From the President's Office
Dear Friend:
Here at GuideStar we are in contact with thousands of charities every month, and we have been impressed with your stories of economic challenge. Last November, we published the results of our annual nonprofit economic survey. The story received widespread attention, including that of foundations and donors.
In our survey last fall, 64 percent of you told us that demand for your organizations' services was up, and 60 percent reported that contributions had dropped or were stagnant. There was some good news: 35 percent of you said that contributions had increased.
Since then, however, the economy has deteriorated further, and countless news stories have reported on food banks with empty shelves, human service charities overwhelmed by requests for assistance from the newly unemployed, nonprofit layoffs, and more.
To get a better idea of the impact the economy is having on the nation's charitable organizations, we are conducting a follow-up economy survey. ... Read more
Tips for Entering Your Nonprofit
into the Social Media Environment
"Social media" doesn't have to be scary.
Do you Tweet? What's your Facebook page got? Ever think of how to promote your nonprofit on YouTube? Follow any bloggers? What's an "influencer," and should you be, well, influenced? More important, are your target audiences socializing in cyberspace, not just for fun but for the purpose of deciding how and where to invest their time or financial resources? ... Read more
Reference Checking: More Than a Necessary Evil
Get the most out of reference checking.
You have found a perfect candidate! His job experience is a perfect match, the culture fit is just right, and everyone in the office loves him! It's a done deal, right? Not so fast; it's now time for the reference checks. ... Read more
The Dance of the Four Veils
Are your communications obfuscatory and tedious?
For the most part, nonprofit communications are boring. Not on purpose, mind you. Still, they are almost always uninteresting, my vast exposure to them suggests. And why? Because they swaddle themselves in one or more of the following interest-draining veils. ... read more
IRS Updates, March 2009
The IRS will hold workshops in Minneapolis and Boston, and the
final report on nonprofit hospitals is available from the IRS Web site.
The IRS has announced the dates and locations of its spring workshops for small and mid-sized exempt organizations. The Exempt Organizations Division also released the final report of its study on nonprofit hospitals. ... Read more
This Month's Webinars
- Mar. 17: Due Diligence Best Practices
- Mar. 18: Customizable Nonprofit Data
- Mar. 25: Frictionless Fundraising
GuideStar on the Road
- Mar. 23-24: Grants Managers Network 2009 National Conference, Denver, Colo.
In This Issue
Tips for Entering Your Nonprofit into the Social Media Environment
Reference Checking: More Than a Necessary Evil
