jackie Weston-Davies, HR manager at the Royal National Institute for the Blind. 'In some ways the work we do here is more challenging than the private sector. That's certainly the case in terms of our contractual work, when we have to compete against commercial and public sector contracts,' she says. Add to this the fact that charities are becoming more business-focused, and you can see why they need top talent as much as any other employer."

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Charity groups 'really feeling the crunch'

Charity groups 'really feeling the crunch': "Charity groups 'really feeling the crunch'
Organizers fear further drop in food donations, already down 30% this year"

Charities warn of huge cuts as banks slash gift-giving | News

Charities warn of huge cuts as banks slash gift-giving | News: "London charities have warned they face devastating cutbacks in support from the City amid the world financial turmoil.

Once-wealthy American investment banks were among the most generous of givers but they are now reining back their charitable programmes after being caught at the centre of the crisis.

As the financial institutions lay off thousands of staff, charity experts say it would be hard for them to justify philanthropic giving."

Charity Finance | Government moots statutory time off for some voluntary roles

Charity Finance | Government moots statutory time off for some voluntary roles: "Volunteers who help young offenders, get involved with local courts or take an active role in the management of their council estate could get statutory time off work to carry out these roles under new proposals from the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG)."

Background: how the regulator's website will highlight charities that file accounts late and display key information - Governance - Third Sector

Background: how the regulator's website will highlight charities that file accounts late and display key information - Governance - Third Sector: "Charities that do not file their accounts and annual returns on time will be publicly shamed by a red border in a new version of the Charity Commission's online register, launched today.

Each charity's entry on the register will include a 'due documents received' box, which will be edged in green if the documents have been received by the commission and in red if they have not."