Younger: 'Charity Commission is being set up to fail'

Younger: 'Charity Commission is being set up to fail': Sam Younger, outgoing chief executive of the Charity Commission, has delivered his last speech in the role, where he warns that “not all of the charities we register make an impact” and says the regulator is “being set up to fail”.

Lobbying act guidance 'will hinder charities collaborating on political campaigns' | Third Sector

Lobbying act guidance 'will hinder charities collaborating on political campaigns' | Third Sector: Liz Hutchins of Friends of the Earth says the new spending caps and the broader range of activities covered by the legislation will make collaborative work 'all but impossible'

The lobbying act guidance on campaigning in coalitions, published this week by the Electoral Commission, could make it "all but impossible" in many cases for ch

Nick Clegg says international aid must be defended

Nick Clegg says international aid must be defended: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg yesterday gave a speech warning the UK’s commitment to international aid must be defended with "renewed energy and vigour against the forces of insularity and xenophobia which are now on the march”.

His speech comes just days after Ukip, a party which is firmly opposed to international aid, made political strides in the European elections, becoming the UK’s largest representative in the European parliament.

Hong Kong resident visits West Lothian during epic charity trek - Daily Record

Hong Kong resident visits West Lothian during epic charity trek - Daily Record: The 26-year-old journalist decided to raise awareness and money for the UN Refugee Agency by walking across the continents and plans to arrive in London a year to the day after his departure from Asia.

Arriving in the town on May 13, Bosco had nowhere to stay and decided to head to Whitburn Pentecostal Church where he met minister Andrew Smith.

The Business Empire of Asia’s Ultra-Rich: The Lee Foundation – Part 1 | The Motley Fool

The Business Empire of Asia’s Ultra-Rich: The Lee Foundation – Part 1 | The Motley Fool: This article would see me exploring the history of the Lee Foundation, one of the most philanthropic organisations in Singapore. It was founded in 1952 by Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Lee Kong Chian, one of the richest men in Singapore at that time.

Comic Relief plans new investment policy 'in line with ethos'

Comic Relief plans new investment policy 'in line with ethos': Comic Relief has today committed not to make investments in arms, alcohol and tobacco companies as part of a new investment policy "in line with the ethos of the charity".

Comic Relief, which has an investment portfolio of �138m, was criticised in a Panorama programme last year for investing millions of pounds in companies which make most of their money in these areas, which run directly contrary to its mission.

Hopes for the Dot-NGO Designation - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Hopes for the Dot-NGO Designation - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: Public Interest Registry, the American domain regulator responsible for the top-level .org domain suffix, is offering Australian nonprofits the chance to switch to an .ngo or .ong domain in October. (The latter is for use in regions where Romance languages are prevalent.) Currently, many Australian nonprofits use the suffix .org.au, which is administered by the same regulator.

In addition to the distinctive .ngo, users will be listed in Public Interest Registry’s global NGO directory, and have access to a robust community portal. Via the portal, charities can customize profile pages, showcase their activities, and collect donations. Public Interest Registry is saying this will revolutionize the way that NGOs around the world connect with each other, with new partners, and potentially with donors as well. Although the portal will not take commission on donations, at this point it will be the e-commerce vehicle for donors

The icing on your appeals program - Information, research and resources for fundraisers and their leaders

The icing on your appeals program - Information, research and resources for fundraisers and their leaders: I’m no Nostradamus, but I do know these two things happen every single year. Which is why the lack of planning some fundraisers undertake staggers me, furiously running around just weeks and even days before their biggest appeal should land in mailboxes.

Part of me thinks for many it’s a reflection of the boredom and staleness of their appeals/direct mail program. It’s like that old ornament sitting on your mantelpiece—it’s been there forever and does a job, but it doesn’t particularly excite you.

BBC shows to source costumes from charity shops to meet green targets

BBC shows to source costumes from charity shops to meet green targets: The first programme to meet a new BBC “green certificate” sourced costumes and props from local charity shops in order to meet the criteria.

And a BBC spokesman said that in documentation guiding organisations on how to meet the new environmental standards certification, albert , it will suggest other programmes could also use charity shops as a way of cutting environmental impact.

