Thursday, September 29, 2011

Million-Strong Volunteer Network Spreads Good Health in Thailand - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Million-Strong Volunteer Network Spreads Good Health in Thailand - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Million-Strong Volunteer Network Spreads Good Health in Thailand

September 28, 2011, 10:06 am

In Thailand, a network of more than a million volunteers has brought basic health care to remote corners of the country and helped radically reduce infant mortality and once-widespread diseases, according to The New York Times.

They Did It Their Way: CEOs Sing for Charity - India Real Time - WSJ

They Did It Their Way: CEOs Sing for Charity - India Real Time - WSJ: But credit where it is due: Over the last few weeks, top executives from companies like Bain Capital, J.P. Morgan, Monnet Ispat & Energy Ltd., Thermax, Axis Bank, Hero MotoCorp Ltd. and Larsen & Toubro have lent their voices to a charitable cause.

They have recorded a CD and revenue from sales will go to a charity organization of the executive’s choice. Each designates a good cause and then proceeds will be divided equally between the singers

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Fundraising in Canada: What a Difference Certification Makes - Member News - Member - AFP

Fundraising in Canada: What a Difference Certification Makes - Member News - Member - AFP: There are approximately 714 Canadians who currently hold the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation as of the time this article was published. AFP also has its own certification credential called the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive (ACFRE) that builds on the skills and qualifications of the CFRE in a rigorous multi-part process ending with lifetime certification. The ACFRE is a distinguished achievement earned by only 95 professionals since the inception of the program in 1992.

Practical Benefits

AFP research shows that possession of the CFRE designation correlates positively with salary among Canadians. As reported in AFP’s 2011 Compensation and Benefits Study, CFREs reported average salaries are more than $26,000 higher than the average for respondents with no certification.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Individual Charitable Donations on the Rise

The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Individual Charitable Donations on the Rise: Total donations from individuals in Korea still lag far behind those in advanced countries with just 0.54 percent of GDP according to 2008 figures by the National Tax Service. That is similar to Australia's 0.69 percent and South Africa's 0.65 percent, but just one-third of 1.67 percent in the U.S.

The average Korean donates W199,000 a year, a mere one-seventh of US$1,220 (W1.43 million) in the U.S. and one-third of 372 pounds (W670,000) in Britain. Despite the promising growth of individual donations, they still do not match Korea’s status as the world's 13th biggest economic power.

Wolverhampton City Council threatens 'nuisance chuggers' with �500 fines - Third Sector

Wolverhampton City Council threatens 'nuisance chuggers' with �500 fines - Third Sector: Public Fundraising Regulatory Association criticises local authority's move to apply anti-touting by-laws to street fundraisers

Street fundraisers in Wolverhampton face fines of up to �500 if they contravene by-laws aimed at controlling touting in city streets, the local authority has warned.

Andy Jervis, head of environmental health, trading standards and licensing at Wolverhampton City Council, told Third Sector that the by-laws, which were introduced last year, say that no person in the street or a public place should solicit custom for a service or seek to gather information in way that could cause obstruction or annoyance.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Special Olympics envoy comes at rough patch for Chinese giving - Reuters -

Special Olympics envoy comes at rough patch for Chinese giving - Reuters -: Yang Lan, a popular Chinese television personality, entrepreneur and philanthropist, on Saturday became global ambassador to the Special Olympics, the international sports program for people with intellectual disabilities.

From that perch, Yang hopes to promote greater inclusion into Chinese society of the intellectually disabled.

Kiva - Kiva Fellows Blog - Same Rung of the Ladder?

Kiva - Kiva Fellows Blog - Same Rung of the Ladder?: After Jeffrey Sachs started talking about ladders, rungs, and poverty, many wondered if there would be an end to poverty. The way he saw it was that if a developing country could just make it to that first “rung” on the ladder, they would reach the global economy and lift themselves from poverty. He augmented this with “clinical economics,” treating developing countries like patients by offering a unique diagnosis, by properly addressing a country’s need. I am not going to analyze Sachs’ book, rather I will compare the differences of my two Kiva Fellowships in countries considered on similar “rungs.”

