From the President's Office
Dear Friend:
I received a lot of mail on my column last month about how the power of "sunshine"—voluntary disclosure and on-line transparency—may be the best solution to address the questions about the nonprofit sector that occasionally surface. Here at GuideStar, we have seen how the power of sunshine has effected a dramatic change in organizations’ willingness to share information. ... Read more
Writing Fundraising E-mails:
The "Rules" Are a Bit Different
You have only one to two seconds to snag someone's attention so that they open your fundraising e-mail. Then you have to offer text that keeps them reading. Here are some tips to help you achieve these goals.
As far as e-mail copy is concerned, there are two key writing components. The first is the subject line; the second is the body of the e-mail itself. Since readers encounter the subject line first, let's begin there. ... Read more
Creating a Theme Line That Works:
A Nonprofit Association Case Study
Can you sum up your organization's mission or the goals of a special event in one phrase? What's the best phrase to use? Here's how one organization found the answers to those questions.
I was recently privileged to be involved in developing a new theme line (tag line, slogan, whatever you prefer) for a world-renowned annual aviation event for a nonprofit association. The exercise provided some valuable lessons about tag line development that you can use in your organization. ... Read more
Federal Lobby Reform Legislation
Will Affect Nonprofit Advocacy
If your organization lobbies in Congress or at federal agencies, there are some developments you should be aware of.
Legislation aimed at overhauling lobbying and ethics law is now moving through Congress, and several proposals being debated by the Senate and House will directly affect nonprofit organizations engaged in advocacy at the federal level. The Senate has already approved a bill, and in the House, legislation is still pending, with committee action expected very soon. ... Read more
E-philanthropy: Lessons Learned from TouchDC
and the D.C. Strengthening Partners Initiative (SPI)
As on-line giving grows, the benefits to nonprofits are also increasing. Here's a case study from the Washington, D.C., area.
On-line donations increased significantly last year. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, in January 2005, 17 million Americans reported that they had made contributions on-line. ... Read more
Grantwriting 102: Advice from Successful Grantwriters
You've read the books, reviewed the sample applications, assembled the evidence, and written the strongest grant proposal you can. Is there anything else you can do to increase your organization's chances for success?
Last month, "Grant Writing 101" listed resources recommended for learning grant writing basics. This month, we look at specific tips and words of wisdom from successful grant writers. ... Read more
Reflections on "Dirty Money":
March Question of the Month Results
Should nonprofits accept money from controversial sources? And just what is a controversial source? Newsletter readers share their views.
The March Question of the Month originated from a Newsletter reader's response to Bob Ottenhoff's February article on politicians' donating funds they had received from Jack Abramoff to charity. She wrote, "I think a GuideStar poll asking how many organizations were offered this money and how many kept or returned it could give us some very interesting perspectives. ... Read more
In This Issue
Creating a Theme Line That Works
Federal Lobby Reform Legislation Will Affect Nonprofit Advocacy
E-philanthropy: Lessons Learned
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