The ethical minefield of investment funds | Third Sector

The ethical minefield of investment funds | Third Sector: Revelations by the BBC's Panorama programme last year once more raised the issue of investments that appear to run counter to a charity's objects. Patrick McCurry assesses the latest thinking

Last December's Panorama investigation of charities and their investments exposed how donations the public expected to be spent on the needy were actually being invested in funds with shares in tobacco, alcohol and arms companies.

Bubb: proposals to extend FoI to charities must be ‘resisted at all costs’

Bubb: proposals to extend FoI to charities must be ‘resisted at all costs’: Charities must accept transparency disclosures in public sector contracts, but should resist “at all costs” proposals to extend the Freedom of Information Act to the sector, Stephen Bubb, chief executive of Acevo, has said.

Bubb, head of the infrastructure body for chief executives, wrote in a blog post earlier this week that his charity plans to draw up a code of practice for information disclosure in public contracts, in response to suggestions from MPs that charities should be subject to FoI requests.

1000 Philanthropists programme raises S$400,000 for S’pore Children’s Society | TODAYonline

1000 Philanthropists programme raises S$400,000 for S’pore Children’s Society | TODAYonline: SINGAPORE — A fund-raising philanthropy programme by the Singapore Children’s Society has raised nearly S$400,000 since its soft launch in February.

The programme, 1000 Philanthropists, targets individuals who want to contribute to the society and hopes to “unite like-minded individuals to celebrate and honour their support to the society’s cause”. To date, it has 132 philanthropists — anyone who donates at least S$1,000

CASL: The New Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation | FeedBlitz - Email Marketing and RSS

CASL: The New Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation | FeedBlitz - Email Marketing and RSS: What it doesn’t get is that in this day and age, there are more grey areas when defining commercial messages, especially as it relates to the evolving media.

This general privacy legislation applies to B2B as well as B2C communications. This will include all electronic messages: Text, SMS, Twitter, Facebook and email – anything “commercial” in nature.

The definition of commercial is quite broad and can include solicitations for donations, political memberships, gaming or even bartering activities.

Dorset-based charitable trust announces record donations of more than �1million (From Bournemouth Echo)

Dorset-based charitable trust announces record donations of more than �1million (From Bournemouth Echo): THE Dorset-based Talbot Village Trust charity has announced record donations of more than �1million.

The trust, established by Georgina and Mary Talbot in the mid 1800s, has supported hundreds of charitable causes across East Dorset.

Last year 37 different organisations benefitted from a pot of �1,141,000 – breaking the charity’s previous annual record by �200,000.

Ordinary Aristocrats: Philanthropists as Ethical Leaders? | Pro Bono Australia

Ordinary Aristocrats: Philanthropists as Ethical Leaders? | Pro Bono Australia: New research into the way Australian philanthropists are portrayed as ethical leaders in the national media has found that the portrayal reinforces social and economic inequality.

Allcock Tyler: 'Trustees need to stop hiding behind their executive staff'

Allcock Tyler: 'Trustees need to stop hiding behind their executive staff': The chief executive of the Directory for Social Change made the criticism at the Charity Law Conference, saying that trustees should have spoken out when the sector's chief executives recently received criticism.

She said: “Almost none of the trustees came out and said that we’d chosen what to pay them and that they should stop going after that one individual.”

U.K. cancer charity fundraiser teen Stephen Sutton dies - National | Globalnews.ca

U.K. cancer charity fundraiser teen Stephen Sutton dies - National | Globalnews.ca: TORONTO – A British teen who raised over $5.86 million (CDN) for charity and inspired people around the world has passed away, his family has announced.

At the age of 15, Stephen Sutton was diagnosed with bowel cancer and was told two years later by his doctors that his cancer was incurable.
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Stephen Sutton surpassed his bucket list fundraising goal after posting his "final thumbs up." U.K. teen Steven Sutton tops charity goal with ‘final thumbs up’ post

A Facebook post written by the 19-year-old’s mother said Sutton passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday morning.