Sector must do more to attract philanthropists, says new report | Philanthropy UK

Sector must do more to attract philanthropists, says new report | Philanthropy UK: The voluntary sector needs to respond to the changing needs of philanthropists, according to the Community Foundation for Merseyside. It has published a report calling for better communication, more advice about giving effectively and the development of a '21st century model' of giving. The Foundation is part of a national network of community foundations and the largest grant-maker in Merseyside.

An economic approach to giving could save country billions, says new report | Philanthropy UK

An economic approach to giving could save country billions, says new report | Philanthropy UK: An economic approach to giving could save country billions, says new report
Posted on 21st September 2011
By:
Nicola Hill

A purely economic approach to philanthropy could save the country billions of pounds says a new report from Barclays Wealth. It suggests funding early intervention for Britain's costliest problems identified by the report would lead to major savings and therefore greater impact.

Payroll giving 'a cock-up' says leading philanthropist in debate on promoting giving | Philanthropy UK

Payroll giving 'a cock-up' says leading philanthropist in debate on promoting giving | Philanthropy UK: Payroll Giving “has been a cock-up from beginning to end” according to forthright philanthropist and chair of The Philanthropy Review Tom Hughes-Hallett.

Hughes-Hallett, who is also chief executive of Marie Curie Cancer Care, the UK's leading end of life care charity, gave the view as part of a panel debating the perennial topic of ‘how to change the culture of philanthropy’, hosted by Conservative think tank Policy Exchange. It was held in the same week the government announced a �10m innovation fund to encourage new ideas for boosting giving.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Charity Commission wants umbrella bodies to get involved in regulation - Third Sector

Charity Commission wants umbrella bodies to get involved in regulation - Third Sector: Annual public meeting of the regulator, which is facing cuts of a third to its budget, hears chair Dame Suzi Leather say she wants charities to be more self-reliant

The Charity Commission has begun talks with voluntary sector umbrella bodies about the possibility of them taking on aspects of regulation.

The commission also wants the forthcoming review of the Charities Act 2006 to lead to further deregulation and enable trustees to take decisions wherever possible.

Giving: The Magic Bus Auction in Mumbai - NYTimes.com

Giving: The Magic Bus Auction in Mumbai - NYTimes.com: Giving: The Magic Bus Auction in Mumbai
By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Charitable giving in India surpasses Brazil and China, but pales in comparison to most Western countries, a fact that has prompted criticism and prodding by other philanthropists, particularly given the vast disparity in wealth here. The question “Are rich Indians turning their back on the poor?,” is asked often, even here in our own comment section. Talk to charity organizers, executives starting NGOs, doctors who do hours of volunteer work or hundreds of others, though, and a very different picture emerges.

Is Asian charity different than Western charity? | Mitchell Hinz | 101fundraising

Is Asian charity different than Western charity? | Mitchell Hinz | 101fundraising: he swing to the East is centered, of course, on Asia’s two biggest countries, China and India, but as countless Economist articles point out, many countries with LESS than a billion people (!) have a lot going on as well. For example, most people don’t know that Singapore, where I now live, boasts one of the world’s highest GDP-per-capitas: almost US$ 60,000 per person (one in six households has a net worth of MORE than US$ 1 million). However, Indonesia is still the region’s *largest* economy, despite having far higher poverty rates. The GDP-per-capita in Indonesia is only a bit over US$ 4,600 per person (almost 1,500% lower!). Conclusion: Singapore has LOTS of rich people. Indonesia has LOTS of poor people, but a fair number of RICH people, too.

So, if you were a fundraiser (which is a fair assumption, since you’re still reading) the question is — where should you be fundraising?

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Vatican Radio - A philanthropic focus on German society

Vatican Radio - A philanthropic focus on German society: Strachwitz explained that the mission of the Maecenata Institute is to promote knowledge and understanding of civil society and private philanthropy through academic research, documentation and information, and exchanges between academics, public leaders and professionals in the field.

Diamonds.net - Diamonds in the Sky Charity Event Raises Almost $3M

Diamonds.net - Diamonds in the Sky Charity Event Raises Almost $3M: The Diamonds in the Sky, Hong Kong charity event raised more than $2.5 million dollars this past evening at the Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong. The proceeds benefited both the shared mission of China Charity Federation (CCF) and the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF) to empower the economically disadvantaged in Africa and China.

News: Potential of the 'Arab Spring' - Inside Higher Ed

News: Potential of the 'Arab Spring' - Inside Higher Ed: Khalil, an Egyptian businessman and philanthropist, who is attempting to compile an online database of key social science textbooks for use in the post-Mubarak regime, said a system of U.S.- or European-style endowments for Arab universities was needed. "It is embarrassing to be part of a world where there are all these riches, but the amount of philanthropy here is dwarfed by the U.S. This kind of thinking needs to be encouraged."

Serious incidents reported to Charity Commission almost doubled last year - Third Sector

Serious incidents reported to Charity Commission almost doubled last year - Third Sector: The number of serious incidents reported to the Charity Commission almost doubled last year, according to the regulator’s latest annual compliance report, published today.

Charities Back on Track 2010/11: Themes and Lessons from the Charity Commission’s Investigations and Regulatory Casework reveals the number of serious incidents reported was 451 in 2009/10 and 849 in 2010/11.

Of the 849 incidents, 371 related to fraud and theft, 337 to vulnerable beneficiaries and 75 to reports of charities subject to investigation by another body.

Barclays Wealth Report: Philanthropy Could Save UK Taxpayer �100bn

Barclays Wealth Report: Philanthropy Could Save UK Taxpayer �100bn: Philanthropists could save the state spending �100bn a year on social issues, according to research by Barclays Wealth.

The report, entitled Early Interventions: An Economic Approach to Charitable Giving, written in association with the think tank New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), is aimed at private funders and identifies the three most expensive social issues in Britain.

The Red Crossers Daily

The Red Crossers Daily

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Indigo Trust, Omidyar Network and Institute for Philanthropy highlight ‘The Power of Information’ | Latest from Alliance

Indigo Trust, Omidyar Network and Institute for Philanthropy highlight ‘The Power of Information’ | Latest from Alliance: Indigo Trust, Omidyar Network and Institute for Philanthropy highlight ‘The Power of Information’
Posted on 20 September 2011 by Alliance magazine and Jorge Solis

This lively one-day conference, entitled The Power of Information: New Technologies for Philanthropy and Development, held in London on 15 September, brought together people from the philanthropy sphere with those who are applying new technologies in the field to mobilize communities, help them share knowledge, promote best practice, and hold governments and donors to account.

Charity chief executives' average salary '18 per cent lower than in the private sector' - Third Sector

Charity chief executives' average salary '18 per cent lower than in the private sector' - Third Sector: A higher proportion of voluntary organisations have had a pay freeze than commercial companies, but the average sector pay rise was greater, says Charity Rewards

Charity chief executives earn an average of 18 per cent less than their private sector counterparts, according to a new report.

Charity Rewards, which was based on a survey of 268 charities and carried out in April this year, found that charity chief executives earned an average of �73,900 a year, compared with �90,000 in the private sector.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Survey: We rely on charities, but do we fund them? - Community - Warwick Courier

Survey: We rely on charities, but do we fund them? - Community - Warwick Courier: More than half the population (51%) living in the East of England have used a charity service in the past month, the highest level in the country.

And more than three-quarters of people have used a service in the past year – yet households spend as much on cheese as they do on charity.

The figures have been released by the Charities Aid Foundation as part of a national campaign to raise awareness of the low levels of charitable giving in the UK.

The Prince's Trust withdraws from National Citizen Service for 2012 - Third Sector

The Prince's Trust withdraws from National Citizen Service for 2012 - Third Sector: he government names 19 providers for its summer volunteering scheme for 16-year-olds next year

The Prince’s Trust has pulled out of providing places for the government’s National Citizen Service scheme.

The young people’s charity confirmed that it did not bid to be a supplier for next year’s scheme, which will offer up to 30,000 school leavers the opportunity to take part in six-week programmes to boost their community

Monday, September 19, 2011

Labour government lacked clear aims for the sector, says party's policy review group - Third Sector

Labour government lacked clear aims for the sector, says party's policy review group - Third Sector: Labour government lacked clear aims for the sector, says party's policy review group

Panel of MPs, peers, academics, charity chiefs and umbrella bodies says party must make up its mind on public services

The Labour government did not have clear aims for voluntary sector policy beyond a general goal of increasing investment, according to a group set up to review the party’s policies.