Society Diary: Pig wrestling and Parliamentary detectives

Society Diary: Pig wrestling and Parliamentary detectives: Porcine pugilism prohibited


Ben Page, chief executive of pollsters Ipsos Mori, started the Acevo Gathering of Social Leaders this week in fine form. Assessing public trust in the sector, he remarked that charities had taken a beating in the press over salaries.

“But that doesn’t mean you should necessarily get defensive,” he said, reaching for a favourite George Bernard Shaw quote. “Arguing with the press is like wrestling a pig. You both get dirty and the pig likes i

Charity Commission needs powers to refuse registration, says ICAEW

Charity Commission needs powers to refuse registration, says ICAEW: The ICAEW has called for a change in the law to allow the Charity Commission to refuse a charity registration when a similar charity already exists.

The recommendation forms part of ICAEW’s study, on behalf of the Charity Commission, into charities’ use of strategy. Some 26 charities of varying income sizes were interviewed.

Canadian charity, Part 4: SickKids Foundation invests in fundraising capacity � Philanthropy North Carolina

Canadian charity, Part 4: SickKids Foundation invests in fundraising capacity � Philanthropy North Carolina: Key to fund development at the SickKids Foundation are investment in staff, diversification of fundraising programs, a heightened fundraising role for the CEO, and a focus on major individual giving, planned giving, and direct marketing, said Ted Garrard, the Foundation’s president and CEO.

The Blackbaud Index: Overall Charitable Giving to Nonprofits Decreased 0.7% in March | Blackbaud News

The Blackbaud Index: Overall Charitable Giving to Nonprofits Decreased 0.7% in March | Blackbaud News: n addition, The Blackbaud Index Canada, which tracks charitable giving to the Canadian nonprofit sector, today reported overall charitable giving decreased 5.5% and online giving increased 12% for the three months ending March 2014. The Canada Index draws its data from 276 organizations that raise nearly $700 million a year, accounting for approximately seven percent of the Canadian market.

Job Opportunities Abound Overseas for Fundraisers - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Job Opportunities Abound Overseas for Fundraisers - News - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: Job Opportunities Abound Overseas for Fundraisers

By Holly Hall

If you’re an experienced fundraiser who wants to live abroad, plentiful job opportunities await in places like Britain and Australia, especially in higher education, according to a new report.

Africa’s top 10 philanthropists

Africa’s top 10 philanthropists: Africa’s top 10 philanthropists

Editorial: It's a good idea to revisit the code on elderly donors | Third Sector

Editorial: It's a good idea to revisit the code on elderly donors | Third Sector: Even though a recent complaint regarding an elderly donor was not upheld, the Fundraising Standards Board was right to recommend new rules on dealing with older people, writes Stephen Cook

In one of its rare stage-three adjudications, the Fundraising Standards Board has not upheld a complaint that the veterinary charity the PDSA took advantage of an elderly donor who was suffering from schizophrenia and made a number of substantial donations to it. The charity did not know that she was vulnerable and there was no evidence that it had put her under pressure to give, the FRSB ruled.

Editorial: It's a good idea to revisit the code on elderly donors | Third Sector

Editorial: It's a good idea to revisit the code on elderly donors | Third Sector: Even though a recent complaint regarding an elderly donor was not upheld, the Fundraising Standards Board was right to recommend new rules on dealing with older people, writes Stephen Cook

In one of its rare stage-three adjudications, the Fundraising Standards Board has not upheld a complaint that the veterinary charity the PDSA took advantage of an elderly donor who was suffering from schizophrenia and made a number of substantial donations to it. The charity did not know that she was vulnerable and there was no evidence that it had put her under pressure to give, the FRSB ruled.

Scout's membership grows by one fifth in 10 years

Scout's membership grows by one fifth in 10 years: The Scout Association's annual census shows it has increased its members by 22 per cent to 550,000 in the last ten years.

The charity today announced plans to recruit an extra 58,000 young people with the aim of reaching 500,000 Scouts by 2018.

As well as more young people, the movement is looking to recruit 18,000 new adult volunteers by 2018 as the organisation steps up its work in deprived communities.