The party’s civil society policy review group, a panel of Labour MPs, peers, academics, charity chief executives and umbrella bodies, has been set up to scrutinise the party’s record on the voluntary sector when it was in power and to propose policy suggestions that could form the basis for its next manifesto.
Charity Bed Push Dublin Bound - Northern Ireland News: A local manufacturing company is set to undertake a three-day bed push from Belfast to Dublin in a bid to raise more than �5,000 for Irish charity GOAL.

Donors Hike Support for Canadian Hospitals to More than $1.2 Billion, But Giving is Still Short of Pre-recession Level

Donors Hike Support for Canadian Hospitals to More than $1.2 Billion, But Giving is Still Short of Pre-recession Level: WASHINGTON, D.C., (September 19, 2011) – Donors to Canada’s health care institutions increased contributions by $80 million last year, but the much needed financial booster shot remained far below amounts raised before the recession hit. While charitable cash and pledges in FY2010 totaled $1.204 billion, 7.1 percent more than in FY2009, they were $133 million less than the total of funds raised in FY2007.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Accountants offer charities free review of financial governance and risk management - Third Sector

Accountants offer charities free review of financial governance and risk management - Third Sector: Charity Commission programme will help charities assess their financial governance

Reviews by members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales will be analysed anonymously to show a wider picture

The Charity Commission and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales have launched a free peer review programme to help charities to assess their financial governance and risk management.

Speaking on Tuesday at the ICAEW’s Charity and Voluntary Sector Group conference, Sam Younger, chief executive of the commission, said any charity would be eligible for a free review, carried out by ICAEW members with knowledge of the sector.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Internships and the Law: What You Need to Know

Internships and the Law: What You Need to Know: According to some observers, the vast majority of internships at nonprofits and elsewhere may well be illegal. "There is widespread mischaracterization of interns as persons receiving training," says Andrew Langille, a lawyer and blogger in Toronto who specializes in employment, labour and human rights issues, "when in actuality they are employees." That is, they might be perceived as employees by a court or other jurisdictional body if a dispute is raised between the intern and the employer.

Government encouragement 'deters people from volunteering' - Third Sector

Government encouragement 'deters people from volunteering' - Third Sector:The public are resistant to the politicisation of participation, according to National Council for Voluntary Organisations report

Governments’ attempts to encourage volunteering can deter people from getting involved in their communities, according to a new research report.

The publication, Pathways Through Participation, was compiled by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Institute for Volunteering Research and the think tank Involve and is released today.

Peter Stanford: Apply common sense and make the law the last resort - Third Sector

Peter Stanford: Apply common sense and make the law the last resort - Third Sector: There have been a number of long-running legal sagas in our sector of late, not least the battle by the Leeds-based adoption agency Catholic Care to overturn a Charity Commission ruling that it cannot change its objects to exclude same-sex couples from its adoption service.

That ruling cuts across the charity's Catholic ethos because, unaccountably (and I say this as a mass-going Catholic), the institutional church still clings to its view that two men or two women who fall in love are doing something unnatural. Any belief in God, surely, must start from the position that we are all as God made us.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Honrando a las v�ctimas de los ataques del 11 de Septiembre

Honrando a las v�ctimas de los ataques del 11 de Septiembre: Honrando a las v�ctimas de los ataques del 11 de Septiembre

(Honoring the Victims of the September 11 Attacks)

Este aniversario es un d�a para recordar a quienes fallecieron y acompa�ar a sus familias y a sus seres queridos.

Thursday, September 08, 2011

Street fundraisers should not invade your personal space – official | Voluntary Sector Network | Guardian Professional

Street fundraisers should not invade your personal space – official | Voluntary Sector Network | Guardian Professional: Street fundraisers should not invade your personal space – official

A new code of practice aims to ensure that charity recruitment teams do not overstep the mark when out on the streets

Sick David Walliams may have to abandon Thames charity swim - mirror.co.uk

Sick David Walliams may have to abandon Thames charity swim - mirror.co.uk: Sick David Walliams may have to abandon his River Thames charity swim after falling ill with a serious stomach upset.

Fann Wong's pillows gone in 15 minutes - Channel NewsAsia

Fann Wong's pillows gone in 15 minutes - Channel NewsAsia: SINGAPORE: About S$19,000 was raised for poverty-stricken villagers during a charity sale at Orchard Central on Sunday, organised by the production team of Channel 8's currently airing reality show "Mission Possible".

"Mission Possible" saw local celebrities make their way to rural villages across the region to help improve the villagers' lives.